One Mother Too Many (7 Dec. 1960)

Director:

Harry Harris

Writer:

Norman Katkov

Stars:

Steve McQueen, Joyce Meadows, Bryan Russell

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Steve McQueen	...	Josh Randall
Joyce Meadows	...	Beth Morrison
Bryan Russell	...	Davey Morrison
Betty Lou Gerson	...	Irene Goodhue Morrison
Raymond Greenleaf	...	Judge Timothy Banning
Lewis Charles	...	Malcolm
Robert F. Hoy	...	James (as Robert Hoy)
Richard Adams	...	Rancher

Storyline

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Genres:

Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 December 1960 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Four Star Productions, Malcolm Enterprises, CBS Television Network

Technical Specs

Runtime:

25 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

An odd Custody-Battle Show

This one will tug at your heartstrings a little as a nasty grandma tries to take "ownership" (custody) of a young boy, away from his real mom. The mother-in-law had tried to run her son despite him being married to a loving women. When he was killed in war, the older woman chased down the daughter-in-law, doing everything she could to make life miserable, take away her means of support and get judicial permission to raise the boy herself. In other words, if she couldn't run her adult son's life, she was going to make sure she'd run her grandson's. The mom would prefer, thank you. to take care of her own boy.

In desperation, that mom writes Josh Randall and then asks him - as a business deal to keep the older woman off her back - to marry her! Whoa! Josh is having none of that but he say he'll try to help her. He's up against a tough foe, especially after the "grandma-ma" takes the kid, because she's got money and power. How is Josh going to help this poor mom out? Overall, this was an odd episode, with an ending that left a question or two including a not-to-credible ruling by a judge. Even some of the guest actors were a little strange-sounding......but all of that is okay. That's one thing I have come to appreciate about this series, which ran three years - the unpredictability. All the episodes are different, and you make get a comedy or a melodrama or some bizarre story mixed in with the normal western fare.

You always get a quality effort, though, from star Steve McQueen who made this 50-year-old television western one that people can still enjoy today.