ben-thayer Reviews

Tales of Wells Fargo: Showdown Trail (1959) Season 3, Episode 17

"If you weren't my son I'd let the law have ya. You're mean and you're no good!"

[29 May 2024]

Jim Hardie is escorting malicious outlaw Ed Dooley to San Francisco by train, when it's stopped by a pile of wood on the tracks. The stop was instigated by the Dooley family, also notorious outlaws, and they want to take Ed from Hardie. But Hardie is handcuffed to Ed Dooley, and when asked for the key by patriarch Joe Dooley, Hardie tells the Dooleys that he doesn't have it...he sent it ahead to San Francisco. When Wells Fargo agent Steve Adams attempts to stop them, he's killed by Joe Dooley. The Dooley's head into the hills, their local territory, with Ed and Jim Hardie in tow. After stopping at George Samson's farm to chisel through the handcuff chain, Hardie manages to escape. Joe Dooley wants to move on, but an angry and belligerent Ed only wants revenge. Jim Hardie now has to face the entire Dooley clan unarmed and on foot to bring in Ed and Joe, and he's unaware the Dooley clan includes sister Fay, who is just as devious and cold blooded as the rest of her family.

Season 3 continues to set a high bar as it approaches its midpoint with Showdown Trail. The episode is a darned good watch, with a good script, a slew of great characters, very quotable dialogue, and a great cast. Veteran director Earl Bellamy helms the outing with his usual competent hand.

The Dooleys are some of the best characters of the series run, and the dialogue between them is just as good. The family is contentious and disagreeable, not only with outsiders but with each other as well. The exchanges between them are just great, and include a good deal of humor. It's evident they're a group of stone cold killers, but brother Ed is in a class by himself. He has a one-track mind, and his thoughts are locked onto Jim Hardie. Ed is consumed entirely by his hatred of Hardie and is eager for revenge, and he's derided time and again by the entire family as being more than just mean.

When Fay Dooley joins the family, she also jeers at Ed for his nastiness with dialogue such as "well Ed, you look mean as ever" and "hoosegow didn't hurt you none, didn't do you no good either". Great stuff, it's hard not to enjoy it!

The episode's plot includes two threads, with Hardie dealing with multiple deadly situations with the Dooleys. He also has to deal with surly neighbor George Samson, who refuses to cooperate with his request for a gun and horse, despite being threatened by the Dooleys during their visit. These hills appear to be populated with disagreeable characters, as Hardie find out for himself. We also see another side of Jim Hardie, who is fully prepared to steal to continue the chase.

I will mention that I was curious as to why Hardie and none of the train personnel emerged from the stopped train with weapons drawn, but I'll overlook it, as the show had to get started somehow.

The cast is, as I mentioned earlier, beyond excellent.

Gloria Talbot appears as Fay Dooley. She was a striking beauty a very distinct and familiar face, appearing in notable pictures such as We're No Angels with Humphrey Bogart, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and during her adolescence, in Jeanette McDonald's most celebrated picture, Maytime with John Barrymore. In 1957, she appeared in the cult creature feature, The Cyclops, and she would continue this trend with a number of similar pictures including Daughter of Dr. Jekyll, I Married a Monster from Outer Space, and The Leech Woman. But her real claim to fame would be in Westerns, and she appeared in numerous Western motion pictures in various character roles. She also appeared on the small screen with William Boyd, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers, as well as multiple roles in nearly all the notable hit series from the Golden Age of TV Westerns. She was an expert equestrian, and her skills on a horse were on a very high level as can be seen in many productions.

Stanley Clements appeared as sneering, sarcastic, murderous Ed Dooley. He had assumed role of the leader of The Bowery Boys in seven pictures as Stanislaus 'Duke' Covelske after the departure of Leo Gorcey, and was cast frequently in juvenile delinquent roles, such as his most famous but uncredited role as Tony Scaponi in Going My Way with Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald.

Will Wright appeared as Joe Dooley. He was another very familiar face, and not only was he a busy character actor beginning in 1934, he was a mainstay in numerous Westerns in his later years. But he also appeared in a ton of great pictures in character roles such as Rhapsody in Blue, Whispering Smith, and Adam's Rib.

Myron Healy was also a very familiar face during the era, and he specialized in smooth, antagonistic or villainous roles. Emil Meyer appeared as George Samson, was also an extremely familiar face with his gruff visage and dialogue delivery. And lastly, William Fawcett appeared as the train conductor, and was also extremely familiar in Westerns during the era, typically cast a grizzled elderly characters.

Showdown Trail is definitely a terrific outing for the series, and should not be missed!

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Dealer (1958) Season 3, Episode 16

"When your luck's bad you lay off, when it's good you play it for all it's worth".

[25 May 2024]

Jim Hardie has been sent to Dodge City to investigate the theft of several thousand dollars from a Wells Fargo station in Yuba City by two men, when his stage stops to help a family in distress. The Peels have been stranded with a broken wagon wheel for nearly 3 days, and although he's unable to repair the wheel Hardie uses a length of a 5 inch tree trunk as a "crutch" to help the Peels get their wagon to town. Once in Dodge, Langford Peel attempts to repay Hardie, who agrees to have a drink with Peel as his reward. While in the saloon (would it be the Long Branch or the Lady Gay?), Peel is entranced by a poker game run by a slick gambler named Keen, and he confesses to Hardie that he's been a gambler himself, albeit one who is down on his luck. But the old urges are strong, and Peel returns to his wife Florence to convince her that he feels his luck has changed, and he to urges her give up their savings and let him play. Florence Peel agrees somewhat reluctantly, as she had hopes that their move west would help her husband get over his addiction to gambling, but Langford is adamant. After losing $2500 to Keen at the poker table, Peel accuses him of cheating, but Keen gets the drop on Peel. Hardie steps in to prevent a killing, and he stakes an angry and desperate Langford Peel $100 to face Keen in high card draw gamble. After Peel wins $3200 by drawing five high cards in a row against Keen, Hardie attempts to convince him to quit while he's ahead, but Peel can't stop, and he pays Hardie back his $100 with an intent to keep going.

The Dealer is an interesting episode, totally character driven with but a small segment of action at the end. The script from A. I. Bezzerides is brought to the screen by director Earl Bellamy competently, and includes a philosophical theme related to the effects of the addiction to gambling on man's self worth as well as those close to him. But it's also a treatise on how the illusion of luck as a palpable entity can also seemingly transform that man's confidence in himself, and influence his gambling addiction in various ways. It also contains a fair amount of suspense, as the viewer doesn't know how things will work out for Langford Peel.

The cast is excellent. Vic Perrin appears as Langford Peel, and was a prolific character and voice actor over four decades. With his fourth credited role he lent his voice to a short feature as the narrator, a role he would continue throughout his career, most prominently in 45 episodes of the classic scifi series The Outer Limits as the Control Voice heard in the opening and closing segments. He also appeared in the supremely iconic episode Mirror, Mirror of Star Trek:TOS, as well as lending his voice to 3 other episodes, including the voice of Nomad in another iconic episode of the series, The Changeling. He was also extremely busy in the medium of animation as a voice actor in dozens of series in the later years of his career.

Jeanne Bates appears as Florence Peel, and she had a fairly good career in the industry beginning the 40s. She was quite lovely, and is still a looker in this production. She appeared briefly in one of my favorite pictures, The Return of the Vampire in her second credited role with Bela Lugosi and Nina Foch. She worked on the small screen in the latter part of her career, with many roles in westerns. But she is likely most known for her appearance in David Lynch's surreal cult picture Eraserhead as Mrs. X in 1977. She appeared in one other Lynch production, Mulholland Dr. Some years later.

Johnny Crawford appears as Tommy Peel, and would become very well-known for his 168 episodes of The Rifleman with Chuck Conners beginning the same year this episode aired. He continued to work in Hollywood for some years, but he never approached the success he enjoyed in the role of Mark McCain. He was active in the music industry as a bandleader in his later years, and he was the last living cast member of the Rifleman until his passing in 2021.

Mickey Simpson appeared as Blacksmith Ben Franklin in one of his rare sympathetic roles. He was a familiar face during the era, cast primarily in villainous roles due to his imposing size.

The remainder of the cast were prolific but remain largely unknown and appeared uncredited or as henchmen during the era, with far too many credits to discuss here.

Not a bad episode whatsoever with a decent, suspenseful story. As is typical, Jim Hardie is always a good watch, so catch this one.

Lawman: The Encounter (1959) Season 1, Episode 16

"Marshal, you got hurt!" "Yeah........yeah, I did."

[22 April 2024]

Marshal Dan Troup has received a report from Deputy Johnny McKay that two more men have been murdered by outlaws Wade Horgan and Cole Hawkins in Casper, Wyoming, and he resolves to go after them himself, alone. Out on the trail, Troup is attacked by a vicious bear and suffers a near deadly mauling from the creature, but he manages to kill the bear before it kills him. Before losing consciousness he sees a young woman, Betty Horgan, the sister of the man he's after, who witnessed the attack. She's a crack shot, and is tough, suspicious, and wary, as she's been on the run with her brother for more than a year. She's seen his badge and knows what he is, and seems ready to kill him due to her mistrust of lawmen, but Troup passes out before it happens. However Betty is moved by something she sees in Troup, and despite him being a lawman she throws away his badge and takes him to her cabin. When he awakens, he finds his many wounds bandaged and is confused as to who she is and why she didn't shoot him. Betty says maybe she should have, and she reveals her identity as Wade Horgan's sister. As she begins to nurse him back to health she tells him she hates the sight of badges and is going to tell her brother what he is, and when Wade Horgan and Cole Hawkins appear they immediately suspect Troup as either a lawman or bounty hunter and are prepared to kill him. But despite Troup being after her brother, Betty covers for him for some unknown reason, first saying he claimed to be a drover, and then that she believes he's on the dodge. Again, Troup is confused as to her motives. It's evident that Betty has seen something in Dan Troup, something that's touched her in a place deep inside, and she's drawn to him. When Wade Horgan heads out to collect meat from the dead bear for supplies he leaves dastardly Clay Hawkins behind, who's had his eye on Betty for some time, certain trouble for sure. And worse, Dan's horse is still out there, with proof of his identity in his saddlebags.

The Encounter is one of the very best episodes of Lawman, and is a must for fans of John Russell's Dan Troup. And fans of Louise Fletcher and Russell Johnson should enjoy it as well, as it's a good example of their work prior to being cast in their most famous roles. I see this episode as one of the most important entries of the series, primarily because it shows a side of Dan Troup viewers rarely saw. John Russell brought a distinct look and feel to the character of Marshal Dan Troup...grim, somewhat taciturn, almost humorless, determined, and driven. Despite being a man who shows little emotion, this episode shows much more of Dan Troup than viewers saw normally, and should not be missed by any fan of the series.

Off camera, the episode comes from two veterans of the series. Clair Huffaker delivered 18 scripts for Lawman, and The Encounter can be labelled easily as one of his best efforts. Director Stuart Heisler should also be commended, as his work proves to be one of the very best of his 27 episodes. The final result is an product of considerable depth, leaving viewers with an unmistakable sense that they've seen something much more than the typical outings the series regularly offered.

The cast is small, but is beyond excellent, and includes two very famous faces in roles that were much different than those they were best known for, including a permanent place in Science Fiction pop culture for each.

Louise Fletcher appears as Betty Horgan in her sixth credited role. She is extremely famous for her academy award winning appearance as sadistic Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, as well as a solid placement in SciFi pop culture as the evil Kai Winn in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine...she was blatantly evil in both of those roles. But many viewers may not realize just how different she was before playing those unlikable characters, nor would many know just how beautiful she was in her younger years. The truth is, she was unreal good looking with a gorgeous face and a crackerjack figure. Her portrayal of Betty Horgan was layered, with one side of her being tough, independent and defiant. But she also revealed a level of restrained emotion that was palpable, and she displayed considerable vulnerability as well. As a young woman Ms. Fletcher had deep, expressive eyes that could reach into your heart. As she fell in love with Dan Troup, viewers are swept away easily by her desperate longing for something other than the life she'd always known, and she wants Troup to take her away and give her that life. Of course, although it was common for leading men from the era to find themselves in these kind of situations, things never seemed to come to fruition. Betty Horgan was a most excellent role for Louise Fletcher, well played by the young actress who was at the time but 25 years old.

Russell Johnson appeared as Wade Horgan, and his place in pop culture is equally undiminished, from his role as erudite, resourceful Professor Roy Hinkley in 98 episodes of Gilligan's Island (and beyond), as well his appearance as Dr. Steve Carlson in the legendary SciFi classic This Island Earth. But before being typed from his role as the Professor, many fans of Gilligan's Island may not realize that Johnson had an extensive career in pictures, with many of his roles being villainous. I confess I can be included in that group, but over the years I've seen him in a good number of roles much different than the one I saw every afternoon on TV as a kid. As can be seen in this episode, Russell Johnson played villains extremely well. He was a very familiar actor from his many appearances in numerous westerns, and had become quite popular as a result in the 50's into the 60's. In an interview he claimed that he had been in discussions of starring in his own series, but after accepting what he thought would be a one off role - in a pilot that no one imagined would be picked up - a role that unfortunately turned into a years long commitment that forever altered his career, those offers were long gone. He wasn't the only cast member of that show who saw their careers upended (or at least impeded) by the unforeseen popularity of Gilligan's Island. But in this episode viewers get a great example of Russell Johnson's career prior to the character of Professor Roy Hinkley.

Donald Buka appears as the evil Cole Hawkins, and he had a modest career, mostly on the small screen. But he did play the lead in the well reviewed 1953 noir Stolen Identity, produced by Turhan Bey.

In closing I recommend The Encounter highly as one of the very best episodes of Lawman, one that absolutely should not be missed. You see things in Dan Troup that weren't normally seen, and viewers may be surprised to see Louise Fletcher and Russell Johnson in very different ways than what many fans have seen before.

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Happy Tree (1958) Season 3, Episode 15

"He's built himself a cast iron shell. But iron's brittle...it'll crack. When it does, he'll be OK."

[17 April 2024]

Jim Hardie is summoned to death row, where a man he sent to prison for killing a Wells Fargo agent during a robbery has a date with a noose within the hour. The condemned man is Jake Kramer, and he bears no ill will towards Hardie. Instead he has an urgent request, and in return he's prepared to offer Hardie a clue to the location of the gold he stole in the robbery. Kramer tells Hardie he has a son in an orphanage, a surly lad that looks up to him as a hero. Kramer is worried the boy will follow in his footsteps, and he's desperate to prevent it. He asks Hardie's help to see to it that the boy avoids his fate, and although he refuses to tell Hardie where he hid the gold he tells Hardie that his son, if turned around, may be able to do it instead. Hardie agrees somewhat reluctantly, but he soon realizes the boy's future is more important than the stolen gold. The head of the orphanage, John Wynfield (Alan Reynolds), tells Hardie that young Jimmy Kramer is tough and mean, and is a constant troublemaker. But he also states that he likes the boy, and sees something good in him despite his history at the orphanage. Hardie soon finds that he agrees. But Jake Kramer's murderous partner wants his share of the gold, and he's more than willing to kill for it.

First, I'll say up front that Christmas episodes have never been high on my list of favorite episodes of any series, with the exception of M*A*S*H - Death Takes a Holiday (S9,E5) and Star Trek:TOS - Friday's Child (S2,E11). And don't look at me funny for saying that, as Robert Justman stated Friday's Child was indeed their Christmas episode of 1967 in the now-classic "Inside Star Trek, The Real Story".

As I mentioned, I'm not fond of Christmas eps, but not here. I include this episode enthusiastically with the two aforementioned shows. For me, it's actually one of the better episodes of the series and one of my personal favorites. Not that the plot is particularly epic, it isn't. Nor is it the action, there's little to none to speak of. But there's a lot to this entry, starting with the script from Samuel A. Peeples, brought to the screen by director Ed Bellamy, both veterans of the series. The story is a good one, and part of that is the fact that it avoids multiple, weak plot lines that wrap conveniently, just in time for the star to join in the holiday festivities, as with so many Christmas episodes. In fact, although asked to join in, Hardie opts out of that completely with his trademarked wave, as he turns and throws his hand up and down quickly with no look back, with what I like to call the "Hardie wave". Regular viewers of the series saw it frequently.

For me, it's the cast that sells this one competently and completely. Although it only includes one well-known face, it doesn't matter. All cast members were cast perfectly as I see it. And it's also the fact that the holiday season is secondary in the story, with only a couple of mentions during the episode. The episode titles weren't broadcast in the early seasons, and although we know it now it was mentioned just once briefly in one scene. The Jim Hardie cool factor is on display as well, as he initially jumps to conclusions about Jimmy Kramer, but realizes later with regret how wrong he was.

We find that the family Hardie has in mind to help Jimmy Kramer back onto the right path, the Bensons, was chosen for good reasons. For starters, they're good people...a solid, loving family. The Bensons have large hearts and a welcome home to offer Jimmy, who's never had either. We also find that their daughter Jenny was adopted, and the Bensons are open to having a son join them. Plus, we find that Hank Benson and Hardie have a past. Hank very nearly wound up in the same place Jake Kramer found himself, and it's revealed that he came close to killing Hardie some years back. Hank isn't proud of his past, but he and Hardie discuss it openly with no shame, and they've become good friends. And Hardie also is well aware that Hank's past will help him have a better understanding of Jimmy's predicament, and that he can relate to the boy's situation and help him find the straight and narrow.

As I mentioned, the cast isn't particularly well-known, but I rank it among the best of the entire series.

Brad Morrow appears as Jimmy Kramer, and although he'd been a former Mousketeer and a Disney actor he plays the surly Jimmy Kramer to a tee. Morrow has one helluva scowl, and he is thoroughly convincing in the role. He's mad at the world, and he's not happy when he finds that Hardie delivered his father to prison and the noose. Morrow had a modest acting career as a young man on the small screen as well as the stage, and he eventually became a successful businessman in his later years.

Cowboy legend Bob Steele appears as Jake Kramer. Steele had been a huge star during the Golden Age of Westerns with a very long list of credits beginning in silents and continuing throughout the pre-code era, where he worked his way up to top billing status. As the talkie era began his star was on the rise in the westerns genre, and during the 30s he became extremely popular. He eventually became a hero to millions of kids as one of Republic Studios top draws, appearing in scores of westerns over 3 decades. During the 40s he appeared in a number of pictures as Billy the Kid, while simultaneously appearing as Tuscon Smith, one of the Three Mesquiteers. He also appeared in a few bigger named pictures as well, such as Of Mice and Men and The Big Sleep. He was also a long-time friend of John Wayne, and appeared in 6 of his pictures.

John Frederick appeared as the dastardly, scarfaced Tenny Jackson and is another of my favorite heavies with actors such as Bob Wilke and Leo Gordon. Frederick could really play nasty characters well, and he was cast frequently in villainous roles, which was a good bit different than his actual personality. Check that huge smile he's wearing in the picture of him receiving his star on the walk of fame and it's hard to disagree.

Rusty Lane and Kay Stewart appear as Hank and Martha Benson, and both had solid careers, although neither were particularly well-known. But they rose to the occasion here, each with admirable performances as Jimmy Kramer's prospective adoptive parents. When Martha plants a kiss on Jimmy's cheek at their first meeting his reaction was most humorous.

And lastly, Bernadette Withers appears as Jenny Benson, providing a good bit of emotion in her attempts to make Jimmy Kramer feel welcome as a part of family she was also adopted into. She had a modest career, but she did appear in 52 episodes of Bachelor Father with John Forsythe, in a regular role as Ginger.

I can't say this one is for everyone, but for me it's one of my favorites. Check it out for yourself and see what I mean.

Tales of Wells Fargo: Cow Town (1958) Season 3, Episode 14

"Jim I sure like workin' with you, we hit it off good together you and me." "Like cheese and apple pie!"

[6 April 2024]

Jim Hardie has been sent to Amity, Kansas to investigate a robbery of one of their offices they share jointly with the Kansas-Illinois Railroad. While there, he teams up with an old friend and railroad investigator, Mike Forbes, who was sent there to investigate the robbery as well. After solving the crime, things take a turn when a second robbery of the office occurs, and the two find this incident is somewhat more involved than the first.

I'll say up front, this is a darned good one. It's got a great script from NB Stone, Jr, with some terrific dialogue and an original story. Jim Hardie shares the screen in equal time with Mike Forbes, and they make a great team. The plot moves along quickly, and the two soon find themselves investigating another robbery after solving the first without a lot of effort. As I mentioned, the dialogue is brisk and plenty quotable, and there's considerable intrigue, although without too much action. But it's not a minus here, as the story is more character driven. Although he wasn't killed, the episode had it in for office agent Joe Rivers (John Alvin), who was doubly unlucky with a gun butt to the head in the first robbery and a knifing in the second. I would imagine he resigned his job shortly thereafter. Interestingly, the Jim Hardie cool factor takes a back seat to that of Mike Forbes, which for me makes the episode that much better. I don't want to even approach any spoilers, so no more discussion here on any plot details.

The cast isn't particularly well-known, but there are a couple noteworthy names for sure. Guinn "Big Boy" Williams appears as Mike Forbes. His career was most interesting, and he appeared in some great pictures. Even before he became well-known he had an extensive list of credits in silents and pre-code pictures, and not just westerns. But in the genre, he appeared with Harry Carey, Hoot Gibson, and Bob Steele in the first onscreen depiction of the The Three Mesquiteers, Powdersmoke Range in 1935. But his fame rose in 1939, when he appeared in Dodge City with Errol Flynn. It was a smash hit and he would appear in 3 more with Flynn, Santa Fe Trail, Virginia City, and Rocky Mountain. He appeared with Roy Rogers in The Cowboy and the Senorita, which is famous not as much for the picture itself, but more for the fact that during the filming Rogers met and fell for Dale Evans. He also appeared with Clint Walker in one of the two most popular episodes of Cheyenne, The Conspirators. Irving Bacon appears as the sheriff, and although his name isn't known at all, he was an *extremely* recognizable face with 514 credits, far too many to reference here. And lastly, Jack Lambert appears as Luke Stevens, and was one of my favorite heavies along with actors such as Charles Horvath, Leo Gordon, and George Keymas.

Again, another good one from season 3. But as I've mentioned often, Jim Hardie is always a good watch, so don't miss this one!

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Counterfeiters (1958) Season 3, Episode 13

"It's time to have our cake and eat it, too."

[23 March 2024]

Wells Fargo has long struggled to move large sums of money with thieves at every turn prepared to relieve the company of as much of it as possible. In an attempt to combat the thieves, the company has taken steps to stop big money theft by issuing Bills of Exchange, official documents printed with their own proprietary ink that can be exchanged for cash later. But the Bills of Exchange have become the target of counterfeiters forging them expertly with a near perfect printing plate, but they don't have the special ink. Nevertheless the company has been suffering huge losses as a result, to the point where potential bankruptcy is looming. After one George Kendall was caught in San Francisco with $11,000 in counterfeit Bills, Jim Hardie has been assigned to the case to solve it and save the company. He realizes that only one town in the area - El Paso, Texas - has yet to have any counterfeit Bills turn up. Hardie travels to El Paso in the hopes he can infiltrate the counterfeiting ring by taking advantage of their greed. But unbeknownst to him, Kendall has managed to escape, and he makes a beeline for El Paso.

Well, we have another episode here that I can't help but deem in a somewhat negative light. The script from Berkley and Reynolds has an fairly original premise, but it strays as the episode progresses, with a number of "pat" situations. Hardie arrives in El Paso undercover, and he clandestinely obtains information from the local Wells Fargo agent that Kendall's wife Joyce runs the local saloon. Hardie approaches her saying he knows her husband, who told him he could make some easy money in El Paso. She's somewhat suspicious but her partner, Mel Carter is greedy to the point of stupidity, and shows nothing of the level of paranoia one would expect from someone involved in a crime of that level against a company such as Wells Fargo with very deep pockets. In fact, neither of them do to much extent, and Hardie doesn't have much trouble at all infiltrating their organization, dealing with a couple of cheap henchmen more than once with ease.

In addition, Kendall's jail break is pat as well, with a feigned illness and a jailer who shows absolutely no suspicion whatsoever. He opens the cell, steps right up and leans over Kendall, inviting the knockout punch that an experienced jailer would see coming a mile away. Kendall is then shown on a stage, travelling casually with nary a posse or lawman in pursuit. And finally, he arrives in town at the exact moment to see his wife and Carter entering the newspaper printing office with Hardie, in a plan to double-cross him and steal a large sum of money Hardie is using for bait. Oh well, they can't all be top 10 episodes.

The cast isn't very well known, with the exception of John Beradino, who had a good number of appearances in TV during the era - many in westerns - before beginning his 1266 episode run on General Hospital in 1963 as Dr. Steve Hardy. Patricia Donahue and Milton Frome appear as Joyce Kendall and Mel Carter respectively, and both had a bit more than modest careers mostly in TV, but nothing particularly noteworthy. Robert Bice appeared as Hank, and he appeared in a number of noteworthy pictures such as The Wild One, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, The Ten Commandments, and Jailhouse Rock, as well as appearing in a regular role as Police Captain Johnson in 17 episodes of The Untouchables. The remainder of the cast appeared primarily in bit roles during their careers.

Certainly not the best of the series run, but Jim Hardie is as always a good watch. Even when it's bad it's good, y'know (EWIBIG).

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Killer (1958) Season 3, Episode 12

"I don't drink to murder."

[9 March 2024]

Jim Hardie has been assigned to accompany a Wells Fargo stage carrying a large shipment of gold and US Senator Claymore, who was the only passenger on the stage. When someone takes a shot at them while the horses are being rested. Not knowing who shot at them or why, Hardie soon finds the answer after reaching town when a telegram arrives with a new assignment. Wells Fargo was tipped off about a gunman hired to murder Senator Claymore, and Hardie has been assigned to serve as his bodyguard. Apparently the senator supports a measure in congress that will allow settlers access to land in the area, and a few wealthy landowners led by Keely Crawford are unwilling to give up a single acre of their very large holdings to the incoming settlers. As a result they've hired a gunman to murder the senator in an effort to stop the measure from becoming law.

This episode has a lot of similarities to The General (S3, Ep15), where Hardie is assigned to protect General Phil Sheridan, who was sent to make peace with the Sioux. For one, Paul Fix appears in both episodes as General Sheridan as well as the Senator Claymore in this episode, and in both he displays an irascible personality and a willful contempt for Hardie's attempt to protect him. Both characters are stubborn to the point of stupidity, not believing they're in any danger. In addition, the plots converge in both episodes, as both Claymore and Sheridan were on an unpopular mission that resulted in attempts on their lives. Now this doesn't mean I disapprove here, as Jim Hardie is always a good watch.

However this episode contains a side plot involving the Keely Crawford and his dissatisfaction with his only son's stand on the settlers, and it's not bad at all. Crawford's son Bud doesn't hold with murder and he sent the warning to Wells Fargo. When murderous Les Walker shows up, he makes it quite clear (as all hired guns do) to a couple of uncertain ranchers that once hired, it'll cost a lot more to cancel his job, and he threatens their lives. This is pretty standard fare for these kind of plots, the hired gun just won't stop once he's engaged.

The thing is, I was curious about the apparent lack of consequences for Keely Crawford for hiring a paid killer, and with the contract being on a US Senator's life at that. It seems as if there would be *serious* repercussions from that decision. And when you include the fact that Les Walker murdered one of the ranchers in cold blood with a shot to the back, it's even more puzzling. Nothing is said about the murder, or Crawford's responsibility in it. Most confusing it is.

The cast is quite good, including some very prolific members. Paul Fix appears as Senator Claymore. Rather than rehash my previous comments about his career, I'll mention that he was a busy actor with 338 credits, beginning his career in pre-code pictures. He's mostly known for his TV roles, but he appeared in a lot of great pictures, including Johnny Guitar, Giant, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Paul Burke appeared as Bud Crawford. He never achieved the upper levels of stardom, and although he was a regular on 3 series - Twelve O'Clock High, Naked City, and Noah's Ark - he's best known for his appearance in cult classic Valley of the Dolls (one my wife's favorite pictures). Addison Richards appeared as Keely Crawford, and he was also extremely busy with 418 credits. Although I'm not too familiar with him, he appeared in one of the most famous episodes of Cheyenne with Clint Walker, The Conspirators. Harry Strang appeared as Pete Hampton, and he was extremely busy as well with 520 credits, far too many for me to go through. And lastly, Richard Devon appears as gunfighter Les Walker. Devon is one the all time great western heavies, along with Bob Wilke, Charles Horvath, and Leo Gordon.

Not the best of the series, but I enjoyed the banter between Jim Hardie and Senator Crawford thoroughly, and thus I'm giving it the ol' thumbs up.

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Deserter (1958) Season 3, Episode 11

"She's just lost her whole world. You don't get over that in a minute."

[14 February 2024]

The Army is closing Fort Chaplin after a peace treaty is signed with the Mescalero Apache, and Jim Hardie has been sent to meet with the commanding officer, Col. Howard Meston, to discuss the matter. With the army leaving there would be little to no law in the area, and Wells Fargo is concerned the territory could be taken over easily by outlaws before local law enforcement could be established. Complicating the matter is a rash of robberies by a gang led by Lt. William Rath, who deserted after being accused of stealing an Army payroll. His wife, Ellen, has also arrived hoping to find her husband as well as the truth.

Well, this is a weak episode. There are several confusing things in the plot. After deserting, Lt. Rath assembles a gang of outlaws and begins robbing Wells Fargo stages. I'm kinda confused as to how he found these outlaws, and also how they wouldn't be suspicious that he was an Army plant. As to Rath's end game, it appeared he was trying to lure Col. Meston out of the fort to get revenge. Did Rath keep any of the stolen loot himself, or did he give it all to the gang? It's unknown. Hardie says it can't be recovered, so Rath would be on the hook for all of it. And were there any killings during the robberies? Again, unknown. In addition, he orders the outlaws in his gang harshly, Army style, and they're chaffing at all the orders. He barely has them in control, and it's a sure bet he'll get a bullet in the back eventually. I also found it a bit too pat when he orders his gang to throw down their weapons solely on Col. Meston's word, or that he'd expect them to follow that order when they were pretty close to shooting him in the back. And, when Hardie appears with a rifle pointed at Rath he says "tell them to drop their weapons or you'll be the first to go". That wouldn't have resulted in a single outlaw complying, since they were close to killing Rath themselves. I'm also curious as to how many years Rath would spend in jail. It could be a long stretch. Lots of unanswered questions on this one.

I'll confess I don't really know any of the cast by sight except for Dan Sheridan as Col. Meston. He appeared in pretty much all the major series during the Golden Age of TV Westerns. I didn't recognize Charles Cooper who appeared as Lt. Rath, but looking at his credits I see he appeared in ST:TNG as K'mpec, Chancellor of the Klingons. I would never have known. Monte Hale appeared as Sgt. Bergman, and had been a successful singing cowboy for Republic under his own name. Jennifer Lea appeared as Ellen Rath and had a very brief career. The remainder of the cast is unknown today, but a couple should be noted. Jack Tornek had 555 credits...15 for Gunsmoke, 17 for The Big Valley, and 71 (yes, seventy-one) appearances on Bonanza, and all these roles were uncredited. Bill Clark beats Tornek for appearances on Bonanza in a whopping 141 episodes.

Oh well, not the greatest by any stretch. But Jim Hardie is always a good watch. Even When It's Bad It's Good, y'know (EWIBIG).

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Gunfighter (1958) Season 3, Episode 10

"You made a fool out of me, faced me down in front of a lot of people. You think I'd forget a thing like that?"

[3 February 2024]

After Wells Fargo received word the wanted Rucker brothers have been hanging in Comanche, Texas, Jim Hardie is assigned to go after them. When he arrives in town undercover using the name Henshaw, he encounters a former adversary, John Wesley Harden, who is still angry about Hardie getting the best of him with a swivel holster in Season 2. Although Hardie is not after Hardin, he'll have to deal with him if he wants to bring in the Ruckers, who are cousins of Hardin. Complicating the matter is a renegade sheriff who knows Hardie, and he wants to bring in Wes Hardin to gain a reputation.

Up front, my apologies for length of this review, but it's warranted.

This is the second and final appearance of Lyle Bettger in the role of John Wesley Hardin, and for the first time ToWF avoids playing fast and loose with actual history, as is typical. For starters, Hardin appears to be around 40 in this episode, and that tracks with his actual life as he had been sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing a man at the age of 24, of which he served 16 years. His wife Jane appears and it's implied they haven't been married long, although in actuality Hardin had married his first wife, Jane Bowen, at the age of 19. But history reports his first wife died before he was released from prison, at which point he married his second wife, Carolyn Jane "Callie" Lewis, although she was only 15. So it appears the Jane Hardin character in this episode is a mixture of Hardin's two actual wives, which I don't penalize. Hardin studied law while in prison, and when he was released he passed the Texas state bar and received his license to practice law, which is referenced in the episode. Also, Hardin continued to be involved in deadly altercations and was shot dead about a year after being pardoned, which tracks with what Jane Hardin says to Hardie when she confesses she fears the gunfights will continue. And, Hardie doesn't claim Wes Hardin had a long, successful career as a lawyer in the epilogue as he did with Doc Bell, so no errors there. Additionally, Bettger's Hardin claimed he invented a shoulder holster in S2, and the real Hardin was known to have two holsters sewn into the sides of his vest with the gun butts facing inward, which he would cross his arms to draw quickly, so that tracks. But he wasn't known for the level of trickery he displayed in ToWF, with a spring-loaded derringer and other concealed weapons. And finally, history reports that Hardin returned to Gonzales, Texas before moving to El Paso after being released from prison, and Gonzales is about 200 miles from Comanche. But Hardin had no cousins named Rucker, that would be Clements and Dixon, but they were reportedly involved in numerous deadly incidents with Hardin in Gonzales. So it's very interesting that ToWF didn't go completely fictional with Harden as they did with other historical figures.

I also found it amusing how the previous episode was about a prolific gunman named John Leslie Nagel. Not to mention how he was called Les, when Jane Harden called her husband Wes. And last episode Hardie was after the Manning brothers, this one it's the Rucker brothers. Seems kinda familiar, huh? Like one actor appearing in the series in consecutive episodes as different characters? Oh well, back then no one had any inkling that the shows would be watched and scrutinized with such detail as they are now.

The plot was considerably involved with a good deal (or 'goodeal' as Hardie pronounces it) of intrigue, and a number of interesting characters with lively dialogue. Again, the Jim Hardie cool factor is at a high level, and his encounters with Wes Hardin and his wife are quite good. There's a grudging respect between the two, and their scenes together, while serious, include an appropriate amount of humor. There is also some decent action with a horse race and the showdown with the Ruckers and sheriff Welch.

The cast is fairly large but only has a couple familiar names. Lyle Bettger reprises his role as John Wesley Hardin, and he was typecast in smooth, well dressed villainous roles, but he played them very well. Rand Brooks appears as McGuire, and had been a regular member of the Hopalong Cassidy film series in 12 pictures when he took over the role of Lucky Jenkins from Russell Hayden. Jan Harrison appears as Jane Harden, and she had a short career. Joe Abdullah played slimy sheriff Welch pretty well, and John Millford played a heckuva lot of tough guys as he did here.

So this episode turns out to be quite interesting, and is a darned decent watch. But watching Jim Hardie is always a good way to spend half an hour, so catch it when you can.

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Most Dangerous Man Alive (1958) Season 3, Episode 9

"Doesn't matter how fast a man rides or how far, he never leaves anything behind him."

[31 January 2024]

Jim Hardie has been assigned to go after the Manning brothers, who have been hitting Wells Fargo and running to Mexico, when he encounters a dead horse on his way to Ghost Wells to face them. He finds the rider shortly thereafter, apparently unconscious, but he finds it to be a ruse when the rider reveals a concealed pistol. The rider steals Hardie's horse, leaving him on foot with no water. But the rider decides he can't leave Hardie to die and he returns for him. It seems he was unwilling to cause a man's death in this manner. The rider is John Leslie Nagel, one of two men in the country with a $25,000 bounty on his head, and he's on an important personal mission in Ghost Wells with little time left. But $25,000 is a fortune, and it has a way of giving even the most timid person ideas.

The Most Dangerous Man Alive is yet another great script from S3 by veteran writer Samuel A. Peeples, which is shaping up to be a great season indeed. Earl Bellamy turns in another good one as director. The theme of the episode is somewhat different, as it's one of redemption rather than retribution, with Hardie seeing something inside of Nagel other than what he appears to be outwardly. Although Nagel is notorious for having 34 notches on his gun, he has a personal code that he follows faithfully. But Hardie has a code of his own, and he's determined to follow it as well. Although Nagel continues to be wary of him, Hardie states repeatedly that Nagel is not wanted by Wells Fargo and that he's after the Mannings and must face them, no matter the odds. Since Nagel still has his gun the odds are against him.

We find that Nagel has a tragic past, and he has certain plans that must be carried to fruition before the end. He mentions how he doesn't have much time left and has something important he must do, something we find eventually that is related to a woman, and her past is equally tragic. Hardie speaks of redemption in the closing dialogue, discussing how Les Nagel was able to leave something behind after all, something noble and good, something that may grow over the years. If, in some modest way his last act could perhaps make up for even a small part of his lawless years, it would be something he did that could be remembered with some other sentiment than disgust.

The cast is very small with some very well-known members and some unknown. Claude Akins appears as John Leslie Nagel, a character based on the notorious gunman we know so well. Akins had a resume a mile long, playing all kinds of characters from villainous to humorous with much skill. But during the Golden Age of TV Westerns he primarily appeared in villainous roles in pretty much every major series of the era with the exception of Lawman, with 10 episodes of Gunsmoke and 5 in ToWF. But he also appeared in a lot of great pictures such as Inherit the Wind, Rio Bravo, and The Caine Mutiny. I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Akins at a convention in the late 80s, and I have a picture of us together. He was extremely cool as I spoke with him that day long ago. Frank McGrath appeared as Jake Rivers, itching to get his hands on the massive reward for Nagel. Although his credit list may initially seem short, it isn't remotely. He appeared in a slew of great pictures including The Black Swan, The Searchers, Hondo, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Ox-Bow Incident, and Western Union. But his major claim to fame would be his 271 episodes of Wagon Train as much-disparaged cook Charlie Wooster. Patricia Powell appeared as Ellen Nagel and Ana Maria Majalca appeared as Jeanie Two Eagles, both having only a very small number of roles and as such are not known today.

Another great episode from S3. As is typical, Jim Hardie is a darned good watch, so this one should not be missed.

Tales of Wells Fargo: A Matter of Honor (1958) Season 3, Episode 8

"When I know I'm right, I can be awfully stubborn."

[30 January 2024]

Jim Hardie is sent to Medicine River to look into a new Wells Fargo branch office and start up a new stage line to Cameron City. Upon his arrival Hardie encounters a young Cheyenne brave working at the office who knew him years back. The young brave is Running Horse, the son of the Cheyenne Chief, Black Antelope, one of Hardie's old friends. Running Horse attended a mission school and is trying to live in the white man's world, by his laws. When Running Horse tells Hardie he is only allowed to do jobs others shun, Hardie hires him to drive the Wells Fargo stage with a load of gold. But some townspeople are dead set against it, including one brave from the Cheyenne.

Season 3 continues to set a high bar with yet another excellent episode, this one penned by long-time Gunsmoke writer Paul Savage. In an interview, regular Gunsmoke cast member Roger Ewing referred to Paul Savage as "the heart and soul of Gunsmoke", and this episode provides an example of Ewing's sentiment. The script is most excellent, with plenty of action and intrigue, not to mention a critical reveal at episode's end. Running Horse keeps some things to himself, and he has good reasons. Earl Bellamy's direction is competent as usual.

The Jim Hardie cool factor was pretty high is this episode as well. It's not uncommon for viewers to see it in episodes that contain prejudiced townspeople, and it's on display here. Hardie takes no gruff in these situations.

The cast is relatively small and its participants aren't well-known in this era, but it's interesting nonetheless. Mark Damon appeared as Running Horse. His acting career was somewhat successful in a modest way, but as a producer (and executive producer) he has an impressive resume, including pictures such as Das Boat, The Choirboys, The Lost Boys, 9 1/2 Weeks, The Clan of the Cave Bear, Wild Orchid, Short Circuit, and a lot more. Peter Coe appears as Eagle Wing, and he appeared in a lot of TV, and pictures such as Sands of Iwo Jima, The Mummy's Curse, House of Frankenstein, and Rocky Mountain with Errol Flynn. Joseph Vitale and King Calder had modest careers with a lot of bit roles.

A good script with a high level of the Jim Hardie cool factor. Not to be missed!

Tales of Wells Fargo: End of the Trail (1958) Season 3, Episode 7

"Every man has his own way of doin' a job. Some give it their all...others, just enough to get by."

[24 January 2024]

Wells Fargo wants to put in a road through the Black Hills in Dakota, but Pawnee attacks on the construction crew have become frequent and deadly. The killing of a hunter seeking game to feed the crew has resulted in meager rations, and Jim Hardie is sent to look into the matter. When a young Pawnee, Little Wolf, out for his first kill is captured by the workers, Hardie sees an opportunity to broker a peace deal. Hardie frees Little Wolf and returns his knife, and asks for one thing in return - a meeting with his father, Chief Iron Hand.

This is another plot from the Golden Age of TV Westerns viewers encounter frequently, where a peace deal is possible between an organization and the indigenous population. Sometimes it's the Army, as in Cheyenne S3, E11, Renegades. This time it's Wells Fargo. The details are varied, but there are some things that seem to be consistent in the scripts. It's not uncommon for the Chief of the Nation to be open to negotiations of peace, but there is typically one brave who harbors hatred towards the white man and desires only war. Occasionally it's the son of the Chief, as in Renegades. And it's very common to see a fight between this brave and the star of the series, as we did in Renegades as well as this episode.

Another typical plot device in these scripts was an impending conflict instigated by a hotheaded person back in camp. In Cheyenne's Renegades, it was an aggressive Army commander. In this episode, one member of the Wells Fargo construction camp took it upon himself to lead an armed party to rescue Hardie when he is late returning.

I can't say that writers Berkeley and Reynolds script was the highpoint of the series, and the dialogue did get considerably sappy at episode's end. Director Earl Bellamy does his usual competent job at the wheel. The episode didn't include a lot of action, other than a couple fights between Hardie/Costa and Hardie/Big Wolf.

The cast is basically unknown today, although a couple stand out. Frank DeKova appeared as Chief Iron Hand, and had a very long resume. He was always a competent member of any cast. William Benedict appeared as Pringle, and had been a regular member of the East Side Kids and the Bowery Boys. Abel Fernandez appeared as Big Hawk, and had been a regular cast member on The Untouchables. A lastly, Jerry Summers appeared as Little Wolf. He had a modest career, and had appeared as a ranch hand in 20 episodes in the first season of The High Chaparral.

Well, I can't rate this one very high on the scale, but Jim Hardie is always a good watch. EWIBIG, y'know...

Tales of Wells Fargo: Faster Gun (1958) Season 3, Episode 5

"Well, I never thought I'd see you lyin' flat on your back...except in a coffin."

[9 January 2024]

When wanted outlaw Johnny Reno beats Jim Hardie to the draw, Hardie survives his wound but is bed-ridden for a time. Wells Fargo promotes him to a desk job as a district supervisor, but Hardie is troubled by his recent failure against Reno, who has apparently been receiving insider information about Wells Fargo's strongbox shipments. Hardie joins a new troubleshooter, Jack Simmons, on Reno's trail, but Simmons may cause him more trouble than Reno.

Faster Gun is one of the very best episodes of the series, due to a great script from series veteran Samuel A. Peeples and and an extremely interesting cast under the expert direction of Earl Bellamy, who directed more episodes of ToWF than any other director. Peeples' script really pops, with multiple plot lines and a group of colorful characters with ample amounts of brisk dialogue. As a result the episode shines as one of the very best of the series.

Many shows during the Golden Age of TV Westerns included a similar script, where the main character loses a quick draw and begins to question whether or not he's lost his nerve. Gunsmoke's very first episode, "Matt Gets It" is one example, and the series did it again in "There Never Was a Horse" in S4.

The episode is also notable as it includes Bob Wilke as Wells Fargo troubleshooter Jack Simmons. Wilke is extremely underrated and under appreciated IMO, and I'm always happy to see his name in the credits. He never disappoints. Although Wilke never reprised this role in subsequent episodes, he did appear in S5's The Wade Place, as basically the same character with a different name. His interactions with Jim Hardie in both episodes are nothing short of classic, and are exremely entertaining, with considerable action and a good bit of humor. I just don't understand why the showrunners didn't have him in repeat episodes, similar to Edgar Buchanen as Bob Dawson. Wilke really contibuted to these two episodes in a big way, and there was enormous potential for a lot more had it happened. But I'll take what I can get, and Bob Wilke's two episodes are both major standouts in the series.

In addition to Bob Wilke, the cast was very intriguing as I mentioned earlier. Tom Neal appears as Johnny Reno. I'll say this, Neal's bio could never be called boring or pedestrian. He was at the center of a couple different noteable scandals, one of which resulted in a 10 year prison sentence, of which he served 6 years. You'll need to read his bio for yourself, as it's far too long to discuss here. Interestingly, one of the threads in this episode is somewhat similar to Neal's actual life, where Barbara Payton was engaged to Franchot Tone while running around with Neal. Len Lesser appeared as Conger, and he had an extensive career, including a regular role on Seinfeld as bizarre Uncle Leo. Exotic beauty Eugenia Paul appears as femme fatale Carmen Talbot, and Francis De Sales, and William Bakewell also appear.

One of Jim Hardie's best, highly recommended!

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Golden Owl (1958) Season 3, Episode 4

And remember one Chinese proverb, that to a proud man, it's just as important to act as if he's eaten well, as it is to have just finished a large meal.

[3 January 2024]

Jim Hardie has been assigned to deliver a travelling bag from San Francisco to Virginia City, Nevada. When he arrives by Wells Fargo stage, he is told by the Wells Fargo agent that the item in the bag is worth $100,000. It's a statue of an owl, fashioned from solid gold in China, and is an anniversary gift to wealthy Sam Bancroft's wife, as some years earlier Bancroft had inadvertantly killed an owl that was a personal pet of a woman that eventually became his wife. Both Hardie and Wells Fargo are relieved to deliver the valuable property, but there are some who have other plans for the owl, including a beautiful woman Hardie meets on the stage, who is travelling to her wedding.

During the transfer of the package from the stage to the office, Hardie's sideman, Benson is murdered. Hardie was also knocked unconscious, and the statue was replaced by the murderer with a gold-plated lead copy, of which Hardie is unaware. He delivers the package to Bancroft, who believes the copy the be genuine. There are further complications when a member of a Chinese religious order, one Mr. Soo, arrives and claims the owl was stolen from his brotherhood, and he wants badly to recover the owl. However, Bancroft refuses to sell, and Hardie must disarm Mr. Soo when he attempts to take the owl at gunpoint. The owl is proven to be a copy, and Hardie asks Bancroft to give it to his wife anyway, and he'll replace it with the genuine article once it's found. Hardie is told he has one day to find the stolen statue before the anniversary party.

One of the better outings here, with a great script from writers Berkeley, Giles, and Reynolds. Veteran director Earl Bellamy helms the outing expertly, as with most all his episodes.

The Golden Owl is ToWF's homage to The Maltese Falcon in ways, and does contain a few nods to the picture. For one, the original picture opens with Bogart's partner being killed, which is similar to Hardie's sideman, Benson being killed when they are delivering the statue. The beautiful woman Hardie meets on the stage has told Hardie a number of lies, similar to Mary Astor's character in the original. And the owl is found later to be a copy made of lead, also as in the original picture. Not a bad story to emulate.

As I mentioned, this is one of the better scripts in the series, offering a more involved plot than many of the episodes. There are considerable twists in the story, and Hardie must use his honed skill as an investigator to uncover the truth. While Mr. Soo says he is from a religious order, he is prepared to obtain the owl by any means necessary, and viewers weren't sure which way this would lead. The thread continues throughout the episode, and is resolved eventually in the final scene. Interestingly, Hardie uses a karate chop to subdue a man holding him at gunpoint, which as far as I know was the only time he used that particular move in the series. I find this quite interesting, as martial arts were not mainstream on camera in the era, and Hardie was extremely adept as a pugilist. Nevertheless, Dale Robertson uses the move for his first and only time in this episode. I can't help but surmise that it was related to the fact that the cast contains several actors of Asian descent who may have had training in the martial arts. Perhaps not, but it's a good topic for discussion.

As to the cast, a number of them I have never seen, with a couple having only a very small number of credits, such as Barne Williams (Cliff Matthews) and Jack Bartell (Benson), each with just 2 credits, David Dwight (Hotel Clerk) with 9, and James Winslow (Sherrif) with 13 credits. Elaine Edwards appeared as the beautiful but dishonest Mary Farnum, and I have not seen her in any other production. However, Willis Bouchey (Sam Bankcroft), Clarence Lung (Mr. Soo), Harold Fong (Wong), and Weaver Levy (Chinese Gang Member) are quite familiar to me, and each had much longer careers and had appeared in many great motion pictures as well as extensive credits in TV. Examples include The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (Bouchey), Operation Petticoat (Lung, as Sgt. Ramon Gillardo), No Time for Sargents (Levy), and Fong in one of my most favorite episodes of Wagon Train, Around the Horn. Unfortunately, many of the roles portrayed by Messrs. Lung, Fong, and Levy were dictated by the times, and they appeared in numerous roles as butlers, cooks, and waiters. And in another unfortunate situation they endured, during early 40s all three appeared in war pictures in roles that were also dictated by the times, as enemy soldiers. The magnificent Phillip Ahn also experienced this in his long career. It's undeniable, times were different.

I have to say this was a great episode, but Jim Hardie is always a good watch! Don't miss this one.

Tales of Wells Fargo: White Indian (1958) Season 3, Episode 3

"The birthmark! I knew durned well I hadn't imagined it!"

[23 December 2023]

Jim Hardie is on hand when a young Choctaw teen arrives at the station with a very old note, describing a boy being sent on a Wells Fargo stage to meet his grandparents. The teen speaks no English, and Hardie finds that the stage mentioned in the note had been attacked years back with the loss of all aboard, but perhaps there was one survivor. Hardie must discover if this young Choctaw teen is the boy in the note, and whether or not a local woman may possibly be the key to his past.

This episode includes one of the most common plots used during Golden Age of TV Westerns. Most all of the series of the era featured at least one episode with a similar story, focusing on a young boy or girl that had been raised by Indians, and many had more than one. Among its multiple episodes, Cheyenne included "White Warrior", with a very young Michael Landon in the title role. Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Big Valley, Wagon Train, the Virginian, and Lawman are among other series that also included examples. Personally I don't have a problem with these kind of scripts, it was the late 50s and every western series had a version of it. For me it's the cast, characters, dialogue, and subplot that make them watchable.

The townspeople nearly always treated these unfortunate people with hatred and contempt, but there was typically an advocate, someone who would help and defend them. Jim Hardie is that here, being more than willing to defend the young man. When the young man eventually runs away back to the Choctaws, Hardie finds they don't want him when he visits their settlement. They tell Hardie the old chief took the young boy in as a son, but that chief died and the new chief, Running Bird, hates all white men and wants no "palefaces" living there. Hardie is told to take the boy and go.

This entry features a very high level Jim Hardie cool factor. Throughout the episode he stands up firmly and resolutely to a number of hostile, prejudiced townspeople as he's trying to integrate the young man back into society. These encounters are quite satisfying, as Hardie takes no gruff from anyone, even resorting to fisticuffs when it was deserved. As I've said many times over, Jim Hardie is one cool character.

Series veteran director Earl Bellamy helms the episode, and he manages the convergence of two plotlines deftly as it concludes. The 30min era of the series often featured quick-moving stories, as they didn't have the time to feature a more detailed backstory, as with all the half hour westerns of the era.

The cast includes a number of well-known faces. Neil Hamilton appeared as Niles Lawson. Although he is cemented into pop culture as Commissioner Gordon on Batman with Adam West, his career prior to that was very long. He began in silents, and by the time talkies arrived he had been a leading man for some years. He appeared in a number of pre-code pictures and beyond with many of the leading actresses of the day, including Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Constance Bennett, Ann Sothern, Irene Dunne, Fay Wray, and Jean Arthur, an impressive group. He also appeared alongside Maureen O'Sullivan in the first two Tarzan pictures with Johnny Weissmuller. He was strikingly handsome, and apparently rivalled Valentino with huge quantities of fan mail and an adoring female public. As he aged his career waned, and he moved into older type roles and eventually TV. Richard Evans appeared as the young teen, in his second credited role, and was a busy actor with a familiar face. I seem to recall him specializing in bullied or persecuted characters, such as here, or in his Cheyenne and Star Trek appearances. Glenn Strange appeared as Chief Running Bird. Before his last job as Sam on Gunsmoke, he was a familiar face in mostly villainous roles in many westerns, and as Boris Karloff's successor as the Frankenstein Monster. The remainder of the cast had hundreds and hundreds of roles in TV and motion pictures, which are far too numerous to mention.

So, ToWF's entry in the "young person raised by Indians" was a pretty decent watch, mostly due to the Jim Hardie cool factor. EWIBIG y'know.

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Manuscript (1958) Season 3, Episode 2

"Y'went around scarin' the pants off'a good people, takin' advantage of their past, maybe a little guilt, maybe they made a mistake, that's not your b'ness!"

[15 December 2023]

When we last saw Bob Dawson he was released from prison and given $5000 as a reward for helping Jim Hardie rescue a kidnapped senator. Unfortunately he hasn't collected yet, but that doesn't bother Dawson too much. He's still quite the character, and as such he continues to brag to the citizens in Brisbane, Nebraska about his memoirs, casually mentioning them and what they could reveal when he's trying to scam a free meal or drinks. Problem is, some citizens are extremely worried what Dawson may say about them in his memoirs, worried enough to try and bushwhack him to prevent their publication.

This is my favorite appearance of Edgar Buchanen as Bob Dawson, and is the third of his six appearances as Dawson, all during the B&W, 30min era of the series. His episodes are all good watches, with a lot of humor and a decent amount of action. Buchanen plays Dawson basically in the same vein as he played Uncle Joe Carson on Petticoat Junction, a con man, ready to take advantage of whatever situation presents itself. Although he had been a successful outlaw with a considerable reputation in his younger years, senior citizen Dawson spends a lot of his time telling stories of his salad days, his successful holdups, and how the young guys have no "finess-ie" as he calls it. But this time he's basically extorting the citizens of Brisbane with thinly veiled threats about what his memoirs may say about them, although he's not actually malicious, he sees it as an amusement. But with the paranoia and guilt these folks have they're more than willing to fork over all kinds of stuff to Dawson, even cash. And Dawson is more than willing to take it.

Eventually the locals in Brisbane have had enough, and there's serious talk about taking matters into their own hands. When Dawson is forced to kill a man attempting to bushwhack him, the locals accuse him of murder and want to hang him. Dawson claims it was a diversion that allowed someone to steal his memoirs, and he asks Jim Hardie to go to his place and collect them. Hardie finds the memoirs have been stolen, and he knows Dawson is telling the truth. The locals don't believe Dawson though, until another attempt is made on his life. At this point Hardie decides to use his considerable guile to lure out the guilty party. The result is one of the more amusing episodes of the series.

Besides Edgar Buchanen, the cast was mostly made up of working actors of the day. I am familiar with Charles Wagenheim, Robert Brubaker, and especially Roy Engel from their appearances in a couple shows I frequent, such as Cheyenne. This was the first time I saw Shary Marshall, and the remainder of the cast are bit players with mostly uncredited roles.

My favorite of the Bob Dawson episodes, and a darned good watch! But Jim Hardie is always a good watch. Don't miss it!

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Gambler (1958) Season 3, Episode 1

"If you're going to put trust in a man, you have to go all the way. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn't."

[9 December 2023]

Jim Hardie is riding shotgun on a Wells Fargo stage to protect a shipment of money in route to the bank in Popular Springs. When the stage breaks down in a nearby town, Hardie tells the passengers they'll need to lay over. One young passenger on the stage, Bill Dowd, is returning home to Popular Springs after serving 3 years in prison for a crime he claims he did not commit. Dowd is known in this nearby town, and when the local citizenry give him a cool welcome, he's prepared to make serious trouble. But Hardie believes the young man just needs a helping hand to get him on the right track.

Season 3 opens with a theme that Jim Hardie experienced personally, although we don't actually find out about this until a year later with S4, E1, Young Jim Hardie, which recounts his backstory. There are times when a simple assist can prevent a man from choosing the wrong path in life.

When Dowd busts a few bottles in the saloon, he forces the elderly Sheriff, Roy Emmett, to back down over $20 in damages. But when Hardie finds Dowd has no money to pay those damages, he loans him $50, in the hopes the young man will make the best of this chance. It's a gamble that may not work, Dowd is hot-headed and is still capable of making trouble and he continues to act surly. But Hardie has other problems, as the money on the stage is a target for bandits.

I'll admit, I like this episode a lot. The script is a good one, and one of the co-writers is Gene Reynolds, who was executive producer of legendary shows such as M*A*S*H and Lou Grant. There's plenty of action, a terrific cast, and the Hardie cool factor is very high. There a couple different plot lines that converge, related to youth and age. Hardie finds that Dowd was convicted on purely circumstantial evidence, and he takes it personally to give the young man the benefit of the doubt. It's good start as the series approaches it's midpoint.

The cast is excellent. Tom Pittman appeared as Bill Dowd, and was an upcoming young actor with a good deal of credits for only 3 years in the business. Unfortunately he perished in a car accident about a month after this episode aired, in the same model of car James Dean was driving when he was killed, a Porsche Spyder. He appeared in one of my favorite Cheyenne episodes, The Long Winter. Richard Deacon is very well known from his regular roles on Leave It To Beaver and The Dick Van Dyke Show, but his credit list includes a lot more. He appeared in a number of Disney pictures, several Jerry Lewis pictures, and a lot of other noteworthy titles such as The Birds, Them!, This Island Earth, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Wilton Graff appeared as Marshall Roy Emmett. He isn't very well known today as his last appearance was in 1964, but he was in a ton of TV shows during the 50s-60s, and a few noteworthy pictures such as The Benny Goodman Story, Lili, and Million Dollar Mermaid. Orville Sherman appeared as the gang leader, and he had a modest career in mostly television. Jack Mulhall is an interesting cast member. He was a successful leading man in silents and pre-code pictures, but his last role as a leading man was in Fighting Lady (1935), and from there he began appearing in smaller, and eventually uncredited roles. But Jack Tornek beats them all with 554 credits, although all but 2 are uncredited bit roles.

I like this episode a lot. It's a good story, and there's a great cast. As usual, Jim Hardie is a great watch.

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Sniper (1958) Season 2, Episode 38

"Once a person has killed someone, they've crossed over a bridge from which there's no turning back."

[5 December 2023]

While investigating a Wells Fargo robbery of $4000, Jim Hardie witnesses the murder of one of his good friends and the Wells Fargo station manager, Bob Benton, by a sniper from a hotel across the street.

This is somewhat of a different type of episode. For starters, there is no opening nor closing monologue from Jim Hardie. There were episodes where Hardie skips the closing monologue, but it's very rare to skip both the opening and closing voiceovers. The episode is also a bit different in that it contains a mystery that's not solved until the final minute of the show. From there it proceeds to the closing credits directly with no pause. Other than Hardie falling down the stairs, there is no action in the episode.

Pretty much everyone in the cast but the sheriff and the bartender is a suspect. The two other employees of the Wells Fargo office, Harriet Parnell and Clem Withers, claim that Benton all but accused them of the robbery. Each has a secret they'd rather Hardie not know, and he soon finds both of them quite willing to rat out the other. There's also a cutthroat gambler involved, as money is his business. As the evidence unfolds it becomes clear that the sniper has knowledge of the hotel, but since all the suspects live there it could be anyone. I'll stop any further discussion here to avoid spoiling the episode.

The cast includes a couple of known names, but that's about it. Harold J. Stone was extremely prolific during the era, appearing in both comedic and villainous roles primarily on TV. He only appeared in a handful of pictures, none of them noteworthy, with one major exception...Spartacus. Olan Soule was even more prolific with 272 roles, appearing in everything from The Andy Griffith Show to Battlestar Galactica. But he is best known in pop culture as the first voice of Batman in animation, on the classic 70's Saturday morning show Super Friends.

I'd place this one in the mid ranges of the series. But EWIBIG, y'know.

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Break (1958) Season 2, Episode 37

"The good book says something about bread cast upon the water being returned to a man, and it usually happens when a man needs it most."

[21 November 2023]

Jim Hardie has been sent to Placer City to investigate a robbery where a Wells Fargo employee was killed. The holdup gang is smart, methodical, and nothing is known about them. When his stage is stopped by bounty hunters who intend to murder a passenger, Frank Woodson, in cold blood to collect a reward, Hardie intervenes and saves his life. Later in Placer City, Hardie finds that one of the the holdup gang was captured, a young man around 20yrs old named Bud Sawyer. Hardie decides to impersonate Jessie James, who has just been killed, in the hopes a staged jailbreak might trick the kid into leading him to the murderous holdup gang.

Here we have another episode involving an historical character, but with a different slant. Although Hardie is posing as an outlaw named "Jessie", he never claims to be Jessie James directly. In fact, he purposely avoids using the last name, saying his last name is Howard, but it doesn't take much to plant the seed. Although Hardie seems to know a lot of famous outlaws in other episodes (for example, the Daltons), he claims only to have met Jessie James once some time back.

This is the second episode where the parable "cast your bread on the water" is used, the first being The Pickpocket, three episodes back. But the two episodes had different writers, so no harm no foul, since both episodes involve a favor repaid.

I won't say this one is bad, since Jim Hardie is always a great watch. It has a decent reveal at the conclusion, involving another famous name. But I would rate this one in somewhere in the middle area of the series, there isn't much action and the plot isn't particularly original. Nevertheless, ToWF absolutely adheres to EWIBIG (Even When It's Bad, It's Good).

I can't say anything about the cast, since I only recognize one member, Gene Roth, from his appearance in one of the best eps of Cheyenne, Big Ghost Basin. But looking up their credits, they made some great creature/alien/lost-world pictures for sure.

Not one of the greater episodes, but a decent watch.

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Renegade (1958) Season 2, Episode 36

"I believe that boy deserves a chance and I'm going to see he gets one."

[8 November 2023]

Wells Fargo has begun to have doubts about one of their recently hired employees - Charley Mason - riding shotgun for the stage line. When the station manager who hired Mason - John Curtis - recalled he was wearing a distinctive belt buckle associated with a family of outlaws, Jim Hardie is sent to look into the situation.

But now Curtis believes Mason is one of the Bostwick family and wants him fired. Hardie disagrees, but he decides to pay a visit to Mason's wife to get more information. After the visit, Hardie is more convinced than ever that Mason isn't working with the Bostwicks, despite seeing the distinctive belt buckle the Bostwicks wear on the mantle over the fireplace.

This episode doesn't really contain a lot of action, it's more of a character driven story. As a result there just isn't a whole lot to discuss in this one, but as I've mentioned Dale Robertson is always a likeable actor and this holds true. John Curtis didn't do a lot of checking up on Mason when he hired him, he actually hired Mason based on his wife, who came along when he applied for the job. Apparently having a pretty wife stands for something in Wells Fargo, the company feels that a man married to a pretty woman would be less likely to be an outlaw.

Hardie and Curtis know the stage will likely be held up by the Bostwicks, and although Curtis is convinced Mason is in on it, Hardie disagrees and convinces Curtis to leave Mason on the run, and he joins the stage as a passenger to see what happens in the final confrontation.

The cast has a several prolific members whose names would be quite familiar to fans of the era. John Anderson appears as Charley Mason in one of his rare good guy roles. Anderson was very prolific during the era, but he was mostly cast in villainous roles as his voice and demeanor worked well in them. Nestor Paiva appears as Old Man Bostwick. Piava was unreal prolific with 318 credits in so many notable productions it's hard to choose a couple to mention, across the spectrum of characters from comedic to villainous. John Doucette appeared as Shorty Bostwick, and was almost as busy as Paiva with 289 credits. He was cast typically in villainous roles, but he also had a ton of appearance as policemen or soldiers, and he was also quite adept in comedy. Frank Gerstle appeared as station manager John Curtis, and was fairly prolific with 203 credits, but none particularly noteworthy. He played villains and lawmen equally well. Joyce Meadows appeared as Mrs. Mason, but she never really made a mark. Interestingly, Meadows and Gerstle would appear together 3 years later on Cheyenne: Cross Purpose.

I'll have to admit that I don't hold this episode in the higher echelons of the series. Nevertheless, Jim Hardie is always a good watch and this one is no exception. EWIBIG y'know.

Mister Ed (1961–1966)

There was a horse in this show?

[9/10 · 6 November 2023]

I keep seeing others mentioning something about a horse. Horse...horse...hmm...horse?

Couldn't be! This is a series about an absolutely breathtaking suburban housewife who's one of the most gorgeous women ever. She's so good looking a fella just can't take his eyes off her! Every time she walks into a room it's the same thing...wow! To say she's stunning is a complete and utter understatement. An angel, come to earth!

Thing is, she's married to a strange guy who would much rather spend his time in the barn. I just can't figure this guy out. Married to one of the most beautiful women in the world, but he'd rather hang out in the stables, reveling in the effluvia. Strange indeed. I seem to vaguely recall him doing something with a horse in the background while I'm thinking about her, but I've always found it difficult to pay attention when she's not onscreen. The mind wanders, y'know.

So ya better believe I'll keep watching, Oh well, still can't figure out what the hubbub is over a horse when it's her show. I mean, c'mon seriously....wait, wait...gotta stop talking and pay attention, here she comes again. Dang, she's SO pretty...

Tales of Wells Fargo: Scapegoat (1958) Season 2, Episode 35

"Turn around Eaton, and turn shootin'!"

[27 October 2023]

Jim Hardie is investigating a robbery and murder of Wells Fargo agent Charlie Dormer, where the sheriff is convinced a former gunman turned school teacher - Clyde Bender - is guilty. But Hardie originally sent Bender to prison, and he's not convinced Bender is guilty. The murder left powder burns from a shot at close range, which makes Hardie believe the killer was someone the victim knew.

Although we see a lot of these kind of scripts in the Westerns genre where someone is framed for a robbery and murder, this episode really stands out. It's not that the story is particularly epic, it's a fairly standard frameup story which Hardie solves without too much effort. Nevertheless, for me Jim Hardie is always a good watch and this one certainly qualifies as entertaining. It has some great characters, terrific dialogue, and Hardie's coolness was on a high level. Plus, his ending narration is interesting and original. But what really gets me about this episode? It's the cast...I'm absolutely fascinated with the cast.

Bruce Bennett appeared as Clyde Bender. It's undeniable, he was one interesting guy. MGM wanted to cast him as Tarzan, but a shoulder injury nixed that and the role went to Johnny Weissmuller. But that's just one item - his bio is a heck of a read. Skydiving from 10,000ft at 96yrs old? He did it. Anyways, it's not that his performance in this one would bring home a statue, but he had a charismatic presence onscreen that was undeniable. I wasn't immediately familiar with him at first, but once I looked into his bio I saw he had appeared in a slew of great pictures, many of which are favorites of mine, such as Sahara with Humprhey Bogart and Dan Duryea. But there were more...Mildred Pierce, Nora Prentiss, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, A Stolen Life, Dark Passage, Angels in the Outfield, and more. By the 50s he was moving into television roles, and would only work for about 10 years after this episode, give or take. But he appeared in one of my favorite creature features in 1959, The Alligator People! Woohoo!

Cowboy legend Johnny Mack Brown appeared as Sheriff Eaton. Brown was one of the quintessential good guys when he was a leading man, and had been a hero to millions of kids in the golden age of Western pictures. Truth be told I didn't even recognize him in this episode. To see his name in the credits the first time I saw the episode was a real surprise. He was so completely different than what he'd been in years past, and I'm not referring to him appearing in a villainous role. His trademark toothy smile and his voice weren't anywhere near the same, unlike actors such as Randolph Scott or Joel McCrea, who were easily recognizable into their later years. By coincidence, he appeared in 1937's Wells Fargo, with Joel McCrea, in a great role as doomed but chivalrous CSA officer Talbot Carter.

Arthur Space appeared as Hank Stiles, and he had appeared 3 episodes earlier in The Gun, but this was not uncommon on shows during the era. Space had a huge list of credits at 288, and appeared in pictures such as 20 Million Miles to Earth, The Spirit of St. Louis, The Paleface, and Silver River with Errol Flynn, and a lot more. By the time of this episode he was working steadily on the small screen. He was a very familiar actor you saw everywhere, similar to Whit Bissel.

It's time to close this one out, but I'll end by saying it's an episode some may not like at all, but others will certainly enjoy.

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Pickpocket (1958) Season 2, Episode 34

"I thought I was cured of the habit, until that bloke stuck a gun in me back and stole me wallet. And that old feeling came over me again..."

[26 October 2023]

Jim Hardie's visit to his ranch has been interrupted with an assignment to investigate a series of train robberies. When the train to his assignment is robbed, he and a passenger he befriended on the trip find themselves broke in an unfriendly town. But his new friend, Homer Pittman, was once a pickpocket, and a watch he lifted from one of the train robbers proves to be a valuable clue to the case. Having no money, Hardie procures a room for them by offering his gun as security. In their room, Pittman reveals the pilfered watch and offers it to Hardie to attempt to sell it, but Hardie soon finds the watch is his connection to the train robbers.

Here we have yet another very entertaining episode. The story is quite enjoyable, with a good deal of humor as well as an ample dose of that Jim Hardie charm. The characters are quite colorful and the dialogue is brisk between Hardie and the guest cast. Although many actors who appeared on ToWF may not have been too memorable, James Fairfax's Homer Pittman is definitely a distinctive character. His performance is one of the more unique appearances in the series, with a lot of great dialogue.

And I'll say, that Jim Hardie is one heckuva detective. All he needs to do is to mosey on over to the saloon and whatta ya know, by coincidence it turns out the train robbers are running the joint. Oh well, as I've mentioned before, the 30min era didn't offer much time for an extended investigation as we'd see on a series such as The Virginian. And man, the bad guys in this one are so obviously bad it would be difficult for Hardie NOT to suspect them of the robberies. First the surly bartender tries to force him to pay $3 for basically walking into the saloon, and that encounter ends with fisticuffs. As it often occurs the #1 saloon girl and girlfriend of the bar owner intervenes, but as soon as Hardie flashes the watch the reaction he gets from her practically solves the case. When the bar owner offers $100 for the watch, Hardie knows he has his man.

There's more to the fun plot, as I've discussed the setup but not nearly everything. You'll need to see the episode to get the final resolution, but it's a darned fun watch, so this is a pleasant bit of homework.

The cast isn't that well-know, but a couple have extensive credit lists. James Fairfax appears as Homer Pittman. His career only lasted 13 years, and he would die 3 years after this episode. He appeared in a lot of adventure pictures or costume epics, as well as pirate or sea pictures, such as Against All Flags with Errol Flynn. James Seay appears as Clint Faber, the saloon owner and boss of the bad guys. He had a very prolific career, especially on the small screen, appearing in both villainous and sympathetic roles. But he had an extensive list of motion picture roles as well. John Harmon appeared as the hotel clerk, and also had a very extensive list of credits in darned near every genre, but he's best known for his roles in 2 episodes of Star Trek:TOS. Carole Mathews appeared as Lola, and although she had 99 credits I'm not familiar with her.

This is a good one, so don't miss it. A good way to spend 30 minutes!

Tales of Wells Fargo: The Reward (1958) Season 2, Episode 33

"That was quite a vacation...yessir."

[21 October 2023]

Jim Hardie has been sent to the town of Bridger to present a reward check to a man named Joseph Owen, who helped prevent a stagecoach robbery. Upon his arrival, Hardie encounters several friendly townspeople until he mentions the name Owens. At the mention of the man's name the townspeople change immediately, from friendly to frightened and surly. Hardie is already suspicious, when a local rancher, Chuck Latimer, tries to force him to leave town, which confirms Hardie's suspicions. Hardie determines defiantly to stick around to find out the truth about Joseph Owen.

One thing is for sure, this script is nowhere near original. TV plots get rehashed and reused, and it's still happening now. But this plot is one of several that are nearly ubiquitous in the Westerns genre. Pretty much every western from the era included a variation of this same plot, where someone from the main cast pays a visit to a town and nearly the entire population is against them. Cheyenne, Gunsmoke, Laramie, The Virginian, and many more series used this story, with some differences in the details of course. Unfortunately, many of these stories could only be termed pedestrian.

On the good side, the episode contain a good deal of intrigue, and Hardie takes considerable punishment from some of the nastier citizens. As is typical, Hardie can dish it out in return with the very best of them.

The cast included the usual assortment of character actors from the era, some with hundreds of roles, but mostly unknown today. One comment about that. The actors in supporting roles for shows in the 50s had typically been in the business for decades, working steadily year after year. Unfortunately, the majority of them drifted into obscurity over the years. I try not to dismiss them without some comment if I can, but even famous stars from the past can be little known today.

Allan "Rocky" Lane appeared as Chuck Latimer, and was quite well-known for his heroic character in western pictures, as well as providing the voice of Mr. Ed. Marcia Henderson appeared as June Latimer. She had 52 credits, mostly from the 50s, but none were particularly noteworthy with the exception of The Hypnotic Eye, a B-level picture which has been elevated to cult status over the decades. Hank Worden appears as the stable worker, and was very prolific with 227 roles. He appeared in a lot of John Wayne pictures, such as The Searchers, Red River, or The Alamo, but a *lot* more going back over the decades, such as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Not a particularly great episode, but still an enjoyable watch...EWIBIG, y'know...

The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965)

"You will always be an artist. You have no choice."

[20 October 2023]

No need to post any introduction, it's been done thoroughly. I enjoyed the picture thoroughly, despite any historical inaccuracies. However I admit freely, some of my favorite pictures include The Charge of the Light Brigade (with Flynn) and My Darling Clementine. I have no concern for historical inaccuracies. I find them meaningless and I do not judge a picture based upon the lack thereof. I do however judge pictures *sternly* on the adaptation (and especially the lack thereof) in some cases...Lord of the Rings and Dune are very good examples. But in this case I have no knowledge of the source material, so I can't speak on the adaptation whatsoever. As such my concern is entertainment, and I found this picture to be very entertaining.

Many applaud Rex Harrison's portrayal of Julius above that of Heston's Michelangelo. I saw them fairly equal in relation to their screen presence, and I felt both delivered very powerful performances with varying moods. Their conflict is much more on display and is much discussed, but there was so much more. I offer as an example, the scene where Michelangelo visits Julius on the battlefield and presents his expanded ideas. He kneels down and spreads out his drawings on the ground, then looks up at an obviously interested Julius, and with a casual smile motions him downward for a closer look. To me, this scene spoke volumes related to the two men. I also agree with one reviewer who stated they considered the candlelight discussion of the creation of Adam to the be the best scene of the picture.

I had no problems with the fact that some subjects were avoided, leaving the primary focus being that of art, faith, health, and obsession, as they related to the two characters.

The cinematography and sets were glorious, with deep, rich colors filling the screen. I didn't feel Carol Reed's direction was stilted or tedious, but rather the pacing seemed appropriate for the various moods and phases of the picture. I never felt bored.

The dialogue is supremely quotable. Scene after scene included memorable exchanges, ranging from subtle utterances to raging fury. Trying to choose a quote for the title of this review proved difficult.

The supporting cast was very good, although it's not difficult for the viewer to be swept up in the two leads completely, who tended to overpower other characters with ease.

Highly recommended.