The Snoop Sisters

As in the classic Olympics of yesteryear before today's crass sellouts where 10s are a dime a dozen, in classic understatement I never give 10s, so don't let my "9" fool you, as it's the highest I give. I was glad to see both Hayes & Natwick nominated for an Emmy for this show (1974?) but was sad it had to go to just the latter. Having seen all the episodes I can vouch for how their brilliant & intuitive tag-team acting and repartee is just outstanding. As some have said, they were evidently ahead of their time to a sadly unappreciative audience undeserving of them. If you ever have the chance to get the DVDs, take it; you'll be glad you did, seeing these two classic gems shine easily carrying their lesser costars, growing not just older but better. The great Hayes didn't gain the title "First Lady of the American Theater" for nothing, and outstanding Natwick is surely her peer!

Long before Angela Lansbury brightened TV screens as the mystery writing sleuth of "Murder, She Wrote," Helen Hayes, the first lady of the American theater, joined forces with film veteran Mildred Natwick to solve crimes as "The Snoop Sisters," one of four rotating segments during the second season of The NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie.

"The Snoop Sisters" had rather obvious roots in Agatha Christie's Miss Marple mysteries but also tried to be a senior citizen revamping of "McMillan and Wife," which was the product of the same producers. Hayes and Natwick are delightful, but for obvious reasons a show starring two aged performers lacked the slam-bang action that viewers might have preferred in the cop heavy atmosphere of the 1973-74 TV season.

Lacking the wit or clever plotting of "Columbo," this series never got off the ground. Even a guest appearance by then red-hot rocker Alice Cooper in one episode failed to enliven the proceedings. After four 90 minute episodes, "The Snoop Sisters" joined the rest of The NBC Wednesday (and at midseason, Tuesday) Mystery Movie segments ("Banacek," "Tenafly," and "Faraday and Company") on the trash heap of cancelled programs.

I remember watching this show as a wee tot with my grandfather and it stayed with me for decades. Rediscovered it a few years ago on DVD and shared the experience with my mother shortly before her passing. She had never seen them and loved them as much as I did.

The Snoop Sisters was part of the rotating wheel of mystery movies that aired on Wednesdays along with Banacek, Tenafly and a few others. Despite being the most critically acclaimed of this lot and with both lead actresses snagging Emmy nominations (with one of them winning), only Banacek featuring a humorless George Peppard was chosen to continue.

The Snoop Sisters are Ernesta and Gwendolyn ("G"), played by the First Lady of the Stage Helen Hayes and the glorious Mildred Natwick. Ernesta is a bestselling mystery writer and Gwendolyn functions as her assistant. Both of them end up embroiling themselves in various murder mysteries, much to the consternation of their police detective nephew Bert Convy and frazzled chauffeur Lou Antonio.

The show is actually ahead of its time and was obviously the precursor for the later success of Murder She Wrote. Hayes and Natwick have a sparkling chemistry and every moment with them is a delight. The steady roster of stars from the Golden Age making guest appearances - including Walter Pidgeon, Geraldine Page, Vincent Price, Paulette Goddard, Jill Clayburgh, Art Carney, etc. - is also a plus.

I am a sucker for shows which feature older people who have a zest for life and don't act like the grim reaper is perched on their shoulder. Watching Hayes and Natwick banter, run scams, outwit murderers and keep ahead of the police is wonderful. Their light touch with the comedy and the precise plots are highlights.

A show in definite need of rediscovery. Most people have never heard of it, but those that do invariably think highly of it.

An inferior attempt to make an American version of Miss Marple combined with slap-stick comedy that made The Three Stooges look sophisticated. What did poor Helen Hays do to end up in this gawdawful drek?

One of the worst offenders, by far, is the character of their chauffeur and minder--a retired bead cop who sounds like he came out of central casting in the 1920s--who was hired by their sisters' nephew to keep them out of trouble. He lectures them multiple times to be good little girls and to do what he says--like they're naughty little children rather than competent adults. If he had been competent as a cop, I could almost forgive him. Instead, he's one of the primary slap-stick offenders.

Of course, women can't drive, especially not elderly women. This "Joke" is slapped into the audience's face multiple times.

Really, I cannot imaging why anyone would think this was a worthwhile effort. The writers and director should have been ashamed. I finished the pilot episode only out of curiosity, not because I thought it was worth while. (As it happens, it wasn't worth it.)

I remember the Alice Cooper episode very well. He sang "Sick Things". Quite an unexpected treat for young Cooper fans.