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The Deputy: Backfire (1960)
Backfire
Marshal Herk Lamson gets the drop on a murderous escaped prisoner in a dark hotel room. When the gunman reaches for a match in his pocket, Herk thinks he's going for his gun and winds up shooting the man in the back. The townspeople refuse to accept Herk's explanation of his actions, so when two outlaws come looking to avenge their dead confederate, no one is willing to pin on a deputy badge - no one, but Clay McCord, that is.
Paula Raymond adds some glamour in this ok episode but she's in town just to see Herk dead for killing her badboy lover who just escaped from prison after killing a guard. Charming chap! Clay's groaning of not wanting to use a gun and wearing a deputy badge can be tiresome at times, especially his endless preaching.
The Deputy: The Next Bullet (1959)
The Next Bullet
Clay finds a note in a murdered man's pocket that threatens death to Herk Lamson. Marshal Fry is convinced that the crime is linked to a sensational trial held the previous year where a woman was convicted of murdering her husband and her brothers' vowed vengeance.
A murder man, a note saying Sheriff Lamson is next, an old trial - there's a lot of plot squashed in this good episode. Can be confusing with the murder and a man accused of forcing his attentions on a gal. Felt longer time was needed to build the suspense and characters. Nice twist at the end ... Henry Fonda, again, has tiny screen time.
The Deputy: The Big Four (1959)
The Big Four
A highly organized outlaw gang has robbed banks, trains and stagecoaches throughout southern Arizona. When Marshal Fry learns that four of the West's most notorious outlaws - Billy the Kid, Curly Bill Brocius, Ike Clanton and Johnny Ringo - have dropped out of sight, he fears that they have joined forces.
Clay McCord stumbles upon a clue to the gang's whereabouts and, using a pair of homing pigeons, hopes to communicate their location to Simon Fry before their next raid.
A little coincidental here and there with a note by the infamous outlaws found lodged in a log and the homing pigeon sent by Clay caught by the outlaws, but it's an ok episode, made amusing by George Kennedy who plays Tex, an air headed member of the gang- at one point he's angry that pigeon abandoned Clay so he shoots the bird! The pigeon has a more meatier role than Henry Fonda who just appears in the beginning and the end.
The Deputy: The Hidden Motive (1960)
The Hidden Motive
While trying to arrest a notorious band of cattle rustlers, Clay shoots a childhood friend who approaches him from behind intending to shoot. Afterwards, Clay is stricken with remorse, since he's not sure if the man was a rustler or just heard the shooting and rode to investigate.
To complicate matters, Clay's efforts to console the pretty widow are misinterpreted as romantic feelings. Some rustlers think that the widow knows where the money is - can Clay reach her in time?
Rather average episode, though it reveals what a good soul Clay is, even though he can rabbit on a bit - his character isn't too far different from Tom Brewster of "Sugarfoot"- both rather talk things over rather than going for their hog leg! But they always end up using their hog leg anyways.
The Deputy: Powder Keg (1959)
Powder Keg
Sheriff Herk Lansom and his men capture Tom Deaver, a notorious renegade, wanted for supplying gunpowder to the Apaches. Herk's journey to Prescott with his prisoner is endangered when a garrulous telegrapher spreads the word of Deaver's capture - word that reaches the prisoner's Indian allies, namely Deaver's son called Hawk (Christopher Dark) who manages to get caught by Clay...
When Clay concocts a plan to get into Deaver's camp where black powder is stored, Hawk escapes from jail ...
Can Clay stop a powder keg situation from erupting? Will his endless talking of peace drive his enemies up the wall? To find out, watch this solid episode that has an arresting plot and a lively knife fight. Henry Fonda has brief screen time here.
The Deputy: The Deal (1959)
The Deal
Marshal Simon Fry is trailing a gang of outlaws that specialize in abducting a loved one of town's most prominent citizen and then forcing that man to help stage a spectacular robbery. Little does he know that Fran McCord has been kidnapped to ensure Clay cooperates with the gang's plan to steal a $20,000 mine payroll.
Another good episode that has Clay in a bit of a bind as Jack Usher (Mel Welles) has his sister kidnapped and will kill her if he doesn't do as he says- first, he wants Fonda out of the way, and secondly, he want some deputy badges. But Fonda ain't stupid and figures something is afoot, and it leads to some fine shootin' - one thing in favour of this series is the interaction and the action which is fairly wild and appears spontaneous rather than staged.
The Deputy: Badge for a Day (1959)
Badge for a day
Marshal Simon Fry tricks Clay McCord, a young storekeeper into taking a wagon full of supplies to remote town knowing that the groceries are expected by the notorious Gentry gang who the lawman hopes to capture. Fry knows that McCord is a crack shot with nerves of steel. He also knows that McCord would never have accepted a deputy's badge since he has a younger sister and brother to support.
This TV western headed by Henry Fonda kickstarts the series with a bang - it features a very chaotic and exciting action scene in a mine; it's one cliffhanger to the next. Quite an inventive scene. Like the interaction between Fonda and Case, which bolsters the average plot. The jazz score belongs in a more modern programme, though it does add an oddness.
The Deputy: The Wild Wind (1959)
The Wild Wind
Marshall Fry (Fonda) stops off to see his reluctant Deputy, Clay McCord and they talk, but they are interrupted by a group of bad boys riding through town firing their guns into the air like a bunch of idiots.
Fonda suggests to Case that maybe he should look into it, but Case says they are letting off some steam and he can't be bothered. Later, the older sister of one of the young men -Jon Ashley - tells Case that the young lads are falling under the influence of the town thug, Richard Shannon. Case tells the woman he will look into it.
Case finds Ashley and company at the local saloon. Case tells Ashley that he arranged a job for him. He is to help the town Sheriff bring in a load of gold from a local mine. There is, of course, a fight between Shannon and Case with Shannon coming out the worse.
The next day, Ford, and his new helper, Ashley, are bushwhacked by Shannon and his gang. Deputy Case intervenes and lead flies ...
Quite an entertaining western, has a sharp plot and some lively gunplay towards the end. The best aspect of this series, I find, are the Interactions.
The Deputy: The Last Gunfight (1960)
The Last gunfight
A famous gunfighter known as Johnny Dean, who is attempting to live down his reputation, settles in Silver City under an assumed name. In spite of his precautions, the man's true identity is discovered and two troublemakers - Dan Crawford and Burt Johnson - who wish to make a reputation for themselves as gunslingers attempt to draw the older man into one last gunfight. Even Johnny's fiancée has been harassed in order to rule Dean into a fight.
A typical story about a gunfighter trying to quit gunfighting but finding it difficult to live down his reputation is bolstered by Paul Clark as a young fast gun wanting to beat Johnny Dean and raise his reputation in the art of triggernometry - he's quite menacing and obsessed in beating a fast gun. Actually he's a stalker of some kind as he follows Johnny Dean, egging him on. Robert Redford also stars and is quite a bully. The ending is quite surprising.
The Deputy: Lawman's Blood (1960)
Lawman's boood
An outlaw abducts Silver City's doctor to attend to his brother who was shot during a hold-up. Clay manages to kill the kidnapper but the doctor refuses to leave his patient and requests that Clay assist him with the operation to remove the bullet from the wounded man's stomach. It's the Hippocratic oath that he had taken which makes him stay to tend to the injured outlaw.
The most interesting aspect of this series is the fact that the hero is a store keeper, something not featured in a lot of westerns. And he's a reluctant hero, always wanting peace, but, of course, that doesn't happen as there's some gunplay towards the end. A slightly better than average.
The Deputy: Shadow of the Noose (1959)
Shadow of the Noose
Marshall Fry (Henry Fonda) arrests a drifter (Clu Gulager) for the murder of a farmer and his wife but must contend with a lynch mob before the trial. The drifter, of course, protests his innocence and says he just happen to arrive at the murder scene and was shot at by the real killer.
Fending off Akins and his mob, Simon enlists the aid of the store keeping McCord family to stop vigilantism. He also stops the drifter from escaping from jail due to a lynch mob member slipping him an empty gun so he can get him out on the open...
Another ok episode, though a standard one with not enough tension or twist and turns. Good acting by Clu Gulager who looks really innocent of murder. As with the other episodes, I love the conversation tone between Fonda, Case and his sister.
The Deputy: The Border Between (1960)
The Border Between
Compelled by a wealthy landowner to rescue his kidnapped daughter, Clay McCord gets a job in the mine owned by Evan Sloate, the girl's kidnapper. At first the girl resists being rescued, saying that Sloate is her husband, and then Sloate catches on to McCord's plan. He gives McCord a whipping and orders him off his property but McCord returns for another try at rescue.
It's an ok episode featuring Anna Kashfi, the first wife of Marlon Brando- she plays a Mexican lady kidnapped by Leo Gordon, who, surprise, surprise, is a brute of a man. A bit of an odd episode, as one was expecting a twist. Never was one. You wasn't sure if Kashfi wanted to be rescued. The jazz score is out of place, but on the other hand it adds an offbeat tone.
The Deputy: Man of Peace (1959)
Man of Peace
When two wagons full of repeating rifles are stolen by an Apache raiding party, Marshal Fry decides that the problem is more than his small staff can handle and sends for the Army.
However, deputy Clay is convinced that the Apaches must have a reason to steal the rifles and is determined to resolve the issue peaceably before the soldiers can arrive and possible start another Indian war.
But the real cause for the Apaches going on the warpath aren't going to sit around and talk! Guns are going to blaze...
The villainous gang is led by Edgar Buchanan who plays a heel here- a dysfunctional father who brings his sons up to kill injuns, and even criticises one of them for being soft. It's a standard plot but bolstered by some rather wild gunplay in the finale. Quite exciting and hectic. Liked the conversation between Fonda and Allen Case regarding peaceful methods vs wearing a gun.
Bat Masterson: License to Cheat (1959)
License to Cheat
Bat sees a poker game break up when a player called Willis accuses the dealer of cheating. Bat learns that all the games in town are rigged with the Sheriff collecting a payoff so Bat tries to start an honest game but he is jailed and banned from cards.
While incarcerated he teaches Willis how to beat the dealers at their own game. Bat is banned from playing cards but he makes an agreement with Willis to watch and help him for a fifty-fifty split. Bat taps his cane on the floor when he sees cheating. Willis is so successful that the sheriff hires a man to replace Bat's real cane with one filled with blasting powder.
An exploding cane, a crooked sheriff head of a cheating game, and a mean poker game are some of the things on offer and it's good stuff, especially the tense scene towards the end regarding Bat's cane loaded with blasting powder.
Bat Masterson: River Boat (1959)
River Boat
A gang of river pirates take over the paddle-wheeler Dakota Queen and relieve the passengers of jewels and furs and Bat of $10,000.
When Kyle Henderson (Brett Halsey) tries to lead a charge to take back the steamboat, Bat stops him and learns the attractive woman Nora with him is his sister, not his wife.
Bat overhears the gang are stopping the steamboat at Trader's Dock- a ghost town. Another passenger secretly tells Bat he has a barrel of cheeses on board. Although not expensive, they are rare. With Kyle's help, Bat decides to use the barrel to recover the stolen items and capture the pirates when they leave the boat.
A tongue-in-cheek episode, well, where it concerns the gang leader who likes to widen his girth with hefty amount of food. It turns out to be Achilles Heel- nice riverboat setting and Bat at his best trying to outsmart the gang as well as romancing a lady (of course!)
Bat Masterson: The Romany Knives (1959)
The Romany Knives
After Bat rescues an old gypsy from a brutal rancher, the old man offers him many valuable gifts, including a beautiful girl. When Bat learns she is not a gypsy but found near a wagon train massacred by Indians, he decides to take her.
After they leave Tonio (Ray Danton) tells Grasia that he found Leda with papers saying at twenty-one she inherits $50,000. Grasia then allows Tonio and Mitgar to go after her.
Bat sends a telegram based on what Leda tells him to her relatives in San Francisco. They reply with the story about her inheritance. Tonio and Mitgar try to take Bat but he tricks Tonio into exposing the truth about his love - for money. They take Bat and Leda back to camp by force to marry her. Bat has to use his ingenuity to not only get away but allow Leda to leave for San Francisco.
Ray Danton plays a gypsy, at first you think he's lovelorn for a girl in his camp, but then you learn he's after her inheritance- she's not a gypsy, but was found in a wagon train after a massacre. A rather nifty story with a good performance by Danton has a tendency to throw knives at Bat. Playing slimy characters seems to be his forte.
Bat Masterson: The Death of Bat Masterson (1959)
The Death of Bat Masterson
Bat returns to the once prosperous silver mining town of Bonanza, Colorado to close out his bank account. He deposited $20,000 there a year ago after completing a cattle drive, a banker tells him that the account is closed as the money was given to his widow by the probate court after his death. A grave in the cemetery has his name and the mortician verifies he buried Bat Masterson with his derby, cane and a wound watch.
His next visit is to the Judge at the Sheriff's office. The Sheriff cheats at solitaire and the Judge is a drunk who tells him to get lost. Bat leaves but trails the Judge to the telegraph office where Bat intercepts the telegram he is sending. The Sheriff enters to help the Judge knock out and jail Bat. By giving the Sheriff card lessons, Bat frees himself to track down Jack Fontana and his wife Nellie along with his money.
There's some coffin jokes, a nice hook liner of a story idea, however it runs out of the steam towards the end. A little uneven but watchable enough.
Bat Masterson: Dude's Folly (1958)
Dude's Folly
On November 25, 1882 in Fortune City, Nevada Jan and Woody Larkin arrive on the stage to an unwanted welcome. Packy Morrow shoots at Woody's feet to make him dance in his "dude" clothes. Woody's sister Jan yells for help and Bat responds when Jan takes his cane to help Woody.
Packy works for Joe Quince (Leo Gordon) who owns the mine in which the Larkin kids' father was killed. They have arrived to take over their father's hardware and feed store. Quince offers to buy the store telling the kids that they will never fit in. Jan asks Bat to teach Woody to use a gun to protect themselves and the store.
Packy attacks the store but Bat stops him but Quince kills Packy before he can talk. After some investigation, Bat learns their property abuts Quince's mine which has run out of ore. Woody who has always been a quitter decides to fight once he learns about the gold. As Bat teaches him he improves and Quince tries to scare him with his prowess with a gun. Woody learns - too well and Bat is forced to confront him.
Leo Gordon plays a thug as usual, who wants a feed store and harasses the new owner over it. It's a good episode leading to an unpredictable conclusion as Woody - the one Bat teaches gun usage to - does the wrong thing.
Bat Masterson: Sharpshooter (1959)
Sharpshooter
On May 18, 1883 in Dodge City, Kansas Bat watches the sharpshooter Danny Dowling at the Palace Saloon with owner Harry Varden. Danny works with his wife as the target and finishes by shooting a cigar out of the mouth of an audience member who wins free drinks.
After the show Varden talks to Dowling in private. Dowling owes Varden money plus his wife is expecting their first baby. He offers Dowling $500 now and $500 more when Dowling draws Bat into a gunfight and kills him.
Varden owes Bat an amount equal to half the value of the Palace which Varden hates. A nervous Dowling lets slip the truth to his wife who warns Bat at the Alhambra. Not realizing the situation, Bat asks Varden to talk to Dowling and to find out who is behind the hit. Later, Varden says he can do nothing about it so Bat confronts Dowling on stage letting Dowling use him for the cigar target. He then asks to shoot a cigar out of Dowling's hand but uses a quick draw unlike Dowling.
Dowling tries to back out of his deal but Varden brings in two toughs to force Dowling to complete the job putting Bat at risk again.
A sharpshooter vs a gunfighter story - Bat comments that gun fighting is much different than sharp shooting and warns the sharpshooter that he could outdraw him. A straightforward yet lively episode which features Lisa Gaye (sister of Debra Paget) in her second appearance in this show.
Bat Masterson: End of the Line (1961)
End of the Line
Bat Masterson has a contract to build a railroad in Colorado but it has been a hard fight against the forces of nature in the rough terrain. Bat has hired engineer Dick Jeffers to help him and the Irishman Walsh. As the three of them watch wagon loads of needed equipment arrive, the road blows up beneath the wagons destroying everything.
The three men go to nearby Canyon City looking for tools but none are to be found. Bat decides to check with the Army who is planning to enlarge a nearby fort about borrowing or renting tools. The next morning he meets a Captain who is in charge of the supplies who agrees to rent the tools for a $500 bond. They return to the railroad with the new tools where progress begins again.
Within a day a Lieutenant arrives in camp to confiscate the tools and arrest Bat for the murder of a supply Sergeant. The shocked Bat has to prove his innocence before he can finish his contract.
A snappy episode featuring a land mine and a double dealing employee for the railroad - strangely, there's no ladies for Bat to romance, but he's busy enough in this episode...
Bat Masterson: Dynamite Blows Two Ways (1958)
Dynamite blows two ways
Bat wins a herd of cattle in a card game in Laramie and discovers that in order to convert them into cash, he'll have to fight his way past a rancher determined to only allow his cattle to be sold in Cheyenne.
With Bat leading the group they agree to make the short drive plus the attractive rancher Valorie Mitchell who joins them with her 400 head. She is attracted to Bat as all the ranchers can tell but in reality she is Cummings girl who he sent along to determine the route Bat plans to use. He plans a "dynamite" surprise for the drive but he also suspects Valorie will betray him.
Nice "cattle" drive episode full of scheming oppositions, diabolical plans, a duplicitous cattle lady that Bat, no surprise, takes a shine to, and a tense scene leading up to a canyon dynamiting.
Bat Masterson: A Noose Fits Anybody (1958)
A noose fits anybody
While on his way to break his brother out of jail for a crime he did not commit, Ben Thompson saves Bat Masterson's life, but is wounded in the process. Bat agrees to undertake the hazardous mission of saving Ben's brother from the noose.
Circus is in the town and the female acrobat tells Bat that Billy was framed by Big Ed Bacon and the sheriff. Bat has to take out a man who tries to kill him but he finds Billy is in jail with a broken leg so he can't escape. Not realizing Billy's situation because no one could visit him, Bat is captured but not before he is able to hide a gun in Billy's bandages. Now Bat now only has to free Billy he must free himself which requires some unusual tricks and a little circus magic.
Liked the circus setting with acrobats and in the midst of this is a noose which is waiting for a man who is falsely accused of murder, but Bat is here to prove his innocence by investigating and even manages to conjures up a trick with a hang rope.
Bat Masterson: The Treasure of Worry Hill (1958)
The treasure of Worry Hill
Three cousins inherit pieces of map describing the location of their uncle's buried treasure. Not trusting each other, they hire Bat to guide them to the place where the money has been hidden - a place known as "Worry Hill".
Bat makes a trip out to see Isaac Parker to verify the story. Parker, a recluse who likes to play a pipe organ, confirms the story. On the way back Bat notices he is being followed and that night he briefly catches the man trying to knife him in bed.
The three maps, which must be overlaid to show the location, are a target so Bat burns them as he has the location memorized. The next day he leads the trio toward the location when they hear a shot.
After a brief conversation with Parker who came to them, Bat goes back to investigate the shot. He learns most of the truth from the man who tried to kill Bat before he dies. There is surprise for all but the cousins learn they can trust each other.
Warring cousins over their uncle's treasure, an eccentric organ recluse, a castle in the west (a first for me) and the twist in the tale - an enjoyable entry.
Bat Masterson: The Tumbleweed Wagon (1959)
The Tumbleweed Wagon
Bat agrees to escort a murder suspect to trial, but he escapes with the help of his girl friend. Bat decides to take the woman to Fort Smith to stand trial for jail-breaking with the hope that he might capture the suspect along the way.
On the way he decides to let her ride with him instead of inside the prison wagon. He learns more about her history and that she is a teacher. At Ripple Creek she asks Bat to let her take a bath to which he agrees.
Steiger arrives to save Julie but against her wishes he shoots Bat who falls into Ripple Creek. When his horse bolts due to the gunfire, Steiger and Julie leave with the prison wagon. However, their carelessness catches up with them.
John Carradine delivers another great performance as a sheriff who has an unusual approach! He always makes things enjoyable. It's an ok episode with Bat preaching to Fay Spain's character about her bad boy boyfriend and the road to destruction if she hangs around with him.
Bat Masterson: Two Graves for Swan Valley (1958)
Two graves for Swan Valley
A vicious night rider (Broderick Crawford) reacts with murderous intent when he thinks Bat is flirting with his girl, pretty saloon girl Molly Doyle. Everyone tells Bat to leave town to save his life but Bat not wanting to be told what to do decides to stay.
Consequently, his hotel room is shot up but the next day decked out in his finest he applies for a gambling license to start a poker game. Upon returning after another night raid, Foley finds Bat still in Swan Valley. He is able to wound Bat but Bat seriously wounds Foley just as Foley kills Molly with a shot setting up a showdown between Bat, Foley, and the Lance brothers who are with him.
Broderick Crawford plays a town bully who thinks he owns everyone in town, and that includes the saloon girl. Interesting aspect is that he doesn't like good looking men, sees them as a threat, which shows his insecurity. It's a straightforward tale, nothing complex, but quite good.