"Hocus-Pocus"

(Original air date 01/18/76)

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Steve teams up with young telepath Audrey Moss to retrieve a
stolen Navy codebook from a gangster’s residence

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Story: Richard Carr & James Schmerer

Teleplay: Richard Carr

Director: Barry Crane


Steve and Oscar meet with Will Collins (Jack Colvin), an OSI operative on assignment to spy on Mark Wharton (Pernell Roberts), the head of a crime organization suspected of having in his possession a Navy top-secret codebook. Collins reports that the item is stashed somewhere in Wharton’s residence but that he can’t risk ferreting about for fear of blowing his cover.

Oscar suggests sending Steve to retrieve the book and ask Collins to arrange for an audition at Wharton’s nightclub for Steve Andrews, magician extraordinaire.

Collins spots a car belonging to one of Wharton’s men. No doubt the boss is suspecting him of treason hence the reason why he sent Baxter on his trail. Steve is quick to apprehend the man after sending a few lead pipes in front of his car. Oscar assures Collins that Baxter will be kept from under foot for the next seventy-hours, which should give Steve enough time to sneak into the house and get the book.

           

In less than twenty-four hours, Steve masters the art of magic, thanks to his teacher, magician Dave Powell (Mark Wilson). Oscar is impressed but doubts those ordinary card tricks will impress Wharton. Steve then proposes to team up with telepath Audrey Moss for a number of mind reading.

At the John Quincy Adams Junior College, Audrey (Robbie Lee) is trying to jilt her cheating boyfriend Jack Brewster (Christopher Stafford Nelson), when she suddenly senses Steve’s presence on campus. Ecstatic she rushes out of the school to meet him. She jumps at the chance to team up with her old partner.

           

Collins returns to Wharton’s residence to confront his wary boss. He finds it peculiar that the man he sent to spy on his every move has yet to show up with his report. With a composed stance, Collins convinces the man that perhaps Baxter is the traitor, a theory that Wharton considers plausible.

Before leaving for the nightclub to meet with new talents, Collins requests Wharton’s presence at the audition of a brilliant new magician. It’s an act he can’t miss.

In Oscar’s office, Steve’s new appearance passes inspection. While he receives Oscar’s approval, he gets a giggle from Audrey who can’t help tease her partner on his Clark Gable look.

           

The next day, Steve and Audrey perform their number. While the beginning is rather dull, the second part of the act with Audrey’s telepathic feats astounds Wharton who hires them both on the spot and insists they lodge at his residence. The living arrangements please Steve for he won't have to go far to retrieve the book.

Wharton shares with his henchman George (William T. Zacha) his plans to use the young wonder for his own gain.

           

Meanwhile, Oscar receives word that Baxter has escaped. The fugitive tries to contact his boss to warn him about Collins but instead hails a taxi to get to the nightclub, where Oscar’s men apprehend him on the doorstep.

     

During an intimate gathering at Wharton’s house, Audrey concentrates on their host’s thoughts to retrieve information on the location of the codebook that she later passes on to Steve.

Once his young partner is safely back to her room, Steve sneaks out of the house and jumps up onto the balcony of Wharton’s study to search for the book on the library shelf.

           

Wharton and his henchmen burst into the room to catch him red-handed. Incensed the boss orders Audrey in for an explanation. In order to get her partner off the hook, Audrey asks Steve that the truth be known. He fibs about being desperate for money, hence the reason why he attempted to break into the safe with the combination that Audrey passed on to him.

Wharton is impressed. He promises to sweep the incident under the rug providing the two agree to work for him exclusively.

With Audrey one out of the room, Wharton orders his men to knock Steve out and to lock him up in a meat cellar. The below freezing temperature quickly depletes Steve’s bionic strength, rendering him powerless to free himself from his bonds.

           

Audrey is outraged by Wharton’s threat to kill Steve should she refuse to follow his instructions. Her first job will be to identify which one of his associates is a backstabber.

After linking telepathically with Steve down in the freezer, Audrey goes to Collins for help. She threatens to expose him as the traitor should he fail to have Steve freed.

While Audrey meets with Wharton’s associates to sniff out the bad seed, Collins goes to George with Wharton’s orders to carry Steve down to the basement.

           

Soon Steve is able to break free and goes up to Wharton’s study, careful to deactivate the security system first before getting the codebook.

           

He then contacts Oscar standing by with his men to swarm the place. He asks for a few more minutes in order to get Audrey safely out of the property.

Georges comes to his boss with his peculiar order to have Austin moved out of the freezer. Wharton then suspects Collins and Audrey of working together and orders them inside the house where he intends to have them killed.

           

Steve jumps down the balcony to subdue Wharton and his men by hurling them all into the pool, bionic style.

When all is settled, Steve drives Audrey back to her school. Steve’s pep talk on the unique individual that she is convinces her to give her boyfriend another chance.

           

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