DICK POWELL'S ZANE GREY THEATRE: A GUN IS FOR KILLING (TV)
Summary
One in this western anthology series hosted by Dick Powell. Powell makes opening remarks about the manufacture of guns in the Old West.
Rancher Russ Andrews discovers that his nineteen year-old son Dan has been shot and killed by a traveling gunman named Billy Jack. Billy Jack asks Russ to come into town after him, but Russ avoids heading into town for two months thereafter. He wants to challenge Billy Jack but his wife Claire prevents him, having grown to abhor violence since Dan's death. Russ explains that Billy Jack has killed several others before and escapes punishment by getting his victims to draw first, thus being able to claim that he acted in self-defense. However, Claire has made Russ promise never to draw a gun again, and reacts strongly when her younger son Bobby asks for a hunting rifle for Christmas. Russ prepares to head into town to pick up supplies, checking on a pistol he has hidden in a grain barrel. Bobby spies on him checking the gun and after he leaves takes it out to play around with it. Claire nearly finds him with it but he hides the gun behind some jars of preserves.
Russ arrives at the town general store to get supplies and runs into Billy Jack purchasing a new gun. He goads Russ into punching him in the stomach, and only the store owner is able to prevent Billy Jack from drawing his gun and killing Russ. Russ returns home angry at his encounter with Billy Jack. Claire is worried that the urge to kill may be manifesting itself in Russ, and asks him to refrain from doing so for Bobby's sake. In the middle of the night Billy Jack arrives and unhitches Russ's horses. He asks Claire and Bobby to get out and barricades the door. Billy Jack fires into the house and breaks in. He chases Russ out to the stable, where Russ frantically searches for his gun but cannot find it. Billy Jack tries to set the stable on fire and corners Russ by the jars of preserves. Russ throws the jars at Billy Jack and finds his gun, drawing it on Billy Jack and shooting him dead. Russ puts out the fire and lets his gun slide from his hand. The episode ends as Russ and Claire reunite and embrace. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: October 18, 1957 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:13
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:12518
- GENRE: Drama, western
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, western
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1956-1961
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Hal Hudson … Producer
- Thomas Carr … Director
- Aaron Spelling … Writer
- Peter Ballas … Writer
- Dick Powell … Host
- Edmond O'Brien … Cast, Russ Andrews
- Marsha Hunt … Cast, Claire Andrews
- Robert Vaughn … Cast, Billy Jack
- Paul Engle … Cast, Bobby Andrews
- Walter Reed … Cast, Sam Cluny
- James Maloney … Cast, Will Parr
- Michael Hinn … Cast, Ebie Brenner
- John Brinkley … Cast, Rich Watson