Series 1 — Episode 5
Crescent Moon
by Geoffrey Bellman and John Whitney
Production No 3369, VTR/ABC/1113
Production completed: February 4 1961. First transmission: February 4 1961.
TV Times summaryThe disappearance of a beautiful and wealthy young girl involves John Steed in a trip to a warmer clime
The following episode summary is written from the published synopses and other previously published material as this episode is now lost. The final filmed production may have been different.
Plot summary
General Mendoza suspects that his wife and Vasco are plotting to seize the country and all of his money, so he fakes his own death and arranges his daughter’s kidnapping to ensure her safety. His daughter Carmelita is captured by the plotters but Steed tracks her down after discovering that Senora Mendoza’s lover is behind the plot. Steed is knocked out when he goes to rescue Carmelita but when he recovers it was another man who was trying to save her that did so. Steed escorts the beautiful Carmelita to London, where Dr. Keel has been treating the General.
John Steed (Patrick Macnee) arrives in the Caribbean island state of Pascala to investigate the kidnapping of Carmelita, the daughter of the pro-Western dictator General Mendoza. General Mendoza himself has also vanished after the kidnapping and is presumed dead. Steed wonders if there is a connection between the two crimes. The General’s wife, Señora Mendoza (Patience Collier) tells him her jewellery was stolen when the girl was taken but Steed thinks it’s a cover, there seems to be a political motive behind the crime. There is clearly a power struggle going on in the tiny country and the General’s supposed death seems very mysterious. Steed also doesn’t trust her aide, Vasco (Roger Delgado), who seems ambitious and is on overly friendly terms with the General’s wife.
Carmelita (Bandana das Gupta) meanwhile is in a hideout with Señor Paul (Eric Thompson) and his accomplice. The accomplice wants them to get the girl away as soon as possible. Paul reassures him all will be well and goes to arrange their escape from the island. Unfortunately. Paul he is seen leaving the hideout by one of Vasco’s informers. A short time later, Vasco arrives and kills Paul’s accomplice and is then seen to bundle the girl into a car rather than liberate her. Steed goes to visit the police chief, Carlos (George Roderick), when he hears about the shooting. While there, he furtively reads the police reports about Vasco’s actions on the desk as they talk. He makes his excuses and leaves abruptly, and manages to reach the hideout before the lugubrious officer. He finds a clue to Señor Paul which he pockets before the police arrive. Following another lead, he finds Vasco at the Mendoza mansion and makes him reveal where the girl is hidden. When Steed arrives at the location given by Vasco, Paul leaps out and clubs him, and it all goes black...
Back in rainy London, Dr. David Keel (Ian Hendry) receives a phone call asking him to care for a VIP patient - the missing General Mendoza!
Steed comes to and learns that he and Paul are on the same side - Paul is working for the general, who has faked his own death and hidden away his treasures to thwart Vasco and Señora Mendoza, who were plotting to kill him and take over the country. Paul was to spirit Carmelita away to safety but they were delayed when the General became ill and flew to England for treatment. Vasco learned of their plans and intercepted them, killing Paul’s sidekick.
Steed weighs things in the balance and asks Carmelita what she wants to do, they are not to decide for her. The beautiful Carmelita smiles broadly at Steed and, taking his arm, confirms she wishes to be reunited with her father.
Back in London, Steed learns that Dr. Keel treated the missing general while Steed was abroad, their planes must have passed each other in the air both there and back!