Sound of Terror

LAREDO was a humorous oater lasting two seasons and 56 episodes on NBC, the central trio of Texas Rangers featuring Neville Brand as Reese Bennett, LAWMAN's Peter Brown as Chad Cooper, and William Smith as Joe Riley, commanded by Philip Carey as Captain Edward Parmalee. "Sound of Terror" guest stars the legendary John Carradine as Professor Paracelsus Smythe, proprietor of a traveling Chamber of Horrors, also boasting the one time only presence of soon to be STAR TREK Chief Surgeon DeForest Kelley fittingly cast as town physician Dr. David Ingram. The thrust of this gloomy story is driven by Tom Simcox as Shamus McCloud, newly arrived in Laredo with knife grinder Ernie Venner (Kay E. Kuter), who learns of his brother's unexpected demise from Dr. Ingram, who kept it quiet to prevent a cholera panic. Reese Bennett is forced to intercede when McCloud makes clear his displeasure with the doctor's diagnosis, and before dawn Ingram finds his dog strangled to death and eager to blame his Irish assailant. Joe Riley also has his problems, threatened by card cheat Spence Gillis (Harry Lauter), in a hurry to collect and move on to more pigeons, later found strangled with every penny still untouched in his wallet. Riley's annoyance with Gillis' whistling puts him down as a suspect, the dog's howling placed him in danger, a tea kettle and a flute signaling more mayhem, to the chagrin of Carradine's Prof. Smythe, admitting that business has been disappointing since he arrived: "who is interested in the great crimes of the past when they are part of one in the here and now!" A Western whodunit tinged with horror is not a bad idea, but Kelley's short tempered doctor and Carradine's general lack of involvement help this peter out before the climax.

This episode of Laredo goes into the Gothic horror genre with the usual Laredo rambunctious comedy when a series of murders occurs in the town. We're given enough red herrings in this to fill a fish market. William Smith is even a suspect for a while.

Sailor Tom Simcox comes looking for his brother who he is told has died and he blames Dr. DeForest Kelley for the death. William Smith loses heavy to tinhorn gambler Harry Lauter. John Carradine comes with his medicine show exhibit of famous murders. All are guests at the hotel run by Virginia Christine and her daughter Laraine Stephens.

Before the show is over two of these cast members die and of course the Rangers are wild with speculation. I won't say who, but it is for a reason none of them conceive until the very end of the show.

This might have played better as a dramatic piece. The regulars are their usual selves, but it doesn't quite gel for me.

A serial killer is loose in Laredo, which sets Reese (Neville Brand), Chad (Peter Brown), and Capt. Parmalee (Philip Carey) sleuthing. Joe (William Smith) is a suspect, having suffered gambling loses to Harry Lauter (as Spence Gillis), an early victim. A more likely suspect may be John Carradine (as Professor Paracelsus Smythe), who arrives with his "Traveling Museum of Horrors".

Soon, suspicions fall mainly in Irishman Tom Simcox (as Shamus McCloud), in town to meet his dead brother. But, as the bodies pile up, temple-scarred doctor DeForest Kelly (as David Ingram) moves up the suspect list. Could it be beautiful blonde Laraine Stephens (as Barbara Halsey), or couldn't it?

The clue about each murder being accompanied by a strange sound gives the episode its title. The strange sounds, illustrated by a weird special effect, are annoying indeed. This is an unconvincing novelty episode. Soon after this appearance, Mr. Kelly found a "Wagon Train" to the stars ("Star Trek").

*** Sound of Terror (4/7/66) William Witney ~ Tom Simcox, DeForest Kelly, John Carradine