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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
As the drive approaches Rojo Canyon it is joined by Miss Ann Danvers, a professional singer, and her manager. Miss Danvers' real name is Melissa Perky, and she is searching the west for her father, who was a homesteader in the Rojo canyon area before the war but has since come up missing.
At first Mr. Favor doesn't approve of Miss Danvers' singing as he thinks it is disruptive to his drovers and their work schedule, but at a second glance he begins to take a shine to her.
A troop of cavalry shows up at the herd, led by an ex confederate colonel who has joined the US Army under an assumed name and attained the rank of sergeant. The sergeant, who is an old friend of Jim Quince and rode with him during the war, is on a complicated mission to infiltrate the Rojo canyon area with a troop of young, inexperienced recruits. His target is an unseen band of raiders living in the hills and preying upon homesteaders. In reality the enemy turns out to be a group of confederate soldiers using the remote Rojo canyon area as a base of operation. They have been cut off from the rest of the world for so long that they think the war is still going on. Mr. Perky, Melissa's father, is living among them as a prisoner of war despite the fact that he was never a soldier in either army. Gil Favor wants to stay of the army's affair and mind his own business, but when Jim Quince's sense of duty calls, he and Joe Scarlett ride away from the herd to join the cavalry. Favor and the rest of the boys are dragged into the whole mess by obligation.
Review:
The third season gallops in with a poignant episode written partially by actor Steve Raines, who portrayed Jim Quince, and guest starring famed actress and singer Julie London. Aside from doing a lot of research on the Civil War, Mr. Raines has written himself a few choice scenes, and as a result we gain a much better perspective on the Jim Quince character. Gil Favor's character is also well drawn in this one, as he goes from hard bitten to charming from beginning to end. Also of note, this is the first mention of Gil Favors' daughters, who are living in Philadelphia. At the end of the episode Favor agrees to meet Miss Danvers in Philadelphia when the drive ends in October. In the episode "Incident of the Fish out of Water", Mr. Favor actually winds up in Philadelphia searching for a lady in waiting named Millie Dutton, only to be informed that she has been taken by a new man. I wonder if Ann Danvers and Millie Dutton were meant to be the same character.
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Philip Lindley, England:
It's worth adding that the glamorous singer who turns up at the camp is played by real-life singing star Julie London, whose "Cry Me A River" was a big hit in the 50's. I believe she appeared in one or two big screen westerns. Her accompanist wearing the top hat is played by her real-life husband Bobby Troop, who wrote "Route 66," which the Rolling Stones are still performing when they tour! This thread to the story is only peripheral, but Julie makes an impact, particularly on the side of Gil Favor's head.
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
While hunting for water in the midst of a drought, Gil and Pete are caught in a twister. Favor's horse stumbles and he is lost in the dust. Pete is forced to abandon him. When he awakes Gil Favor finds his life has been saved by a Navajo Indian named Mitia, the last of his tribe, who has walked 3,000 miles on a quest to find a lost Navajo princess. Gil takes his newfound friend back to the herd, where Mitia befriends our always superstitious Hey Soos.
The next day, Gil Favor, with Mitia and Hey Soos, heads to the nearest town to try and buy water for his cattle. At first he is turned down by the town boss, but after talking for a while, the two reach a deal. Meanwhile Mitia and Hey Soos find a saloon girl named Rena whom they believe to be the princess. She also happens to be the mistress of the town boss.
At first
Rena is skeptical, but later she decides to leave her confusing life and join the herd. This causes the angry town boss to change his mind about the deal with Favor. Feeling guilty, Rena goes into the desert to pray for rain, where she is killed by Comanches.
Review: Complex episode very much influenced by the film "The Rain Maker," and written and directed by Charles Marquis Warren. Guest appearances by Lyle Bettger as the town boss and Michael Pate as Mitia. Mr. Pate, who was a frequent Rawhide guest star, had also previously played opposite Eric Fleming in the cult film "Curse of the Undead," a curious mix of the gothic vampire horror and western genres.
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3. Incident at Dragon Crossing [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Gil Favor takes his herd on a long, dusty short cut, and with his cattle and crew near death from thirst, Mr. Favor suddenly falls ill. Apparently, during the war he had received a skull concussion that is now coming back to haunt him. The crew runs into trail boss John Cord, a good cattle man but very arrogant and unlikable. Favor asks Cord to take charge of the herd for a while so he can go to the nearest town for desperately needed medical attention and rest. This doesn't set well with most of the men, especially Rowdy, who is distrustful of Cord. In reality, John Cord is taking the herd and crew to Dragon Crossing, headquarters of the Bates Gang. The gang refuses to allow anyone to pass thru without paying a tribute, and Cord has a long-standing feud with the gang and plans a showdown, using the drovers to back him up.
Review: Neat story about a man facing up to his fears, very well written. It wasn't unheard of in the real west for such gangs to demand tribute, especially from trail herds, in return for safe passage over their hideout land. Bad man John King Fisher and his land, known as "King Fishers Road," is a good example. Dan O'Herlihy turns in a fine performance as hard-bitten, arrogant, and snobbish trail boss John Cord.
Side note: It is worth mentioning that in the 1958 film 'Cattle Drive', directed by Charles Marquis Warren, the title character played by Joel McCrea is named John Cord, and he is of course a trail boss. That film would become a major influence on Rawhide's development and its inception. The film also featured four future Rawhide alumni, Paul Brinegar, Rocky Shahan, Steve Raines, and Charles Grey.
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Myron King, of Waco, Texas:
Gil Favor makes an error in judgment in taking the drive through rough terrain. Favor later becomes ill and asks trail boss John Cord to take over until he recovers. Cord is particularly resented by Rowdy Yates, who thinks that the new trail boss is part of the notorious Bates gang.
Excellent episode and well-acted. Dan O'Herlihy is superb as trail boss John Cord. Ted Post's direction is topflight throughout. This episode won the Western Heritage award. One of Rawhide's best!
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4. Incident of the Night Visitor [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
A strange young boy sneaks into the camp in the middle of the night. He doesn't want to steal anything, only to get a good look at the faces of each of the drovers. When he wakes a member of the crew, a man named Jeff Barkley, the boy turns out to be armed and wounds Barkley. The same night the remuda is stolen.
The drovers trail the youth and find him to be traveling with a group of horse thieves led by a man named Nick Mesa. The boy is searching for his father, who has abandoned him. The only description he has is that the anonymous man has a scar on his neck and he is traveling with a cattle drive. Having tried all the other drives, Gil Favor's is the last one.
Nick Mesa claims that he and his men aren't responsible for the theft and suggests it could be Comanches. When the boy discovers his father's identity, he is once again rejected. His father, a former associate of Nick Mesa, turns up missing from the herd shortly before the remaining remuda horses are stolen by Comanches. The boy, who is the only witness to exonerate him, runs away from the herd and sets out to prove that his father isn't a thief.
Review: Solid episode with a lot of charm and good interaction among all the actors. Dane Clark is particularly good as the father who is afraid of being an unfit parent. The best character here, however, is Nick Mesa, played by veteran Harold J. Stone. Mesa is very witty and humorous as a man who finds honor in his profession as a thief.
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5. Incident of the Slavemaster [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Always on the move, the drovers encounter a strange French man named Victor Laurier, the owner of a cotton plantation in a remote canyon. During the war Mr. Laurier had been the commandant of a prisoner of war camp, where he officiated over high ranking union generals. When the war ended his prisoners had all vanished without a trace.
Several days later the drovers also find a gaunt man in bad physical condition named Sommers, who claims to be one of Laurier's prisoners and says that all of the men under Laurier's supervision are still being held prisoner and are forced to work as slaves on Laurier's plantation. Gil and Pete decide to investigate and find more than they bargain for when they become pawns in a game played by a madman who refuses the let the war end.
Review: Awesome!!! One of Rawhide's most distinguished guest stars in an episode that won't be soon forgotten by anyone who sees it. Peter Lorre, the Hungarian-born film legend, appears in this horrific episode. With his Bulging eyes and edgy psychotic manner, Mr. Lorre creates a frighteningly funny but pathetically evil character. We watch as Mr. Laurier tells one quick, well-crafted lie after another to cover his tracks and uses the drovers as pawns in a masterly crafted game of mental chess, nearly beating them if not for the disloyalty of one of his own men. The music in this episode is also very atmospheric, almost as if it had come from a silent horror film. Frightening and thought provoking are the best words to describe this episode. Also of note, the other distinguished guest star in this one, who is more commonly associated with westerns, is John Agar. Mr. Agar, the husband of Shirley Temple and close friend of John Wayne, appeared in several of the Dukes classics, such as 'Fort Apache','The Sands of Iwo Jima', and later 'Big Jake'. He attained status as a B-movie star on his own and starred in such masterpieces of schlock cinema as 'Tarantula', 'Brain from the Planet Arous' and one of my favorites, 'Revenge of the Creature'. He had also previously worked with Clint Eastwood in the cheapo western 'Star in the Dust' as well as the aforementioned 'Tarantula'.
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Myron King, Waco, Texas:
Mushy, Teddy and Favor encounter Mrs. Bradley preparing to shoot Victor Lorier, who owns a cotton plantation. She is convinced that her husband is not dead but alive. It turns out her husband, a Southerner, is a prisoner in Lorier's camp. She dies in an accident the following day, and that evening, the drovers encounter a weak man who escaped from the prison. It turns out that Lorier is indeed keeping prisoners in a cave and they are being mistreated under orders of the deranged Lorier.
This is a frightening, suspensful, and outstanding episode with a tremendous performance by Peter Lorre. Directed by Ted Post, this tale ranks as a series classic!
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6. Incident on the Road to Yesterday [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
The drovers befriend Ralph Bartlett, a former outlaw who is trying to start over and is planning to return the money he had once stolen to clean the slate. He also wants to reunite with his lost love of ten years earlier. When he returns to his hometown, however, Mr. Bartlett finds himself accused of a murder he didn't commit and discovers that his lady love is now married to the town sheriff.
Review: Nice but predictable. Still well written and acted. Tonight's guest star is well known to all Rawhide fans, though they may not recognize his face. Frankie Laine sang the theme which appears in every single Rawhide episode(excluding the original version of "Incident at Baxter Springs"), but this is his lone on-camera appearance. His wife Nan Grey Laine plays his love interest, and the pair strike up a wonderful chemistry. Pity they didn't appear in more films together. Frankie Laine still continues to sing and make occasional onstage appearances today at the age of 90.
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7. Incident at Superstition Prairie [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Wishbone saves the life of an old Indian by pulling him out of a sacred cave known as "The cave of the dead". In doing so he violates an Indian tradition. Nearly out of water, the nervous drovers dig in the ground hoping to strike a spring while the Indians think Wishbone has brought bad luck and drought. Fearing that the Indians will attack the herd, Wishbone does the only sensible thing, going to the Indians posing as a great white medicine man and risking his own life in the process.
Review: That Wishbone, he's done it again. Another humorous but serious episode centering on the relationship between Wishbone and the ancient 'dead Indian,' played by the always excellent Michael Pate, who is nowhere near as old in reality as the 80 year old character. Also on hand is Rudolph Acosto, the Spanish actor who is well known for playing banditos and Indians in tons of westerns, particularly the "High Chaparral" TV series, in which he was a regular. Here he is cast as the stubborn medicine man, who sticks to his conviction that the only good white men are the ones who don't drive cows on television for a living.
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Rowdy and Quince are on the way to Poco Tiempo to pick up expense money for the herd when they are arrested by a group of hostile citizens who think they are responsible for murdering a priest and burning down half the town. When they are exonerated by two nuns, who witnessed the murder, the pair stick around still trying to accomplish their monetary goal. They become embroiled in the troubles of the nuns, who are being held against their will by the real murderers, who are still secretly in town, hiding inside the mission. Along the way the younger of the two nuns, who hasn't yet taken her final vows, becomes smitten with Rowdy and nearly turns away from her calling, while Rowdy is taken by another more mysterious woman who turns out to be the sister of one of the murderous madmen.
Review: What could have been a violent soap opera plot is redeemed by the wonderful performances turned in by all involved. The episode is very well written and fleshed out. Agnes Moorehead is excellent as the head nun, who is very protective of her young novice. Also shining is Gregory Walcott, a veteran sagebrush psycho and good friend to Clint Eastwood. Aside from appearing in several Rawhide episodes, Mr. Walcott has also teamed with Eastwood in such films as "Joe Kidd", "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot","The Eiger Sanction" and "Every Which Way but Loose".
Tidbit: This episode features the first mention of Rowdy's father, Dan Yates, who comes up briefly in a conversation between Rowdy and the younger nun.
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Longing to do something with his young life besides be an obscure cook's louse, Mushy tries to get Mr. Favor to teach him the tricks of the drover trade. Meanwhile, when his mother shows up at the herd to find her son a dismal failure as a drover, she tells Mushy to pack his things and return home with her. Mrs. Mushgrave, Mushy's mother, is an iron willed woman whom no one wants to say no to. Mushy's only alternative is to plan a scheme with Pete Nolan to stage a mock kidnapping: Mushy is to rescue his mother from phony kidnappers who have been hired by Nolan. When the 'kidnappers' are overtaken by real outlaws who have a score to settle with Mrs. Mushgrave, Mushy must rescue his mom for real, proving that he is a man and should be allowed to remain with the herd.
Review: The definitive Mushy episode. While actor James Murdock is really only allowed to stretch his character to comic heights, he alleviates the more serious moments in this one. We do find out that his real name is Harkness Mushgrave III. Film legend Mercedes McCambridge plays Mrs. Martha Mushgrove, and she bears a strong resemblance to Mr. Murdock, the actor who portrays her son. Also on board is Albert Salmi, one of Hollywood's most noted character actors, usually adept at portraying psychotic villians. Here Mr. Salmi is cast appropriately as the outlaw leader.
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Anna:
Just finished watching this episode, and it was definitely one of my favorites!! It really developed the character of Mushy.
The episode begins when Mushy recieves a letter from his Ma saying that she's going to come and bring him home. We then see Mrs. Mushgrove traveling in the stagecoach, and there is a hold-up. She puts up a fight and stands up to the men that are robbing the passengers, which leads to the bandana coming off of one of the robbers' faces, and she gets a good look at him.
Back to Mushy...
He asks Mr Favor for a job as a full-time trail hand. Because of his situation, he gets the job, and proves to be a pretty good hand with cattle.
When his Ma is driving down the road in a carriage, Mushy slips in the saddle and the horse takes off and won't stop. Mrs Mushgrove manages to stop the horse, and drives Mushy back to camp. This only increases her determination to bring him home with her.
Pete and Rowdy devise a plan to help Mushy out, and arrange a fake kidnapping, in which Mrs Mushgrove will be taken, and Mushy will save the day. The real kidnappers, however, set on silencing their only witness, intervene, and take Mrs Mushgrove. When Mushy finds them, he saves the day!! Much to my delight, he rescues his Ma (in a very surprising and impressive fight!), and together they bring the 3 outlaws back to camp, where everything is settled up and Mushy gets to stay!! I especially liked the last scene between Mushy and Wishbone!! This episode is a must-see for all Rawhide fans!!
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10. Incident of the Buffalo Soldier [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
The army sequesters some of Gil Favor's beef to feed hostile Kiowa Indians and keep them at bay. Rowdy and Quince are assigned to deliver the cattle and are less than enthusiastic about the task. They do, however, meet and befriend a buffalo soldier, Corporal Washington of the 3rd Cavalry. When the corporal kills a fellow soldier in self defense, which is witnessed by Rowdy, he chooses to flee the scene, stealing Rowdy's horse in the process. Rowdy accompanies the search party with a double motive, partly to get his horse back and partly to see that Washington gets a fair shake from the soldiers, who have orders to shoot on site. When Rowdy is hurt in an encounter with Washington, the corporal eventually winds up giving his life to ensure that the young drover gets desperately needed medical attention.
Review: Classically trained black actor Woody Strode lends his presence to this wonderful episode. Several years previously, Mr. Strode had played a similar part as a persecuted black cavalryman in the classic John Ford western "Sergeant Rutledge". Here he outshines everyone else as the rebellious but dutiful Corporal Washington, who is in the army against his will, having been drafted. Woody Strode is often referred to by critics and historians as the man who opened the doors in Hollywood to black actors in western films. Among those who followed in his footsteps were Sidney Poitier, Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, Yaphet Kotto, and most recently Will Smith. Also for the Eastwood aficionado, compare certain scenes in this Ted Post directed episode with the Post/Eastwood teaming in the theatrical film "Hang 'Em High". A very well constructed and acted episode which brings a lot of dignity to its main character and is very well researched as well. A fine piece of entertainment with a lot artistic value.
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
A scheming rancher has plans to sell his anthrax-infected herd to Gil Favor. When a doctor discovers his plan, the cattleman kills him and frames the murder on an alcoholic drover. The drover had once been his wife's lover and had susequently crippled her in a drunken rage, then abandoned her, thinking she was dead.
Review: The problems of a recovering alcoholic are well examined. Dick York, long suffering husband Darren of "Bewitched" fame, is excellent, as is E.G. Marshall, only a few years away from his Emmy-winning performance in the classic series "The Defenders".
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12. Incident at the Top of the World [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
With an icy north wind approaching, the drovers are on the verge of breaking camp. They are approached by an army surgeon who works at a hospital nearby that houses crippled, maimed, and deformed Civil War vets. He has a special request of Gil Favor. The surgeon's pet protÈgÈ patient is a man named Craig Kern, a former drover who was badly hurt during the war and is left with a terrible morphine addiction following his life saving surgery. The surgeon hopes that if Favor takes Kern along he might be able to renew his passion for cattle droving and in the process be weaned off the medicine that he depends on to live. Gil returns to the herd, Kern in tow, telling only Wishbone about his pill addiction. When the rest of the drovers notice Kern's strange behavior, not knowing of his condition, they turn their frustration to hatred, which reaches a boiling point when Kern gives his medicine to a young drover to keep it out of reach and then later murders the youth to get it back.
Review: A brilliant piece of entertainment, but not easy to watch. This powerful episode features a stellar Robert Culp giving what could easily be the performance of his career. The normally subdued actor conveys the pain and confusion of addiction and battle scars with his squinty eyes and trembling hands. The drug addiction subject is remarkably well handled for its time, nearly a decade before the psychedelic hippy culture would bring the once shadowy underworld of narcotic substance abuse to the forefront of the world. Robert Culp had previously starred in his own western series, "Trackdown," and would later go on to peak fame on "I Spy". Never was he better than here.
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13. Incident near the Promised Land [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
The cattle drive lands in Sedalia just in time for a stock-market-crash-like financial disaster. With a herd he can't sell or give away, a crew he can't pay, and buyers back home who want their money ASAP, Favor has no choice but to pasture his cattle outside of town until the crisis is over. The problem is that due to a shortage of grass the only suitable pasture land belongs to widow Ella Cardwell. Mrs. Cardwell is an embittered old widow who blames all cattlemen for the death of her husband and son. Knowing that she has Favor up against a wall of debt, she charges him too much money to pasture his herd. With no other choice and praying that a buyer will show up within a week, Favor accepts. When the week ends with no buyer having showed up and Mr. Favor still broke, the old woman takes up a court injunction to hold Favor, his men, and their cattle on her land until payment is received. Stubborn Favor decides to move the cattle under cover of darkness and a shootout with the local marshal and his deputies ensues. Rowdy is wounded in the gunfight and taken to Mrs. Cardwell's home, where the old lady is taken with the boy, who reminds her of her son. She eventually has a change of heart just in time for a suitable buyer to show up and take the herd.
Review: Excellent melodrama let down by a slightly sentimental end. Silent film legend Mary Astor is splendid as the widow Ella Cardwell. Good scene for Wishbone fans in which the surly cook dresses in his Wishingham attire and leaves the herd to pose as a buyer, causing a few moments of financial prosperity in the poverty-torn community.
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Philip Lindley, England:
Favor and Co. have a troubled stay in Sedalia at the end of a drive. The drovers whoop it up and land in trouble with the authorities. Favor learns that a lady-friend back east has chosen someone else. He almost quits the trail, especially when he is offered a partnership in a ranch, but changes his mind by the end. In the meantime, a well-dressed bounty-hunter is in league with a pretty woman to seize one of the drovers for the price which is on his head. Unwilling to believe Favor's story that the man is dead, he decides Rowdy is the man and there is a shoot-out. Rowdy is arrested for murder and nearly lynched, but Favor intervenes after persuading the woman to testify that Rowdy shot in self-defence. Some of the minor characters make their presence felt in this story, notably the whisky-sodden and comically-colourful Collins, played by Don Harvey, and the shy and timid Murdock, played by Bert Remsen, who takes his first drink in the local saloon.
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Timothy W.Booher, Bristol, TN:
Synopsis: After selling his herd and disbanding the crew, Gil Favor discovers that the woman he loves has married another man, and he sets off to drink his heartache away. Meanwhile, the crew, cut loose in the streets of Sedalia, set about having a celebration. This leads to much discontent among the town authorities.
Meanwhile, a bounty hunter has been following the herd and shows up looking for a drover who is wanted for murder. He is accompanied by the drover's fiancÈe. When they get the word that their quarry drowned in a river crossing, the bounty hunter refuses to believe that he is dead. When Rowdy becomes smitten with the 'widow' and tries to help her, the skeptical bounty hunter believes Rowdy is his man, and a showdown ensues in which the bounty hunter is killed and the citizens of Sedalia, enraged by the behavior of the trail crew, threaten to lynch the young drover. Gil Favor must force the 'widow' to break her silence and tell the truth as the drovers band together for a showdown with the townsfolk.
Review: Boys will be boys. Some particularly fine moments of drunken glee and well-timed comedy. This episode marks the return of the argumentative and uncooperative character Collins. played by Don Harvey. Not seen since early in season two, we are made to feel as though he has never been away. Also appearing is villain supreme Myron Healey as the bounty hunter.
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15. Incident of the Fish out of Water [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
An urbanized Gil Favor returns to Philadelphia to visit his daughters who are in the care of their aunt who doesn't approve of his absence. Both Maggie and Gillian Favor are glad to see their dad although the latter seems to be suffering from an imagined illness derived from lack of attention. Meanwhile Pete and Wishbone show up and the trio witness an Indian acquaintance who has been tricked into appearing in a Wild West show in bondage. Pete and Gil have a disagreement over their conflicting ideas about helping the captive warrior and when Pete loses his temper Gil must bail him out and a fight ensues with the tyrannical circus owner and his boys. When thee trouble is over and the Indian is free and Gil has patched things up with the girls and their guardian he returns west determined to return to the trail and regroup his crew.
Review: The definitive Gil episode and a different shade of Rawhide than most viewers are accustomed to. One loose end. As we all know Favor was a confederate officer during the war. Why then were all his immediate family in Philadelphia. The subplot about the captive Indian chief, while being well presented seems like an excuse for some rugged action to keep the audience from abandoning this new dandified characters of Favor and crew. But in spite of a few nitpicks this is a very fine moment in the series history.
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Philip Lindley, England:
Favor travels back to Philadelphia to visit his two daughters and their frosty aunt Eleanor, played by Dorothy Green. On the train he meets a Pawnee chief who is intending to join a Wild West show. He is expecting to exhibit his skills as a horseman and with the bow. When he reaches Philadelphia, Favor is shocked to find the man chained in a cage in a rather less noble exhibition. Favor's domestic problems are no less challenging and more pressing. He must convince Eleanor that he is a responsible father and not merely a disruptive influence on the girls. She gives him as hard a time as any bad man has ever done out on the trail, and we must give high marks to Dorothy Green's steely performance. Perhaps the sudden arrival of Pete Nolan and Wishbone to assist in liberating the Pawnee chief is a little hard to credit, but the operation succeeds, and with a dash of comedy. This is another essentially domestic episode from a show which was not afraid to veer from its preferred formulae from time to time.
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Returning from the east to start a new drive, Gil Favor finds one half of his crew awaiting him flat broke and busted at the train station. As a prank, Favor pretends to steal a herd of horses that he has actually bought. When a stolen horse actually does turn up in his remuda, Mr. Favor is arrested by the local sheriff, but later released when the local rancher admits it was all a mistake. When he gets his possessions back from the sheriff, however, Gil finds his $50,000 grub stake has been stolen.
At this point, a questioning Favor discovers that the sheriff is a blind man who has learned to live again using his sixth sense. When an angry Favor returns to the crew intent upon wreaking havoc upon the sheriff and the town to get his money back, he follows a lead from a local school marm, who is Mushy's sweetheart, which leads to the sheriff's cheating wife and the rancher who had accused him of the theft.
Review: It's good to see Mr. Favor and the boys back on the trail getting back to their old selves. Gene Evans give a strong performance as the troubled sheriff, who is a crack shot despite his blindness. Jeane Cooper is also very good as the cheating wife, a role she has played many times before in a long career.
Tidbit: This episode hit close to home for actor Gene Evans, and perhaps it was specially written for him. In actual fact, Evans had poor eyesight and while not completely blind he could only see a few feet in front of him without his glasses. Often in film appearances Evans can be seen squinting at his costars from a distance. In spite of this, he managed to enjoy a long and sucessful career as a tough and gritty villian, particularly in westerns and war films, himself a veteran of the Second World Ear. Gene Evans died in 1998 at the age of 76. Yet another sorely missed western film talent lost in an age that has no heroes of its own.
"Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes"
'George Jones'
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Gil and Rowdy are in the process of fleshing out and hiring a new crew when Favor is summoned by the owners to a meeting. It seems that all the members except one want Favor to take the herd through. The one holdout turns out to be a former trail boss himself who had fallen on hard times and gotten his gains back. Now at the age of 50 he wants to prove to himself that he can still cut it as a trail boss. After getting Favor to resign, the new trail boss, who is enamored of Favor's reputation, wants to rehire him, as ramrod. This means all the other members of the drive will be bumped a notch down the totem pole. Favor reluctantly accepts the position, but after the new drive begins he sees his new boss making a lot of mistakes, and with leadership in his nature Favor finds it hard to sit back and watch the aging trail boss turn the drive into a shambles. The trail boss, on the other hand, isn't keen on taking orders or advice from his employee. The tension is broken, however, when word comes from the trail boss's home ranch that one of the drovers who has left the drive has run off with the old man's wife, and Gil Favor must intervene to keep him from committing murder.
Review: Crusty but dignified as always, John Dehner makes his return to the series. A good story that reads like an Ernest Hemingway novel. This episode also has a lot of mud-splattered realism. View this episode with its grim black and white visages of men covered in mud trying to pull cows out of a bog in which they are buried up their neck's and compare it with Bonanza's pastel colors and vibrant costuming. An amazing contrast.
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Myron King, of Robinson, Texas:
Yates and Favor round up a new crew in San Antonio for the new drive. An aging trail boss decides to be the commander of the new drive, meaning that Favor, Yates and the others will be demoted one notch. The new boss makes numerous mistakes. When he finds out that someone is with his wife, he goes after the man and Favor must intervene.
Intense, suspenseful, well acted, written and directed, Incident of the New Start is a MUST for any Rawhide fan. John Dehner is superb as the aging trail boss.
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Gil and the boys stop over near a town that has been having trouble with rustlers. The purpose for the stop is so that a veteran herd cutter can cut out all of the branded cattle which has gotten mingled in with Favor's herd. While out scouting the brush for scrubs, Jim Quince comes across a rustler changing brands on a cow and tries to stop him, unsuccessfully. When he stops to check the scenario, he is cornered by members of a posse of local ranchers, who naturally think he is the culprit. Not having any friends in town and being a stranger, he is a perfect target for the outrage of the local hang-'em-first-and-ask-questions-later mentality of the cattleman's association. Favor tracks down evidence which leads to a nearby army post. He has strong evidence that suggests that an army major, along with the owner of a tannery business and the son of the herd cutter/rancher who is his friend, are the true perpetrators of the crime. Given only an hour to save his friend from a hangman's noose, Gil Favor has his hands tied trying to piece together a puzzle without any help from the uncooperative townsfolk.
Review: Tight suspense yarn. The use of the one hour deadline for Quince's execution works well, adding a High Noon flavor. Guest appearances by Darryl Hickman, older brother of 'Dobie Gillis' star Dwayne Hickman (Darryl played Dobie's brother Davie on the show for a short time)and William Shallert as a sadistic army major.
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Myron King, of Robinson, Texas:
Quince is arrested for rustling cattle and is taken to jail for a quick trial to be hung. The drovers must prevent the hanging. It turns out that a young man and an Army officer are behind the slaughtering and rustling.
If there is really anything wrong with this effort, it is that events take place too rapidly. Still, this is an intense yarn written by the great John Dunkel, who would rehash the basic plot with Texas Fever in the seventh season. Of the two stories, the latter is the more superior. Even so, Incident of the Running Iron is a great effort and well recommended.
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Rowdy accompanies a young drover, Dan Fletcher, to his home, where he finds that his house has been burned, allegedly by a friendly neighboring rancher named Travis who has cut off all of the nearby water. Dan, however, suspects that it was not Travis but his own brother Kyle who is guilty of the deed. Kyle is a hard drinker with a penchant for trouble and an unlikable personality. When Rowdy is hurt and bedridden in the Travis home, Favor and the rest of the crew show up to check in on him and wind up helping the Fletchers rebuild their home. Rowdy becomes embroiled in a love triangle between the Fletcher brothers and old man Travis' daughter, and a sickening secret is revealed about why Kyle Fletcher and the young lady he loves can never be together.
Review: The first half of this episode is a bit slow-paced, but it's well worth sitting through to see John Cassavettes's performance as the justifiably evil Kyle Fletcher. Also on board are Leif Erickson (Big John Cannon of High Chaparral fame) and John Erickson. There is no relation between the two, although they did appear in several television shows suggesting a father/son relationship. It's a real treat to see Cassavettes's reaction when he finds out that the woman he loves is actually his own sister. Gasp!!!!!
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
As always scouting the horizon, Pete and Gil encounter an Australian man, Richard Goffage, his beautiful fiancÈe, and their Aborigine scout. To protect the group from Chief Tawyawp, who has eyes for Goffage's wife, Favor invites the trio to stay with the herd. Goffage has dreams of starting a huge ranch in Australia (he refers to the word "ranch" as "run").
The drive is also joined by an escaped convict named Johnny Adler, who is a former suitor of the future Mrs. Goffage. Favor first offers a job to Adler, but later, when he discovers his real motivations, the trail boss refuses, causing bad feeling with Adler, who swears revenge. In reality Johnny Adler is half Comanche and the nephew of Chief Tawyawp. For revenge he kidnaps the soon-to-be Mrs. Goffage. Favor, Richard Goffage, and Pete ride into the Comanche village, where they make a deal with Tawyawp, but the chief will only let the young lady go if Goffage can survive the terrible Comanche Gauntlet of Death.
Review: An actor's piece to the finish. Frequent Rawhide guest Michael Pate lends his presence, using a flawless Australian accent and a surprising amount of knowledge about Australia. At times he almost makes us forget that this is one of the most well known television character actors. Compare his performance here with his fine acting in "Incident at Superstition Prairie". Also returning to the series is Woody Strode as Burraburra, the aborigine bush scout. To his credit Strode was the only actor in Hollywood at that time who possibly could have played such a part.
Also on hand is a young James Drury as Johnny Adler. Drury would appear several more times on Rawhide, enough to make an impression on producer Charles Marquis Warren. At the end of this season Warren would leave Rawhide to produce and develop a new and very prestigious series, 'The Virginian'. Based on the classic Owen Wister novel of old Wyoming, this series would be the first 90 minute television series (not to mention the only one that ever had any success at that length) and would go on to be the 3rd longest running western series (Rawhide was 4th). Young James Drury would assay the part of the granite-jawed hero, a role that fit him like a bronzed Frederick Remington western sculpture. For the western enthusiast it's always fun to watch Gil Favor size up to the Virginian in a fight scene.
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21. Incident of his Brother's Keeper [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Pete and Wishbone are sent away from the herd by Mr. Favor to the town of Miracle Springs. Pete is on an errand waiting for a telegram from Eastern buyers, while Wishbone, claiming to have back problems, has come along to sample some of the town's world famous health spas and salt water.
While at the spa, the duo meet a man named Paul Evans, a paraplegic with a dark side. Evans, who has been crippled by a horse, is taking his frustration and hatred out on his wife, who has just about had enough and wants to run away with Paul's deceitful brother Jubal. Evans asks Pete Nolan to accompany, or rather chaperone, his wife to a local dance. He wants to spare her the embarrassing accompaniment of a cripple who can't dance and refuses to socialize.
Pete accepts, and after having a run in with Jubal Evans, Pete is determined to take Mrs. Evans home. Laurie, however, is a stubborn woman who runs away the carriage and horses they are traveling in, and the two are forced to spend the night together. When they return home in the morning, the jealous Evans is worked into a rage. This is helped along by Jubal Evans, who coaxes his brother into thinking that Laurie and Pete Nolan are planning to run off together.
Evans and his loyal wranglers seal up the town and without possibility of his escape set out to execute Pete Nolan, who is forced to stay in town and wait for the overdue telegraph.
Review: Melodrama was never so good as in this episode, which is full of twists and turns. Our most notable guest star here is Jack Lord. Like Robert Culp, Lord is another actor who is renowned for his looks and usually plays off his persona. Here, however, he is cast as a pitiful, half evil, half kind-hearted, self-pitying man who turns his rage into fire and steel. The image of Lord being wheeled around town by his men as he watches all entrances of the town and screams obscenities to his wife and Pete Nolan is not soon to leave any viewer. Of course, as every TV fan knows, Lord would have his own failed television western, 'Stoney Burke,' before going on (with his perfect hair and immaculate sense of dress, and looking 30 at the age of nearly 50) to make television history on Hawaii 5-0.
As for the other actors, Jeff Richards is cast as Jubal Evans. Richards is best known for previously leading his own western series as the title character 'Jefferson Drum'. Susan Oliver is Laurie Evans. She is a well-known film and television actress, having a list of credits too long to name. This is without a doubt one of Rawhide's most promising moments, and it fulfills its ambition. A highly realistic situation that the show's chief competitor 'Wagon Train' would have turned into a sad mess. The only real drawback here is a really corny, almost comical square-dance sequence which makes you almost want to shoot your television screen. Get past it. It's worth the view. For anyone who wants to see another great Jack Lord performance, watch the classic western 'Man of the West,' made in 1958, starring Gary Cooper and directed by the brilliant Anthony Mann.
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22. Incident in the Middle of Nowhere [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Gil Favor and Rowdy are out searching for water when they come across a man named McKay and his troupe of ballerina dancers. They notice the elderly gentleman is carrying large sums of gold on his person. The two drovers need a guide to take their herd across the 'Dead Mountains,' and when they ask McKay, who knows the area, he turns them down because he is fearful that they are after his gold, which is hidden in the mountains.
With no other choice, they go to the nearest town, populated by shady characters who are in town for one reason only (use your imagination to guess what that might be). After hiring a guide, the two are followed by a trio of two men and one woman, who think the guide knows where the gold is and that he might be able to lead them in the right direction. Meanwhile, they also cross paths with McKay again. When a member of the pursuing party kills one of the Indians that live in the mountains who are friends with him, McKay thinks that the drovers are responsible.
Review: A better name for this episode might have been "The Treasure of the Sierra Rowdy". Not that this is a bad episode. Actually it's very good, but not really up to standard with Rawhide's third season, which is without a doubt its finest hour. A typical story isn't enhanced much by the appearances of the always excellent Cecil Kellaway as the wistful McKay, as well as Elisha Cook Jr. and Fay Spain, both of whom had previously appeared in Rawhide episodes. The ballerinas are a good addition. As with most Rawhide episodes, the unusual elements give Rawhide a look and feel above most other television westerns. Good but far from great.
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23. Incident of the Phantom Bugler [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Gil Favor's men are scared by a ghostly cavalryman who rides around under cover of dark tooting his bugle. Of course there is a logical explanation which reveals itself near a river crossing when the drovers are captured by a group of former confederate soldiers who claim the land and are demanding payment for crossing. They are led by a southern aristocrat named Judge Brady whose second in command, Captain Donahue, is married to the judge's daughter. Donahue had been a farmer before the war (in which he had distinguished himself), and now he wants to return to a peaceful life on a small farm. But Brady, his former commanding officer, plays on his conscience and constantly reminds him of his outstanding service record. Gil Favor refuses to pay up at first, but after being forced by circumstances beyond his control there is but one option left for the trail boss, to fight the iron willed and much physically stronger Captain Donahue in a brutal bare knuckles fist fight.
Review: Another story about a lonely cowpoke torn twixt love and duty comes off quite well. Veteran actor and stunt man and Range Rider series star Jock Mahoney makes his second turn as guest star on Rawhide, this time given a much fuller character. Veteran Hollywood character actor Vaughn Taylor also acquits himself well as the egotistical would-be empire-builder Judge Brady. And Kathie Browne, some years later to co-star in the short lived John Wayne-produced TV western Hondo, appears here as Mrs. Donahue. The fight scene between Favor and Captain Donahue is one of the best Rawhide ever filmed, leaving our heroic trail boss a bloody mess. How many other TV western series actually let their star get whipped in a fair fight? Another example of one of television's premier, first-rate adult westerns at its best.
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Philip Lindley, England:
When his drovers pull up a runaway wagon Favor discovers a dying woman and becomes a guardian to her two children before encountering their father, an escaped convict. After being told his wife has died, the wanted man, realising the mess he has made of his life, feins an attempt to take the children hostage before being cut down in a gun battle. Claude Akins guest stars. Veteran actor and singer Ken Curtis also appears as a bounty hunter. This episode is also notable for an affecting scene in which the drovers, sheltering under a tarpaulin behind Wishbone's wagon, having just buried the children's mother, feel moved to talk of life and death.
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Philip Lindley, England:
Rowdy, on a cattle-buying errand, is forced at gunpoint to relinquish his horse. The gunman is a deputy in desperate straits who must warn a nearby army camp of an impending attack by outlaws. The deputy is shot and Rowdy is accused of his murder and forced to go on the run. Befriended in town by a kindly undertaker and barber, Rowdy discovers this man is the leader of the outlaws intending to attack the camp, kill its occupants, and pillage the district. Making his escape, Rowdy is then sheltered by a farmer's wife until the non-too-friendly farmer discovers his presence in the barn. At length, Rowdy escapes to warn the army camp, but it is the farmer's wife, fleeing with him, who gets word through. A particularly good episode marred only by Rowdy's clumsy and unconvincing escape from the undertaker's gang and a limp closing moment.
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
As the drive nears Black Pass, Rowdy and Pete are involved in the death of a young Indian warrior of Chief White Eyes, a full-blooded white man who was raised by the Kiowa Indians. He has been living among them on a reservation and only recently escaped to start a mini revolution. At least that's what the army thinks. In actuality White Eyes wants to return to his own people, the white man, feeling he is no longer needed amongst the Kiowa. Rowdy and Pete are held as hostages, and White Eyes makes a deal with Gil Favor: he will release the two drovers unharmed if Favor will let him join the drive, disguised as a drover, to ensure him safe passage through the cavalry patrols that are combing the nearby area in search of him. Favor reluctantly agrees to save the lives of his men. The crew encounters trouble from a tough neighboring rancher name Cal Stone, who blames White Eyes for scarring the face of his beautiful young wife. When Stone discovers that Favor is hiding his nemesis, he goes to the army, complicating things considerably. Meanwhile Rowdy and Pete are in dangerous peril with the angry young sub-chief Anko, who wants to start a war and plans to kill both of the drovers in retaliation for the fact that the Indian killed by Rowdy was his brother.
Review: Sad, bittersweet, and somewhat odd but touching story brilliantly delivered. Zachary Scott is excellent as the all white Kiowa who has been trapped in his social predicament and will stop at nothing to escape and regain his social standing among his people. Also on hand here is Leonard Nimoy as Anko. Before becoming everyone's favorite Vulcan, Nimoy did journeyman duty doing Indian roles in numerous TV westerns. He does an apt job here except for one thing: his five o'clock shadow, or three days' growth of facial hair, make him look far too Caucasian for the part.
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Feared outlaw leader Sky Blackstorm wants to reunite with his son, whom he has never met. The young Blackstorm is living in River City under another name with his aunt and doesn't now that his father is the famous bad man, whom he idolizes and would like to be like when he grows up. Sky Blackstorm is very unpopular in the town of River City due to the fact that he has just killed the town sheriff. Before he died, however, the sheriff had put a bullet into one of Blackstorm's men. The body of the dead gang member is found by Pete Nolan, who takes it into River City for examination. When he arrives, the townsfolk think Pete has killed a member of the Blackstorm gang and treat him like a hero. Sky Blackstorm hatches a plot to use Pete Nolan's newfound and somewhat undeserved fame as a way to gain access to a visit with his son.
Review: When I read the title for this one I was expecting a lunar eclipse, a steer with glowing horns, a murder tattoo, and a lot of comic superstition played to perfection by the excellent Robert "Hey Soos" Cabal. Instead what I got was a neat father-son story with a lot of nice plot twists. Legendary Hollywood bad guy Stephen McNally lends his sneering, scar-lipped presence as the all too human Robin Hood. Also on hand is young Bobby Crawford, older brother of Johnny Crawford of "Rifleman" fame. Bobby Crawford himself had just rapped up a two year stint on one of television's finest (in my opinion one of the top five best of all time) westerns, the rarely rerun "Laramie". This excellent show was way ahead of its time, and for anyone who hasn't seen it, it starred Robert Fuller and John Smith as well as Bobby Crawford Jr. For more information about the show or its star Robert Fuller, who went onto star on "Wagon Train","Emergency," and tons of films, visit Tony Gill's excellent Fuller fan page at
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tony.gill130/welcome.htm. If you're a western fan it's well worth the visit, and Tony is a great gentleman. As for the episode, it's very good but doesn't live up to its heavy title.
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29. Incident of the Night on the Town [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
Gil Favor is summoned to court by a powerful and conniving jezebelish lady cattle rancher who claims part ownership in the herd. When her claim that one of the owners had stolen part of her cattle is confirmed, she finds a way to con Favor out of the whole herd. Her intention is to make him foreman of her ranch and to make the current foreman trade places as trail boss. This doesn't sit well with the former ranch foreman, a mean tempered gunslinger named Rance who happens to be the ladies suitor.
Review: Pleasant melodrama with a nice scene in which Gil sports a tux in an attempt to woo the lady rancher, hoping to get his herd back and have some fun in the process. Another appearance of the wonderful James Drury, preparing for his golden future on one of television's finest western series. This time out he gets a more full role, sporting a lot of evil charisma, as the black-clad, psychotic gunslinger Rance. His performance is the finest among the guest cast. Unfortunately, Margaret Hayes as the conceited Ms. North doesn't have the genuine coldness needed to play such a character, obviously modeled after Claire Trevor and Claudette Colbert. She and Mr. Favor don't strike much of a flame, and we are never sure how they feel about one another. In the end, when she meets her death, Gil appears to be very much distraught, that is until Rowdy and Pete ride up over the hill and he leaves in a huff of dust, joyous over the fact that he is once again trail boss. This sets the mood and feel of the episode which goes from cold to hot and back again. Still, it's Rawhide. How bad can it really be?
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30. Incident of the Wager on Payday [TOP]
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Timothy W. Booher, of Bristol, Tennesee:
Synopsis:
The son of a powerful bank president wants to get even with his domineering father. He and a friend team up to rob the bank. The young, would-be banker intends to return the money and confess his joke. The friend, who has a dark character, has different reasons, intending to keep the money. When his horse comes up lame while on the run, the two outlaws stumble upon the Favor herd, stealing Rowdy's horse. When Rowdy hastily and foolishly gives chase, he himself steals a horse from the remuda, the one with the drovers' payroll in its saddle bag. With no money to pay his drovers, Mr. Favor concocts a scheme to raise money by having the drovers make bets on Rowdy's innocence or guilt. Meanwhile, Rowdy has an encounter and a shootout with the wannabe bandits. When the evil bad guy is killed, Rowdy gets his horse back but is pursued by a posse as he now has all the stolen money.
Review. Half comedy, half drama, this episode has a special significance for me as it is the first Rawhide episode I viewed as a small child. The plot is a bit confusing and almost falls into a routine horse chase opera (Keystone Cowboys is a good term to describe it). What saves it is the fact that it is well directed and acted by a cast that includes Kathy Browne and Ford Rainey playing minuscule roles. And there are a number of memorable scenes, such as a hapless Rowdy trying to rid himself of the saddle bag, only to have it returned by a well-meaning bank clerk. Another good scene happens when a smitten saloon girl kisses Rowdy right in front of the sheriff after telling him they were cousins. She covers her tracks by saying that they are "Kissin' Cousins". Still another concerns a clumsy drunk, who returns the saddle bag once again when Rowdy tries unsuccessfully to leave it behind a second time. He stumbles and spills all the contents in front of the sherriff, leading to the arrest of the young ramrod. Pete gets some space in this one too. Ever the schemer, he concocts an idea to get the bank president's son to confess his guilt while at the same time facing up to his cowardice and coming away a better man. No, its not "The Searchers" or "Shane" or even a good Gunsmoke episode, but it's a lot of fun and whimsy.
Sidenote: Look for a scene in which Pete fores Sidney Porter, the bank president's son, to face his own manhood in order to save Rowdy's life. In the end as |
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Rawhide: 1959-65 (CBS)
Eric Fleming as Gil Favor
Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates
Sheb Wooley as Pete Nolan
Paul Brinegar as Wishbone
James Murdock as Mushy
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Theme performed by Frankie Laine
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Eric Fleming movies
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 The Glass Bottom Boat
Doris Day mistaken as a spy! Sounds like a light-hearted 60's romp to me. In addition to our man Eric Fleming, the movie also features Arthur Godfrey (by the way, am I the only one who can sing about dotting the "i" for the inventors?), Paul Lynde, Dick Martin, and Dom DeLuise.
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 Curse of the Undead
Eric Fleming stars as Preacher Dan Young in this, yes, vampire western. How cool is that?
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 Queen of Outer Space
Eric stars with Zsa Zsa Gabor, dahling, in this hilarious sci-fi flick. A reviewer at the Internet Movie Database says the movie "reeks of cardboard sets, silly dialogue, and more phallic symbols, hot babes, and sexual innuendo than you can wave a stick (or laser gun) at."
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 Conquest of Space
Eric stars as Captain Barney Merritt in this story about the first manned expedition to Mars. A reviewer at amazon.com numbers among the movie's merits its inclusion of: "MST3K ready dialog! The obligitory accidental weightlessness scene! ... The first ever burial in space! The first ever snowfall on Mars!" In other words, you can't lose!
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The Rawhide theme
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 Rockin'/Hell Bent for Leather
Head 'em up, move 'em out! Frankie Laine performed the rousing song played over the opening credits of Rawhide. The Rawhide theme is among the 24 tracks on this CD.
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Sheb Wooley Sings
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 The Purple People Eater
31 tracks including the classic title song
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 Wild and Wooley, Big Unruly Me
29 tracks
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 Rawhide/How the West was Won
24 tracks including Sheb's version of the Rawhide theme (this is not the version performed in the opening credits of the show!)
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 That's My Pa
Four box set totaling 47 tracks
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