And the Desert Shall Blossom (21 Dec. 1958)

A killer on the run demands help from 2 cantankerous Western prospectors, when his car breaks down near their remote shack. The old couple already face eviction unless they can demonstrate ... See full summary »

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writers:

Loren Good (story), Bernard C. Schoenfeld (teleplay)

Stars:

Alfred Hitchcock, William Demarest, Roscoe Ates

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself - Host
William Demarest	...	Tom Akins
Roscoe Ates	...	Ben White
Mike Kellin	...	Fugitive Thug
Ben Johnson	...	Jeff, the Sheriff
Wesley Lau	...	Tex, the Deputy

Storyline

A killer on the run demands help from 2 cantankerous Western prospectors, when his car breaks down near their remote shack. The old couple already face eviction unless they can demonstrate that they are homesteading, but in a patch of Nevada desert which can barely support a juniper tree, how can they ?

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Plot Keywords:

nevada | desert | canteen | horse riding | cactus | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 1958 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Republic Studios - 4024 Radford Avenue, North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shamley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

A mini-Western with a twist à la Hitch

Somewhere in Nevada two old codgers eke out a living, but they face their greatest challenge when a stranger from the East shows up in a broken-down car. The local sheriff advises them to abandon their digs in favor of what we would called "assisted living." But, one of the old men dismisses the notion of being among a bunch of old folks, "just sitting around waiting to die." The other man is none other than "Uncle Charley" (actor William Demarest) seven years prior to his My Three Sons run.

The stranger is played by actor Mike Kellin, who was featured on the New York stage in Rodgers' & Hammerstein's often-overlooked Pipe Dream.

The usual Hitchcock ingredients are here, especially humor, colorful dialog, and serviceable scene music which has been recycled from other similarly light-hearted episodes. And, as per usual, someone meets death.