The Jim Backus Show Season 1, Episode 17: Meet Melvin

The Mad Bomber

Headline News, owned by Mike, runs an article on a crazed bomber creating havoc in the city. The person reads it, angering him and he vows revenge against the news office.

30 min

The Patriots

O'Toole is struggling to find a good story to offer when he discovers an apparent first hand account of a revolution in a south American nation written by a new correspondent. He sells it to a client paper, then finds it was fiction. So Dora and the rest of the staff must bluff that country's leaders into believing it's real to save the story

30 min

Mike O'Toole, Angler

Mike is trying to raise funds for an orphanage without much success. He decides to stage a robbery with the help of "Fingers" Larkin , expecting the publicity will bring a flood of donations. The plan misfires of course.

30 min

No Help Wanted

A retired stage actress is trying to adapt to a normal life when John's car breaks down near her house. Using her phone as she appears to be a cleaning woman, he thinks she is destitute and goes to great lengths to get her back on her feet

30 min

South Hampton Story

O'Toole sends an eager young reporter out to cover the arrival in town of a beautiful heiress. When the reporter is unable to get a story, O'Toole takes the assignment himself and finds he is the new romantic interest of the heiress

30 min

The Marry-Go-Round

Irresponsible millionaire playboy Sonny Slote has divorced and about to marry again, this time to a stripper half his age. Anxious for a story, O'Toole and Dora appear at the Slote home, but forgetful old Sonny mistakes Dora for an ex-lover and O'Toole for her father.

30 min

The Nephew

The will of a recently deceased woman stipulates that her fortune should go to her prized cat, however, as the cat also died, the legacy goes to a nephew-if he can be located. O'Toole starts a campaign to find him, but is inundated by false claimants. Finally what seems like the genuine heir is found, only to find the lawyer administrating the estate has a different contender.

30 min

Baby, Come Home

An infant is kidnapped and O'Toole looks for a sensational take on the story. But when Mike is unexpectedly in possession of the abducted baby it takes Dora's smarts to figure out what to do.

30 min

The Frame Up

A street gang beats up a boy who is told to blame a policeman on the beat. Mike suspects the cop is being framed and persuades Sidney to act as a decoy to clear the officer.

30 min

Painting Caper

Trying to get financial support for his business Mike poses as an art expert to a wealthy man interested in buying paintings. But one falsehood leads to another with Mike starting a hoax he's unable to contain.

30 min

The Three Sisters

Mike learns of a sweet old lady who's in jail for shoplifting and bails her out. She and her two sisters decide to help Mike out at his apartment but unbeknownst to him they have turned his home into a bookie joint.

30 min

Uncle Chester

Mike is following a hot story about a crooked poltician when his Uncle Chester comes for a visit. Mike is welcoming at first but when his relative interferes with his work Mike becomes exasperated.

30 min

Crime a la Carte

Mike gets the not very good idea of pretending to be a stool pigeon to land a story about crime. Mike is too believable and a criminal gang kidnaps him to keep him quiet. Mike's staff scrambles to free him.

30 min

The Desk

To get an exclusive for his news service Mike hides a suspected criminal. He then tries to conceal himself in a roll top desk but gets stuck inside. Mike endeavors to get out without revealing the other person hiding.

30 min

Piano Prodigy

30 min

Mike Cheats a Cheater

Mike wants to expose a drama teacher who he believes is a phony, scamming people of their savings. Mike decides to pose a a Texas millionaire's son but gets little help from his assistants who are enamored with the instructor.

30 min

The Woman's Touch

Dora thinks she can do better as Mike's business fails so they switch positions. Dora hires Aldrich as a salesman and begins a romance while assigning Mike a story on bigamy. Irritated Mike finds a surprise during his investigation..

30 min

Sidney's Scoop

Mike give Sidney the office boy an opportunity to be a reporter. But when Sidney writes a false story his boss Mike must wotk fast to prevent any damage to the agency.

30 min

The Hypnotist

Mike is onto Lucifer Ferris, a hypnotist who he believes is blackmailing people. Ferris puts newspaperman O'Toole under a post hypnotic suggestion that keeps Mike from following through on his expose.

30 min

Once Upon a Moose

Mike and Dora, after a hot story, travel to West Virginia to ask questions about a murder convicted. Positive an innocent man is jailed the two reporters look for evidence to free him, who looks identical to at least 3 others in town.

30 min

Pinkmalion

Mike is refused an interview with a well known actress. He decides invent Pink Larsen, movie star, to create a buzz. All goes well until Mike is pressured to produce an actual person in response to all the publicity.

30 min

When a Body Meets a Body

Mike thinks he has a huge scoop when he learns of an unreported murder with the body in a barbershop. But his excitement evaporates when the corpse goes missing, then turns up alive demanding answers from Mike.

30 min

Arabian Night

Mike is determined to land an interview with an Arab prince and sends Dora to work her magic. She's too successful as the ruler wants to make Dora his 39th wife so he offers Mike 3 camels and 2 harem girls.

30 min

Old Army Game

Mike takes on a gang of thugs who prey on soldiers frequenting a seedy bar.

30 min

The Fix

Little Augie, a boxing promoter, is suspected of fixing fights but no one can get the proof. Mike is sensing a scoop so he get Sidney to pose as as fighter and tries to catch Little Augie making a payoff to the boxer.

30 min

Sad Sack Santa

Mike meet a depressed fellow sitting on a stoop wearing a Santa suit. Problem is it's months after Christmas. The man is unable to find a job and Mike tries to help but then suspects he is being taken advantage of.

30 min

The Plant

Mike is hot when a rival news service prints a number of his exclusives. Determined to get back at them, Mike convinces Dora to pose as a Russian secret agent. But Mike's plan threatens to backfire on him.

30 min

The Temporary Scoundrel

Mike meets his doppelganger who happens to be a wealthy Argentine build as the World's Greatest Lover. The two agree to change places for a day and Mike is enjoying himself until someone starts shooting at him.

30 min

Floundered in Florida

Mike is hired by Sally's suits to promote their swimwear in Miami. He and Sidney arrive but Siidney soon runs into trouble. Entanglement with a female con artist loses the office boy all his savings and Mike must rescue him.

30 min

Dear Minnie

Mike hires Minnie Morgan to write a lonely heart column for the news service. Minnie though is better a dispensing advice then following it as Mike and Dora find out by Minnie's complicated personal life.

30 min

In the Rough

Mike's ex-girlfriend Henrietta shows up from her travels with a golf prodigy, a gorilla! Mike thinks he has found a sure way to make a fortune so he bets his savings on a match between the ape and golfing pro Jimmy Demaret.

30 min

Dora's Vacation

When Dora insists on taking her much delayed vacation Mike hires Debbie, a flighty youngster, as her replacement. But the teenager is a disaster in the office and as she's the daughter of an important client Mike can't fire her.

30 min

The Birthday Boy

It's time for a party or so Mike thinks when it's his birthday. Mike arrives at a celebration, thinking it's for him but before he learns of the mistake he receives two black eyes for crashing the event.

30 min

War Bride

Jean Reilly, a former WAC, married in haste during WW II and has been looking for her missing groom since. After spotting Mike Jean insists he is her husband and Mike must figure out a way to prove otherwise.

30 min

The Texas Tycoon

Mike needs Texas millionaire Handy Cameron's backing to save the news service. Mike decides to use the charms of Dora to help things along but Handy then wants to wed Dora and take her back to Texas.

30 min

Gift for Grandma

It's birthday time for Sidney's grandmother and he wants to buy her a nice but inexpensive gift. Mike makes a suggestion that leads Sidney into purchasing a stolen necklace. The office gets involved and ends up behind bars.

30 min

O'Toole and Son

Mike's uncle dies and Mike learns he's a beneficiary in the will to the tune of $100, 000. But there is a stipulation, he must have a son as heir. Mike latches onto the idea of adopting Sidney, the office boy.

30 min

Farewell to Dora

Mike takes Dora for granted but when he learns she has accepted a better job offer, Mike becomes upset. He devises various plans to get Dora to stay but she remains unpersuaded. The boss realizes he can't get along without her.

30 min