MATHNET: THE CASE OF THE SMART DUMMY (TV)
Summary
One in a series of hour-long specials of the "Mathnet" segment from "Square One Television," replete with word and math puns and inside jokes characteristic of the short segment. In this episode, mathnetters Pat Tuesday and George Frankly investigate the disappearance of a dummy named Lollie. Edgar, Lollie's owner and ventriloquist, arrives at Mathnet in shock and unable to speak. Instead, his other dummy Charlie communicates for him; Charlie reports to that Lollie was lost on a recent flight to New York. Consequently, Edgar had to cancel a booking to host the ASFAS Benefit, an award show for award shows. Pat and George begin their investigation in Edgar's apartment, where they use math to crack the combination lock of Lollie's holding case. When the case opens, the mathnetters are surprised to discover that it is full of money. Thinking that perhaps Lollie's case has been mixed up with another, Pat calls the airline to ask whether anyone has reported missing baggage but has no luck. Upon examining the baggage tags on the case, the sleuths deduce that it has traveled extensively of late, to cities all over the United States. Pat and George use Hamiltonian Circuits to hypothesize the exact route of the case -- and then panic as they realize that Edgar may be in danger if the money's owner tries to recover his lost property. They warn Edgar to be cautious and then visit his agent, Broadway Annie Rose. She tells them that no one has inquired about Edgar of late and supplies them with Edgar and Charlie's recent tour itinerary, which has covered the same cities through which the case traveled. News comes in that all of the cities involved were the scenes of bank robberies, and soon Charlie and Edgar are charged with the heists. An overlooked detail ensures their release, and Pat discovers another ventriloquist team, Nosebleed and Snerd, who may be involved in Lollie's disappearance. Unexpected twists prompt Pat and George to join Edgar at the ASFAS Awards, where Edgar finally finds his long lost friend.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 2000.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: 1993
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:44
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:50123
- GENRE: Children's; Education/Information
- SUBJECT HEADING: Children's programs; Mathematics; TV - Parody; Ventriloquism - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1987-1994
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jeffrey Nelson … Executive Producer
- Yvonne Hill-Ogunkoya … Coordinating Producer
- David D. Connell … Senior Producer, Created by, Writer
- Jim Thurman … Senior Producer, Created by, Writer
- Howard Meltzer … Producer
- Annina Lavee … Co-Producer
- Jeff Thurman … Animation Producer
- Bill Schreiner … Director
- John Rodby … Music by
- Toni DiBuono … Cast, Pat Tuesday
- Joe Howard … Cast, George Frankly
- Emilio DelPozo … Cast, Captain Grecco
- Todd Stockman … Cast, Edgar/Charlie
- Brenda Pressley … Cast, D.A. Wofford
- Doris Belack … Cast, Broadway Annie Rose
- Bill Britten … Cast, Floyd Snerd
- Mike Hodge … Cast, Mr. Singletary
- Rex Everhart … Cast, Blinky Isenglass
- Michael Sergio … Cast, Sgt. Abruzzi
- Ann Harada … Cast, TWM Agent
- F.L. Schmiddlapp … Cast, Businessman
- Lori Tan Chinn … Cast, Miss Jessica