ADVENTURES OF JIM BOWIE, THE: THE GHOST OF JEAN BARTOO (TV)
Summary
One in this western series about the exploits of frontiersman Jim Bowie in 19th-Century Louisiana. Jim rides into Opelousas to figure out why his hired hands haven't been showing up for work, as his sugarcane needs harvesting. The sheriff warns Jim that Curley Lambert, a recently released prisoner, is looking to get revenge on Jim for putting him behind bars. Curley spies on Jim, eager to get rid of him so that he can reopen his gambling hall without interference. Jim learns that his hired hands are too frightened to show up for work because of the arrival of what they believe to be the ghost of Jean Bartoo, a notorious buccaneer who died twenty years ago. Jim investigates reports of the ghost and soon finds a pair of Cajun folk, the Widow Tante and her son Raino, selling supposedly magical amulets in the street purported to ward off the ghost. Jim and Raino tussle before the sheriff breaks them up and lets the Tantes be on their way, as they technically have not committed any crimes. Curley sees the whole thing and sends his accomplice Red out to fetch the Tantes. Jim visits Pierre, the foreman of his hired hands, who is so frightened of the ghost that he nearly shoots Jim when he approaches. He shows Jim a note signed by Bartoo asking him to deliver a hundred dollars to him to prevent his coming at midnight. Jim points out the ridiculousness of a ghost requiring money and says he will meet the "ghost" himself at midnight. Curley meets with the Tantes and deduces that they are responsible for the reports of the ghost, as they tried a similar scheme several years ago in a different town. Curley purchases Raino's pirate costume from him and, reasoning that Jim will be at the rendezvous point to meet the "ghost," decides to dress as Bartoo so he can claim Jim's life. Pierre and Jim wait up for the ghost, and at the stroke of midnight Curley arrives in costume, claiming to be the ghost. He and Jim shoot at each other, managing to injure each other. Curley rides away and Jim and Pierre follow on horseback. They return to town and start looking around for Curley, who believes that he has killed Jim. Jim sneaks by and defeats both Curley and Red, exposing the fraudulent "ghost" for the town to see. Curley also admits that he got the idea from the Tantes. The next morning, Jim finds that his hired hands have tracked down and captured the Tantes in revenge; he asks that they be put in jail until the sheriff returns. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: November 2, 1956 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:24:56
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:50128
- GENRE: Drama, western
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, western
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1956-1958
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Louis F. Edelman … Executive Producer
- William H. Wright … Producer
- Lewis R. Foster … Director, Writer
- Nat Tanchuck … Writer
- Monte Barrett … Based on the novel "The Tempered Blade" by
- Ken Darby … Music by
- The King's Men … Music by
- Scott Forbes … Cast, Jim Bowie
- Kem Dibbs … Cast, Curley Lambert
- Dorothy Neumann … Cast, Widow Tante
- Joe Conley … Cast, Raino Tante
- John Parrish … Cast, Sheriff
- Lewis Charles … Cast, Louis Lundi
- Ann Codee … Cast, Madame Lundi
- Stacy Harris … Cast, Red
- Charles Magenheim … Cast, Pierre