Crime Story/Top of the World

Top of the World
Season 1, Episode 21
Airdate	March 6, 1987
Teleplay by	Peter Lance & Frederick Rappaport
Story by	Chuck Adamson & Gustave Reininger and Peter Lance
Directed by	Michael Mann
← 1x20 The Pinnacle	1x22 → Ground Zero
Crime Story — Season One

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Top of the World is the twenty-first episode of the first season of Crime Story.

Starring: Dennis Farina (Lt. Mike Torello), Anthony Denison (Ray Luca), Bill Smitrovich (Det. Danny Krychek), Steve Ryan (Det. Nate Grossman), Bill Campbell (Det. Joey Indelli), Paul Butler (Det. Walter Clemmons), John Santucci (Pauli Taglia)

and Starring: Stephen Lang (David Abrams)

with Johann Carlo (Cory Luca), Ted Levine (Frank Holman), Jay O. Sanders (Steven Kordo)

Guest Stars: Debbie Harry (Bambi), Debra Sandlund (Joanne Goldman), Paul Anka (Tony Dio)

and Audrey Matson (Donna)

with Guest Star Appearances by: James Gammon (Jack Claymore (archive footage)), Dana Wheeler Nicholson (Marilyn Stewart (archive footage)), Gary Sinise (Howie Dressler (archive footage))

Co-Starring: Andrew Dice Clay (Max Goldman), Mark Hutter (Ted Kehoe (archive footage))

and Featuring in Alphabetical Order: Leroy Caldwell (Boxer), Debra Christofferson (Nurse), Patricia Fields (Glamour Girl), Duncan Gamble (Texan), Terry Head (Jockey), Scott Loomis (Medic), Jocko Marcellino (Guard), Linda Moody (Nurse #2), Santos Morales (Poker Player), Larry Pines (Teamster), Richard Wagner (Lieutenant), Joseph Zeoli (Maitre D'), Stephen Zema (Board Member)

Plot Overview

Torello decides that a 'divide-and-conquer' approach is the best way to get to Luca, so he, Abrams and Indelli keep tabs on a courier for Weisbord whom they assume is carrying skimmed money in his briefcase, while Krychek and Clemmons observe Luca at the Lucky Star, and Grossman tails Luca's new girlfriend. The Task Force intercepts the courier, Dio, at the airport and 'kidnaps' and 'robs' him. From the observation of Luca, the two cops notice him attack another poker player who accuses him of cheating. Torello dismisses that, as all they can nail him for there is cheating at cards and Misdemeanor Battery. It's what Grossman observed that Torello discovers a weak point...Luca's girlfriend walking in on him with Ray Goldman's wife, that Torello sees a way to get to Luca. Abrams goes to the Gaming Commission and gets Luca barred not only from his own casinos, but every casino on the Strip. Assuming that Goldman is out to get him, Luca first attacks him on the set of his TV talk show (where he admits to sleeping with Max's wife), and later has Holman bomb his car, an attempt on his life that Goldman survives. Torello and Abrams visit the mobster in the hospital, and he reveals that, while he has every reason in the world to go after Luca, he's a stand-up guy and won't squeal on anyone. When Torello learns that Luca raped Pauli's girlfriend, he seeks out the beleaguered flunky and gets him to turn evidence. Luca's lawyer gets the casino ban overturned, and Mike and Abrams visit him at his casino, where the lawyer informs him that he's being arrested for the murders of Jack Claymore, Marilyn Stewart, Ted Kehoe, Howie Dressler and Nate Abrams.

Trivia

The Show

Songs featured in this episode: "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" by Paul Anka (who also guest-stars in this episode) and "My Guy" by Mary Wells. In addition, Holman's band does a mediocre version of "Maybe Baby", a Buddy Holly and the Crickets classic.