Thrill Show

Thrill Show
Episode #	322
Air Date	February 23, 1980
Briefing	Bus robbing is for nerds

Title screen

Brief Plot

A punk rock group, humorously called "The Bus Boys," is stealing from the patrons of tourist buses to get money for a demo record. And Bonnie plans to leave her job on the force and join up with her former boyfriend, Crazy Ray Conner, the stunt driver with the Joey Chitwood Thrill Show.

Plot

In the morning as Ponch and Jon pull in on their bikes, and Bonnie pulls in all depressed in her crusier to Central. Bonnie now waves at Ponch and Jon over the snack machine. Bonnie all of a sudden sees a brand new 1979 Pontiac Trans Am pulling really fast out of nowhere. Bonnie is now surprised when her eyes get really big, and it turns out to be her new boyfriend Ray Conner, a stunt driver. Ray gets out of the car, and wants to greet Bonnie by grabbing her and picking her up. Bonnie gets very sassy, and Ponch and Jon walk over. Ray puts Bonnie down as Ponch and Jon walk over. Ray compliments Bonnie on her uniform. Bonnie introduces Ray to Ponch and Jon. Jon knows who Ray is. Ray now reassures Jon about showing off for Bonnie. Ray apolizges for his actions. Bonnie wants things to be cool. Ray speech about driving by the book. Ray walks away with Bonnie. Ponch and Jon decide to go inside the building.

Baricza now pulls in his crusier to Central, and sees Bonnie and Ray are goofing off. Bonnie and Ray now decide to talk. Ray now wants to take Bonnie out for dinner, and puts it the other way around which her makes her start to laugh. Baricza is now inside the office part of the building talking to Grossie about her new heart throb. Turner now gives information about some dude hear to see her. Ponch now starts talking about Bonnie meeting him out back. Jon now mentions the name Ray Conner. Grossie now gets all exicited, and mentions Ray Conner the stunt driver from the Joie Chitwood Thrill Show the one that's coming to town. Baricza knows now who Bonnie is actually currently dating. Turner knows that the show is coming to town. Ponch knows that none of our business, and walks away with Jon.

Their is now a big skyscraper building where cars are driving by, and Ponch and Jon now on their bikes taking ten minute break, and the bus is now turning on the on ramp. Ponch starts talking to Jon about a high speed chase on a motorcycle. Jon just doesn't get what Ponch's is talking about. Ponch now talking about endangered now about 70-80 mph, and what the Sergant tells them to do is slow down. Jon now admits Ponch is right. Ponch now starts talking about being the worst but not no more. Jon now wants Ponch to be Mr. Careful. Ponch now wants to be Mr. Cool.

A bus now passes by with a group of robbers which are three young english men in disquise by wearing hats and pairs of sunglasses are actually aboard talking about the next street is ours. One of the robbers say's stop it now, and wants everybody's money. The bus now stops behind a stolen yellow 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale. One of the english robbers who actually makes a serious threat while the other guys collect the money from peoples wallets and purses. Ponch and Jon are now still talking, and decide to take off on their bikes. The robbers now get off the bus, and hop into stolen car, and drive off. The bus driver and the passengers now get off the bus, and managed to get the license plate number on the car, and see them turn left, and drive off. The bus driver and the passengers now whistle, and managed to flag down Ponch and Jon. Ponch and Jon now turn their bikes around after seeing the bus driver and the passengers. Ponch and Jon now pull up, and the bus driver and the passengers back up. The bus driver now tells Ponch and Jon about the three men in a robbery, and in a Oldsmobile going that way.

Ponch and Jon now tell the bus driver and the passengers to wait here, and now turning on their sirens and taking off. The three robbers are driving in stolen car removing their disquises now talking about the robbery, and their smiling and laughing about it. Ponch later returns on his bike to the exact same spot, and Jon comes in the other direction. Ponch now asks the bus driver for the license plate number on the car. The bus driver now gives the car's license plate number which is 385 DOR. Ponch and Jon are now talking to the bus driver. Bonnie now arrives on the spot, and offers to help. Ponch and Jon now turn down Bonnie's help. Bonnie now really depressed decides to drive off.

The robbers now decide to abandon the stolen car into a parking lot. The robbers now decide get out of the car, and run into their brown 1963 Ford Econoline, and take off. The robbers are driving with band equipment, and their real happy about getting over a one hundred dollars, and talking about the risk, and getting a record deal to record a demo. The one robbers is holding his acoustic guitar, and they start talking about it robbing more buses, and they start singing about it.

Now in the evening where Getraer is now at home examing his beautiful polished rock collection until he hears someone knocking at the door. Getraer now decides to get out of his easy chair, and answers it. Getraer is now really happy when the female stranger knocking at the door turns out to be Bonnie all dressed up in purple wearing a pair of stiletto heels. Bonnie now tells Getraer about her not coming in next week. Getraer now invites Bonnie inside then starts talking about his wife Betty and her art class, and offers to get Bonnie anything. Bonnie now mentions Coffee just fine. Getraer now gives Bonnie a cup of coffee. Bonnie now talking a quitting at the end of the year. Getraer now talking to Bonnie about calling him, and about hearing voices. Bonnie now starts talking about being madly in love. Getraer knows about the dirt track racer. Bonnie now talks about being a stunt driver.Getraer now starts giving advice, and talking about being a geocitites, and using his vacation time, and martigraw looks a halow stack.

The next morning people are walking on the Hollywood Walk of Fame which is actually on Hollywood Boulevard. The van full of the robbers is actually driving by on that exact same street. One of the robbers notices a bus to rob today, and the tells the driver to slow down, and now is a talking a hundred dollars in change yesterday. The other knows they actually need two thousand dollars for the demo. They now want to steal another car to use in the robbery.

The robbers are now on the bus where the female tour guide is talking about the hollywood walk of fame, and a hot spot cafe which is part of the tour today. One the robbers to get, and grabs the tour gide for hostage to hold up the bus, and wants all the valuables while the other men come to collect the money now. The bus now runs over a motorcycle. Turner now responsible to the chase, and recieves information about the bus running over his motorcycle. Turner now informs information to Jon about a hit and run hollywood tour bus, and it might be a hostage sitsutation. One of the robbers wants people to have pleasure on this trip, and tell all their friends back home. The robbers now get off the bus, and hop into a stolen 1970 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale, and take off.

Ponch and Jon now call in the robbery, and hit and run tour bus. The robbers now do a slick turn in a stolen car, and cause a car chase. The female tour gide and the passengers now flag down Ponch and Jon when they arrive just on the spot. An upset female tour guide now gives Ponch and Jon information on the robbers. Ponch and Jon now take off, and spot another wreck. Jon now calls in the chase while Ponch takes off. Jon wants them to stay their, and takes off. Ponch and Jon now arrives in a parking lot, and managed to find a stolen wrecked Oldsmobile which is now abandon with the doors open. Ponch and Jon are now unaware that the robbers are now fooling them, and taking off in their van. The two robbers to climb back into the front while the other robber is driving, and now start laughing. One of the robbers wants them to give up the music business, and go into bank robbing. Another one of the robbers want to go into robbing trains.

Now back at central where Getraer is now giving a briefing about the special unit knowing the bus burglars striking again, and about too much time paper work. Ponch now wants to about Crazy Ray. Getraer now feels confident, and wants survilance training for the officers. Baricza now wants join in the conversation with Ponch and Jon about caution. Getraer now wants three other to rotate for traffic control, and wants them to check the duty roster, and let me know for any change, and tells everybody about the Joie Chitwood Stunt Show is in town about making a motion picture which now makes Bonnie really happy, and just show a your id on the present to get in.

After the briefing about the series of robberies everybody now gets up, and Grossie now starts talking about the race track where Crazy Ray is not only fast which makes Bonnie pretty upset at them. Bonnie now says something back to Grossie, and now walks out of the room. Ponch tries to chase after her hoping to talk about their problems with Ray until Getraer stops him. Ponch now talks back to Getraer about Bonnie about quitting. Getraer now gives them advice about things that are done, and staying out of Bonnie's way. Ponch now admits that Getraer is right about knowing better then we do. Getraer now admits that he's the Sergant.

Now at Ascot Park watching the start of the Joie Chitwood Thrill Show. The announcer is talking about the audience being in the motion picture, and now wants to cheer for someone that they like. The cars now start racing around the dirt track. The announce now presents percision driving. The car now drive one tire on the ramps. Everybody is now in the audience sitting in the bleachers while watching the stunt show including Ponch, Jon, Grossie, Getraer, Turner, and Bonnie as Ray's fan section. The cars still race around the track where they now turn around, and race each other. The car now turn around again, and race each other.

The announcer now decides to annouce Joie Chitwood, Jr. and his brother Tim now do some dangerous driving on two wheels which are brand new 1980 Chevrolet Citations. Another stunt gets out of Tim's car, and balances himself on the doors. Ponch knows that insanity. But Bonnie now calls in percision. Ponch now talks about two wheels being bad enough on a motorcycle, and on a calls it's on a car insanity. The two cars which are still on two wheels. The other stunt driver hops right back inside of Tim's car. Tim's car now goes back on all four wheels.

Everybody in the audience is still watching the drivers going around the tracks. The driver now once again do one wheel on the ramps. The drivers now start racing around the track. Everybody is still watching the stunt show, and which makes Bonnie very happy that everybody else in Ray's fan section has shown up.

The annoucer now decides to announce Crazy Ray Conner. Ray now inside a old 1964 Chevrolet Impala tries to jump over two cars but when the stunt goes wrong causing it to fail, and he manages to flip over his car quite a few times until it lands on it's side by accident. The audience is now surprise when the crew run over to rescue Ray out of the wrecked car. The announcer now announces that Ray is okay. Everybody in the audience is glad that Ray wasn't hurt except for Bonnie who is now upset with a worried look on her face.

The announcer now decides to announce about not trying it with the family station wagon, and the Chiltwood brothers are the trained professionals and not to be tried by the amature. Grossie now wants everyone to remembers or were in big trouble. Ponch is right about Grossie being out his mind to be thinking about this stuff. The cars now race, and weave around the stunt ramps on the track.

The crew sets up the boards on the pole, and lights it on fire with a stunt ramp, and a barrel. The announces now decides to announce the famous wall of fire. The stunt driver with the passenger which is now on the hood of an old 1970 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale now drive through the wall of fire. Everybody in audience starts clapping including Ponch an Bonnie. The car now stops and the passanger now gets off the hood. The passanger now waves to the audience, and their still clapping.

The cars now race, and balance on two wheels, weave one more on the track. The announcer now decide to announce the sparking barrel jump. The car now drives on the ramp, and goes through the sparking barrel, and lands on another ramp. Everybody now gets up, and starts clapping. Grossie now starts talking about the way Turner drives. Turner now thanks Grossie.

At the end of the show the cars now decide to race, and turn and park at different angles on the track. The announcer now decides to announce The Jolie Chiltwood Thrill Show Drivers. The announcer now decides to announce which consist of Crazy Ray Conner which is going first. Ray now waves at his fans which now makes Bonnie really happy. The announcer now decides to announce Tim Chitwood which is going second. The announcer now decides to announce the world's greatest stunt driver Jolie Chitwood, Jr. which is going third. Everybody now starts clapping except for Ponch and Bonnie.

After the show Ponch, Jon, and Getraer are now behind the track in the crew area with Bonnie. Jon now starts talking about Ponch wanting to quit the force, and join the show. They now walk up to Ray. Ray now introduces them to Joie and Tim Chitwood as Frank Poncherello and Jon Bonnie's friends. Both Ponch, Jon, and Getraer now shake Joie and Tim Chitwoods hands as a gesture for meeting them. Jolie and Tim now look at them while Bonnie is talking to Ray about Ponch thinking your kind of weird. Ponch now starts talking about risking your life for a living while Joie and Tim are looking at him. Jon now says something back to Ponch. Getraer now starts talking about being a Chinese Fry Cook, and which now makes everybody laugh. Ponch now starts talking about getting into tight situation, and about not staying there.

Ray now starts speaking about taking chances, and wants to know if Bonnie has made her choice. Bonnie now mentions about quitting. Both Bonnie and Ray now look at Ponch and Jon. Bonnie now says goodbye, and walks off with her new friends which are Ray, Joie, and Tim. Ponch, Jon, and Getraer now watch Ray put his arm around Bonnie. Getraer now wants to talk with Ponch and Jon about Bonnie taking some vacation time to try out, and the Chitwoods asking Bonnie to join the show. Ponch now talks about Bonnie leaving the force. Getraer now tells Ponch about making Bonnie a good offer. Ray now decides to tickle Bonnie. Ponch talks about them being a little ahead of us. Ponch, Jon, and Getraer to walk off together.

The next morning while off duty Ponch and Jon are sitting in the bleachers watching Bonnie's trial run for the Jolie Chiltwood Thrill Show. Both Bonnie and Ray drive around track in a car, and go off the ramp then end up on two wheels. Ray now reassures Bonnie about the point of no return, and when you get nervous alright, and wave hands to help you with your balance, and go. Bonnie now listens to Ray, and climbs out of the window of the car, and manages to balance herself but almost screws up, and then rebalances herself, and does just fine.

Guest Stars

• Paul Nicholas as Malcolm
• John Lisbon Wood as Dave
• John McCook as Crazy Ray Conner
• Paul Linke as Grossman
• Brodie Greer as Baricza

Co-Starring

• Michael Dorn as Turner
• Daniel Davies as Skeet
• Vincent Howard as Bus Driver
• Jack Lindine as Husband
• Sally Julian as Tour Guide
• Chris Abbott as Tour Guide
• Michele Bernath as Wife
• Jack Griffin as Trucker
• Randi Oakes as Bonnie Clark

Special Appearances By

• Joie Chitwood, Jr. as Himself
• Tim Chitwood as Himself

Crew

• Produced by: Cy Chermak
• Written by: John Huff and L. Ford Neale
• Directed by: Gordon Hessler
• Executive Consultant: Rick Rosner
• Locations by: Cinemobile Systems
• With Appreciation to Glen B. Craig, Commissioner California Highway Patrol
• Motorcycles Furnished by: Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
• Automobiles furnished by: Ford Motor Company
• Filmed in METROCOLOR / Titles and Opticals MGM
• Rosner Television in association with MGM Television

Fun Facts

Jon and Ponch on West 4th Street.

AT&T microwave tower.

• There actually is a Marion County in Iowa, about 38 miles southeast of Des Moines. The county seat is Knoxville, where there is a short track race track. Other cities in Marion Country are Pella, and Melcher-Dallas.
• Ponch's car is now a 1973 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.
• Just after the opening credits, Jon and Ponch are sat on West 4th Street, next to the Westin Bonaventure Hotel. It's the largest hotel in LA, and was only four years old at the time of filming. View in Google Maps
• The bus driver at the first robbery attracts Jon and Ponch's attention as they drive along Gen. Kosciuszko Way. A huge amount of building has taken place in this area since filming, including the Museum of Contemporary Art along one side of the flyover. View in Google Maps
• The thieves dump their first getaway car near the intersection of Olive Street and 2nd Street. This is only about a block away from the robbery. At the time of filming there was a clear view to the AT&T's microwave tower. View in Google Maps
• The Thrill Show takes place at the Ascot Park, previously seen in Destruction Derby.
• The Chinese Theater is showing Star Trek: The Motion Picture. In the latest incarnation of Star Trek movies, Captain Kirk is played by Robert Pine's son, Chris.
• Paul Nicholas (Malcolm) had a successful singing career in the late '70s before he moved into acting. He uses different British accents for each robbery.
• There was a real Los Angeles band called The BusBoys that started out around 1980. They appeared in the 1982 movie 48 Hrs., and wrote Cleanin' Up The Town for the 1984 movie Ghostbusters.
• After the second robbery, the stolen car is left in a parking lot just south of Hollywood Boulevard at Highland. The parking lot and background building are still there.

Mistakes

Visible Ramp.

• Ponch doesn't ask the first bus driver for the thieves' license plate until he and Jon return from their unsuccessful pursuit. Wouldn't it have been a good idea to ask before setting off to look for a car described only as a "tan sedan"?
• When Ponch's car goes on two wheels, the ramp is visible.

Preceded by: "The Strippers"

Thrill Show 322

Followed by: "Nightingale"