'I'm Trying To Make Him Vulnerable..'

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45 years ago, the first episode of 'David Cassidy-Man Undercover' was aired on NBC. 'Running the Hill'. I feel so emotional about this series. I know all those episodes so well, watched them many times, also because I was asked to take screen shots for the website of some of the episodes. While taking them I could see how making this show was difficult for DC..

And Jay Gruska sent me the longer, full version of Hard Times, Hard Crimes. It was metaphysical experience for me, listening to this song for the first time, knowing that I was the only person in the world (except Jay Gruska of course) who knew about this track. It was like David Cassidy himself gave it to me.

https://www.davidcassidy.com/fansite/DiscographyPages/HardTimes_J%20Gruska-D%20Cassidy.mp3

Amazing. Wonderful theme song, great music, the lyrics explaining everything what we should know about this Police Officer, Dan Shay. In 1974 DC said that he would never do a TV series again, but after the success of 'Police Story' and the Emmy nomination, 'Man Undercover' looked like something just for him. And he wanted to be successful again. He said in May 1978, 'Im ready for the disappointments and heartaches, the thrills and spills, whatever.'

The filming started in September. 2 months of working non stop again. We know what David wrote about Man Undercover in his book. That this job destroyed him, both emotionally and physically. That all the episodes were horrible. Terribly written scripts. Everything done in a hurry and as cheap as possible. Hastily and carelessly, which for such perfectionist like David must have been a nightmare. In June 1978 he said, 'I won't to garbage for money. I don't ever want to be embarrassed again.'

https://www.davidcassidy.com/fansite/TvFilmPages/DCManUndercoverAdvert.html

Already in December it was obvious that the show would be cancelled. Episode #8 was aired on January 4, 1979, and  #9 and 10 in July. I've written many times why it finished that way. But despite the shortcomings of the scripts, the show wasn't much worse than any other average TV crime series at the time. 

I love how David Cassidy played Dan Shay. He did what he could - his best. He gave so much of himself to that character.  He said in November of 1978  'I'm not playing him as a super macho, or very physical. I'm trying to make him vulnerable. I'm not macho enough and I'm not very physical. I don't intend to carry an adventure show. I'm still only five feet, eight inches.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXTNpuu74IA

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