Blake's "Love Boat" Legal Gambit

If Robert Blake had his way, his legal defense would have been exciting and new.

Yes, the former Baretta tough guy was hoping a certain vessel soon would be making another run--asking his publicist to recruit a Love Boat's episode worth of stars to make cameos to support him, including Captain Stubing himself, Gavin MacLeod.

As Blake spent 11 months behind bars on charges of murdering wife Bonny Lee Bakley, he met with publicist Dale Olson and brainstormed ways to drum up public goodwill for him.

Their conversations were recorded for posterity by jail officials, who by law make tapes of inmate visits, copies of which were obtained by the Los Angeles Times and the syndicated TV show Extra.

"It should be one person after the other," Blake, who was acquitted in March of Bakley's 2001 shooting death, is heard telling Olson. "You call another one and say, 'Would you come to the courthouse with us one time and afterward go out and talk to the public?'"

Among those popping up on his wish list were fellow '70s tube stars like Suzanne Pleshette of The Bob Newhart Show and Bionic Woman Lindsay Wagner and MacLeod.

"He's perfect," Blake said of the Love Boat skipper.

Regarding Pleshette: "The whole world loves her."

Blake also bandied about the names of a few A-listers, including Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, John Travolta, Alec Baldwin and Kevin Costner.

"My first bet is going to be Sean Penn," Blake says. "Alec Baldwin is a big fan. He actually sent me fan letters?I put him up with Sean Penn as one of the heavyweight that might be the one to start the ball rolling and make some calls."

He continues: "Kevin Costner comes up to me and says, 'Baretta. I never could get enough of it. I watched it...' I must not have written his name down. He and Alec Baldwin are big timers."

As it turned out, none of the above turned out for Blake, and it's not known whether they were even contacted. But about 20 celebs ended up paying him a visit in jail, including Anthony Hopkins, Wilford Brimley, comic Mort Sahl and Sally Kirkland, who visited Blake in her role as minister for the Los Angeles-based Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness. She called the onetime Our Gang star "beyond lonely."

"He does know very famous people, and a lot of them wanted to help," Kirkland tells the Times. "People can look at that cynically, but it was very legitimate."

Blake was apparently really choosy about who paid him a visit, even giving the thumbs down to erstwhile Chachi Scott Baio ("Tell him to send me a letter," he told Olson).

Blake's rep could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but in an interview with the Times, Olson denies the celeb campaign was implemented to alter the course of public opinion.

"We never used them as media coverage," Olson says. "The whole idea was to make Robert know that there were people--colleagues he had, peers--who were supporting him and continuing to be his friends."

But Blake gives an entirely different impression on the tapes--notably when discussing an appearance on CNN's Larry King Live and the possibility of calling his baby daughter, Rosie, on air.

"I will get on the phone and talk to Rosie and Larry King will have a hook-up so that everybody in America can hear me talk to Rosie," Blake says per one police transcript, before telling Olson, "don't let it look like a performance."

Speaking of performances, Blake reportedly put on quite a show Monday during a deposition in the wrongful death suit brought by Bakley's family.

At one point instead of answering questions, Blake verbally sparred with opposing counsel Eric Dubin and told him to "shut up" and "don't get cute with me."

"He definitely was abusive toward me," Dubin groused to the Associated Press. "But that's okay. I represent four kids whose mom was murdered. I could care less if Robert Blake wants to call me names."

Blake, meanwhile, told reporters that he was "sorry it didn't settle." He previously said he offered $250,000, but now his legal flees have further depleted his bank account, and he was down to $150,000 in assets.

Dubin, however, claims that money isn't the issue. "This case is about proving Robert Blake to be a murderer," he said. "As far as the money goes, I'm not concerned whatsoever about if I win, there'll be money to collect."

Specific details about what was said during the session were not immediately disclosed, but Durbin has said he plans on releasing video to the media once Blake is done being deposed. On Friday, a California judge refused to grant the actor's request for a gag order and also denied his lawyer's request to keep all records pertaining to the suit sealed from the public and the press, including transcripts of depositions.

The deposition is scheduled to continue on Tuesday.