Santa Claus is the eleventh episode of the first season of Matlock. It aired on December 9, 1986.
Plot
At Christmas time, a heartless businessman wants to evict the residents of an apartment building he owns. He tangles with a resident named Tom McCabe (Pat Hingle), who just happens to be working as a street Santa. Later, a man wearing a Santa suit enters the businessman's office building and kills him. Later, someone enters the Santa's apartment and tangles with him. Later, three of the businessman's people find him dead. Ben offers to defend the Santa, and suspects that one of the associates is the killer because a piece of evidence against the Santa was found near the body, and he believes that whoever broke into the Santa's apartment took it and planted it there.
Cast
Main
- Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock
- Linda Purl as Charlene Matlock
- Kene Holliday as Tyler Hudson
Special Guest Star
- Pat Hingle as Tom McCabe
Guest Starring
- Michael Durrell as Lloyd Burgess
- Barry Jenner as Mark Harris
- Betty Lynn as Sarah
- Andrew Masset as Daniel Paulsen
- Grainger Hines as Carl Lang
- David Froman as Lt. Bob Brooks
- Linden Chiles as Alan Rollins
- Charlotte Stewart as Mrs. Spellman
- Terri Treas as Annie Harris
Co-Starring
- Richard Newton as Judge Richard Cooksey
- Greg Monaghan as Jeweler
- Faith Quabius as Secretary
Featuring
- Sean McGuirk as Detective
- Gary Bergher as Duke Mitchell
- Tamara Taylor as Reporter
Summary
Trivia
- This episode marks the final appearance of Betty Lynn as Sarah, Matlock's secretary.