LARAMIE: KILLER LEGEND (TV)
Summary
One in this series of western dramas about ranchers in the Wyoming territory of the 1870s. In this episode, Jess catches a man sneaking around Sheriff Corey's office at night. After a brief tussle, Jess observes that the man is clearly just out of jail, and he explains that his name is Tom Wade and that he was framed for the robbery for which he was imprisoned. Jess recalls hearing of him as a particularly fast gun, and when Wade asks about Corey, Jess explains that he is filling in for him while Corey attends to his ill father in Denver. Jess agrees to allow Wade to work off the damages and restart his life, but in the morning, he finds that Wade has been gambling with the troublemaking Bartell brothers and has taken their money. Jess defends him, and the brothers criticize him for fraternizing with a "jailbird." Later, a woman named Julie arrives in town and explains to Jess that she is Wade's wife and wants to stop him from killing Corey, as he plans to do. When they find Wade, he asserts that Corey framed him to advance his own career, but claims he merely wants to meet with him, avoiding an open threat against his life. Back at the hotel, Wade receives a message and meets with his old friend and employer Milt Lane, who believes in his innocence and attempts to warn him against pursuing Corey, but Wade dismisses him.
Jess meets with Julia again and she maintains Wade's innocence, making Jess suspect that he was framed by someone other than Corey. He enlists her help to keep an eye on her husband, and Lane offers to help Wade, telling him when and where Corey will return to town. Julie catches him leaving and rushes to tell Jess, who pursues him, but when he catches up to Wade, they are both shot at by the Bartells. Wade is hit in the arm, and Jess observes that someone wants him dead. Julie asks the hotel manager about Lane and secretly searches his room for clues. Lane meets with the Bartells, revealing that he hired them to kill Wade, and they decide to summon more gunman to help, unknowingly overheard by Julie. Jess patches up Wade and Wade refuses to give up Lane, thinking that he was tricked by the Bartells, and when Corey suddenly returns, Wade threatens him. However, Corey explains that he has been working with Julie to clear Wade's name and shows him letters and other evidence, and Wade realizes that Lane is the true culprit. Julie arrives and shows them Lane's diary with proof of his crimes and tells them about the additional gunman coming for them. Corey, Wade, Jess and another elderly man wait for Lane and the Bartells, and though they are outnumbered, they manage to defeat the criminals in the ensuing shootout. Afterwards, Corey states that he will get a full pardon for Wade, and then reveals that the tough old man who assisted them is really his "sick" father, brought from Denver to help, much to Jess' awe. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: December 12, 1961 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:50:09
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:03601
- GENRE: Drama, western
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, western
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1959-1963
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- John Champion … Producer
- Dan Ullman … Associate Producer
- Hollingsworth Morse … Director
- Rod Peterson … Writer
- Robert Hamner … Writer
- Cyril Mockridge … Music by
- John Smith … Cast, Slim Sherman
- Robert Fuller … Cast, Jess Harper
- Spring Byington … Cast, Daisy Cooper
- Dennis Holmes … Cast, Mike Williams
- Pat Conway … Cast, Tom Wade
- Joan Evans … Cast, Julie Wade
- Dick Foran … Cast, Milt Lane
- Keven Hagen … Cast, Roy Bartell
- Stuart Randall … Cast, Sheriff Mort Corey
- Harry Lauter … Cast, Joe Bartell
- Hal Smith … Cast, George
- Norman Leavitt … Cast, Freddie
- Chuck Roberson … Cast, Marker
- Eddie Baker … Cast, The Elderly Gentleman