Season 1 - originally broadcast
January 26, 1966
French: "Toujours dire au-revoir" (same as English)
German: "Sag zum Abschied leise Servus" (Speak Quietly at Parting)
They try to block Communist plans to sabotage a Japanese-American financial conference, with trouble unexpectedly coming from the American delegate.
Cast:
Kent Smith (James Winthrop), Dan Tobin (male secretary), Florence Marly (Elisha), Tanigoshi (Ito), Henry Fujikata (Mr. Takata), Tad Horino (Oshima), Koko Tani (Yama), Kenneth Chung (servant), Lee Kolima (Ganko), Harold Fong (Vagrant), France Nuyen (Sada)
Synopsis: They must keep that diplomat away from women.
Highlights/Comments: Perfectly constructed for the comic talents of the stars. Memorable Culp scenes with hangover and as diplomat with glasses.
The “I Spy” Forum comments on ALWAYS SAY GOODBYE
Author: Colonel Boris Benkovski
Date: 9/5/01 10:54:35 AM
eSAM I agree with you about Always Say Goodbye, there is really nothing special about the episode, nothing profound or extraordinary. It is played strictly for fun, except for the scenes where Winthorpe talks about Eliska, and later when he meets her. But it is entertaining, and it gives Robert Culp an opportunity to showcase his comedic ability. In fact, this is the probably the one comic episode in which most of the humor actually is centered on Culp, instead of on guest stars or on Cosby. The fight in Sada`s apartment with the Asian hulk, the dressing room scene in the cabaret, the hangover scene and the meeting with Mr. Takata, all rely heavily on Culp`s comic ability. I especially enjoyed his portrayal of a hangover, and also the look on his face when he first smells the tonic offered to him by Mr. Takata. So even if this was not an episode of particularly high artistic quality, it was nevertheless enjoyable. Although there was some physical humor, there was also a lot of wit in the word play and banter - I really liked Scotty`s pun about "baked Eliska".

The plot itself is a bit dated, now that we have been off the gold standard for 30 years, it is hard to remeber how much it would have damaged us if gold certificates in foreign hands had been redeemed en masse. And these days it is hard to believe that an entire treaty could be torpedoed because one diplomat is too prudish to accept another`s peccadilloes. Of course after the events of the past 10 years or so, the supposed actions of Mr. Winthorpe seem very tame in comparison. But by the standards of television in 1965, this was a bit of a daring episode, dealing with the possibility of a child born out of wedlock, and the overtly sexual nature of the overall plot. By 1965 this was no longer taboo on the movie screen, but for television this was pushing the envelope a tad (they would go even further a few weeks later in the episode "My Mother, The Spy", where an unmarried woman agent actaully does have a baby). At the end of this episode a rather biting commentary on hypocrisy can be discerned when Kelly finds Mr. Takata in Eliska`s house.
A few specific items of note in the episode:
As SAM mentioned, the first of four guest appearances byy the lovely France Nuyen. Her role is small in this one, but she is very appealing. I recently watched the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and kept thinking about how much it`s star, Michelle Yeoh, reminded me of France Nuyen in her younger years. In fact this episode had a great quantity of attractive women in it.
Also a brief passing mention of Forest Hills, the former site of the US Open tennis tournament, before it moved to Flushing Meadows.
Scotty actually orders himself a drink in the cabaret! But he doesn`t touch it at all. More good use of a few of Tokyo`s city scenes, brief though they were. Good music, especially that poignant theme when Winthorpe finally meets Eliska.
One question: Where did Winthorpe go after he met her? He disappeared from the scene before Takata was shown, but how and where did he go?
Anyway, an average episode with some entertaining comedy and a few daring elements. I`d say C+ or possibly even a B-.
Author: Tatia Loring
Date: 9/5/01 3:05:44 PM
We are in agreement on this one ... "Always Say Goodbye" was not a great one, but it certainly had some wonderful, charming moments in there ....
The claim to fame for this one I guess is the initial meeting of Mr. Culp and Ms. Nuyen in real life .... her Sada, the flower girl, was lovely - she has always had a wonderful presence about her ... but when Kelly escorts her out to the cab - it is extremely obvious that they used a double for Ms. Nuyen in the outdoor scenes.
I agree with the Colonel - the entire hangover and "Kelly as the perfect junior statesman" routine was charming and adorable ... down to his sipping of Mr. Takata`s "seaweed kelp and ground octopus eye" elixir ... Culp`s expression trying to keep it all together during this scene was very funny! ... and I loved the waistcoat and homburg look ... but I don`t think we need to make any comments about those horn-rimmed glasses, gang .... `cause something tells me that wasn`t part of the scenery from the prop department ....e
I also thought it was a rather cute ending to have Mr. Takata, the epitome of virtue, turn out not to be quite as straight-laced as he was made out to be (having our assumptions and presumptions tweaked a bit) ... but then again, what can Tatia say ...... MEN!!! (Yes, that was definitely a "Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars" commentary, gentlemen :-) :-)
... and of course, Kelly`s summation .... "Discretion is a pearl of great wisdom" delivered in Culp`s sonorous best (and sounding like he definitely knew what he was talking about) was wonderful!!!
RE: SAM`s "Hefner" comments about the showgirls scene - you are not suggesting any personal experience on Mr. Culp`s part from visiting the Playboy Mansion??? I`m sure he only forced himself to go to the Hefner abode for purely sociological and intellectual research - it just happened to turn into a several decades long project ... (boy, that will be some term paper he`ll have to hand in!)
I always liked Kent Smith - the embodiment of "dignified" - white-haired and distinguished looking ... interestingly before "I SPY" began its run - Culp starred in a program called the GREAT ADVENTURE (1964) in an episode called "The Testing of Sam Houston." This was the Beau Brummel of guest outings for the Big Guy ... As Sam Houston, he got to wear a fancy army officer uniform with gold epaulets, high boots, and britches - as governor and statesman, long coats and ruffled shirts and something around his neck that must have been a scarf tied in a bow (but it was of a mutant variety and seemed to get bigger and bigger with each passing scene) ... and this was the one where he gets to wear a gigantic Cherokee turban style headdress .... (we`ve discussed the authencity of this chapeau earlier) but Bob`s was far bigger than any of his companions - with a nod to Carmen Miranda balancing a fruit bowl on her head - but Bob`s had feathers instead.
Victor Jory also starred in this production as Andrew Jackson, Houston`s mentor ... and Kent Smith as his political opponent ... nice - that within a year, Culp would be working with both of these gentlemen again as guest stars on his show ...
And remember that semi-ornate cabinet with the bow-front that I mentioned previously ... first it housed Tia Chang`s tape recorder in "Dragon`s Teeth," then made its way into the living room of Jean and Mike Vane`s apartment in "Time of the Knife," to re-appear again outside of Dr. Bingham`s hotel room in the hallway in "Weight of the World" .... Well check out Eliska`s house, because there it is again .... !!! This is one popular piece of furniture!!!
"Always Say Good-Bye" ... I`ll rank it somewhere in the middle of the pack.
As ever, Tatia
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