Although Fonda was given top billing in the film (see poster to right), he worked for scale and his character role was underplayed within he ensemble cast.They were known for sleuthing, solving murders, wisecracking one-liners, affectionate witticisms, delightful teasing and one-upmanship, alcoholic fun with plenty of martinis (two years after the end of Prohibition), a wire-haired errier named Asta (actually named Skippy), and a loving relationship - often punctuated with quick kisses and slight hiccups.When he regained consciousness, he was being operated upon (to remove bullet fragments) by love motel owner Meiko's young grandson Hitoshi, a veterinarian student.Well, isn't that ginger-peachy? A real 'stop the press, pull out the front page, get ready to re-plate' assignment.Kentucky.The guy pinned way down in that cave.One of the biggest stories that ever broke.Front page in every paper in the country for weeks.....Then maybe you heard that a reporter on a Louisville paper crawled in for he story and came out with a Pulitzer Prize.