Season One...1959-1960 continued...
The Burning Map Presents: The Cartwrights: Ben, Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe!
17.) The Outcast
January 9, 1960
Written by: Thomas Thompson
Directed by: Lewis Allen
Because she is related to criminals, a young woman is ostracized by everyone but the the Cartwrights. She unwisely seeks solace with an ex-con friend of Joe's, Clay Renton, and it's up to Ben to straighten everything out. First episode to have a chapter title after the cast credits.
Guest Stars: Clay Renton...Jack Lord,...Leta Malvet...Susan
Oliver,...Harvey Buford...Edward Platt,...Mrs. Buford...Irene
Tedrow,...Dr. Paul Martin...Roy Engel,...Spence...Robert
Lieb,...Boyd...Joel Ashley,...Garth...Mark Allen.
Trivia: Guest star Jack Lord went to star in "Hawaii Five-O", and Susan Oliver is best remembered as Vina, in the classic Star Trek pilot, "The Cage", later made into "The Menagerie". Guest star Edward Platt, as Mr. Buford, would later be seen in season four's, "The Colonel", best remembered as the Chief, in the 60's spy-comedy series, "Get Smart". Veteran actress Irene Tedrow makes her debut as the cunning Mrs. Buford, and would later be seen in season three's, "Blessed Are They", season ten's, "Different Pines, Same Wind", and in season eleven's, "Abner Willoughby's Return". Her voice was very well-heard in many animated features, usually as a queen or a witch.
Music Trivia: The first episode to feature the chapter title cue music
that accompanies the watercolor title is heard, composed and conducted
by David Rose and the studio sessionists, based on the Livingston-Evans
theme cue he musically composed and scored for the beginning and ending
credits. This early music cue is heard through the end of the second
season of the series.
Filming dates: October 29 to November 5, 1959
18.) A House Divided
January 16, 1960
Written by: Al C. Ward
Directed by: Lewis Allen
As the Civil War approaches, Adam and Joe clash over which side to support. The situation is complicated by the arrival of Frederick Kyle, a Southern sympathizer. He was an old friend of Joe's mother and viewers
also discover that Joe's middle name is Francis.
Guest Stars: Frederick Kyle...Cameron Mitchell,...Regis...Stacy
Harris,...Gorman...John Anderson,...Lily Van Cleet-Kyle...Marianne
Stewart,...Henessy...Howard Wendell,...Tom...Dan Riss,...Northern
Miner...Mickey Simpson,...Southern Miner...John
Locke,...Sheriff...Kenneth MacDonald,...Mine Owner...Stafford
Repp,...Luke...Barry Cahill,...Bob Miles...(stunts; uncredited for
Stacy Harris).
Trivia: Cameron Mitchell makes his only appearance on the series as
Frederick Kyle. Mitchell was a veteran character actor and even starred
in Dortort's "The High Chaparral" as Buck Cannon from 1967-1971. Character actors Stacy Harris and John Anderson make their first of many
appearances on the series, in this episode Stacy Harris plays Regis and
Anderson plays Gorman. German-born actress Marianne Stewart plays Lily
Van Cleet-Kyle, the wife of Frederick Kyle. She's the daughter of
Reinhold Schunzel, a well-accomplished German actor, born in Hamburg.
Trivia: Kyle's wife, Lily meets her demise while on the stage, going
out of town. Regis and Gorman made a pothole in the road, which
overturns it, as it goes over the mountain and she is killed as the stage
tumbles down the slopes. Of course, in real life, the stage was empty
with no one in it, as it went down the mountain at Janss Conejo Ranch while filming this scene for the story.
Stunt Trivia: In the storage room fight, Bob Miles doubles Regis (Stacy Harris) in the long shots, while Gorman (John Anderson) does all his shots, along with Kyle (Cameron Mitchell), who does his shots without a stuntman in a very memorable fight.
Trivia: Newly photographed July 1959 stock footage filmed at Mount Rose Summit is seen, overlooking northeast Lake Tahoe, edited in with
soundstage shots, that center around Adam and Joe in the story.
Location Scenes Filmed at: Janss Conejo Ranch, Southern California and July 1959 stock footage of the lake from the Mount Rose Summit, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Filming dates: November 16-25, 1959
19.) The Gunmen
January 23, 1960
Written by: Carey Wilbur
Directed by: Christian Nyby
In the first all-out comic episode of the series, Hoss and Joe travel to Kiowa Flats, Texas, where they are mistaken for the notorious
Slade Brothers, also played by Blocker and Landon.
Guest Stars: B. Bannerman Brown...Henry Hull,...Jubal...George
Mitchell,...Alonzo McFadden...Douglas Spencer,...Twirly Boggs...King
Donovan,...McFadden Boy...Dennis Holmes,...Lorna Doone Mayboy...Ellen
Corby,...Amanda McFadden...Ann Graves,...Clara Lou Kinsey...Jenny
Maxwell,...Sonny...Billy McLean,...Anse Hadfield...Jonathan
Gilmore,...Lisabelle Jones...Jody Fair,...Quisy McFadden...Dorothy
Neumann,...Susan Hadfield...Dorothy Crehan,...Bob Miles...(uncredited;
extra as cowboy in saloon & double for Michael Landon),...Bill
Clark...(uncredited; extra as bartender & double for Dan Blocker).
Trivia: The great Henry Hull makes the first of two appearances on the
series. He plays the Sheriff, B. Bannerman Brown in this episode. He
plays Charlie Trent in the following season's "The Mission". Stalwart
actors George Mitchell and Ellen Corby also make their first appearances
on the series. Mitchell plays Jubal in this episode. He appears as other
characters in three's "Land Grab" and ten's "Little Girl Lost".
Ellen
Corby plays Lorna Doone Mayboy in this episode. She appears later in
four's "The Hayburner" as Mrs. Milford. Stuntmen Bob Miles and Bill
Clark do their share of extra bit parts in this show. Bob plays a cowboy
in the saloon and Bill plays the bartender. In other scenes, Bob doubles
Michael Landon, as Joe Cartwright and Shorty Slade, and Bill doubles
Dan Blocker as Hoss Cartwright and Big Jack.
Filming dates: November 30 to December 7, 1959
20.) The Fear Merchants
January 30, 1960
Written by: Fred Unger, Thomas Thompson
Directed by: Lewis Allen
The Cartwrights encounter racial bigotry in Virginia City and end up protecting a Chinese boy from mob violence. Victor Sen Yung, in his largest role to date, speaks normally in the presence of his fellow countrymen, but reverts to broken English when with the Cartwrights.
Guest Stars: Andrew Fulmer...Gene Evans,...Amanda Ridley...Helen
Westcott,...Mr. Ridley...Frank Ferguson,...Jesse Tibbs...Christopher
Dark,...Jimmy Chang...Guy Lee,...Billy Wheeler...Ray Stricklyn,...Lee
Chang...Philip Ahn,...Hop Sing...Victor Sen Yung,...Sally
Ridley...Patricia Michon,...Cyrus Hammond...Arthur Space,...Sheriff
Halstead...Gregg Barton,...Judge...Alexander Campbell,...Chinese
Elder...Peter Chong,...Townsman...Bob Miles...(uncredited; extra),...Townsman...Bill Clark...(uncredited; extra).
Trivia: Gene Evans makes the first of three appearances on the series,
playing attorney Andrew Fulmer in this episode. He appears later in the
series as Rockwell in five's "Journey Remembered" and as Montana Perkins
in twelve's "The Trouble with Trouble". Helen Westcott makes the first
of two appearances, in this episode playing Amanda Ridley. She's later
seen in four's "The Colonel" as Emily Colfax. Support actor Frank
Ferguson plays Mr. Ridley in this episode and later appears as the
Sheriff in three's "The Long Night", then as Jigger in five's "Ponderosa
Matador", and in six's "Lothario Larkin" as Abner.
Christopher Dark makes his second appearance on the series, playing
gunman Jesse Tibbs. His first appearance was in the pilot episode as
Langford Pool and is later seen in nine's "Showdown at Tahoe" as Testy.
Asian actor Guy Lee makes his first of two appearances on the series. He
plays Jimmy Chang in this episode, and is later seen in seven's "The
Meredith Smith" as Ah Lee. Support actor Ray Stricklyn plays Billy
Wheeler, seen on the series in support roles occasionally as a young and
unruly cowpoke.
Korean-American actor Philip Ahn makes the first of three appearances
on the series. He plays Lee Chang in this episode and later appears in
three's "Day of the Dragon" as Dr. Kam Lee and then in five's "A Pink
Cloud Comes from Old Cathay" as Wai Sang. Victor Sen Yung as Hop Sing,
with some of his largest screentime to date on the series, more of which
would be in this season's "San Francisco". The very pretty Patricia
Michon plays Sally Ridley, who is sadly killed by her own father in this
episode. She returns for a second appearance as Betty Mae in two's "The
Secret".
Support actor Arthur Space plays Cyrus Hammond, the mercantile owner,
with Sheriff Halstead played by support actor Gregg Barton. The judge at
the inquest is played by Alexander Campbell, with Asian actor Peter
Chong making his second appearance, in this episode as the Chinese elder
alongside Philip Ahn. His first appearance was earlier this season in
"The Truckee Strip" as Lo Chow.
Location Scenes Filmed at: July 1959 stock footage of all four
Cartwrights riding through Tahoe Meadows at Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Filming dates: December 8-15, 1959
21.) The Spanish Grant
February 6, 1960
Written by: David Dortort, Leonard Heideman
Directed by: Christian Nyby
The Cartwrights' ownership of the Ponderosa is thrown into question by an alleged Spanish noblewoman, Rosita Morales.
Guest Stars: Isabella Marie Inez de la Cuesta~Rosita Morales...Patricia
Medina,...Don Antonio Luga...Sebastian Cabot,...Sanchez...Paul
Picerni,...Donna Theresa Epananza...Celia Lovsky,...Hop Sing...Victor
Sen Yung,...Judge Blaton...Ned Wever,...High Card Smith...Michael
Ragan,...Proprietor...Salvador Baguez,...Andy Logan...John
Frederick,...Mary Logan...Claudia Bryar,...Sheriff Hawkins...Stuart
Randall,...Dancer...Genaro Gomez,...Bob Miles...(uncredited; stunt
double for Paul Picerni).
Trivia: This episode's storyline is loosely based on the real-life story of
Anastasia, who was one of the daughters of Czar Nicholas, who was slain
along with the entire family, in the Russian Revolution in 1917. Another young woman assumed her identity and pretended to be Anastasia
for decades until her death. Only in recent years, after the old woman
died, it was proven she was not Anastasia, by DNA testing the skeletal
remains of the Czar's family and the imposter.
In "The Spanish Grant", a
young bargirl, Rosita Morales is pretending to be a Spanish noblewoman named Isabella Marie Inez de la Cuesta and at the end of
the story, it's revealed she is really Rosita Morales, but on the other
hand, is she really Rosita Morales? This little twist at the end is
simply entertaining everytime it's viewed, with the viewer able to
determine the young woman's real identity at the end of act four.
Trivia: Patricia Medina makes her only appearance on the series as
Isabella Marie Inez de la Cuesta, who is really Rosita Morales. Sebastian
Cabot also makes his only appearance as Don Antonio Luga, along with
Paul Picerni as Sanchez. All three actors worked on various episodes of
"Zorro" with Guy Williams from 1957-59. Cabot is best remembered in the
60's TV-series "Family Affair". Paul Picerni was born in Long Island,
New York in 1922. He originally wanted to become an attorney, but the school principal said he was a "born actor". Picerni stayed with it, before and after World War II.
He landed a role in the 60's TV-series, "The Untouchables", as second lead under Robert Stack. His brother is
actor/stuntman Charles Picerni, who he called in for "The Untouchables"
to serve as his stand-in and stuntman. Paul is the father of 8 and
grandfather of 10. He's the father of stuntman Paul V. Picerni and
grandfather of stuntman Rick Picerni. The Picerni family is famous for
being in the business, and many family members joined the bandwagon and
are still active in the stunt business today.
Character actor Michael Ragan makes his second appearance, this time as
High Card Smith. He was previously in season one's "The Paiute War" as Vern, and appeared over the seasons through 1967 as different characters. European-born actress Celia Lovsky makes her only appearance as Donna Theresa Epananza, in a beautifully exotic, graceful and sensitive performance. She would specialize in these roles and even appeared in the Star Trek episode "Amok Time" as Vulcan ruler T' Pau, who Leonard Nimoy spoke highly of, when working on this episode in 1967.
She was born on February 21, 1897, in Vienna, Austria. She later married actor Peter Lorre and her passing of natural causes, was on October 12, 1979, in Los Angeles, California. Character actor Stuart Randall plays Sheriff Hawkins, a support role he played for years, seen in the series through its twelfth year into 1971, as a Sheriff, but never with the same name. Support actor John Frederick plays Andy Logan, and is credited as John Merrick in this episode. His first appearance is in this season's "The Truckee Strip" as the Concho ranch hand who is injured by Pete Jessup's men.
Stunt Trivia: In the barn fight that pitts Adam against Sanchez, it's
Bob Miles who doubles Paul Picerni in the long shots, with Picerni doing
his close-ups that he can handle. Pernell Roberts does his complete
fight, without the help of a stuntman. In one scene, Pernell kicks Bob
Miles over him, into the horse stall and the trained horse lets out a
whinny, bolting up and down on his legs. The next shot is of a dead
Sanchez (played by Paul Picerni) being drug out by Adam and the
stableman.
Location Scenes Filmed at: Janss Conejo Ranch, Southern California.
Filming dates: December 16-24, 1959
22.) Blood On The Land
February 13, 1960
Written by: Robert E. Thompson
Directed by: Felix Feist
A shiftless sheepherder, Jeb Drummond, encroaches his herd of sheep on the Ponderosa and refuses to budge. He resists all of Ben's attempts to throw him off his land and finally resorts to taking Adam prisoner in
exchange for ownership of the ranch.
Guest Stars: Jeb Drummond...Everett Sloane,...Billy...Ray
Daley,...Collier...Ken Lynch,...Wheeler...Jerry Oddo,...Sam...Glen
Holtzman,...Burton...Tom Reese,...Bob Miles...(horseback double;
uncredited for Ken Lynch).
Trivia: Guest star Everett Sloane, in his first appearance, would later appear in "Right Is The Fourth R". Ken Lynch, in his first of many appearances, later seen in, "My Brothers's Keeper", "The
Beginning", "Journey Remembered", "The Lonely Runner", "Joe
Cartwright, Detective", "Commitment At Angelus", "Company Of Forgotten Men", and in, "The Younger
Brother's Younger Brother".
Trivia: In the scene where Jeb Drummond's fellow sheepman is pulled off his horse, by Hoss, Bob Miles takes the actual fall off the horse, doubling for actor Ken Lynch.
Location Scenes Filmed at: Bell Location Ranch, Southern California and July 1959 stock footage of Tahoe Meadows at Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Filming dates: December 28, 1959 to January 5, 1960
23.) Desert Justice
February 20, 1960
Written by: Donald S. Sanford
Directed by: Lewis Allen
When a tough U.S. Marshal from California arrests a Ponderosa hand, Dave Walker, for murder, Adam and Hoss go along to make sure their employee reaches Los Angeles alive. In one scene, Adam is dressed in black
for the first time. In another, Hoss, upon seeing Southern California for the first time, remarks, "It sure ain't never gonna amount to much". Later, Adam makes an amusing reference to the chow Joe says he was forced to eat in "The Last Hunt".
Guest Stars: Marshal Emmett Dowd...Claude Akins,...David
Walker...Wesley Lau,...Andrea Strasser...Fintan Meyer,...Dr. Andrew
Strasser...John Wengraf,...Hurd Cutler...Ron Hayes,...Charlie...Bud
Osborne,...Michael Bailey...Will Wright,...Deputy Dan...Tom Greenway.
Trivia: Guest star Claude Akins, as Marshal Dowd, who later appeared in "The Mill", "Sam Hill", and in "The Deserter". Wesley Lau as David would later appear in "Her Brother's Keeper". Ron Hayes as Dave's partner would later appear in "Mirror Of A Man", "The Rescue", "The Bridegroom", "Night Of Reckoning" and in "Emily". He married Betty Endicott in 1965, who was Pernell Robert's stand-in since the second season and his short-term riding double. Her rear-end would "wobble" in the saddle and she didn't quite look right, so that was discontinued after a time. Ron Hayes died on October 1, 2004 in Malibu from internal injuries that resulted from a fall. He was 75.
Trivia: Stock shots of Death Valley are rear projected to the sides and in the rear of the stagecoach on the Paramount soundstage.
Location Scenes Filmed at: Iverson Ranch, Southern California.
Filming dates: January 6-14, 1960
24.) The Stranger
February 27, 1960
Written by: Leonard Heideman, Oliver Crawford
Directed by: Christian Nyby
Nevada Territory is awaiting statehood, and Ben considers running for governor until he learns he is wanted for murder in New
Orleans. Inspector Charles Leduque arrives and says Ben is wanted for commiting the murder 20 years earlier, and after Joe kills his bodyguard in self-defense, Inspector Leduque makes it appear the other way around. Ben has no choice but go with Leduque, to clear his name in a very suspense-filled episode. Once again, there are several references to Joe's mother, and viewers are shown Marie's grave near the shore of Lake Tahoe.
Guest Stars: Charles Leduque...Lloyd Nolan,...Tom Cole...Hal
Baylor,...Dennis...Arthur Shields,...Hop Sing...Victor Sen
Yung,...Sheriff Brady...Robert Foulk,...Alfred Gibbons...Donald
Foster,...Dixie...Joan Staley,...Alice...Elizabeth York,...Louise
Gibbons...Jomarie Pettit,...Jake...Charles Tannen,...Way Station
Owner...Hank Worden,...Bob Miles...(uncredited; stunt double for
Michael Landon & stunt as Indian, extra as party guest & hotel guest),...Bill Clark...(uncredited; extra as deputy).
Trivia: Lloyd Nolan makes his only appearance on the series, playing
Inspector Charles Leduque. Hal Baylor makes the first of 10 appearances
on the series, playing Leduque's bodyguard, Tom Cole in this episode. He
appears later in two's "Breed of Violence" as Clegg, in three's "The
Ride" as Arch, in four's "The Saga of Whizzer McGee" as Big Red, in
six's "A Man to Admire" as Ev Durfee, in seven's "Shining in Spain" as
the drummer, in eight's "Old Charlie" as Jack Barker, in nine's "Six
Black Horses" as Tierney and in "The Stronghold" as Kelty, and as Shad
Willis in twelve's "An Earthquake Called Callahan".
Arthur Shields plays Dennis, the owner of the Territorial Enterpise in
this episode. Donald Foster plays Alfred Gibbons in this episode, later
as Mr. Begley in two's "The Dark Gate", and Victor Sen Yung slips in
another appearance as Hop Sing. Robert Foulk plays Sheriff Brady, making
his first of 13 appearances on the series. He appears in three's "The
Smiler", "The Many Faces of Gideon Flinch", "Blessed Are They" and "The
Gamble" as Deputy Clem, in four's "Any Friend of Walter's" as the
Sheriff. In six's "The Spotlight", he plays a townsman, and as Seth in
seven's "Big Shadow on the Land" and "A Dollar's Worth of Trouble". He
plays the Sheriff in eight's "Ballad of the Ponderosa" and "A Real Nice,
Friendly Little Town", and Peterson in "Clarissa". His last appearance
is in nine's "The Burning Sky" as Deputy Pete.
Joan Staley plays Dixie the saloon girl, with Elizabeth York playing
Ben's date Alice. Jomarie Pettit plays Louise Gibbons, the daughter of
Alfred and is Adam's date in this episode. Charles Tannen plays the
hotel clerk Jake, and Hank Worden as the way station owner. He would
later appear in two's "The Bride" as the miner who is killed by Frank.
Stunt Trivia: Bob Miles doubles Joe in the newspaper office when Tom
Cole (actor Hal Baylor) sends him reeling across the office, slamming
him into the other side of the room, with Leduque swearing, "We'll smash
Ben Cartwright, just like we smashed the story of his life". Bob also
plays an Indian who Leduque shoots off the cliff later in the story, and
Bob also plays two extra parts, one as a party guest and as a hotel
guest checking in at the desk with his female companion. Bill Clark
plays the Deputy alongside Sheriff Brady in this episode.
Photography Trivia: In the scenes with Ben and Joe at Marie's grave,
the actors do their filmed shots on Stage 16, and a large piece of black
felt is placed to the rear of them. The Sand Harbor stock footage is
optically printed onto the filmed soundstage shots, called a matte shot.
Location Scenes Filmed at: Bronson Canyon, Southern California and July 1959 stock footage at Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The inclusion of stock footage from Kanab, Utah was culled from Paramount's film library and edited in act four of the final cut.
Filming dates: January 14-21, 1960
25.) Escape To Ponderosa
March 5, 1960
Written by: Robert E. Thompson, Bill Barrett
Directed by: Christian Nyby
After Adam is bushwhacked by three army deserters, Ben tracks them down, and tackles the brutal Captain Bolton who is pursuing them.
Guest Stars: Neda...Gloria Talbott,...Captain James Bolton...Chris
Alcaide,...Colonel Metcalfe...Dayton Lummis,...Corporal...Sherwood
Price,...Jimmy Sutton...Joe Maross,...Paul Tyler,...Grant
Williams,...Mertz...James Parnell.
Trivia: Guest star Grant Williams, in his first
appearance, would later be seen in "Patchwork Man" and serial star Gloria Talbott, in this episode as well. Veteran actor Joe Maross, seen in many TV series and movies, played a judge in Highway To Heaven's, "The Monster". Guest star Chris Alcaide as Captain Bolton, making his first appearance, would later appear in season four's, "The Boss", and in season eight's, "The Deed and the Dilemma". Character actor Sherwood Price makes his debut, as one of Captain Bolton's soldiers, he would later appear in season two's, "Silent Thunder", "The Secret", season five's, "My Son, My Son", and in season eight's, "A Time To Step Down".
Trivia: During the final day of shooting the concluding scene
had actor Grant Williams and his friends ambushing Pernell when Captain
Bolton shows up. Finally, the soldiers reunite with Pernell against the
Captain. Pernell and Grant were standing together when Pernell fired his
gun, loaded with blanks of course. Grant heard the blast and automatically
going for his throat, felt a sharp and burning sensation. Part of the
shell casing had ejected into the left side of his throat with little
bleeding. Pernell was shocked at the accident and that didn't affect
their relationship as they were friends. Two years later, Grant had
surgery with the risk that the left side of his face would collapse from
the injury and made a successful recovery and resumed his acting career.
Location Scenes Filmed at: Iverson Ranch, Southern California.
Filming dates: January 22-29, 1960
26.) The Avenger
March 19, 1960
Written by: Clair Huffaker
Directed by: Christian Nyby
A restaurant owner whom Ben and Adam have confronted over stolen Ponderosa beef ends up dead one night. His daughter, Sally Byrnes runs the cafe and in her resentment, wrongfully accuses Ben and Adam of murdering her father and they are sentenced to hang. A rancher by the name of Hawkins is also jealous of the Cartwrights and has hired his men to stop the town from helping Ben and Adam, ensuring they hang. Hoss and Joe are willing to stop them, but Ben insists they stay within the limits of the law.
Hope arrives in the form of a mysterious stranger named Lassiter. He's
searching for the man who wrongly accused and hung his father in
Lassiter, Kansas. He forms an alliance with Hoss and Joe to stop Hawkins
and his men from wrongly hanging Ben and Adam. At the climax, it's
revealed that Hawkins is the man that Lassiter is looking for, to avenge
his father's wrongful death. This episode was a pilot for a series,
starring Vic Morrow that never sold at the network.
Guest Stars: Lassiter...Vic Morrow,...Sally Byrnes...Jean
Allison,...Hawkins...Richard Devon,...Fred...James
Anderson,...Bert...Harry Swoger,...Ed Baxter...Ian
Wolfe,...Thornton...Nestor Paiva,...Sheriff Hansen...Robert
Griffin,...Jimmy...Eugene Martin,...Hoag...Bill Catching,...Barney
Arden...Robert Brubaker,...Giles...Bern Bassey...(uncredited; bit part),...Zeke Jackson...Dan White...(uncredited; bit part),...Deputy
Bill...Bill Clark...(uncredited; extra).
Trivia: Vic Morrow makes his first of two appearances on the series. He
plays Lassiter in this episode. He calls himself Lassiter because it's
the town in Kansas where Hawkins organized a lynch party and wrongly
hung his father, which he reflects in the storyline. Morrow later
appears in three's "The Tin Badge" as Brock. Sadly in 1982, Vic Morrow
was killed at Indian Dunes park while filming a segment for "The
Twilight Zone" film. While filming a night scene, the helicopter's
engine failed and instantly killed him and two Asian children, a
terrible tragedy. His daughter is actress Jennifer Jason Leigh, who
changed her last name from Morrow to Jason Leigh, something her father
was not happy about.
The beautiful Jean Allison appears as Sally Byrnes and Richard Devon makes
the first of a handful of appearances on the series. He plays Hawkins in
this episode. James Anderson plays Fred, the leader of the gunmen who
Hawkins hires to make sure Ben and Adam hang. He later appears in four's
"Little Man-Ten Feet Tall" as Al. Harry Swoger makes the first of a
handful of appearances on the series, in this episode as Bert.
Ian Wolfe plays Ed Baxter, the owner of the Territorial Enterprise. He later appears in two's "Bank Run" as the corrupt Mr. Harrison, than as Gideon in "The Many Faces of Gideon Flinch" and as Amos in six's "The Spotlight". Nestor Paiva plays Thornton, the
hangman and is later seen in five's "Ponderosa Matador" as Senor Tenino. The Sheriff is played by character actor Robert Griffin and Jimmy is
played by Eugene Martin. He later appears as J. W. in eight's
"Napoleon's Children".
Actor and stuntman Bill Catching plays Hoag and
Robert Brubaker makes his first of many appearances on the series. He
plays Barney Arden in this episode. Stuntman Bill Clark plays Deputy
Bill, along with Bern Bassey as the hangman's assistant, Giles. And
character actor Dan White makes his first of a small round of
appearances on the series. He plays stableman Zeke Jackson in this
episode.
Filming dates: February 1-8, 1960
27.) The Last Trophy
March 26, 1960
Written by: Bill S. Ballinger
Directed by: Lewis Allen
Adam takes Ben's friends, Lord Marion Dunsworth and Lady Beatrice, on a hunting expedition, and they are captured by a gang of crude thieves and murderers. During one early scene, after listening to Ben reminisce, Hoss says, "Always like to hear Pa get wound up. He don't do it often."
Guest Stars: Lady Beatrice Dunsford...Hazel Court,...Lord Marion
Dunsworth...Edward Ashley,...Simon Belcher...Bert Freed,...Whitey...Ken
Mayer,...Touma...Naomi Stevens,...Cavanaugh...Don Hix...Cavanaugh's
Grandson...Jimmy Carter.
Trivia: Guest star Bert Freed, in his first appearance, would later be seen in "The Late Ben Cartwright" as Broom, a corrupt politician.
Location Scenes Filmed at: Iverson Ranch, Southern California.
Filming dates: February 9-16, 1960
28.) San Francisco
April 2, 1960
Written by: Thomas Thompson
Directed by: Arthur Lubin
In this comic episode, the first to take place far from the ranch, Ben, Hoss, and Joe deliver a herd to San Francisco. Although he warns his sons to be careful in the big city ("This is not the Ponderosa!"), Ben is the one who is shanghaied and must be rescued. One of the last productions to use Paramount's huge water tank, which had to be excavated from under a parking lot in 1984 for the fourth "Star Trek" film. While
immersed in the tank, Lorne Greene's hairpiece floated to the top, and he would not come up until he found it.
Guest Stars: Kathleen~Quick Buck Katie...Kathleen Crowley,...Alexander
Pendelton~Shanghai Pete...David White,...Hop Sing...Victor Sen
Yung,...Cut Rate Joe...Murvyn Vye,...Captain Shark...Richard
Deacon,...Johnny...Robert Nichols,...Hamp...O. Z.
Whitehead,...Sergeant...Stephen Roberts,...Cousin # 3...James
Hong,...Bartender...Herb Vigran,...Big Henchman...Michael Ross,...Little
Henchman...Donnelly Rhodes,...Busthead Brannigan...Tor Johnson,...Bob
Miles...(uncredited; stunt double for Michael Landon),...Bill
Clark...(uncredited; stunt double for Lorne Greene and Dan Blocker).
Trivia: Kathleen Crowley makes the first of three appearances on the
series, in this episode as Kathleen, also called Quick Buck Katie. David
White plays the mild-mannered saloon owner Alexander Pendleton, also
called Shanghai Pete. He was a veteran character actor and best
remembered on "Bewitched". Murvyn Vye plays Cut Rate Joe and Richard
Deacon as Captain Shark. James Hong plays Hop Sing's Cousin Number 3 in
this episode, with Robert Nichols as Johnny and O. Z. Whitehead as Hamp.
Tor Johnson plays the giant wrestler Busthead Brannigan that Hoss beats
in the match. Character actor Michael Ross play the big henchman in the
bar with Donnelly Rhodes as the little henchmen, seen throughout this
episode, dunking Ben and Hoss in the water. Herb Vigran plays the
bartender in this episode, and Stephen Roberts as the Sergeant at the
police station. Victor Sen Yung, as Hop Sing has even more screentime than in "The Fear Merchants".
Stunt Trivia: Bob Miles doubles Joe in the long shots on the boat, with
Bill Clark doubling Ben in act four. Michael and Lorne just do their
filmed close-ups. In the scenes where Ben and Hoss are dumped down the
floor chute in the saloon, Bill Clark doubles them both and falls below
the floor onto a mattress. Then the filmed cuts of Lorne and Dan falling
in the B-tank are edited in with the saloon cuts.
Michael Landon Trivia: Michael told a story on the Johnny Carson show about Lorne never wanting to be seen without his toupee: "When Lorne would go into the make-up department, he’d have a hat on and the door to the make up department looked like an apartment door in New York city, there are eight locks, right. Then he’d come out and he’d be there. One day, he had to jump off a ship in the B tank at Paramount. Well, when he jumped in, we used to call it, the gray rat, it stuck on the top of the water. Lorne went under. So the assistant director, I mean, he’d go, ‘turn it off, boys,’ and walk away from it. He wants to pretend no one notices. Well, Dan and I can’t wait to see Dad without it so we’re leanin’ over the thing, waitin’ for Lorne to come up. He doesn’t come up. He doesn’t come up, bubbles come up. And now it looks like the ad for deliverance. You remember the hand that comes up, like this, searching. And he finds it, shroop, under it goes. I mean, he held his breath for three minutes. He came up and he had it on top like a beret."
Filming dates: February 9-16, 1960
29.) Bitter Water
April 9, 1960
Written by: Harold Jack Bloom
Directed by: George Blair
Original Story Title: "Cattle Plague"
Len Keith, a miner, wants to purchase some land adjacent to the
Ponderosa from rancher Andy McKaren. Andy's son, Tod, is anxious to
sell. Keith has offered him a partnership,and more importantly, he is in
love with Keith's daughter. When Ben warns Andy that a mine on the
property would foul up Ponderosa water, Andy agrees not to sell the
land. Len Keith, determined to get that land, plants tick infested cattle
in a Ponderosa herd to turn Andy against the Cartwrights.
Guest Stars: Tod McKaren...Don Dubbins,...Virginia Keith...Merry
Anders,..Len Keith...Robert Simon,...Andy McKaren...Rhys Williams,...Jim
Tucker...Ken Becker,...Roy Wilkins...Frank Watkins,...Jamison...Clarke
Alexander,...Cosmo...Forrest Taylor,...Lynn Noe...(extra; uncredited as
saloon girl).
Michael Landon Trivia: Michael met his wife to be Lynn on the set of Bonanza when she was an extra in this episode. Lynn later said in an interview on the Mike Douglas show, "I worked extra, usually as a model or a dancer. They put me on Bonanza and I wanted to go home until I saw green eyes here (Michael) and I changed my mind." Lynn is the saloon girl with golden blonde hair who walks down the
saloon aisle next to the bar, and just as Adam enters the saloon doors,
she sits down at a table to the left of him.
Location Scenes Filmed at: Janss Conejo Ranch and newly filmed July 1959 stock footage at Tahoe Meadows, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Filming dates: February 16-24, 1960
30.) Feet Of Clay
April 16, 1960
Written by: John Furia, Jr.
Directed by: Arthur Lubin
Hoss takes Billy Allen, the young son of a convicted felon under his wing, then is forced to kill his father and Billy will not forgive
him. The most emotional Hoss story since "The Newcomers" and one of Blocker's best.
Guest Stars: Billy Allen...David Ladd,...Vance Allen...Logan
Field,...Pike...Robert Tetrick,...Hop Sing...Victor Sen
Yung,...Sheriff...Tom Greenway,...Charlie...Guy
Prescott,...Oroville...Philip Grayson,...Mr. Sherman...John
Eldredge,...Sarah...Riza Royce,...Shotgun Driver...Bob Miles...(uncredited; stunt).
Trivia: David Ladd makes his only appearance on the series as Billy
Allen. He is the son of the late Alan Ladd. In 1974, he married Cheryl
Jean Stoppelmoor, who became Cheryl Ladd seen on TV. They divorced in
1980 and they both remarried. They bore one daughter named Jordan Ladd.
David has been a successful producer in recent years in the motion
picture business. His mother is actress/agent Sue Carol.
Character actor Logan Field plays Billy's father Vance Allen, with
Robert Tetrick as his partner Pike. The Sheriff is played by minor
support actor Tom Greenway. Mr. Sherman is played by support actor John
Eldredge and Victor Sen Yung slips in another appearance as Hop Sing,
with the first incarnation of his kitchen on Stage 17--but not adjoined
to the dining room yet. This set was separate from the ground floor
living quarters. His new kitchen adjoined to the dining room, would be
seen later in the second season, since the first set arrangements didn't
work out as part of the Ponderosa house exterior and was unfilmable on
Stage 17, and the entire house exterior and yard was moved to Stage 16,
after the first season concluded in March 1960.
Trivia: This is the first episode where Ben instructs Joe to "take your
feet off the table", a routine situation that would be enjoyed for the
next decade on the series.
Stunt Trivia: Bob Miles plays the shotgun driver who gets shot off the
stage by Vance and Pike in the story.
Location Scenes Filmed at: Lake Hemet, California with 1959 stock
footage at Iverson Ranch, Southern California.
Filming dates: February 25 to March 3, 1960
31.) Dark Star
April 23, 1960
Written by: Anthony Lawrence
Directed by: Lewis Allen
Joe falls in love with Tirza, an undeniably strange gypsy girl who says she is cursed and never does seem to "snap out of it". The first episode of the series with a supernatural flavor, directed appropriately enough, by Lewis Allen, who made the classic ghost film "The Uninvited".
Guest Stars: Tirza...Susan Harrison,...Zurka...Hugo
Haas,...Bruja...Lili Valenty,...Spiro...Arthur Batanides,...Bruja's
Helper...Argentina Brunetti,...Doctor...Grandon Rhodes,...Bob Miles...(stunts; uncredited for Arthur Batanides).
Trivia: Born on August 26, 1938, in Leesburg, Florida, Susan Harrison
(Tirza), is the mother of actress Darva Conger, who played the instant
bride in "Who Wants To Marry A Multi-Millionaire", a Fox "reality-TV"
program, in February 2000. Susan has five children; four boys and one
girl. Her daughter Darva Conger married actor Rick Rockwell on, "Who Wants
To Marry A Multi-Millionaire". Darva, born in 1966, presently lives with
her mother/former actress, Susan Harrison, in Thousand Oaks, Ca.
Trivia: Guest star Arthur Batanides as the villain of a gypsy, Spiro, who Little Joe must save his life against, also remembered as Lt. D' Amato, in the classic Star Trek episode, "That Which Survives". Bobby Miles, doubling as Little Joe, in the long shots of the whip fight, knife fight, and fist fight, with actor Arthur Batanides, who plays the evil gypsy. Character actor Grandon Rhodes fills in for character
actor Roy Engel playing Doc Martin in this episode. Rhodes would not be
seen as Doc Martin until later on in the fifth season replacing Roy
Engel in five's "Bullet For A Bride".
Location Scenes Filmed at: Albertson Ranch, Southern California and June/July 1959 stock footage at Solitude Canyon, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Filming dates: March 4-14, 1960
32.) Death At Dawn
April 30, 1960
Written by: Laurence Mascott
Directed by: Charles F. Haas
Virginia City is plagued by organized crime, Sam Bryant and his gang. One of his men, Farmer Perkins, kills a storekeeper, and at his trial, the wife of the store owner is afraid to testify. When Perkins is sentenced to hang, Bryant kidnaps Ben and wants to exchange Ben for Perkins, which leaves Adam with the most difficult decision of his life. A stellar cast.
Guest Stars: Sam Bryant...Robert Middleton,...Farmer Perkins...Gregory
Walcott,...Sheriff Biggs...Morgan Woodward,...Beth Cameron...Nancy
Deale,...McNeil...Paul Carr,...Judge Scribner...Wendell Holmes,...Dr.
Tom Brahm...Hugh Sanders,...Norton...Peter Leeds,...Gunman #1...Ric
Marlow,...Hangman...Anthony Jochim,...Mr. Cameron...Bill
Edwards,...Kelly...Jess Kirkpatrick...(uncredited; bit part),...Gunman #2...Bill Clark...(uncredited; extra),...Bob
Miles...Townsman...(uncredited; extra).
Trivia: Veteran character actor Robert Middleton makes his first
appearance on the series as Sam Bryant. He later appears in five's "King
of the Mountain" as Grizzly and in eight's "The Greedy Ones" as Shasta.
Gregory Walcott makes his first of many appearances, in this episode he
plays Farmer Perkins. He later appears as Danny Morgan in four's "Song
in the Dark", eight's "Amigo" as Captain John Fenner", ten's "My Friend,
My Enemy" as Sheriff Crawford, eleven's "A Darker Shadow" as Wade
Turner, twelve's "Thornton's Account" as Ed Thornton, and in fourteen's
"Riot" as Cooper.
Nancy Deale plays Beth Cameron, the wife of Mr. Cameron, who is killed
by Farmer Perkins. Nancy had met Lorne Greene in the late 1940's when
she was living in Canada and in 1953, they separatley moved to Los
Angeles. Nancy and Lorne later married in 1961, with Lorne painfully
divorcing his first wife, Rita Hands, who he was married to since 1938.
Nancy and Lorne were married for 26 years, up to his passing in
September 1987. Character actor Paul Carr plays McNeil, the little and
somewhat neurotic young gunman who winds up killing Sam Bryant at the
conclusion of this episode. He played Lt. Lee Kelso in the second Star
Trek pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before" in 1966. Michael Landon also
hired him in the 1980's, for one 'Highway to Heaven' episode "Normal People" as Mr. Raney.
Minor support player Hugh Sanders plays Dr. Brahm, along with Peter
Leeds as Norton. Leeds was a regular on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny
Carson. Ric Marlow plays one of Bryant's gunmen in a minor role who
scoffs Adam when he tells the men in the saloon that anyone who commits
murder will be hung, and earlier in the saloon, watching Hoss arm
wrestle Farmer Perkins and they arrest him for trial. Anthony Jochim
plays the Hangman and Bill Edwards plays Mr. Cameron, who is killed by
Farmer Perkins. He's later seen as Mr. Hoffman in part two of seven's
"Ride the Wind". Stuntman Bill Clark does an extra role, playing another
of Bryant's gunmen, and Bob Miles plays a townsman in the courtroom. This was the last episode filmed and aired the first season.
Michael Landon Trivia: In an interview, Michael talks about a scene from this episode. "In one scene I was supposed to be stalking an outlaw. He was hiding in this alley between two of the studio built western stores. My part there was to run along the ‘boardwalk’ so that he could hear me coming, but instead of running straight around the corner into his bullets, I had to dive full length into the space between the two stores, twisting in the air as I did so, plus drawing my pistol, and shooting the guy before I hit the ground. Brother! You oughta try it! I had to do the same scene over and over again until the director was satisfied and was I sore!"
Filming dates: March 15-22, 1960
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