The Day the Wolf Laughed (19 Nov. 1966)

A gang of outlaws ride into town and cause so much ruckus that Grafton sends for Ryker, but that's before Shane begs him to let the men have their fun for two days, pay for the damages, ... See full summary »

Director:

Gerald Mayer

Writers:

Denne Bart Petitclerc, Jack Schaefer (characters)

Stars:

David Carradine, Jill Ireland, Tom Tully

Cast

Episode credited cast:
David Carradine	...	Shane
Jill Ireland	...	Marian Starett
Tom Tully	...	Tom Starett
Christopher Shea	...	Joey Starett (as Chris Shea)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Owen Bush	...	Ben
J.D. Cannon	...	Reno
Phyllis Davis	...	Shirley
Donald Elson	...	Amos (as Don Elson)
Bert Freed	...	Rufe Ryker
Sam Gilman	...	Sam Grafton
Skip Homeier	...	Augie
Larry D. Mann	...	Harve (as Lawrence Mann)
Sam Melville	...	Len
Ned Romero	...	Chips
Daniel J. Travanti	...	Grant (as Dan Travanty)

Storyline

A gang of outlaws ride into town and cause so much ruckus that Grafton sends for Ryker, but that's before Shane begs him to let the men have their fun for two days, pay for the damages, then ride out. It turns out that Shane and the head outlaw go way back, and a declaration was made that they would end up killing each other someday. After Ryker arrives, words are exchanged, and Ryker and his men go to have a showdown with the gang. The end results are not pleasant. Since Shane didn't hold up his end of the bargain, the leader of the gang decide to take revenge. There's only one thing that could make Shane face this man head on, and that one thing has happened.

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 November 1966 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Titus Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Shane's Past

I think it's great that they give Shane such a shady past. It makes the show seem more human. Shane doesn't speak too loud, yell, or even have to punch to get his point across. He has this quiet, calm voice that makes people want to listen. In this episode, it's no different.

One can't help but feel sorry for Ryker in this episode. He does look like he's left for dead, and we are indeed left wondering if he really does live.

I'm wondering about Marion's part in this whole thing. Did she run out there with the intention of getting caught so she could be there to help Shirley? Did she do it because she knew Shane would come deal with the situation then? What exactly were her intentions? I almost expected her to run and hug Shane, but instead he just put his arm around her and said, "Let's go home. Your family's worried about you." Why is it they drag these romances out so long (i.e. Matt Dillon and Kitty had a romance for 20 years).

This was another great episode! Shane made his point clear: She's mine and don't you DARE mess with her! Unfortunately, those who needed to learn the lesson were no longer around to learn it...