Last Episode of Combat!
In the last episode entitled "Jonah" of ABC's Combat! military drama, which aired on March 7, 1967, Simcox starred as Dolan, a new replacement soldier burdened by the pain of seeing his friends die around him. Some of the soldiers fear that Dolan is a jinx. The episode examines fear and superstition among front-line soldiers and its impact on morale and combat readiness. "Jonah" is in contrast to a first-season Combat episode "High Named Today" in which a demoralized soldier was convinced that he would die. In "Jonah" though, Simcox plays the role of the soldier convinced that he will live at the expense of others.
The screenplay for "Jonah" was written by Richard Wendly and William Fay. Peter Haskell appears as Richards, Dolan's friend who becomes to believe the jinx fears. In the end, Simcox gets shot but survives and believes that his "curse" is either conquered or never existed. Viewers never know if the squad makes it back to their base without further injury.
As the last filmed episode of Combat!, "Jonah" leaves the fate not just of the new recruit in doubt but that of the entire squad. Their five-year trek across France hence ended in neither triumph or tragedy but uncertainty. Appearing with Simcox and Haskell in the episode were series regulars Rick Jason as Lieutenant Hanley, Vic Morrow as Sergeant Saunders, and Conlan Carter as Doc.
Read more about this topic: Tom Simcox
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“The press is no substitute for institutions. It is like the beam of a searchlight that moves restlessly about, bringing one episode and then another out of darkness into vision. Men cannot do the work of the world by this light alone. They cannot govern society by episodes, incidents, and eruptions. It is only when they work by a steady light of their own, that the press, when it is turned upon them, reveals a situation intelligible enough for a popular decision.”
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