ADVENTURES OF JIM BOWIE, THE: SECESSIONIST (TV)
Summary
One in this western series about the exploits of frontiersman Jim Bowie in 19th-Century Louisiana. Jim rides into Natchez to meet with Major Owen Jordan about a secret matter of some importance. On the way he is caught in a trap by a pair of highwaymen, but they recognize him and leave him be. At the Natchez inn, Jim meets Madeline Perrois, the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner who pesters him for assistance in reaching New Orleans for a ball. Jim declines and Major Jordan arrives with his son Pat. In private, Major Jordan tells Jim that a French secession movement is forming in New Iberia. The leader is Paul Bouchard, a former army captain asked by President Jackson to investigate the movement. However, he is now stirring up the local Cajun people by claiming that the United States government plans to take their land and deport them. Major Jordan has been ordered by President Jackson to deliver a letter personally assuring the Cajun people of their rights and property. He asks Jim to escort him to New Iberia and Jim agrees. However, a moment later Major Jordan is shot and killed by one of the highwaymen from earlier, who rides off. Jim decides to pose as Major Jordan and get revenge on Bouchard, who he feels is responsible for Major Jordan's death. He asks Pat to accompany him, posing as his brother. They arrive in New Iberia and Jim discovers that while Bouchard is rich and owns much of the town, he has recently accrued massive gambling debts. Jim meets with Bouchard at his manor and asks about his investigations into the movement, which Bouchard downplays as being no longer significant. Jim gives him the letter and asks him to deliver it to the local Cajun people. Bouchard invites Jim to a party he is hosting that night. After Jim leaves, the two highwaymen, Bouchard's henchmen, appear; Bouchard realizes that Jim is an impostor and hopes to expose him at the party. Jim and Pat attend the party and Bouchard tries to trick Jim into revealing his true identity. Bouchard succeeds when Madeline unexpectedly arrives and identifies Jim. Pat manages to escape as Jim is carried off to jail, accused of murdering the real Major Jordan. Madeline visits Jim in jail, having been told of the situation by Pat. She slips him his knife and they work together to trick the guard so that Jim can escape. Jim and Pat infiltrate a meeting called by Bouchard with several leaders of the local Cajun people asking for contributions to a committee in Paris for the purposes of secession. Jim holds one of Bouchard's henchmen at knifepoint and gets him to reveal Bouchard's deceptions; the secession movement was all part of his ploy to get money to pay off his gambling debts. Jim placates the Cajun leaders, persuading them not to act against the government. President Jackson personally thanks Jim and Pat and gives pat an appointment at West Point. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: November 9, 1956 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:18
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:50129
- 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
- Arthur Rowe … Writer
- Monte Barrett … Based on the novel "The Tempered Blade" by
- Ken Darby … Music by
- The King's Men … Music by
- John Laing … Narrator
- Scott Forbes … Cast, Jim Bowie
- Marilyn Saris … Cast, Madeline Perrois
- Nestor Paiva … Cast, Paul Bouchard
- Bobby Ellis … Cast, Pat Jordan
- Robert Lynn … Cast, Major Owen Jordan
- Leslie Kimmel … Cast, President Jackson
- Jacques Gallo … Cast, Andre
- George Khoury … Cast, Michel
- Joel Fluellen … Cast, Joseph
- Geraldine Hall … Cast, 1st Lady
- Hal Gerard … Cast, Jacques
- Ralph Bennett … Cast, Frenchman