"Hero Today, Gone Tomorrow"

Airdate: October 19, 1968

Writers: Peggy Elliot and Ed Scharlach

Director: Gary Nelson

Guests: Mabel Albertson as Miss Elvira Grover
Mason Curry as the meek man

Reviewed by:  Sheila Kaminsky

Rating: 4.5 bells

Synopsis:

Mrs. Muir comes over to Elvira Grover's house for a reception by the Historical Society concerning their latest project, about which she has been hired to write an article in a magazine. The Captain appears to cheer her on, and because he believes he's about to be honored as "the most outstanding figure in the history of Schooner Bay." However, it is quickly revealed that it is Captain Horatio Figg, and not him, who is being so honored. He becomes irate and throws an antique teapot at the model of the statue of Figg and, unfortunately, as Mrs.Muir had been holding the teapot, it appears as though she threw it.

The next morning, Mrs. Muir comes into the kitchen and announces that she's going into town to research the article on Figg. Jonathan has obviously spoken with Captain Gregg, as he seems to know that Figg is a fraud. Mrs. Muir tells Jonathan not to make accusations without having all the facts, and she then inadvertently puts her toast into her briefcase. When she notices it's missing, she accuses Scruffy of having eaten it. Martha pulls it out and also tells Mrs. Muir not to make accusations without having all the facts, and she looks properly chastised.

At Miss Grover's house, Mrs. Muir apologizes for smashing the teapot. She tells Miss Grover that she'll need to look at background material on Figg. The Captain appears and offers his own, often hilarious, commentary on the conversation. Miss Grover shows Mrs. Muir some of Figg's memorabilia -- a model of his ship, a painting of him, his medals, and his journal. Mrs. Muir reads aloud from the journal when she finds a comment in it about Midshipman Daniel Gregg. This does not make the Captain feel any more kindly towards Figg.

Back at Gull Cottage, she's reading Figg's journal when the Captain appears to say that Figg was a coward and a drunk. He tells her that Figg did not die at sea, but was seen in Schooner Bay, and no one would talk to him. Mrs. Muir decides to go to Claymore to see if there is a record of Figg dying in Schooner Bay. He tells her there's a fee to look at death records, but the Captain appears, Claymore faints, and the Captain and Mrs. Muir search for, but are not able to find, evidence of Figg dying in the town.

At home, Mrs. Muir is trying to write the article, but is interrupted by Martha and by the Captain's hijinks, and so she locks the door. The Captain once again lets her know he is none too happy with her research and she tries to leave the room but finds the door is locked. She blames the Captain, but then sheepishly realizes that she herself locked the door.

She takes a long drive and returns to find Miss Grover at her house saying that someone has stolen Figg's medals. She invites Miss Grover upstairs to reassure her that the journal, at least, is still safe, and they find the medals sitting on top of the journal. Mrs. Muir makes a feeble excuse about how she gained possession of the medals and Miss Grover takes them home with her.

Mrs. Muir confronts the Captain and he admits to taking the medals, but only to prove they are fakes. Unfortunately, he found that they are authentic, but he still believes that Figg himself stole them. He then tells Mrs. Muir that he has concrete proof that Figg died and is buried in Schooner Bay. Mrs. Muir accompanies the Captain to the abandoned Figg home, where all the town's pets are buried, and where they find Figg's gravestone. Mrs. Muir is still not convinced that Figg was a coward, especially when she sees the epitaph on the headstone: "When duty called, he did not hesitate." The Captain gets angry and frustrated again.

Mrs. Muir brings Miss Grover and the members of the Historical Society to see the grave, but it starts to rain, and further words are revealed on the headstone: "When duty called, he did not hesitate. He ran like hell." Upon reading the entire epitaph, Miss Grover faints.

It is evening, and the Captain is regaling Mrs. Muir with a sea story, when Jonathan interrupts, and the Captain avers that the boy is becoming very spoiled. Jonathan, however, has come to confirm that Figg was a fake, and to say he thinks the town should put up a statue to a real hero, like Captain Gregg. The Captain tells Mrs. Muir she's raised a fine lad and they both smile.

Favorite scenes/lines:

This episode contains, I believe, one of the most humorous scenes of the entire series, due almost entirely to Edward Mulhare's fantastic comic timing and dry delivery of lines.

The scene is Miss Grover's house, when Mrs. Muir visits to get background material on Horatio Figg:
Miss Grover: It's largely due to my efforts that the Captain is finally going to get what he deserves.
Captain Gregg: And I'd like to be the one who gives it to him.
Mrs. Muir: You must have some very interesting souvenirs of your ancestor.
Miss Grover: Souvenirs? Oh, my dear, my collection of Figg memorabilia belongs in a museum.
Capt. Gregg: Or a sideshow.
Miss Grover (at model ship): This is his ship, The Marlin.
Capt. Gregg: We used to refer to it as The Herring.
Miss Grover: I can just see him, standing on the bridge with his telescope.
Capt. Gregg: I can just see him, hiding in the bilge with his bottle.
Miss Grover (at painting): This was just after the Battle of Vera Cruz. Look at the fire in those eyes.
Capt. Gregg: Naturally . . . he was hung over.
Mrs. Muir (reading from plaque): "When duty called, he did not hesitate."
Miss Grover: That phrase was coined when the Captain was lost at sea.
Capt. Gregg: He was always lost at sea.
Miss Grover: That's going to be on the base of the statue. "When duty called, he did not hesitate."
Mrs. Muir (looking at box): These are interesting . . .
Miss Grover: Those are his medals, won in numerous campaigns.
Capt. Gregg: Numerous poker games.
Mrs. Muir: Miss Grover, it would help the article tremendously if you had any written material on Captain Figg, such as old newspaper clippings.
Miss Grover: Well, Schooner Bay didn't have a newspaper until, ah . . . until the 1850s, unfortunately.
Capt. Gregg: Or conveniently.
Miss Grover: But I have something better -- the Captain's own journal of the Battle of Vera Cruz.
Mrs. Muir: Really?
Miss Grover: Of course, it ends abruptly when he was lost at sea.
Capt. Gregg: That's when he jumped ship in Jamaica.
Mrs. Muir: May I see it?
Miss Grover (hugging it to herself): It's my most prized possession.
Mrs. Muir: Oh, but it would be of invaluable help to the article.
Miss Grover: Well, I guess you could take it for a short time . . . if you're very careful.
Mrs. Muir (reading): Oh, here's something about Captain Gregg.Miss Grover: Who?
Mrs. Muir: That's the man who built Gull Cottage.
Miss Grover: Oh . . . yes.
Capt. Gregg: Read it! Read it!
Mrs. Muir: August 12. Calm sea. Midshipman Daniel Gregg on watch. I'm getting tired of the smart remarks that come out of that impertinent good-for-nothing.

When Mrs. Muir leaves to see Claymore about the death records:
Capt. Gregg: You don't take my word for it as an expert on dying, so whom do you ask? Someone who's a failure at living!

In Claymore's office, when Mrs. Muir and the Captain are looking at the Figg file:
Mrs. Muir: Prudence Figg, died childless.
Capt. Gregg: Must have been his mother.

At the graveyard, when the Captain brings Mrs. Muir to see the headstone, he disappears for a moment, an owl hoots, scaring Mrs. Muir, and she is then startled when she turns to find the Captain standing over her and staring at her very intensely. I'm not sure how this fits into the plot, but the moment is quite nice.