(TV Series)

(1959)

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7/10
A Runaway
gordonl5616 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
JOHNNY RINGO "Bound Boy" 1959

JOHNNY RINGO was a western series that ran for 38 episodes during 1959-60. The series starred Don Durant as the title character with Karen Sharpe, Mark Goddard and Terence De Marney as series regulars. The series follows Durant, (Ringo) a former gunfighter who decides to go straight. He becomes the Sheriff in the small town of Velardi in the Arizona Territory. The series was one of several (Rifleman, Wanted Dead or Alive, Shotgun Slade) with a "gimmick gun". Durant carries a special LeMat revolver equipped with a shotgun barrel under the six gun barrel.

This episode is the 13th episode of the series.

This one starts with a teen aged boy breaking into Karen Sharpe's house late at night. The boy, Tim Considine, holds a knife on Sharpe and asks for food. Sharpe feeds the kid and asks what the problem is. It seems Considine is a runaway fleeing a man, James Westerfield, who uses him and several other orphans as slave labour.

Now Westerfield, his son, George Brenlin and another boy, Ralph Votrain arrive in town. Westerfield has legal papers saying he is the legal guardian of Considine. He asks Sheriff Durant for help collecting the runaway boy. Sharpe now hunts up Durant and tells him about the boy. It seems Westerfield regularly beats the boys is his charge and works them all long hours on his farm.

The viewer can guess that this is going to end up with someone leaking fluid. And needless to say, it does when Westerfield pulls a double barrelled shotgun on the Sheriff. Durant had caught the man and his son whipping the boy for running away.

The episode was written and directed by the talented Tom Gries. Writer, producer and director Gries had a hand in, 100 RIFLES, THE GLASS HOUSE, BREAKHEART PASS and the top flight western, WILL PENNY.

The equally talented Carl Guthrie was in charge of the cinematography. His big screen work included the film noir, CRY WOLF, FLAXY MARTIN, BACKFIRE, CAGED, THIS SIDE OF THE LAW, UNDERCOVER GIRL, STORM WARNING, HELL BOUND and the superb, HIGHWAY 301.
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6/10
Bound Boy
Prismark1019 May 2021
This is another story with a subtext. Boys being used as slave labour.

Jamie is an orphan who has ran away from his ranch and travelled far to get away.

Aben Burke is the rancher who comes looking for Jamie. Aben tells Johnny Ringo that the local orphans are by law bound to him as they have nowhere to go.

Burke claims to look after the boys well and Johnny feels he has no option but return Jamie to Burke.

Of course it turns out that Aben Burke bullies the kids and uses them as slave labour.

A simple story that is done rather well. I thought more could had been done with the final shootout. It just lacked dramatic tension.
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