Benson Season 4

Season 4 (1982-1983)

Produced by Bob Colleary
Co-produced by Rob Dames & Bob Fraser

Guide to episodes, including episode number and title, production staff, guest cast, original air date, original episode descriptions, and additional commentary.

69. Death in a Funny Position, Part 1
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Rob Dames & Bob Fraser
Guest stars: Linda Day George, Michael Constatine,
Tab Hunter, Ron Carey, Keene Curtis
22 October 1982
A yacht cruise becomes a whodunit when the boat owner is found stabbed to death.

The group on a boating vacation

70. Death in a Funny Position, Part 2
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Rob Dames & Bob Fraser
Guest stars: Linda Day George, Michael Constatine,
Tab Hunter, Ron Carey, Keene Curtis
22 October 1982
Murders abound on a working vacation aboard a yacht, but Benson saves the day.

71. What a Revoltin’ Development
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman
Guest star: Henry Darrow
29 October 1982
Benson plots a daring escape after he travels to an island nation with Pete to present a trade agreement and is captured by a band of guerillas.

72. Thy Brother’s Keeper
Directed by Tony Singletary
Written by Bob Fraser & Rob Dames
5 November 1982
Benson gets a big surprise when his younger brother, Russell, comes to town for a dentist’s convention, and the two discover hostile feelings towards each other. While Benson is trying to deal with his brother’s attitude he must also finish a report for the Governor.

73. Quest for Retire
Directed by Bill Foster
Guest star: Danny Thomas
12 November 1982
Charlie is the private gardener about to receive his pension, but the stubborn old man wants to stay working, so he asks assistance from Benson.

74. Teacher’s Pest
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Don Hart and Richard Vaczy
19 November 1982
Benson teaches an economics course that a test-shy Kraus must pass to keep her job.

75. Benson’s Army Reunion
Directed by Bill Foster
26 November 1982
Benson’s army buddies gather for a reunion when unexpected hard feelings surface. The army buddies gather at the mansion for a riotous reunion, but another battle brews when one of the guys can’t accept the presence of the arrival of another. Kim, a Korean kid they befriended during the war, turns out to be a successful multi-millionaire. Some of the other buddies have not faired so well in life and are jealous.

76. Benson’s New Home
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Bob Colleary
3 December 1982
Benson buys a property through a dubious real estate salesman. The house has serious problems and Benson forces the salesman to renovate it.

77. Crimes of the Hearth
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman
10 December 1982
Benson’s condo is burglarized and his efforts to retrieve his stolen belongings make for an outrageous series of events.

78. Mary and Her Lambs
Directed by Rob Dames
Written by Bob Fraser
17 December 1982
At Christmas time all should be jolly, but Benson faces the problem of an assistant cook whose children have been taken away from her–and the mansion staff won’t be happy until something is done about it.

79. Pen Pal
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Bob Fraser & Rob Dames
31 December 1982
The executive mansion is disrupted by the arrival of Kraus’s pen pal, an ex-con, who expects a job.

80. The Honeymooners
Directed by Gary Brown
Written by Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman
7 January 1983
When Benson stands in for the groom at Kraus’s proxy wedding, he ends up really married to her. When Kraus’s husband-to-be can’t make it to their wedding, Benson substitutes for him and ends up really getting married to Kraus, thanks to a mix-up in the signatures on the marriage license and the inconvenient death of the presiding justice of the peace.

81. Close Encounters On The Third Hole
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Bob Fraser
14 January 83
Benson and the governor encounter a UFO while playing golf. After Benson can’t remember being beamed into a unidentified flying object, the governor does something even worse for an elected official than seeing a UFO–he talks about it.

82. Katie’s Boyfriend
Directed by Mark Warren
Written by Bob Colleary
21 January 1983
In the midst of an economic crisis, the governor allows Katie to go on her first date.

83. The Royal Painting
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Joan Brooker and Nancy Eddo
28 January 1983
A former street gang is hired to paint the mansion for a visit by the Queen of England.

84. Boy’s Night Out
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman
4 February 1983
The men from the mansion gather at Benson’s to watch television, play cards and swap stories. Also, the Governor is a little disappointed at Benson for vetoing a legislative bill he wanted to pass.

Benson and Clayton, relatives!

85. Family Tree
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman
18 February 1983
Benson and Clayton are appalled to discover that they may be related to each other. The relationship of their ancestors comes to light when one of them becomes heir to the family money. They just have to decide which of them is the rightful recipient. Since they both agree that weapons at fifty paces is out of the question, they perform a duel by insults instead.

86. Calamity Kraus
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Bob Fraser and Rob Dames
25 February 1983
Kraus masquerades as a wealthy heiress to keep a manufacturing plant in the state.

87. Kraus Sings the Blues
Directed by Bill Foster
4 March 1983
Benson reluctantly emcees a telethon and lets Kraus sing when several acts cancel out. After the song ends she is offered a chance to audition for a contract. She goes to the audition and is told that she must make a tape that costs a large amount of money. When she finally gets the tape it is so badly done that it is worthless. Benson comes up with an elaborate plan to get Kraus’s money back and teach the scam artist a lesson.

88. Half-Court Trap
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Bill Boulware
11 March 1983
Benson discovers that his nephew, a basketball star, can barely read or write. Because he is so good at sports the nephew feels that he doesn’t really need to know how to read. With Benson’s help he comes to understand that there is more to life than basketball.

89. A View From the Roof
Directed by Bill Foster
Written by Barry Fanaro
18 March 1983
When Benson and the governor attempt to set up an antenna on the roof, the ladder they use falls and leaves them trapped. They spend a good share of the episode trying to get the attention of people on the ground. This is truly a classic “trapped on the roof” episode.

90. Love in a Funny Phase
Directed by Linda Day
Written by Bob Fraser & Rob Dames
Guest stars: Lynne Moody as Jennifer,
Rick Fitts as Wesley
31 March 1983
Benson’s jealousy wreaks havoc when his girlfriend decides to date other men just as Benson is coping with the visit of an English lord and lady to the executive mansion.