The Caller – 1965 This is episode four of the western series, "A Man Called Shenandoah." Robert Horton stars as a man searching for clues to his lost memory. Horton cannot recall his name or business since getting a head wound in a shootout some months before.
Horton rides into a small town to see a man who might be able to help him with his quest. As he rides up to the man's house, several shots ring out from inside. Horton ties off his ride and enters the house. A man is lying dead at the foot of the stairs. At the first landing is a small girl, Katie Sweet. She is just standing there looking at the body.
Horton starts up the stairs to ask the girl if she saw who shot the man. At the same time, David Sheiner, the town Lawman enters. He levels a shotgun at Horton and asks why "he" shot the man.
The Sheriff escorts Horton to the town jail and locks him up. Horton pleads his innocence and explains why he was in town. The Sheriff gives him a funny look, then, tells him that the dead man, was the fellow Horton was looking for. The girl, Sweet, was the dead man's daughter.
Horton asks why the Sheriff has not questioned the girl about the shooting. The girl is in shock and has not said a word since. Later that night, while the Sheriff is on his rounds, a man enters the jail, stands in the shadows and starts blasting away at Horton. It is only good luck that Horton is not hit by any of the rounds before the man flees. The Sheriff, hearing the shots, hotfoots it back to the jail but fails to catch the gunman.
Sheriff Sheiner is now somewhat inclined to believe Horton's story and releases him. The two try to have a chat with the girl but get nowhere. Sweet is staying at the house of the town doctor, Kent Smith, and his wife, Cloris Leachman.
Horton notices that Leachman is a bit on the "nervous" side. He takes her aside for a little private chat.
Leachman now comes clean, and tells Horton that the dead man, and she, had been stepping out on husband Smith. She thinks that Smith might have killed the man.
Horton confronts Smith with this bit of info. Smith of course goes for his six-gun, but to no avail, as Horton knocks him down first. It was Smith who had taken the shots at Horton in the jail as well. The Law leads Smith off for his date with the judge.
The girl comes out of her bit of shock and is OK. She recognizes Horton as a friend of her dead father. She does not remember his name, but she does recall that Horton and her dad had been in Tombstone Arizona. It is at least a clue for his continuing quest for who he is, and who he was.
The director was long time television man, David Alexander. Fred Mandl, also a longtime TV veteran, was the d of p.
This excellent episode was written by, Daniel Mainwaring. Mainwaring, is well known to film noir fans as the author of, OUT OF THE PAST. He also had a hand in the story or screenplay for, ROUGHSHOD, BIGTOWN AFTER DARK, THE BIG STEAL, THE LAWLESS, THE TALL TARGET, ROADBLOCK, THIS WOMAN IS DANGEROUS, THE PHENIX CITY STORY, A BULLET FOR JOEY, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, GUNRUNNERS and BABY FACE NELSON.
(b/w)
Horton rides into a small town to see a man who might be able to help him with his quest. As he rides up to the man's house, several shots ring out from inside. Horton ties off his ride and enters the house. A man is lying dead at the foot of the stairs. At the first landing is a small girl, Katie Sweet. She is just standing there looking at the body.
Horton starts up the stairs to ask the girl if she saw who shot the man. At the same time, David Sheiner, the town Lawman enters. He levels a shotgun at Horton and asks why "he" shot the man.
The Sheriff escorts Horton to the town jail and locks him up. Horton pleads his innocence and explains why he was in town. The Sheriff gives him a funny look, then, tells him that the dead man, was the fellow Horton was looking for. The girl, Sweet, was the dead man's daughter.
Horton asks why the Sheriff has not questioned the girl about the shooting. The girl is in shock and has not said a word since. Later that night, while the Sheriff is on his rounds, a man enters the jail, stands in the shadows and starts blasting away at Horton. It is only good luck that Horton is not hit by any of the rounds before the man flees. The Sheriff, hearing the shots, hotfoots it back to the jail but fails to catch the gunman.
Sheriff Sheiner is now somewhat inclined to believe Horton's story and releases him. The two try to have a chat with the girl but get nowhere. Sweet is staying at the house of the town doctor, Kent Smith, and his wife, Cloris Leachman.
Horton notices that Leachman is a bit on the "nervous" side. He takes her aside for a little private chat.
Leachman now comes clean, and tells Horton that the dead man, and she, had been stepping out on husband Smith. She thinks that Smith might have killed the man.
Horton confronts Smith with this bit of info. Smith of course goes for his six-gun, but to no avail, as Horton knocks him down first. It was Smith who had taken the shots at Horton in the jail as well. The Law leads Smith off for his date with the judge.
The girl comes out of her bit of shock and is OK. She recognizes Horton as a friend of her dead father. She does not remember his name, but she does recall that Horton and her dad had been in Tombstone Arizona. It is at least a clue for his continuing quest for who he is, and who he was.
The director was long time television man, David Alexander. Fred Mandl, also a longtime TV veteran, was the d of p.
This excellent episode was written by, Daniel Mainwaring. Mainwaring, is well known to film noir fans as the author of, OUT OF THE PAST. He also had a hand in the story or screenplay for, ROUGHSHOD, BIGTOWN AFTER DARK, THE BIG STEAL, THE LAWLESS, THE TALL TARGET, ROADBLOCK, THIS WOMAN IS DANGEROUS, THE PHENIX CITY STORY, A BULLET FOR JOEY, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, GUNRUNNERS and BABY FACE NELSON.
(b/w)
