Robert E. Swanson shares the record with Robert Van Scoyk in the category of penning scripts for the most "MSW" episodes, each with 25, next to Tom Sawyer, with 24 writing credits for this series, these three penning a total of nearly 3/10th of the series' episodes.
In addition to his writing duties, Robert E. Swanson also serves in the capacity of Supervising Producer and Executive Story Editor for several seasons, as he also writes many more interesting episodes besides "Corned Beef & Carnage."
This time around, Jessica's niece Victoria Brandon Griffin (Genie Francis) and nephew-in-law Howard Griffin (Jeff Conaway) relocate from San Francisco to New York City, where Victoria accepts a position at Kinkaid Advertising Agency, while Howard continues to struggle for acting roles.
Larry Kinkaid (Richard Kline) operates Kinkaid Advertising Agency along with elder brother, Myron Kinkaid (Bill Macy), and employee Aubrey Thornton (David Ogden Stiers), who along with Victoria, works on Myron's pet project, "Corned Beef Castle" account, which promises to keep Kinkaid Advertising Agency from the verge of bankruptcy.
Grover Barth (Ken Swofford) and wife, Polly Barth (Marcia Wallace), who share secrets of their own, operate "Corned Beef Castle," a delicatessen, which they plan to launch into a franchise chain of restaurants, should the advertising campaign generate sales.
Christine Clifford (Susan Anton), meanwhile, attempts to gain the "Corned Beef Castle" account for the Biddle Advertising Agency, operated by Leland Biddle (Peter Haskell), as she schemes to lift Victoria's ideas, and they, together, scheme to offer Harold an advertising spokesperson position on the condition that he recruit Victoria to the Biddle Agency.
Grover Barth has his reasons for sticking with the Kincaid Agency, namely to associate closely with the lovely Victoria, who confronts her employers during an argument with Larry, Myron and Aubrey, each who seeks his own agenda during the advertising battles.
After Victoria resigns her position, she has second thoughts while Howard is left alone to entertain their visiting Aunt Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), who encourages Victoria to continue along with her busy schedule.
And so Victoria enters one of the offices one evening after hours, to greet Security Guard Jim Ingram (Warren Berlinger), before screaming, after stumbling across a body bludgeoned with an advertising award trophy.
Lieutenant Spoletti (James Sloyan) investigates the murder and, naturally, arrests Victoria, whom Aunt Jessica, quite naturally, defends, as she launches an investigation of her own to prove Victoria's innocence from "Corned Beef & Carnage."
The cast is rounded out by Marleta Giles as Receptionist, David Starwalt as Officer, Phil Rubenstein as Deli Clerk, Russ Fega as Pizza Delivery Man.
This episode represents the first of two "MSW" guest roles each for Susan Anton, Peter Haskell, Bill Macy and David Starwalt, the first of three for David Ogden Stiers, the second of three for Warren Berlinger, and also the second of three for Genie Francis in her role as niece Victoria Brandon Griffin, the second of four for Jeff Conaway, including two as Howard Griffin, the first of seven for James Sloyan, including his five as Robert Butler in Dennis Stanton episodes, and the second of eleven for Ken Swofford, including his six as Lieutenant Catalano in Dennis Stanton episodes.
Phil Rubenstein, acting on television and in film since 1976, has unfortunately since passed.
