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LARAMIE: THE REPLACEMENT (TV)

Summary

One in this series of western dramas about ranchers in the Wyoming territory of the 1870s. In this episode, Sheriff Mort Corey frets over having had to shoot a seventeen-year-old in the midst of a robbery, but Jess and Slim assure him that he had no choice. The city judges question the incident, however, and decide to bring in a new deputy. Mose arrives in his coach with two newcomers, Paul Halleck and his daughter Sharon, and Slim realizes that he is Mort's potential replacement. Jess recognizes the man and angrily reveals that six years ago, during the war, Halleck ran a prison camp in which he and his friends were held. He declares his plans to kill Halleck, and knocks out Slim when he attempts to stop him. Mort meets Halleck and notes his war decorations, and Jess confronts Halleck in a saloon. Halleck remembers him and states that he is now a law officer, and when he turns to leave, Jess fires a warning shot. Slim intervenes and Jess apologizes, planning to drop the matter, but they then encounter the Duncan brothers, Johnny and Knute, and Johnny reveals that Knute has not spoken since his traumatic experience with Halleck in the prison camp as a boy, and Jess renews his desire to kill the man.

Mort defends Jess' actions in the saloon to Halleck, acknowledging that Halleck is likely there for his job, and Halleck threatens to kill Jess if there is further trouble. Sharon approaches Jess and argues that her father also had a hard time in the war and had no choice about the camp, adding that Jess would have done the same in his position. Mort talks to Slim about Jess' grudge, hoping he can get past it, and little Mike wonders about his friend's uncharacteristic actions. Mort confronts Jess and urges him not to take action, but Jess seems unmoved. He is soon joined by the Duncans and two other veterans, McDermott and Harrison, and they renew their "pledge" to kill Halleck, though Jess is reluctant. Slim talks with Daisy and then visits Jess again, who explains that it was Knute's condition that changed his mind, saying that he "can't forgive Halleck the living." The town empties, and Halleck tells Mort to stay out of the confrontation, admitting that he only took up the badge to "buy time" and protect himself. He then reveals that it was actually Johnny, not him, who injured Knute in the camp in a fit of rage after a failed escape, and elsewhere, Knute decides not to fight and deserts the others. The men prepare for their showdown, and Slim tries to intervene peacefully, but Johnny is killed and his men injured in the ensuing shootout. Later, Sharon bids Jess a fond farewell and she and Halleck leave town, and Jess and Slim tell Mort that the entire town has vouched for him to remain sheriff, then adding their own signatures to the petition. Includes commercials.

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: March 27, 1962 7:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T80:0017
  • GENRE: Drama, western
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, western
  • SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1959-1963
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - Havoline motor oil
    • TV - Commercials - Medi-Quik first aid spray
    • TV - Commercials - Polident denture cleanser
    • TV - Commercials - Remington Lektronic II electric razor
    • TV - Commercials - Schlitz beer
    • TV - Commercials - Vaseline hair tonic
    • TV - Promos - "Laramie" upcoming episode

CREDITS

  • John Champion … Producer
  • Dan Ullman … Associate Producer
  • Lesley Selander … Director
  • Richard Newman … Writer
  • Cyril Mockridge … Theme Music by
  • John Smith … Cast, Slim Sherman
  • Robert Fuller … Cast, Jess Harper
  • Spring Byington … Cast, Daisy Cooper
  • Dennis Holmes … Cast, Mike Williams
  • Richard Coogan … Cast, Paul Halleck
  • Stuart Randall … Cast, Sheriff Mort Corey
  • L.Q. Jones … Cast, Johnny Duncan
  • Roberta Shore … Cast, Sharon Halleck
  • Chuck Courtney … Cast, Knute Duncan
  • Eddy Waller … Cast, Mose
  • Addison Richards … Cast, Mayor
  • John Harmon … Cast, Councilman Rawlins
  • William Fawcett … Cast, The Bartender
  • Dennis Rush … Cast, The Bit Boy
  • Tru Garrett … Cast, Harrison
  • Paul E. Burns … Cast, The Telegraph Clerk
  • Hank Patterson … Cast, Sundown