DIAGNOSIS MURDER: SANTA CLAUDE (TV)

Summary

One in this series of mystery programs about the life and times of Dr. Mark Sloan, a physician at Community General Hospital who enjoys solving murder cases with the help of his son, Steve, a homicide detective. This episode opens with hospital horticulturist Claude flashing back to when he broke out of prison and learned how to to hide his identity as an escaped convict. Back in the present, Claude collapses right in front of Mark. After giving him a thorough checkup, Mark reveals to Claude that he is fainting due to pancreatic cancer and has approximately six months to live. Surprisingly, Claude is upbeat about his fate. Sloan reveals to Steve how distraught he is over Claude's lack of medical coverage and wishes they could figure out a way to help the plant man. Meanwhile, Mark continues searching for three members to fill out his barbershop quartet for the upcoming hospital Christmas party, going so far as to ask Amanda to try out. Soon, Steve comes to his father with some shocking news: "Claude" is an alias for Andrew Basevich, a convicted murderer that escaped from jail more than ten years ago. Sloan and Steve sit down with Claude to question him on his past. He claims he was innocent and that someone pinned the murder of his wife, Sharon, on him. Now, Mark is intrigued and wishes to help exonerate Claude before he dies or gets extradited to Missouri. Claude is forced to stay in the hospital's lockdown ward while Mark tackles the case. There, Dr. Hazeltine tries, via hypnotism, to get Claude to remember some key events from his past. Mysteriously, he recalls the smell of graham crackers and marshmallows on the night of his wife's murder. Meanwhile, someone breaks into Jesse's car and steals $600 worth of Christmas gifts. Soon, Harmon Tolliver, the deputy sheriff from St. Louis, arrives at the hospital, claiming he has to extradite Claude that day, no matter what. Mark quickly gets a temporary stay, allowing Claude to stay in town at least until Monday. Steve races to St. Louis to investigate the details of the case, particularly on the matter of the "s'mores" smell. Steve also speaks with two of Sharon's close contacts: best friend Lily Andrews and her ex-husband, the alcoholic Jonathan. Jonathan reveals that he was having a secret affair with Sharon, though it's possible Lily may have known about it. Meanwhile, Jesse finally figures out how to get into the Christmas spirit. As Steve presses Lily further, getting a warrant to search her safety deposit box for some damning evidence, she panics and commits suicide. Despite authorities in St. Louis being satisfied that Lily killed Sharon, the deputy refuses to let Claude off the hook, saying that he was guilty of breaking out of jail. With Claude's time almost up, Jesse convinces the deputy to let him stay another day so Claude can play Santa Claus one last time. At the Christmas party, "Santa Claude" hears kids' requests while Mark spikes the lawman's flask of alcohol, causing him to pass out. Later, Mark finally gets to perform with a barbershop quartet before giving Claude a chance to escape to Mexico. Commercials deleted.

Details

• NETWORK: CBS
• DATE: December 16, 1999 Thursday 8:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:45:20
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: T:81351
• GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense; Drama, police/private detective; Drama, medical
• SUBJECT HEADING: She Made It Collection (Dr. Joyce Brothers)
• SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1993-2001
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Dean Hargrove … Executive Producer
• Fred Silverman … Executive Producer
• Chris Abbott … Executive Producer
• Dick Van Dyke … Executive Producer
• Steve Brown … Supervising Producer, Writer
• Donald L. Gold … Producer
• Craig W. Yahata … Associate Producer
• Nancy Malone … Director
• Burt Prelutsky … Writer
• Joyce Burditt … Created by
• Lou Forestieri … Music by
• Dick DeBenedictis … Theme Music by
• Dick Van Dyke … Cast, Dr. Mark Sloan
• Victoria Rowell … Cast, Amanda Bentley
• Charlie Schlatter … Cast, Jesse Travis
• Van Dyke, Barry … Cast, Steve Sloan
• Leon Russom … Cast, Claude Campbell
• Joanna Cassidy … Cast, Madison Wesley
• Joyce Brothers … Cast, Dr. Hazeltine
• Scarlett Pomers … Cast, Judy
• Michael Ryan Way … Cast, Jonathan Andrews
• Anthony Gordon … Cast, First Homeless Guy
• Gary Brussell … Cast, Second Homeless Guy
• John Cirigliano … Cast, Third Homeless Guy
• Marty Fortney … Cast, Bobby Joe Falwell
• Evelyn Iocolano … Cast, Charlene
• Geoff Koch … Cast, Willy Falwell
• James Sabina … Cast, Tenor
• Bob Hartley … Cast, Lead
• Michael McGee … Cast, Baritone
• Brian Philbin … Cast, Bass