RIPTIDE

(1984-1986)

The RIPTIDE is a white boat with orange trim, formerly the "Mary Aberdeen." She was cursed; six people and one poodle died on her. Nick Ryder bought her from Tiny Tommy's in 1981. She is docked at Slip 7, Pier 56, in King Harbor, next to Mama Joe's tourist ship CONTESSA. (Mama Joe, played by Anne Francis, has an entirely female crew, all young, all in bikinis; the boys ogle them but Mama Joe does her best to keep the girls away from them.) Living on the RIPTIDE are three private investigators: Nick Ryder, Cody Allen, and Dr. Murray Bozinsky. For the traditional $200/day plus expenses, they will solve your case/protect you. They provide security for the pier in exchange for their docking there. They drive a red convertible with orange flames painted on sides, license plate IEAZ219, and the jimmy. The EBBTIDE is a small powerboat, owned by Cody.

NICK RYDER (Joe Penny) was a second lieutenant in Cavalry Division Air Mobile Unit. He flies the Screaming Mimi, a pink helicopter with a mouth painted in a grin across the bow. His radio call letters are "Sikorsky 698." Nick has dark Italian good looks; a broad forehead, slightly receding black hair, dark blue eyes, a hairy chest often exposed by red Izod-type shirts. He wears a black watch. He was on the Lincoln High School football team, in the 4H club, and is still in the National Guard two weeks a year while his two partners do the books, then all three go on a fishing trip to relax.

CODY ALLEN (Perry King), born in 1947, was a Cub Scout in Ventura County. He won a rowing trophy at the Yacht Club with his dad. In other words, he's a real preppy. He was in the Viet Nam war for two years. He has dark blond/brown hair and a Robert Redford mustache; blue eyes; a black watch on his left wrist; wears sweaters with the sleeves shoved up, or a blue-and-white striped jersey, gabardine pants, a half-zipped blue jacket without the shirt, etcetera. He smokes cigars.

DR. MURRAY BOZINSKY (Thom Bray) is the resident geek, computer expert, and comic relief. In high school, he played "Polish Basketball" (answering questions based on the Polish royal family) with Judith Elizabeth Horwinkle, a bright deaf girl in his History Club. He attended the University of Baltimore. Although younger than the other two, he was a Colonel in Special Weapons and Tactics right out of MIT, in covert operations. He taught "Microchip Dynamics and Astrophysics in Engineering" for a year. Perenially rumpled and nerdish, he pumps iron and eats raw eggs but is still "slight." Murray has short spiky dark brown hair and wears thick black-rimmed glasses mended with masking tape, white socks, and rumpled clothes with his pocket stuffed with pens, pencils, and a slide rule. He is prone to strange remarks and stories; for instance, he had a parrot "until it fell into the coleslaw." When frightened, he hiccups loudly. Murray is a Capricorn. He knows wine.

SOME OF MURRAY'S INVENTIONS:
A lie detector mood ring
The Mur-Deke Tracking System, in gunship helicopters designed by Murray
ROBOZ, a small robot with an orange ant-like head with dark tennis ball eyes that light up; a computer screen on the chest; a black-banded middle; metal horizontal spikes for ears; a black box on the back; silver arms; a red remote control with black number buttons. Roboz doesn't speak, but words appear on the computer screen on its chest. It is mobile.

OTHER CHARACTERS:
Lt. QUINLAN (Jack Ging): the harsh cop who calls the guys the "Three Mouseketeers." Balding, short, pugnacious, burly, he has a scar from his right eye down his cheek. He speaks in a rough baritone. Quinlan was murdered during the series.

KIRK DOOLEY: a surfer teen, goofy and voluble, with dark dark hair and dark eyes. He has been a door-to-door salesman and dock boy.


Fly the Screaming Mimi back to the Cheat Sheet Index.
Hop in the jimmy and drive to HOW TO WRITE ALMOST READABLE FAN FICTION.
Fire up Murray's computer and read some stories about this TV show and others.

Copyright © 1999 - 2013, Jane A. Leavell. All rights reserved.