THE INVISIBLE MAN

Full Name:	Daniel Westin
Nationality:	American
Organization:	Klae Resource
Occupation	Other - Scientist

Creator:	Harve Bennett
Time Span:	1975 - 1976

ABOUT THE SERIES

       Daniel Westin is a scientist.
       Working for the Klae Resource company, a for-profit research facility financed with contracts from various organizations but primarily the U.S. military establishment, Westin and his wife, Kate, both possessed PhDs as well as expertise in apparently several branches of science but it was in the realm of teleportation they were hired to explore.
       According to comments by their boss, Walter Carlson, they had been hard at work at that research for nearly the previous year. Considering the familiarity with which the Westins talked with Carlson, it is likely their history went further back and it is possible the Westins had been involved in other things first. Still, teleportation was their objective. They would not achieve that.
       What Daniel Westin discovered was invisibility. He found a way to affect molecules of items hit by a special ray to not be affected by light beams such that the light would pass around the molecules and .... alright, that exceeds my understanding of it (the author in the recorded chronicle of the initial adventure of the Westins told it better).
       The key thing that Westin realized was that there were not many practical uses for invisibility outside of childish pranks, largely harmless, and military application, something he was adjectly opposed to. When he started at Klae, he had made sure there was no doubt he would not be involved in making weapons and now he had discovered something that was undoubtedly going to be militarized.
       So the Westins were against telling anyone and Carlson was for making income from it. The balance they eventually would strike would get Westin involved in numerous escapades for which he had no training but for which he had extremely good cover.

BOOKS

Number of Books:	0
First Appearance:	1975
Last Appearance:	1975


1			The Invisible Man Written by Mike Jahn Copyright: 1975 Novelization of the pilot episode for the television series. Daniel and Kate Westin, husband and wife scientist team, are working on teleportation when Daniel discovers the secret to invisibility. The Westins are upset when they learn the military is interested but nothing like how they feel when they are kidnapped to be sold to the Eastern Bloc.

TELEVISION


Number of Episodes:	13
First Appearance:	1975
Last Appearance:	1976
Network:	NBC

REGULAR CAST
David McCallum	Daniel Westin [ 1 ]
Melinda O. Fee	Kate Westin [ 1 ]
Craig Stevens	Walter Carlson [ 1 ]

1	The Invisible Man Episode Pilot, first aired 05/06/1975 Director: Robert Michael Lewis Writers: Harve Bennett, Steven Bochco Pilot episode for the series. Daniel Westin, working with his wife Kate, has discovered the secret of invisibility. While he wants to pursue medical benefits from the technology, his boss see military applications and a mole sees a chance to sell the secret to the Eastern Bloc.

2	The Klae Resource Episode 1-01, first aired 09/08/1975 Director: Robert Michael Lewis Writer: Steven Bochco A scientist recluse has announced he has perfected a way of quadrupulling the efficiency of fossel fuels and is going to sell it to the highest bidder. Unfortunately for the U.S. that seems to be in the Middle Ease. The FBI hires the Klae Resource and Daniel Westen, the Invisible Man, to find the man to talk him out of it.

3	The Fine Art of Diplomacy Episode 1-02, first aired 09/15/1975 Director: Sigmund Neufeld Jr. Writer: James D. Parriott Some paints of great masters in the Capitol Building are fakes. The Klae Resource is hired to break up the gang doing it and get back the originals. This will require Kate Westin to flirt with an ambassador while Daniel Westin sneaks in.

4	Man of Influence Episode 1-03, first aired 09/22/1975 Director: Alan J. Levi Writers: Rick Blaine, Seeleg Lester A medium has convinced several high-level government officials his ability to talk to their deceased loved ones is real and those ghosts are directing changes in policy. Daniel Westin's job is to figure out how he is pulling off the con.

5	Eyes Only Episode 1-04, first aired 09/29/1975 Director: Alan J. Levi Writer: Leslie Stevens A female government employee is suspected of stealing highly classified secrets. Klae Resource is hired to prove how she is pulling it off.

6	Barnard Wants Out Episode 1-05, first aired 11/06/1975 Director: Alan J. Levi Writer: James D. Parriott Daniel Westin's mentor had defected to the Eastern Bloc but now he wants to come home and the Klae Resource is assigned the job of getting him out.

7	Go Directly to Jail Episode 1-06, first aired 11/03/1975 Director: Sigmund Neufeld Jr. Writer: Steven Bochco A cleaning lady at the Klae Resource asks for the Westins' help proving her son innocent of drug trafficking. This will require Daniel Westin to find a way to break into prison.

8	Stop When Red Lights Flash Episode 1-07, first aired 11/24/1975 Director: Gene Nelson Writer: Seeleg Lester The Westin are passing through a small town when they fall victim to a traffic ticket scam which is bringing in a ton of money for the schemers. The Westins are not happy about it and decide to prove what is going on.

9	Pin Money Episode 1-08, first aired 12/01/1975 Director: Alan J. Levi Writer: James D. Parriott A relative of Walter Carlson asks him help when she is about to lose her job. The Westins learn by tailing her that she had stolen money to use at a casino in the hopes of earning more. Daniel agrees to sneak the money back into the bank.

10	The Klae Dynasty Episode 1-09, first aired 12/08/1975 Director: Alan J. Levi Writer: Philip DeGuere The wealthy folks who own the Klae Resource are on hand for a meeting. Daniel Westin is asked to help guard one who has received threats but when that woman is kidnapped, he is the prime suspect.

11	Sight Unseen Episode 1-10, first aired 12/15/1975 Director: Sigmund Neufeld Jr. Writers: Kandy Rehak, Brian Rehak The daughter of a key witness against the Mob has been kidnapped to keep the man from testifying. Daniel Westin and the Klae Resource are asked to find her and when the Invisible Man does, he finds she is blind.

12	Power Play Episode 1-11, first aired 01/19/1976 Director: Alan J. Levi Writer: Leslie Stevens An escaped mental patient breaks into the Klae Resource and takes Daniel Westin prisoner. The man has been well briefed about the facility by a fellow inmate, one of the co-owners, so everything Westin tries to get free is stymied.

13	An Attempt to Save Face Episode 1-12, first aired 01/26/1976 Director: Don Henderson Writers: James D. Parriott, Leslie Stevens The leader of the Eastern Bloc approaches a friend of the Westins to perform a face lift to help him retain power. The Westins discover someone is out to kill the leader, possibly during the procedure.

MY COMMENTS

       I admit I had to sort of push my boundaries as to what rightfully fit in the compendium and what did not in order to squeeze this series in. I was determined to do so, however, because I have been a huge David McCallum fan since the Man From U.N.C.L.E. days. And though I am sorry his The Invisible Man series did not work out, if it had, McCallum would not have been available for one of my absolutely favorite series, the sci-fi future drama Sapphire and Steel.
       So, back to Daniel Westin and his invisibility. What a fantastic weapon for a spy, someone who has to live in the figurative dark alley so as to not be seen doing what he or she needs to do. With invisibility, that problem is resolved. Other problems would crop up, of course, but the biggie was beaten.
       The tales that we got, largely through the television episodes, did not go far enough into the spy realm to suit me but it did touch on it a time or three. So much more could have been done and wasn't that the show did not last, and did not deserve to. But I like to think 'what might have been'.

GRADE

My Grade: B

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