The Not-So-Great Imposter is the ninth episode of Season 5 of Three's Company, and the 87th overall episode of the series. Directed by Dave Powers and co-written by Michael S. Baser and Kim Weiskopf, it first aired 13 January 1981 on ABC.
Summary[]
Jack applies to be the head chef at Angelino's, an Italian restaurant. But upon arriving, Mr. Frank Angelino, the restaurant's owner leaves the office for a minute before Jack can properly introduce himself. While Mr. Angelino is temporarily away from his office desk, Jack answers the phone and takes a message from another person who's also applying for the head chef job, saying he can't make it for his interview.
When Mr. Angelino returns to his desk, he vents his frustration in having to interview "inexperienced chefs straight out of cooking school", such as what Jack is. That's when Jack, when asked his name by Mr. Angelino, accidentally slips and introduces himself as a one "David Miller", the name of the one who called, as Mr. Angelino assumes Jack is David Miller, who, incidentally, happens to be a famous, renowned chef, as Mr. Angelino, as he says to Jack, is thrilled, more like flabbergasted, and "honored" of "having the great David Miller" applying to be the head chef in his restaurant!.
Angry at Mr. Angelino and insulted for putting down such "inexperienced" chefs such as he, saying that he "wouldn't let one even burn a candle in his kitchen", Jack doesn't correct him, allowing Mr. Angelino to believe his ruse, getting him to think that he's David Miller, in hopes that Mr. Angelino would be so impressed with his cooking, that he'd be eager and willing to keep him on as head chef when he finally got ready to reveal his true identity to him.
However, what Jack doesn't know is that there a lot of angry people who, all having read an L.A. Times newspaper ad Mr. Angelino put out introducing "the great David Miller" as chef at his restaurant, are out to get David Miller, the man he is pretending to be. They all show up at the restaurant, and so do the cops for his, or rather David Miller's, arrest! Jack also has to worry about the salad man, Felipe, who's both jealous of Jack and upset about Mr. Angelino passing him over as the head chef, not foiling his plans to impress Angelino.
Trivia[]
- This episode marks the first appearance of Jordan Charney in the role of Mr. Angelino. He had appeared previously as Larry's boss Mr. Layton in the Season 3 episode "Jack Moves Out".
- Both Richard Kline (Larry) and Suzanne Somers (Chrissy) are credited, but do not appear.