The Clarence Bibs Story (4 Apr. 1961)

Clarence, Millie's mop boy, is wearing a gun he just cleaned for a customer. When he accidentally kills a famous outlaw, some locals play up their new friend's reputation hoping for more fun as they expect his partner to come to town.

Director:

David Friedkin

Writer:

Calvin Clements Sr.

Stars:

Chuck Connors, Johnny Crawford, Buddy Hackett

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Chuck Connors	...	Lucas McCain
Johnny Crawford	...	Mark McCain
Buddy Hackett	...	Clarence Bibs
Paul Fix	...	Marshal Micah Torrance (credit only)
Joan Taylor	...	Millie Scott
Denver Pyle	...	George Tanner
Lee Van Cleef	...	Wicks
John Milford	...	Reade
X Brands	...	Pretty Man Longden

Storyline

Clarence Bibs is a simple man who does odd jogs such as mopping up Millie's store. He also cleans guns for a quarter and in his daydreams, he likes to imagine himself a gunslinger. After getting into an altercation with a known gunslinger he falls and the gun he is wearing goes off, killing the man. Lucas is acting Marshal an he's satisfied that it was all an accident but a couple of the town's troublemakers decide to have a little fun with Clarence getting him drunk and puffing up his ego. Soon after, the dead man's partner, George Tanner, rides into town.

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Plot Keywords:

street shootout | gunfight | accidental shooting | pistol | showdown | 

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Genres:

Family | Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 April 1961 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Four Star Productions, Sussex Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Buddy Hackett and Lee Van Cleef

"The Clarence Bibs Story" marks the return of Buddy Hackett, previously seen as the villain in "Bloodlines," here well cast as downtrodden mop boy Clarence Bibs, who has a side business of cleaning guns, wearing them in his holster until the customers pick them up, while pretending to be a professional gunfighter in private. One day, he is throwing out a bucket of dirty water, unintentionally drenching Pretty Boy Longden (X. Brands), a gunman with a short fuse, who proceeds to draw on the frightened Clarence. Several onlookers are watching as Clarence stumbles back from the aggressive gunfighter, resulting in his pistol firing accidentally, ironically killing his stunned opponent. Lucas McCain, temporarily filling in for an absent Micah, is satisfied that it was an accident, and allows the dimwitted Clarence to enjoy his time in the spotlight, with two men (Lee Van Cleef and John Milford) building up his confidence to face Longden's partner, George Tanner (Denver Pyle), who arrives to share a beer with Lucas at the saloon, only to be accosted by the uncharacteristically aggressive Bibs. Evoking fond memories of Lou Costello (whom Hackett would play in the 1978 TV movie "Bud and Lou"), the brilliant stand up comic is even better here than he was in "Bloodlines," reunited with another guest star from that episode, Denver Pyle. Lee Van Cleef is menacing as always, busy in TV Westerns until his European stardom took hold in the late 1960s.