7 Days of Underhill - DAY 1 "UNDERHILLPALOOZA"

EPISODE 15: 7 Days of Underhill - DAY 1

This week, FletchCast presents you with 7 days of Underhill.  Seven episodes dedicated to the man who doesn’t give gratuities & always puts his urinalysis first. This Underhillpalooza begins today with a deep dive into Mr. Underhill's first name and the questions that surround this California Racquet Club Legend.  Listen to the sultry sounds of the Ted Underhill Organ Express.

Join us every day this week for a new Underhill episode! Never before has an extravaganza dedicated to the character brought to life by William Traylor encompassed 168 consecutive hours.

So head out for your urinalysis and we'll be back again tomorrow!

TED UNDERHILL ORGAN EXPRESS (on YouTube)

NOTE: This week of episodes are inspired by the amazing "Blast Points Podcast." Blast Points is a Star Wars podcast that deep dives into the weird, wacky, and  "outside the box" topics of a Galaxy Far Far away. They did "7 Days of Dengar" that was out of this world. Jason & Gabe, thank you for being our muse!
https://blastpointspodcast.com/

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FletchCast is Your Ultimate source for everything Fletch: the books, the movies, & the latest news about our favorite journalistic reporter, Irwin M. Fletcher.

Host: James "Laker Jim" Kanowitz (@webguy911)
Co-Host: Jake Parrish (@jakelparrish)
Co-Host: Bob West


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P.S. Have a nice day. 

Fletch  & Fletch Lives are Copyright 1985, 1989 Universal Studios and distributed by MCA/Universal Pictures.  The Fletch Soundtrack is Copyright MCA Records. 
All images and sounds are the intellectual property of Universal Studios. They are used only with the intent of public appreciation of a great film and possible 
publicity for its place among the great comedies of our time. We imply no rights to the characters created by both Gregory McDonald and Universal. 

FletchCast is Your Ultimate source for everything Fletch: the books, the movies, & the latest news about our favorite journalistic reporter, Irwin M. Fletcher.

... making sure Fletch Lives forever!

Host: James "Laker Jim" Kanowitz (@webguy911)
Co-Host: Jake Parrish (@jakelparrish)
Co-Host: Robert "Big Bob" West


Follow Us on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imfletchcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imfletchcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/imfletchcast


P.S. Have a nice day. 

Fletch  & Fletch Lives are Copyright 1985, 1989 Universal Studios and distributed by MCA/Universal Pictures.  The Fletch Soundtrack is Copyright MCA Records. Confess, Fletch is Copyright of Miramax with Paramount distribution. All images and sounds are the intellectual property of Universal Studios. They are used only with the intent of public appreciation of a great film and possible publicity for its place among the great comedies of our time. We imply no rights to the characters or intellectual property created by Gregory McDonald, Universal or Miramax and is used for educational purposes only. 

Transcript

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 0:00

There's a need to fear. The underhills are here.

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Broadcasting fly live and around the world. Around the world from Cabana One. The only podcast that's all ball bearings. Your ultimate source for everything flat. Thank you, Doc. Ever start to live? Laker Gym and its beat reporters will stop at nothing to make sure Flat lives forever. Forever. They don't shower much. This is Fletchcast.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 0:53

Thank you, Sammy, and welcome to Fletchcast. Now, this episode is a little different because we've dedicated it entirely to the Underhills.

SPEAKER_00 1:03

Excuse me, Senor. You are a member of the club? Uh no, I'm not. I'm with the Underhills.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 1:08

Now, one would think, great, I love the Underhills. We didn't think one day of Underhills was enough. So we expanded it to seven days of Underhill. Okay. We felt that with the amount of stuff we're going to drop on you guys, you're going to need 24 hours in between each episode to really take it in.

Jake Parrish 1:29

To really digest it.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 1:30

Really digest it. And then come back for more underhill. Okay. We felt that was the safest way to handle this subject.

Jake Parrish 1:38

Just like Mr. Underhill, you know, he was not quite finished. Does that look like I'm finished?

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 1:43

You know, does it look like I'm finished? He'll let you know when he's finished.

Jake Parrish 1:46

Same thing. He'll let you know. And just like that, we'll let you know when we're finished with the underhills.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 1:51

Exactly.

Jake Parrish 1:52

When the episode stops, we're done. Now I'm finished.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 1:55

Now, Underhill himself, if you had to describe him, maybe I would say he's uh he's kind of like an angry enigma wrapped in some tight short shorts and covered in liver spots.

Jake Parrish 2:08

I agree. I agree. Middle aged, probably uh frustrated in many different ways. And uh he likes to take out his aggressions on people that put things on his lunch bill and overzealous waiters. Right. I think kids would call him a boomer Karen. Yes, very much. He's a Ken. That's what we should call him. There's Karen's and there's Ken, maybe there's Karen and there's Underhills.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 2:33

Um I think what we're trying to get to at the bottom of this week-long Underhill homage is who is Ted Underhill? What is Ted Underhill? When is Ted Underhill? Why is Ted Underhill? And I think we're going to cover all those questions and more on this week of seven days of Underhill. Would you like some drink, senor, while you wait? I will put it on the underhill's bill. Okay, so right off the bat, I have a question for you guys. Yes. Is it Ted or is it Tom Underhill? Ted. I thought so too. But his wife calls him Tom. When does the wife call him Tom? When he's getting angry with the waiter, she says, Tom. I never picked up on that. Obviously, this actress flubbed the name. Yeah, I don't think I picked up with that either. Yeah. Called him Tom. Huh. But in the script, his name is Tom Underhill.

Jake Parrish 3:32

I gotta see the scene now again. Is it the only time we hear Ted is when he's knocking on Joan Stanwick's door and he says, Uh I'm sorry to disturb you.

SPEAKER_00 3:42

It's Ted Underhill here.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 3:43

Yes, Gail Stanwyck. You're slipping in and out of the book.

Jake Parrish 3:46

I'm sorry. You're right. Uh book and movie are merging in my brain. But um so maybe it was a slip by the act. Exactly. Maybe it was William Trailer that flubbed the name. And wait a minute. In the credits, is he credited as Tom or Ted? Hmm. Mr. I think it's Mr.

"Big Bob" West 4:07

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's Mr. Underhill. Let me I'll look it up real quick. Okay. Uh while you're doing that, you know, I I never picked up on that once, but it it's not a situation where like Ted is a nickname for Tom, Thomas, is it?

Jake Parrish 4:19

No, it isn't. No. And I was thinking that too. I think they're totally separate.

"Big Bob" West 4:23

Could be a pet name that Miss Mr. Underhill has. Ooh, maybe. All right. I gotta see this scene again now and find out and see her calling him Tom and see if you're just mishearing her. Maybe she's calling him something else. But I imagine you're not. There's many misheard quotes in Fletch.

Jake Parrish 4:37

LJ, why don't we play it and hear for ourselves?

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 4:41

Okay, listen closely. Right after he says, Does it look like I'm finished? She says Tom.

Jake Parrish 4:45

Sorry, Mr. Underhill. Does that look like I'm finished? Oh, I guess not.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 4:49

Okay, so right there. Do you guys hear it?

Jake Parrish 4:51

Plain as day. Yeah, she definitely says Tom. Wow. Maybe she's talking to the waiter.

"Big Bob" West 4:57

I don't think so.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 4:58

Chinese bus boy. I don't think his name's Tom.

"Big Bob" West 5:01

Yeah. Is there a world where she's talking to the bus boy? And think of like bus boy. Like, you know, not to like you know, disturb my extremely obnoxious husband about his last bike.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 5:10

Well, that's the point of day one. Day one of Underhill is a is all our questions.

SPEAKER_00 5:14

Hey, questions, questions, just fill my head. I went to my doctor.

Jake Parrish 5:18

My doctor said, Hey. By the way, Bob, you're right. In IMDB, he is credited as Mr.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 5:24

Underhill. Oh, they covered their asses. Yeah.

"Big Bob" West 5:30

Yeah, they certainly did. You know, and that's not the first problem either. We were we're gonna talk probably about other little Easter eggs we know. And Laker Jim, I know you're probably chopping about at the bit at one that you've been holding on to for a while about his credit card, but but he uh, you know, it it it it is Ted Underhill as far as we're concerned. I think listening to it, I think Mrs. Underhill just the actress just screwed up.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 5:53

You get those slips once in a while, yeah. But how crazy if it is his screw up that a flub name becomes a very iconic name that everyone knows and a seven-day podcast is dedicated to. That's all right, they'll be back. He went out for his urinalysis. But listen, on the surface, Ted Underhill is a crotchedy asshole, really. You know, uppity, uppity, uppity asshole.

SPEAKER_00 6:16

I imagine you're expecting a nice gratuity, right? Maybe next time.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 6:22

But is he man?

SPEAKER_00 6:24

Someone of your acquaintance has charged a$400 lunch to my account.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 6:28

Or is he monster?

SPEAKER_00 6:30

Mrs. Stanwick!

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 6:32

We are going to really look at it from all angles this week. We're gonna look at it from Ted Underhill's side. You know, it's easy to just cast judgment from what Fletch walks by and hears. But there's gotta be more to the background of the story. We're gonna empathize with with with good old Ted more time. And we want you and we want you guys to have an open mind as well. Please listen to this with an open mind. Leave all your judgments at the Racket Club door as we journey through this Travaganza with you, this underhill extravaganza.

Jake Parrish 7:10

The underhill thesis. It's like we're going for our doctorate, and we are really just going to examine him on all levels the actor, the man, the character, the lover, all aspects of the lover.

SPEAKER_00 7:25

Yeah, well, I saved his life during the war. You were in the war? No, he was, so I got him out.

"Big Bob" West 7:30

Can we can we call it an can we call it an an underhill celebration of life, or is that too far? Should we not be celebrating someone like him? No, it's it's absolutely not at all too far.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 7:40

This is a celebration. Like all great characters, there are musical tributes. And the character of Ted Underhill has several musical tributes from bands out there and named their songs out there. Now, granted, we've never heard of these songs, they've never made the radio waves or the or or the music charts, but they're out there, and they're they're no less beautiful than any other love song that Taylor Swift might be singing today.

"Big Bob" West 8:13

I'm sure if you find it, I'm sure if you if you come across a Ted Underhill song, you were looking for it.

Jake Parrish 8:19

Well, it's the same thing with the uh with the Alan Stanwick song. Yes, that we had on the Matheson episode. LJ dug that up. I don't know where you find the time for these things. I mean, my goodness, when time hangs low, I guess you just have find these things. I go for it. Nuggets. That's my you really do. That's my motto. Wow. He is the perfect adversary, though, for Fletch. Yes. But and and to the point though, that over the years, Stanwick and Underhill were probably in the original movie, two that stand out. Even the chief, you don't really think about that much. It's either Alan Stanwyck, but as far as quotable, underhill's at the top.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 8:59

And I think for somebody that probably holds no more than four minutes of total airtime in the whole movie, yeah. Somebody that maybe hasn't seen Fletch in 20 years, you know, knows to put it on underhill quote. That transcends time, transcends generation. It transcends the universe. Time and space.

Jake Parrish 9:20

It really is. Yeah, it's time and space. Really, it's still hanging out there. Long after we go the way of the dodo, Ted Underhill will still be there.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 9:29

These seven days of podcasting um will be broken down even more. You know, God knows what will be discovered in a hundred years from now.

Jake Parrish 9:40

I just I just discovered it's called Tom. Yeah, you're right. That's uh that's the first day one. We've already things.

"Big Bob" West 9:47

Yeah, I was I was this many days old when I found out that his wife doesn't know his own name.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 9:51

You know, we've been waiting 30 plus years for a special edition fletch DVD, right? When we finally got one, the only thing they put on there was a very short documentary, but you know what they called it? What did they call it? Charge it to the underhills. Charge it to the underhills. I mean, to pick one title of all fletch things, they pick that one.

"Big Bob" West 10:12

I think that's someone anybody could argue that and I we talked about this before, but I'm gonna say it again, that put it on underhill or any kind of, you know, any kind of reference to the underhill credit card is probably the most it's probably the most um miss like you misquoted, like people probably misquote that line all the time, but it's also probably the most used quote where people kind of like we always do this. Uh the three of us always do this. We kind of change the quote around to kind of fit whatever point we're trying to make. Everyone, everyone, you know, at some point in their life, no matter who you are, has probably said give each other twenty dollars, okay?

SPEAKER_00 10:46

Put it on underhill.

"Big Bob" West 10:48

It's it it might be it might be the biggest quote in in the entire fletch, you know, universe. You're right.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 10:53

Um, I think the underhill quote is the number one quote of all time. Luke, I'm your father, is the number two misquoted quote of all time. And then there's be me up, Scotty.

Jake Parrish 11:04

Kirk never said that.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 11:05

Be me up, Scotty, and then there's everything else after that.

"Big Bob" West 11:08

There those sort of stand on the top. It has its place, but you know, there's there's so many, it's it's there's so many things, you know, that uh define underhill, and let's get into some of those right now.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 11:20

Listen, I think that's a lot for day one, don't you think? I mean, I think now is when we need to send people on their way to start their day and really digest all these questions.

"Big Bob" West 11:33

Yeah, I have in the next episode. I I want to get into the physical description of underhill is one of the first things I want to talk about. We yeah, we absolutely will.

Jake Parrish 11:40

I want uh it's a challenge today, since hopefully most people are listening to this this morning. I want you during your day today to somehow work that underhill quote into your daily lives in some way. Beautiful, yes. That is a that's a great that's a great thing to send people off. Yes, send people off and then plug our podcast after that.

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 12:04

Yeah, right. I mean, listen, I mean, don't be afraid to bang on a bathroom door and yell Mrs. Stanwick, Mr. Stanwick, and then it's the Does it look like I'm finished?

Jake Parrish 12:12

Does it look like I'm finished?

"Laker Jim" James Kanowitz 12:13

Right, it works works in so many different scenarios. You you this is an easy one, to be honest. Jake just gave you a layup. And on that note, we're gonna put a cap on this episode. But before we say goodbye, like we promised you, we're gonna play a little tune on the Ted Underhill Oregon Express. Can't wait. For Jake, for Bob, I'm Laker Jim. Hope you enjoyed day one. See you guys tomorrow. Play us out, boys.

SPEAKER_00 12:40

Jesus H. Christ, where is it?