MAVERICK: HOSTAGE! {1970s RERUN} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of offbeat western dramas about the Mavericks, unlikely heroes who prefer gambling to gunplay.
In this episode, Bret and Bart attempt to charm their way onto the maiden voyage of the River Princess, wagering that they can score invitations from the wealthy Creole owner, Henri Devereaux. They sit near Henri at a saloon, watching as he chastises his daughter Yvette for eyeing the establishment's handsome American singer. As the pair storm out, Yvette is suddenly kidnapped and whisked off in a carriage. Bret and Bart take it upon themselves to track her down, but they quickly discover that she engineered the "subterfuge" with her lover, the singer and lowly muskrat trapper Jody Collins, so that he might win over her father by "rescuing" her. However, Jody then turns on Yvette and, aware that Henri will cut her off financially if she marries him, orders her to write a ransom note for $50,000.
Bret intervenes and claims that he and Bart are experienced kidnappers and robbers, offering to assist Jody with the scheme for a cut of the money. At the same time, Henri desperately summons the police to find Yvette, though he is unsure when Inspector Marvin asserts that the Maverick brothers must have been in on the crime. Bart quickly plays along with his brother's scheme, and Bret offers to stay behind as a hostage while Bart takes the message to Henri and obtains the ransom money. Bart then incapacitates the lookout, Rick, and buys two pounds of gunpowder from the local shopkeeper, Ziggy. He then returns to Henri and the police and explains the plot, showing them Yvette's necklace to confirm his story. Inspector Marvin remains skeptical that the brothers could have fooled the criminals so easily. When Ziggy arrives and mentions the gunpowder, Inspector Marvin places Bart under arrest.
Back at the hideout, Bret tries to sow discord by suggesting that Jody should ditch his sidekicks once he has the money; he uses the distraction to help Yvette escape – but they are then caught by Rick. Inspector Marvin tries to bargain with Bart, offering him half the ransom money for the location of Yvette and the kidnappers. Henri decides to trust him and hands over the cash in an envelope, into which Bart carefully adds the gunpowder and a fuse. He returns to the hideout and gives Jody the booby-trapped ransom, though Jody jeers that Bart will not risk killing himself and his brother; he ends up shooting his own men when they express their fear, allowing Bart and Bret seconds to escape with Yvette before the powder detonates. Later, Henri apologizes for doubting the brothers, and as a reward, they are finally granted their much-desired invitations aboard the River Princess after all. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC/KHJ-TV, Los Angeles
- DATE: November 10, 1957 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:56:13
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:81016
- GENRE: Drama, western
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, western; Drama, action/adventure; Kidnapping
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1957-1962
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Moonrunners" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - American Airlines
- TV - Commercials - Anacin painkillers
- TV - Commercials - Bayer aspirin
- TV - Commercials - Boone's Farm Country Kwencher wines
- TV - Commercials - Carpeteria carpet stores
- TV - Commercials - Dristan allergy medication
- TV - Commercials - Eagleson's men's apparel
- TV - Commercials - Jack LaLanne health clubs
- TV - Commercials - Lee's Bars, Stools 'n' Dinettes furniture store
- TV - Commercials - May Co beauty salons
- TV - Commercials - Orange Plus orange juice
- TV - Commercials - Safeway stores
- TV - Commercials - Sears stores
- TV - Commercials - Standard Brands Incorporated
- TV - Commercials - Two Guys department stores
- TV - Commercials - Wilsons leather shops
- TV - Commercials - Zody's stores
- TV - Promos - "Concentration"
- TV - Promos - "Ironside"
- TV - Promos - "Million Dollar Movie: Destiny of a Spy"
CREDITS
- William T. Orr … Executive Producer
- Roy Huggins … Producer
- Richard L. Bare … Director
- Gerald Drayson Adams … Writer
- James Garner … Cast, Bret Maverick
- Jack Kelly … Cast, Bart Maverick
- Laurie Carroll … Cast, Yvette Devereaux
- Don Durant … Cast, Jody Collins
- Stephen Bekassy … Cast, Henri Devereaux
- Trevor Bardette … Cast, Inspector Marvin
- Wright King … Cast, Rick
- Mickey Simpson … Cast, Jubal
- John Harmon … Cast, Ziggy
- Jean Del Val … Cast, Anton Rivage