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Laura

Episode Screen Caps Episode Number: 145
Season Number: 7.18
Air Date: 2/25/1987
Writer: Chris Abbott
Director: Alan J. Levi
Producer: Rick Weaver
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters
Joe Santos (Lt. Nolan Page)
Guest Stars
Frank Sinatra (Michael Doheny), Steven Keats (Willie Clayton), Kevyn Major Howard (Kenneth Geiger), Joan McMurtrey (Marian Doheny O'Hara), Jack Kruschen (Doheny's Partner), Branscombe Richmond (Smitty), Kristin Brick (Laura), Tina Machado (Lady in Jeep - uncredited)
Episode Brief
Rick persuades Thomas to take a high-reward, supposedly simple missing person case, but the person paying for the case is actually New York City cop Michael Doheny, who has his own reasons for wanting to find the man in question. Doheny has come to Hawaii to track down those responsible for the rape and murder of his young granddaughter on the night of his retirement dinner, a hunt in which he asks Magnum's help.
Rating
9.1(39 votes)Rate Episode
Notes
1 This is the darkest, grittiest, most depressing episode of the entire series!

2 The legendary Frank Sinatra, in his last major television or film role, was offered a choice of three different scripts for his Magnum P.I. appearance. He chose "Laura" and is said to have loved the story, and the character of retired police sergeant Michael Doheny. Sinatra worked for scale and stayed at the The Colony Surf hotel in Diamond Head. He and his entourage took up an entire floor at the hotel. There were plans to have Frank come back for another episode in Season Eight, but Tom Selleck's scheduling conflicts forced the producers to cut back on the number of episodes and his turn never came.

3 Genesis' "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (from their 1986 album Invisible Touch) is memorably used in a 5+ minute sequence shot (featuring Frank Sinatra) that was filmed at night in the Hotel Street section of Chinatown. Several infamous topless dancehalls are featured, including Club Hubba Hubba, Swing Club and Benny's Danceland. It appears that the Swing Club was used for the indoor bar scenes involving Frank Sinatra and Tom Selleck during the sequence. The scene were Frank puts the guy's bead through the window was filmed at the Mini Garden restaurant (50 North Hotel Street). Genesis' music ("Mama") was used earlier in Season Seven ("Death and Taxes") in another memorable, effective sequence shot. Another Genesis song, the instrumental piece "The Brazilian", will be featured in Season Eight's "Unfinished Business" (8.8).

4 The episode title appears bottom-center of the screen, not the usual bottom-left.

5 On the opening trailer, when Magnum says to Doheny "That's all you've got to say - we got off to a bad start?" in jail, the shot used does not match his speech - it is actually taken from a few moments later in the scene. (Noted by Jay-Firestorm)

6 The International Marketplace in Waikiki is used as a filming location for a stakeout scene. A wonderful two minute synth/electronic drums score by Mike Post & Pete Carpenter is featured during the scene.

7 Magnum orders an "Old Dusseldorf" at a dive bar. "Old Dusseldorf" hasn't been seen or mentioned since Season Four's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" (4.13).

8 Popular 1970's and '80s, Emmy-nominated actor Steven Keats (Willie Clayton) tragically committed suicide in 1994. He was a U.S. Air Force Vietnam War veteran.

9 Magnum is making a home video on "Private Investigation" for his nephew Billy, who was previously seen in Season Six's "Going Home" (6.7).

10 Frank Sinatra wears a genuine Montecristi classic fedora-style Panama hat in several scenes of this episode. (Noted by Tim)

11 Laura's gravestone shows her birth date as June 14th 1979 and her date of death as December 29th 1986, two months before the actual episode was aired. We know that Doheny retired from the New York City police department sometime around christmas of 1986 (he wishes everybody a "merry christmas" at his retirement party), but we don't know for sure if it was before or after Laura's death.

12 A new bedroom set is seen at the main house of Robin's Nest. It was used by Doheny during his stay. Also, the "Anuenue Room" (or "Rainbow Room") set is used for a brief scene.

13 Magnum and T.C. are seen enjoying a game of chess together. Magnum (as White) is getting smoked. After T.C.'s Qh5+, he is facing Mate in 2!

14 The scene where Michael Doheny bashes a man's head through a window is quite brief in the actual episode, but during the closing credits it runs longer, and includes him pouring a glass of water over the shaggy guy's head! (Noted by Andrew Osborne)

15 At some point early in his career, Higgins was on a fact-finding mission just outside of Moscow in the dead of winter. A Russian infantryman returning from the front was informed that his wife and child had died from starvation. Higgins watched as the man beat his fist into a brick wall until every bone in his hand was crushed.
Quotes
1
Magnum: Rick, what exactly are you getting out of all this?
Rick: Just a real small finders fee. (smiles) And a good feeling inside when I know that I helped out a pal.

2
Michael Doheny: You got ten seconds to tell me everything you know about Geiger, or you'll no longer have a neck.

3
(to Magnum)
T.C.: Checkmate. (smiles)

4
Michael Doheny: She was my granddaughter! You slimy bastard. You beat her face to a pulp. You broke her body down to nothin' and then you threw her in an alley to die. And I'm gonna do the same thing to you.
(begin ass kickin'!)
Flubs
1 In the final scene, when Doheny visits his granddaughter's grave in New York, palm trees can be spotted in the background. New York doesn't have palm trees. The scene was filmed at Oahu Cemetery (founded 1844) in the Nuuanu Valley.


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