Mathias Reitz

Columbo is called in when a former world chess champion is found gravely injured just before his match for the world title with the current champion. Laurence Harvey guest stars.

Danny comes up with an idea for crashing in on the ecology movement...the Partridges should get a whale to be their lead singer. He had just played Laurie's new record, "Song of the Humpback Whale." Laurie explains that whales are becoming extinct and she doesn't want to profit from their plight, but Danny doesn't understand. He puts an ad in the paper for a singing whale, and loads of people show up with their animals - a dancing bear, singing dog, chimp - but no whale. The Partridges go to Marineland and talk to Dr. Whelander, who agrees that they should make a record to allow people to become aware of the plight of the whales so that maybe they'll do something to stop them from being slaughtered. He said that any profits Marineland receives will go to the New York Zoological Society, where they are working to save whales. Shirley says that her family will devote her profits to the whale too. At the recording session, E.J. Flicker walks in and claims the whale belongs to him since he was the one who alerted Marineland four years ago to get the whale out of his inlet. He wants 50 percent. Shirley gets an idea - they will cut the record at Marineland and invite the press and Mr. Flicker. She sets everything up with Mr. Blanchard of ABC News, who shames Flicker in front of thousands of people into donating his 50 percent to the Zoological Society.