My Three Sons (1962)

Though it continued to change directors during its first three seasons, from Peter Tewksbury in Season 1, to Richard Whorf in Season 2, to Gene Reynolds in Season 3, My Three Sons had pretty much settled into a formula by the second half of Season 2, alternating between attempted madcap comedic episodes and sentimental melodramatic episodes, both emphasizing the theme that the Douglas family, with its many shortcomings, was as good or better than any other. While its varied formula vaulted it to #11 in the Nielsen ratings for 1961-62, the highest ranking of the show's 12 seasons, it had already started wearing thin by Season 3, when it fell to #28.

The series begins to repeat itself from the outset of 1962 with the episode "Chip Leaves Home" (January 4, 1962) mirroring "Bub Leaves Home" (January 12, 1961) a year prior. Both Chip and Bub feel unappreciated, which is why they seek a better life elsewhere but then come to realize a la Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz that there is no place like home. However, in Chip's case, he doesn't even last a single night on the lam, getting frightened by an alley cat and a pair of police patrolmen so that he sneaks back home and sleeps overnight in the attic. But when Robbie finds his goodbye note stuffed in Tramp's collar and his bed empty, the rest of the family, particularly Steve, manically try to get the police to find him, only to eventually realize he never left. Thus this episode begins with the series' melodramatic mold and switches to its madcap comedy theme. But the series keeps coming back to Chip and Bub feeling unappreciated in future episodes such as "Le Petit Stowaway" (February 15, 1962) in which Chip sneaks on to an airplane Steve is taking on a top-secret business trip to France after their original plans to travel to Chicago together get canceled; "Chip's Party" (March 22, 1962) in which no one shows up for Chip's birthday party because parents are worried about Steve having contracted German measles; "Chip's Last Fight" (November 15, 1962) in which Chip is insulted that he has to have a babysitter on a night when everyone else is going out, so he tries to join a secret boys' club that requires him to fight a bigger boy as a rite of initiation; and "Mother Bub" (December 27, 1962) in which Chip is disappointed that Steve is going to be out of town on his birthday, so he follows Sudsy's advice to fake being sick to nudge Steve into buying him an expensive toy car. 

This last episode also reprises the sentimental trope that Bub is as good if not better than any mother already covered in the Season 2 episode "Chip's Composition" (November 30, 1961): Sudsy tries to convince Chip that he has it made since he doesn't have a mother to say "no" when he wants something after his father has approved it. When is caught Chip faking his illness and tells his father about Sudsy's philosophy of the role mothers and fathers play in a child's life, Steve pulls out photos of Bub baking a cake for Chip's first birthday and escorting him on his first day of school to remind him that Bub has fulfilled all the duties of a typical mother. And when Steve agrees to buy Chip the toy car despite his attempt to trick him into it, Bub puts his foot down because he doesn't want Chip to think he can manipulate his father into getting anything he wants, and Chip willingly lets the toy car go because he says he already has everything he needs, meaning Bub. The idea that Bub is more than a match for any biological mother is reinforced in "What's Cooking?" (November 8, 1962) in which Bub wins a PTA-sponsored cook-off against two female competitors. But like many a housewife, Bub decides to break the monotony of housework to seek employment outside the household in "Bub Gets a Job" (February 8, 1962) only to find out that his "salty" temperament is a poor match for working in retail when he can't restrain himself from telling off demanding customers. The rest of the family, however, comes to appreciate Bub's contributions once again as the boys' cooking efforts while he is busy with his new job are scarcely edible.

Despite the series' efforts to depict the Douglas household as humble but better than any other, again reinforced for Mike and Robbie in "Innocents Abroad" (April 12, 1962) when they sneak off to a nearby town to get jobs during a school break to earn extra money just like Steve's college friend tells them their father did in his youth, the Douglas boys and their father still have many warts that can't be washed away. We've already touched on Chip's underhanded tactics in trying to get a toy car and stowing away on an international flight to France, in addition to passing off a drawing of Bub's as his own work in "The Masterpiece" (March 1, 1962). Robbie intentionally tries to catch Chip's illness to avoid taking a math test that could disqualify him from an important football game in "The Big Game" (March 15, 1962), tries to get rich quick so he can impress girls in "Robbie's Employment Service" (September 27, 1962), fakes a photo with a pretty girl at school to make others thinks he is going out with her in "Pretty as a Picture" (November 1, 1962), turns in an old assignment of his father's as his own so that he can spend a weekend at the lake with another pretty girl in "Steve Gets an A" (November 22, 1962), and cheats on his steady girlfriend forcing her to break up with him in "Going Steady" (December 20, 1962). This last episode paints Steve in an unflattering light as well as he uses the girlfriend's mother's concern about the children being too young to go steady as a way to romance the mother and then tries to excuse Robbie's bad behavior by saying it produced the result the mother wanted in the first place--the ends justify the means, in other words.

And Mike is no angel in "Too Much in Common" (May 10, 1962) when he dumps in Steve's lap a fictitious excuse about why Mike isn't coming home from college one weekend to be with his steady girlfriend when he is really going to a play with a college girl he suddenly finds more interesting. Steve again comes off rather badly by covering for Mike and then can't even apologize when he is called out by the hometown girlfriend's father who is trying to provide a similar fictitious excuse for his daughter who is going out with another guy. Mike is also intimidated into participating in a dangerous prank initiated by his college fraternity superiors in "The Hippopotamus Foot" (May 31, 1962). His fickleness with girls is exposed again in "Weekend in Tokyo" (September 20, 1962) when he complains about going with his family to Japan because he claims to be so serious with his current girlfriend that they are talking about marriage, only once in Tokyo he soon forgets about his American girlfriend when he meets a pretty Japanese woman his own age. His snobbishness almost wins out in "Moment of Truth" (October 11, 1962) when he nearly stiffs a waitress he invited to his fraternity dance after listening to his fraternity brothers tell him how out of her element she would be amongst the uppercrust. In "Heat Wave" (November 29, 1962) he is embarrassed at his own family's simple ways when he invites yet another current girlfriend to dinner, then complains that things aren't fancy enough like what she is used to at her house, a virtual repeat of Robbie's embarrassment in "The Musician" (May 11, 1961). Finally, Mike alternates in "The Beauty Contest" (December 6, 1962) between the ethical choice of not choosing his own girlfriend as a finalist in the beauty contest and then using his position as judge to get dates with the other contestants. Sure, these are all teachable moments, and usually the boys learn what the correct choice should have been from the start, but why, if theirs is an ideal family, do they keep making bad choices each week, seemingly unable to distinguish between right and wrong? Of course, if they did actually grow and learn over time there wouldn't be much of a TV series--who wants to watch a family consistently behaving well? But cycling through the same pattern of mistakes and poor judgment doesn't make for much of one either.

However, Mike's penchant for being accused of dating underage girls is something you might expect to see on Curb Your Enthusiasm, not My Three Sons. And yet, in "Blind Date" (January 18, 1962) Mike and Robbie both have blind dates that wind up getting mixed up when Sudsy takes down the address of Robbie's date but Chip thinks it is for Mike so that college student Mike takes out a 15-year-old. Things get even edgier in "Casanova Trouble" (March 29, 1962) when Steve's secretary is worried about her 13-year-old daughter going out with an older boy. Steve volunteers to help her identify the boy but winds up believing that Mike is the guilty party when the secretary produces Mike's fraternity pin, saying she found it amongst her daughter's things. Of course it turns out that Robbie had borrowed the pin from Mike and had been riding home with the 13-year-old in a friend's car, not actually dating her, so Mike is cleared of any impropriety. On My Three Sons the whole affair is played as a dead serious drama, missing out on the chance for cringe-worthy comedy gold. But then My Three Sons will never be mistaken for a series that was ahead of its time.

And yet in an ironic twist, the show that glorified the all-male household employed a remarkable number of female scriptwriters. Of the 38 episodes aired in 1962, 11 were written or co-written by women. Two were written by Joanna Lee ("Chip Leaves Home" and "Chip's Last Fight"), who also wrote 22 episodes for The Flintstones and multiple episodes for Gilligan's Island, Nanny and the Professor, Room 222, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, and The Waltons after a brief career as an actress in which she appeared in such cult classics as Plan 9 From Outer Space and The Brain Eaters. Kitty Buhler wrote "Second Time Around" (January 25, 1962) which brings back Patricia Barry as Steve's former girlfriend Pamela MacLish from the very first episode; though Buhler's scriptwriting career was not extensive, she would later marry decorated Army general Omar N. Bradley. The story for "Bub Gets a Job" was co-written by series casting director Judith Adkins Specht. Dorothy Cooper contributed four episodes in 1962 ("Le Petit Stowaway," "A Holiday for Tramp," "Coincidence," and "Mother Bub") and 23 overall during the series' 12-year run; Cooper worked on many other series in her career, most notably Father Knows Best under the tutelage of original My Three Sons director Peter Tewksbury. Gail Ingram wrote a pair of 1962 episodes ("The Masterpiece" and "The Big Game") and contributed 17 other scripts for the series through 1967; she also worked on earlier TV series Mama, The Big Story, The Millionaire, and Deadline. Muriel Roy Bolton penned the episode "Casanova Trouble" as the last script in a long career that included 38 episodes of The Millionaire and five Henry Aldrich feature films. Shirley Gordon wrote "Daughter for a Day" (October 18, 1962), one of three scripts and stories she provided for My Three Sons between 1961-63; Gordon contributed to 55 scripts for The Bob Cummings Show and later worked on Bewitched and The Courtship of Eddie's Father. Notably, when a story dealt with warmth and emotion, such as in "Daughter for a Day" and "Mother Bub," it was often written by a woman. While on-screen the series suggested that a woman's touch wasn't needed to knit a family close together, behind the scenes was a different story.

As of this post, the first five seasons have been released on DVD by CBS Home Entertainment. However, beginning with Season 3, the releases are manufacture-on-demand (MOD) DVD-Rs, and the film elements used are often truncated syndicated episodes that run 22 or 23 minutes and have not been remastered, so the video quality is considerably below that of the first two seasons. At some point, probably during editing for syndication, the episode "Tramp's First Bite" mistakenly had the credits for "Daughter for a Day" tacked on the end, which is carried forth in the DVD version. The backs of these later DVD sets also note that "Music has been changed for this home entertainment version," meaning it is not the original broadcast music. Even the graphics on these later DVD sets is low-resolution and pixelated, indicating that CBS cut corners and costs at every turn.

The Actors

For the biographies of Fred MacMurray, William Frawley, Tim Considine, Don Grady, and Stanley Livingston, see the 1960 post of My Three Sons. As mentioned in the post on the 1961 episodes, recurring supporting actors--Ricky Allen as Chip's friend Sudsy Pfeiffer, Olive Dunbar as his mother Mrs. Pfeiffer, Peter Brooks as Robbie's friend Hank Ferguson, and Andrew Colmar as Mike's friend Tim Weede--have too little information published online to provide a true biography.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 2, Episode 14, "Chip Leaves Home": Howard Caine (Schaab on The Californians and Maj. Wolfgang Hochstetter on Hogan's Heroes) plays a police desk sergeant.

Season 2, Episode 15, "The Romance of Silver Pines": Ed Begley, Sr. (shown on the near left, starred in Sorry, Wrong Number, The Great Gatsby (1949), Deadline U.S.A., The Turning Point, 12 Angry Men, Sweet Bird of Youth, and Hang 'Em High and played Mr. Koppel on Leave It to Larry) plays vacationer Ed Wallace. Irene Ryan (shown on the far left, appeared in The Woman on the Beach, Bonzo Goes to College, and Desire in the Dust and played Granny Daisy Moses on The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction) plays his wife Rusty. Jan Clayton (starred in Sunset Trail, The Wolf Hunters, and This Man's Navy and played Ellen Miller on Lassie) plays vacationing widow Fran Borden. Dal McKennon (see the biography section for the 1961 post on 87th Precinct) plays resort clerk Mr. MacIvers.

Season 2, Episode 16, "Blind Date": Trudi Ames (appeared in Bye Bye Birdie, Gidget Goes to Rome, and The Impossible Years) plays Robbie's blind date Janie Miller. Carole Costello (daughter of Lou Costello) plays Mike's blind date Bonnie Walters.

Season 2, Episode 17, "Second Time Around": Patricia Barry (shown on the right, played Kate Harris on Harris Against the World, Lydia McGuire on Dr. Kildare, Adelaide Horton Williams on Days of Our Lives, Peg English on All My Children, and Sally Gleason on Guiding Light) plays Steve's former girlfriend Pamela MacLish. George Cisar (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Dennis the Menace) plays Steve's work colleague Giles. Wally Brown (appeared in Notorious, The Left Handed Gun, and The Absent-Minded Professor and played Jed Fame on Cimarron City and Chauncey Kowalski on The Roaring '20's) plays Bub's pinochle partner Max. Richard Reeves (Mr. Murphy on Date With the Angels) plays pinochle partner Smitty.

Season 2, Episode 18, "The Girls Next Door": Jody Fair (appeared in High School Confidential, Hot Rod Gang, The Brain Eaters, and Sex Kittens Go to College) plays stewardess Dodo. Marlyn Mason (Sally Welden on Ben Casey and Nikki Bell on Longstreet) plays stewardess Ellen. Barbara Lyon (daughter of Ben Lyon and Bebe Daniels, popular singer, and played herself on Life With the Lyons and Dream Time With Barbara) plays stewardess Georgia.

Season 2, Episode 19, "Bub Gets a Job": Raymond Bailey (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) plays department store customer Mr. Dennis. Peggy Mondo (Mama Vitale on To Rome With Love) plays customer Mrs. Bleeker. Rusty Stevens (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Leave It to Beaver) plays her son Cletus. Jonathan Hole (Orville Monroe on The Andy Griffith Show) plays floorwalker Mr. Tully. Bryan O'Byrne (Man in the Middle on Occasional Wife) plays an employment service interviewer.

Season 2, Episode 20, "Le Petit Stowaway": Bill Erwin (Glenn Diamond on Struck by Lightning) plays Steve's boss Joe Walters. Bert Remsen (Detective Lawrence on Peyton Place, Mr. Pell on Gibbsville, Mario on It's a Living, and Jack Crager on Dynasty) plays Steve's business contact Capt. Maynard. Beatrice Richter (shown on the right, was the host of Sketch-Up and played Franziska Velten on Salto Postale and Gerti Schofeld on Storm of Love) plays young French girl Marie.

Season 2, Episode 21, "Robbie Valentino": Nancy Kulp (Pamela Livingstone on The Bob Cummings Show, Jane Hathaway on The Beverly Hillbillies, Mrs. Gruber on The Brian Keith Show, and Mrs. Hopkins on Sanford and Son) plays Robbie's physics teacher Miss Fisher. Judee Morton (appeared in Zotz! and The Slime People and played Dr. Smithson on General Hospital) plays Robbie's classmate Marilyn Turnthurston. 

Season 2, Episode 22, "The Masterpiece": Natalie Masters (shown on the left, played Wilma Clemson on Date With the Angels) plays Chip's teacher Miss Bergen. John Gallaudet (appeared in Pennies From Heaven, Girls Can Play, and In Cold Blood and played Chamberlain on Mayor of the Town, Lt. Dan Harmon on Johnny Midnight, Judge Penner on Perry Mason, and later played Bob Anderson on My Three Sons) plays Sudsy's father Mr. Pfeiffer. Gilman Rankin (Deputy Charlie Riggs on Tombstone Territory) plays Chip's principal Mr. Shutley.

Season 2, Episode 23, "A Holiday for Tramp": Eve Arden (shown on the right, starred in Stage Door, No, No, Nanette, Sing for Your Supper, Mildred Pierce, Tea for Two, Our Miss Brooks, and Anatomy of a Murder and played Connie Brooks on Our Miss Brooks, Liza Hammond on The Eve Arden Show, and Eve Hubbard on The Mothers-in-Law) plays former actress Marisa Montaine. Maudie Prickett (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Hazel) plays her assistant Brownie. Johnny Silver (Ludicrous Lion and Dr. Blinkey on H.R. Pufnstuf) plays Montaine's chauffeur. Reta Shaw (Flora McCauley on The Ann Sothern Show, Thelma on The Tab Hunter Show, Mrs. Stanfield on Oh, Those Bells, and Martha Grant on The Ghost and Mrs. Muir) plays Bryant Park Mother of the Year Mrs. Bradshaw. Charles Seel (Otis the Bartender on Tombstone Territory, Mr. Krinkie on Dennis the Menace, and Tom Pride on The Road West) plays a train conductor.

Season 2, Episode 24, "The Big Game": Nancy Kulp (shown on the left, see "Robbie Valentino" above)  plays Robbie's math teacher Miss Fisher. 

Season 2, Episode 25, "Chip's Party": Olive Dunbar (Heather Ruth Jensen on My World and Welcome To It and Bertha Bottomly on Big John, Little John) plays Sudsy's mother Mrs. Pfeiffer. Natalie Masters (see "The Masterpiece" above) returns as Chip's teacher Miss Bergen.

Season 2, Episode 26, "Casanova Trouble": Brenda Scott (shown on the right, married and divorced actor Andrew Prine three times, now married to producer Dean Hargrove, played Midge Pride on The Road West and Dr. Gina Dante Lansing on General Hospital) plays Steve's secretary's daughter Linda Evans. 

Season 2, Episode 27, "The Pencil Pusher": William Tannen (Deputy Hal Norton on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays an Air Force colonel. Sydney Mason (Insp. J.J. Burke on Craig Kennedy, Criminologist and Sheriff Walt Downey on My Friend Flicka) plays Air Force base Fire Chief Miller. William Sargent (Jerry Carter on Peyton Place) plays Air Force pilot Lt. Smith.

Season 2, Episode 28, "Innocents Abroad": Roy Engel (shown on the left, played Doc Martin on Bonanza, the police chief on My Favorite Martian, and President Ulysses S. Grant on The Wild, Wild West) plays Steve's college friend Wally Osborne. 

Season 2, Episode 29, "Robbie the Caddy": Robert J. Wilke (appeared in Best of the Badmen, High Noon, The Far Country, Night Passage, and Stripes and played Capt. Mendoza on Zorro) plays professional golfer Danny Donnigan. Louis Nicoletti (assistant director on The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy) plays caddy master Louie. Jimmy Cross (Jesse on How to Marry a Millionaire) plays the golf course steward.

Season 2, Episode 30, "Coincidence": Billy Barty (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1961 post on Peter Gunn) plays stranded bus passenger Billy Longfellow. Mary Jackson (Emily Baldwin on The Waltons, Sarah Wicks on Hardcastle and McCormick, and Great Grandma Greenwell on Parenthood) plays widowed mother Irene Anderson. Barbara Parkins (starred in Valley of the Dolls, The Mephisto Waltz, and Puppet on a Chain and played Betty Anderson Harrington on Peyton Place) plays her daughter Bobbie. Susan Gordon (appeared in Attack of the Puppet People, Tormented, The Five Pennies, and Picture Mommy Dead) plays her daughter Kit. Verna Felton (Mrs. Day on The Ezio Pinza Show and The Jack Benny Program, Hilda Crocker on December Bride and Pete and Gladys, and voiced Pearl Slaghoople on The Flintstones) plays grandmother Mub.

Season 2, Episode 31, "Air Derby": Wallace Rooney (Andrew Winters on The Doctors and Tim Butterfield on Lou Grant) plays hobby shop owner Pop Johnson. Joey D. Vieira (Hollis Bridwell on The Pride of the Family, Porky Brockway on Lassie, and Norman Zelinko on Hank) plays high-school student Roly-Poly Bates. Ed Prentiss (the narrator on Trackdown and played Carl Jensen on The Virginian) plays his father. Chick Hearn (shown on the left, legendary Los Angeles Lakers play-by-play announcer) plays the air derby announcer. Butch Patrick (Greg Howard on The Real McCoys, Eddie Munster on The Munsters, Gordon Dearing later on My Three Sons, and Mark on Lidsville) plays a hobby shop customer.

Season 2, Episode 32, "Too Much in Common": Carolyn Craig (appeared in Giant, House on Haunted Hill, and Studs Lonigan) plays Mike's girlfriend June Barker. Bill Zuckert (shown on the right, played Arthur Bradwell on Mr. Novak and Chief Segal on Captain Nice) plays her father Harry. Richard Clair (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) plays June's date Ken Everetts. Don Edmonds (appeared in Gidget Goes Hawaiian, Beach Ball, and Wild Wild Winter and played Nicky D'Angelo on Broadside) plays a school librarian. Josie Lloyd (Nurse Roth on Dr. Kildare) plays Mike's date's friend Linda Prentiss.

Season 2, Episode 33, "Chug and Robbie": Ryan O'Neal (shown on the left, starred in Love Story, What's Up, Doc?, Barry Lyndon, Paper Moon, A Bridge Too Far, and The Main Event and played Tal Garrett on Empire, Rodney Harrington on Peyton Place, Bobby Tannen on Good Sports, Robert Roberts, Jr. on Bull, Jerry Fox on Miss Match, and Max Keenen on Bones) plays high school football hero Chug Williams. Del Moore (Alvin on Life With Elizabeth and Cal Mitchell on Bachelor Father) plays his father. 

Season 2, Episode 34, "Good Influence": George Wallace (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays Chip's friend's father Mr. Selby. Mary Anderson (starred in Bahama Passage, The Song of Bernadette, and Lifeboat and played Catherine Harrington on Peyton Place) plays his wife Claire.

Season 2, Episode 35, "The Hippopotamus Foot": Douglas Lambert (Eddie Weeks on General Hospital and Walter Schiff on Inside Story) plays fraternity brother Buzz Talbot. Mike Minor (Steve Elliott on Petticoat Junction and The Beverly Hillbillies and Brandon Kingsley on All My Children) plays fraternity brother Ray. Alexander Lockwood (Judge Owen Baker on Sam Benedict) plays college Dean Talbot. Hank Patterson (shown on the left, played Fred Ziffel on Green Acres and Petticoat Junction and Hank Miller on Gunsmoke) plays college caretaker Quinby Lewis.

Season 2, Episode 36, "The Kibitzers": Lloyd Corrigan (starred in A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob, Hitler's Children, Captive Wild Woman, The Bandit of Sherwood Forest, and Son of Paleface and played Papa Dodger on Willy, Wally Dipple on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Ned Buntline on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Uncle Charlie on Happy, and Professor McKillup on Hank) plays Bub's pinochle partner Mr. Smithfield. Burt Mustin (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1961 post on Leave It to Beaver) plays pinochle partner Max. Natalie Masters (see "The Masterpiece" above) returns as Chip's teacher Mrs. Bergen. Eddie Quillan (starred in The Grapes of Wrath, Mandarin Mystery, Mutiny on the Bounty, and Hi, Good Lookin'! and played Eddie Edson on Julia and Poco Loco on Hell Town) plays air-conditioning contractor Handley Hewlitt. Bill Erwin (see "Le Petit Stowaway" above) returns as Steve's boss Joe Walters.

Season 3, Episode 1, "Weekend in Tokyo": James Yagi (shown on the left, appeared in The Gallant Hours, Bridge to the Sun, and King Kong vs. Godzilla and played Charlie Wong on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) plays Steve's Japanese contact Mr. Tanaka. Caroline Kido (appeared in The Nun and the Sergeant and Confessions of an Opium Eater) plays the Douglas' host's granddaughter Kimiko. Buck Young (Deputy Buck Johnson on U.S. Marshal and Sgt. Whipple on Gomer Pyle: USMC) plays Robbie's wrestling coach.

Season 3, Episode 2, "Robbie's Employment Service": Booth Colman (shown on the right, played Zaius on Planet of the Apes, Prof. Hector Jerrold on General Hospital, and Dr. Felix Burke on The Young and the Restless) plays banker Enoch Lieb. Anne Loos (Mrs. Danfield on Mr. Novak) plays Robbie's client Mrs. Edgerton. Barbara Collentine (Charlotte on Nichols) plays client Mrs. Randall. Richard Bull (played the Seaview doctor on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Thatcher on Nichols, and Nels Oleson on Little House on the Prairie) plays city licensor J.C. Dobbins. Patricia Lyon (wife of Robert Fuller) plays Robbie's girlfriend Betty Stone.

Season 2, Episode 3, "Tramp's First Bite": Tim Matheson (shown on the left, played Roddy Miller on Window on Main Street, Jim Horn on The Virginian, Griff King on Bonanza, Quentin Beaudine on The Quest, Rick Tucker on Tucker's Witch, Harry Stadlin on Just in Time, Charlie Hoover on Charlie Hoover, Sheriff Matthew Donner on Wolf Lake, Bill Dunne on Breaking News, John Hoynes on The West Wing, Larry Sizemore on Burn Notice, Dr. Brick Breeland on Hart of Dixie, and Doc Mullins on Virgin River, and voiced Jonny Quest on Jonny Quest, Sinbad, Jr. on Sinbad, Jr. and His Magic Belt, Samson on Young Samson & Goliath, Jace on Space Ghost, Capt. John O'Rourke on The Legend of Calamity Jane, and Brad Chiles on Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated) plays bite victim Alan Edgerton. Anne Loos (see "Robbie's Employment Service" above) plays his mother. Dennis McCarthy (Dr. Sam Hodges on Cimarron City) plays policeman John. Tyler McVey (Maj. Norgrath on Men Into Space) plays a judge.

Season 3, Episode 4, "Moment of Truth": Penney Parker (shown on the right, played Terry Williams on The Danny Thomas Show and Maybelle Jackson on Margie) plays waitress Jackie Acton. Robert Foulk (Ed Davis on Father Knows Best, Sheriff Miller on Lassie, Joe Kingston on Wichita Town, Mr. Wheeler on Green Acres, and Phillip Toomey on The Rifleman) plays her father Pop. Mike Minor (see "The Hippopotamus Foot" above) plays Mike's fraternity brother Duke.

Season 3, Episode 5, "Daughter for a Day": Stanja Lowe (Mrs. Thomas on Peyton Place) plays Steve's old friend Elizabeth Hill. Morgan Brittany (shown on the left, played Kate Simpson on Glitter and Katherine Wentworth on Dallas) plays her young daughter Jeannie. Barbara Lyon (see "The Girls Next Door" above) plays an airline stewardess. 

Season 3, Episode 6, "The Ghost Next Door": Loie Bridge (Chloe Skinridge on Life With Elizabeth) plays next door neighbor Abbe Pearson. 

Season 3, Episode 7, "Pretty as a Picture": Hope Sansberry (shown on the right, played Mrs. Nell Hall on The Phil Silvers Show) plays elderly neighbor Clara Gilbert. 

Season 3, Episode 8, "What's Cooking?": Olive Dunbar (see "Chip's Party" above) returns as Mrs. Pfeiffer. Patsy Garrett (Mrs. Fowler on Nanny and the Professor and Miss Hogarth on Room 222) plays Dorine Peters' mother Agnes. Molly Dodd (Miss Scott on Hazel) plays lifestyle reporter Flora McAvoy.

Season 3, Episode 9, "Chip's Last Fight": Tim Matheson (see "Tramp's First Bite" above) plays secret boys club president Gibbs. Barbara Collentine (shown on the left, see "Robbie's Employment Service" above) plays the mother of another club member Mrs. Aldrich. Celeste Yarnell (Miss Rheingold 1964, starred in Eve, Live a Little, Love a Little, and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice) plays Mike's girlfriend Ginny Stewart. Bill Quinn (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Rifleman) plays the Douglas family doctor.

Season 3, Episode 10, "Steve Gets an A": Mimsy Farmer (shown on the right, starred in Hot Rods to Hell, Riot on Sunset Strip, Devil's Angels, The Wild Racers, and More) plays Robbie's girlfriend Janee Holmes. William Sargent (see "The Pencil Pusher" above) plays Robbie's history teacher Mr. Armstrong.

Season 3, Episode 11, "Heat Wave": Anjanette Comer (starred in The Loved One, The Appaloosa, Guns for San Sebastian, and Rabbit, Run) plays Mike's girlfriend Janie Stempel. Bartlett Robinson (Willard Norton on Wendy and Me and Frank Caldwell on Mona McCluskey) plays Steve's business client Milton Gibson. Olive Dunbar (see "Chip's Party" above) returns as Mrs. Pfeiffer. Templeton Fox (mother of musician Bob Welch) plays paper drive collector Mrs. Fletcher. Billy Beck (Lt. Trask on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, the photo editor on Lou Grant, Charles on Falcon Crest, and Nick Pappasmearos on Son of the Beach) plays a grocery store janitor.

Season 3, Episode 12, "The Beauty Contest": Jeannine Riley (shown on the left, appeared in Strike Me Deadly, The Big Mouth, and Electra Glide in Blue and played Billie Jo Bradley on Petticoat Junction, Lulu McQueen on Dusty's Trail, and was a regular on Hee Haw) plays beauty contestant Kim Franklin. Nancy McCarthy (Bunny [later recast as Mary Ann] in the original unaired pilot of Gilligan's Island) plays Mike's girlfriend Laurie. Les Brown, Jr. (son of bandleader Les Brown, played Jim Bailey on The Baileys of Balboa and Buzz Coleman on The Young Marrieds) plays college newspaper assistant editor Arch.

Season 3, Episode 13, "Doctor in the House": Oliver McGowan (shown on the right, played Harvey Welk on Empire) plays Steve's former physician Dr. Stasser. Russ Conway (Fenton Hardy on The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure, Gen. Devon on Men Into Space, and Lt. Pete Kile on Richard Diamond, Private Detective) plays Steve's boss Joe Walters. Dorothy Konrad (Mrs. Trilling on The Last Resort) plays neighbor Mrs. Gilbert. Sidney Clute (Sgt. Same Gerke on Steve Canyon, Det. Simms on McCloud, the National Editor on Lou Grant, and Det. Paul La Guardia on Cagney & Lacey) plays a sign painter. Shirley O'Hara (Debbie Flett on The Bob Newhart Show) plays Stasser's nurse.

Season 3, Episode 14, "Going Steady": Marta Kristen (Judy Robinson on Lost in Space) plays Robbie's girlfriend Linda Davis. Lola Albright (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Peter Gunn) plays her mother Paulette. Madge Kennedy (Aunt Martha Branson on Leave It to Beaver) plays Paulette's mother Mrs. Lindsay. Buck Young (see "Weekend in Tokyo" above) returns as Robbie's wrestling coach.

Death Valley Days (1960)

Like many early television series, Death Valley Days began as a radio program created by Ruth Woodman in 1930. Unlike those other series, the Death Valley Days radio program was canceled many years before its television debut, ending in 1945. The creation of the television series in 1952 is credited to Dorothy McCann and Mitchell J. Hamilburg of the McCann-Erickson advertising agency, which was then representing Gene Autry's production company Flying A Productions. What made Death Valley Days different was that it was a reality-based western drama anthology at a time when westerns were not very prevalent on network television, and the only two such network series were the more fantastical Gene Autry Show and The Lone Ranger. Even other syndicated westerns were of the superhero variety, such as The Cisco Kid, The Range Rider, and The Adventures of Kit Carson, which was based on a historical character whose exploits had long ago been exaggerated in dime novels. Later western series based on historical figures, such as The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson, painted their titular characters as glowing and upright knights in the service of all that is good, whereas their historical counterparts were ethically ambivalent at best.

Granted, the stories on Death Valley Days likely have been tweaked for dramatic effect--television is first and foremost an entertainment medium--but historical authenticity, or at least the appearance of such, was clearly a high priority for the producers. Most episodes end with the narrating Old Ranger showing off an actual artifact relating to the story that has just been presented. The most unexpected example of this is at the beginning of "A Wedding Dress" (February 13, 1960) wherein the Old Ranger presents the still very much living 80-year-old widow of the episode's protagonist, Marshal Bill Tilgham. Zoe Tilgham had published a biography about her late husband in 1949 and attests during the episode's epilogue to his upstanding character as just depicted, which is perfectly in keeping with the times when characters in westerns tended to be either heroes or villains. Complex, conflicted characters rarely appeared on television during this era.

However, Death Valley Days frequently featured redemption stories of characters who had gone astray or started out on the wrong side of the law but eventually saw the errors of their ways. One such character is Matt Warner, a one-time colleague of Butch Cassidy, who appears in two different 1960 episodes--"The Devil's Due" (January 21, 1960) and "The Young Gun" (December 27, 1960). In the former tale, Warner has already gone straight but is keeping $20,000 from a bank robbery hidden on his ranch to make sure that his wife Rosie and their baby on the way are taken care of. Cassidy shows up with a wounded partner after a botched robbery and demands his money but then rides off with the partner when the sheriff approaches. Warner's sister-in-law, who yearns for the excitement of Cassidy's lifestyle, rats out Warner, which lands him in jail, where Cassidy returns to spring him in exchange for the money. Warner refuses to go on the lam and instead jumps Cassidy while also saving the sheriff's life, prompting the sheriff to pretend to forget about the stolen money Warner is still hiding. The Old Ranger tells us that Warner served prison time for his past crimes before starting over as a rancher and eventually a well-respected lawman. The Old Ranger's narrated epilogue jibes with the historical facts about Warner's life, but the conflict with Cassidy is not mentioned in any of the online biographies of Warner, though it is possible it was mentioned in his memoir Last of the Bandit Riders. Still, one woman commenting on one of his online biographies says that an article in the October 7, 1896 edition of the Salt Lake City Desert Evening News reports that Warner kidnapped his wife Rosie at age 14, forced her to marry him, and physically abused her, breaking her knee and then refusing to get medical help, resulting in complications that eventually led to amputation and death. This is hardly the concerned family man we see depicted on Death Valley Days.

Warner's second story depicted in "The Young Gun" seems largely true--that when his wife died while he was being sent to prison, he had their just-born son Rex entrusted to the care of friend Frank Taylor and his wife and even after being released from prison he never let Rex know that he was his father. Warner did not want his son branded by his own outlaw reputation and considered his separation from Rex as a form of penance for his past misdeeds. However, the rest of the episode's story about how the incognito Warner saved Rex from being prosecuted for the accidental death of a rival who tried to frame him for a bank robbery is not mentioned elsewhere and is perhaps a dramatic fabrication. But this part of the story aligns with the Death Valley Days spirit of providing morality plays that show us the proper way to behave even when facing adversity.

Another redemption story with a heavy religious flavor is "The Wind at Your Back" (December 5, 1960) featuring another young robber named Johnny Carter. Carter robs and kills a prospector carrying $3000 worth of gold dust but is wounded himself and stumbles through the desert to a religious mission for Native American orphans in the Mojave Desert. There he is tended to by Sister Mary Frances who soon learns his true identity and crime and urges him to turn himself and the money in. Carter instead hopes that his successful heist will allow him to partner with notorious outlaw Forbes Buckner and sends a message to Buckner to come meet him, since he cannot travel due to his injury. When Buckner arrives and demands to know where the gold dust is hidden, Carter eventually tells him since he is still too weak to move, not realizing that Sister Mary Frances has already recovered and hidden the stolen gold after Carter revealed its location during an early delirious outburst. When Buckner returns without the gold, thinking that he has been double-crossed, and threatens to shoot Sister Mary Frances if she does not tell him where it is, she stands firm, but Carter thinks that Buckner will really kill them both, so he grabs his gun from beneath his pillow and shoots Buckner. Afterward, believing that Sister Mary Frances would have taken a bullet for him, Carter turns over a new leaf and agrees to return the stolen gold and serve jail time for his offense. As with other Death Valley Days stories in this vein, it is as if a switch has been turned on to change formerly bad characters into good.

Which is not to say that the stories do not have an occasional ambivalent character. "Eagle in the Rocks" (May 10, 1960) tells the story of California outlaw Joaquin Murrieta, notorious for robbing from white settlers near San Lorenzo. But when he is wrongly accused of killing four miners and a $5000 bounty is placed on his head, he uses his wiles to expose the real killers, a group of white settlers who wanted to take over the mine, and disperses his share of the reward money amongst poor native Californians as Robin Hood may have done. By placing him in the Robin Hood mold, the author effectively smoothes over or exonerates any past crimes Murrieta may have committed. This is the same approach used in "3-7-77" (December 14, 1960) about a group of vigilantes in Alder Gulch, Montana who hand out their own brand of justice by lynching those they find guilty of crimes that the town's corrupt sheriff won't prosecute. And yet the vigilantes are depicted as the good guys, even though they come dangerously close to executing a young man who is tricked into robbing a drunken prospector of his gold by a man claiming to be the man's stiffed partner. Fortunately, one of the vigilantes believes his story and gets the others to agree to set him free, though they plan to shun him. The corrupt sheriff gets wind of the deal and tortures the young man to reveal the identities of the vigilantes, but the young man refuses to crack and is accepted into the vigilantes' good graces. Though it is clear that the intent of this episode is to depict the virtues of loyalty, it gives a free pass to those who take the law into their own hands.

While excusing extra-judicial killings is certainly alarming, many other episodes have more palatable narratives. "His Brother's Keeper" (January 9, 1960) is a plea for tolerance, in this case not condemning a man outright because of the sins of his brother. It tells a tale of actor Edwin Booth trying to escape the shadow of his brother John Wilkes Booth's assassination of President Abraham Lincoln after moving to tiny Downeyville, California where the former Booth is hoping to stage a production of Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood. A local bully stirs up sentiment against Booth and tries to run him out of town, but Booth finds an ally in tolerant rancher Jeb Hayes who finally stands up to the bully, beats him in a fistfight, and turns the tide of public sentiment into accepting Booth. "A Woman's Rights" (May 1, 1960) lobbies in favor of women's suffrage and equal rights under the law but with a rather reactionary argument--that the only way to establish law and order is to give women the right to vote because men always settle arguments with their guns or fists, whereas women are weak and defenseless, thereby requiring other means to settle disputes. Still, the story's heroine Esther Morris was appointed justice of the peace in South Pass, Wyoming in 1869, 51 years before the United States gave women the right to vote nationally. This episode sums up the general flavor of Death Valley Days and reflects its popularity as the second-longest-running western TV series--historically based narratives of good, ordinary people winning out over villains and adverse conditions, but without rocking the status quo. This uplifting but conservative viewpoint is likely what attracted future governor and president Ronald Reagan to take over the job of host when the Old Ranger was ridden out to pasture. The series also stood out from other westerns by avoiding the unrealistic hero who wins every contest by outshooting his adversary.

Though the theme music for Death Valley Days was composed by Herbert Taylor, the scores for all the episodes that aired in 1960 were composed by Raoul Kraushaar, who was profiled in the 1961 post for The Lawless Years.

As of this writing, the first 3 seasons and Season 13 have been released on DVD by Timeless Media Group. Season 14 is scheduled for release in early 2018. The series is also currently airing on the Encore Westerns cable channel.

The Actors

Stanley Andrews

Born Stanley Martin Andrzejewski in Chicago in 1891, not much is known about his early years. According to different accounts, his parents Frank and Antoinette were either Polish or German, and he spent most of his early years in the midwest, taking up acting after high school. He married his first wife Mary Irene Moran in Seattle in 1917, but they were later divorced. He remarried to Frances in 1928 after the two met while acting in a play together in Omaha, Nebraska. He first made his mark in radio drama as the voice of Daddy Warbucks on Little Orphan Annie from 1931-36. He notched his first acting appearance on film in an uncredited role in the 1933 Eddie Cantor farce Roman Scandals. His first credited role came in the 1935 feature All the King's Horses. He appeared in no fewer than 36 feature films that year alone, including Private Worlds, People Will Talk, Wanderer of the Wasteland, and Escape From Devil's Island. Though not quite as prolific in later years, Andrews continued appearing in scores of features up until the early 1950s. Among the biggest films he appeared in, often uncredited, were Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Beau Geste, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Ox-Bow Incident, It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, The Paleface, and Superman and the Mole-Men. His television career began in 1949 with an appearance on The Lone Ranger.  The next year he appeared on The Gene Autry Show, and in 1951 he had appearances on Stars Over Hollywood, The Cisco Kid, The Range Rider, and The Adventures of Kit Carson. The following year he began his 12-year run as the Old Ranger, hosting Death Valley Days for 296 episodes until the producers decided they wanted a younger man in the role and replaced him with Ronald Reagan.

During his earlier years as host of Death Valley Days Andrews continued making numerous appearances on other TV programs as well as less frequent feature film roles. He made multiple appearances on Tales of the Texas Rangers, Sky King, Buffalo Bill, Jr., Annie Oakley, and The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin and showed up in features such as El Paso Stampede, Those Redheads From Seattle, Treasure of Ruby Hills, Star in the Dust, Gun for a Coward, and Untamed Youth, as well as appearing in the first five episodes of the serial Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders. By 1960, however, Andrews was nearing 70 years old and confined himself solely to his Death Valley Days role. Once he was replaced, he retired from acting and took up residence in the El Segundo section of Los Angeles, where he died at age 77 on June 23, 1969.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 8, Episode 14, "His Brother's Keeper": Harry Townes (starred in The Brothers Karamazov, Screaming Mimi, and Sanctuary) plays actor Edwin Booth. Alan Baxter (appeared in Saboteur, Close-Up, and Paint Your Wagon) plays rancher Jeb Hayes. Don Grady (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on My Three Sons) plays his son Calvin.

Season 8, Episode 15, "The Devil's Due": Robert Knapp (Ben Olson on Days of Our Lives and SAC Noel McDonald on The F.B.I.) plays former bank robber Matt Warner. June Dayton (Mary Aldrich on The Aldrich Family) plays his wife Rosie. Dan Sheridan (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Lawman) plays the local sheriff. Howard Caine (Schaab on The Californians and Maj. Wolfgang Hochstetter on Hogan's Heroes) plays prosecutor Mark Redding.

Season 8, Episode 16, "Money to Burn": Lloyd Corrigan (shown on the right, starred in A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob, Hitler's Children, Captive Wild Woman, The Bandit of Sherwood Forest, and Son of Paleface and played Papa Dodger on Willy, Wally Dipple on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Uncle Charlie on Happy, and Professor McKillup on Hank) plays tramp Carl Herman. William Boyett (Sgt. Ken Williams on Highway Patrol and Sgt. MacDonald on Adam-12) plays train company agent Hume. Paul Sorensen (Andy Bradley on Dallas) plays train robber Browning. Kelton Garwood (Beauregard O'Hanlon on Bourbon Street Beat and Percy Crump on Gunsmoke) plays an unnamed tramp. Helen Kleeb (Miss Claridge on Harrigan and Son, Miss Tandy on Room 222, and Mamie Baldwin on The Waltons) plays hotel chambermaid Lizzie. Roy Wright (Callahan on The Islanders) plays a hotel doorman. 

Season 8, Episode 17, "Dogs of the Mist": James Douglas (shown on the left, appeared in G.I. Blues, A Thunder of Drums, and Sweet Bird of Youth and played Steve Cord on Peyton Place, Grant Coleman on As the World Turns, and Dr. Marcus Polk on One Life to Live) plays rancher Steve Hewitt. Craig Duncan (Sgt. Stanfield/Banfield on Mackenzie's Raiders) plays storekeeper Luther Pond. Larry J. Blake (played the unnamed jailer on Yancy Derringer and Tom Parnell on Saints and Sinners) plays claimant Mac. Eddie Quillan (starred in The Grapes of Wrath, Mandarin Mystery, Mutiny on the Bounty, and Hi, Good Lookin'! and played Eddie Edson on Julia and Poco Loco on Hell Town) plays assayer Alec. 

Season 8, Episode 18, "A Wedding Dress": Brad Johnson (Deputy Sheriff Lofty Craig on Annie Oakley) plays Marshal Bill Tilgham. Mary Webster (Rachel Verinder on The Moonstone, Jill Reed on Emergency-Ward 10, Anna on Circus, and Sarah Onedin on The Onedin Line) plays his wife. J. Pat O'Malley (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1961 post on Frontier Circus) plays banker Horace Capshaw. 

Season 8, Episode 19, "Shadows on the Window": Dayton Lummis (Marshal Andy Morrison on Law of the Plainsman) plays former Union General Lew Wallace. Katherine Warren (appeared in The Lady Pays Off, The Glenn Miller Story, and The Caine Mutiny) plays his wife Susan. Larry J. Blake (see "Dogs of the Mist" above) plays Sheriff Pat Garrett. Martin Braddock (Gordon Parker on Mannix) plays Billy the Kid. 

Season 8, Episode 20, "The Battle of Mokelumne Hill": Marcel Dalio (appeared in Casablanca, The Song of Bernadette, Wilson, To Have and Have Not, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Sabrina  and played Capt. Renaud on Casablanca) plays French patriarch Victor Rousseau. H.M. Wynant (shown on the left, played Frosty on Batman and Ed Chapman on Dallas) plays his future son-in-law Paul Martain. Dallas Mitchell (Det. Fisher on The Asphalt Jungle) plays U.S. Army Lt. Bill Bradshaw. Roy Engel (Doc Martin on Bonanza, the police chief on My Favorite Martian, and President Ulysses S. Grant on The Wild, Wild West) plays his commanding officer Col. Fremont.

Season 8, Episode 21, "The Strangers": Warner Anderson (shown on the right, appeared in Destination Tokyo, My Reputation, Destination Moon, Detective Story, The Caine Mutiny, and Blackboard Jungle and played The Doctor on The Doctor, Lt. Ben Gutherie on The Lineup, and Matthew Swain and the narrator on Peyton Place) plays horse rancher John Gaunt. Phyllis Hill (Mrs. Dawson on General Hospital) plays his wife Jessica. Virginia Aldridge (screenwriter for Dallas, Fame, and Beauty and the Beast) plays his daughter Nan. Richard Evans (Paul Hanley on Peyton Place) plays his son Chris. Robert Gist (directed multiple episodes of Peter Gunn, Naked City, and The Richard Boone Show and was Agnes Moorehead's second husband) plays drifter Aaron Taggart.

Season 8, Episode 22, "Goodbye, Five Hundred Pesos": William Bryant (McCall on Combat!, President Ulysses S. Grant on Branded, Col. Crook on Hondo, Lt. Shilton on Switch, and the Director on The Fall Guy) plays Santa Barbara commanding officer Capt. Lippet. Than Wyenn (Licenciado Piña on Zorro) plays simple farmer Enrique. Rafael Campos (shown on the left, played Ramon Diaz, Jr. on Rhoda) plays his son Manolito. Mark Allen (Matt Kissel on The Travels of Jamie McPheeters and Sam Evans on Dark Shadows) plays Lippet's desk sergeant.

Season 8, Episode 23, "Forbidden Wedding": Ziva Rodann (appeared in Forty Guns, The Private Lives of Adam and Eve, The Story of Ruth, and College Confidential and played Nefertiti on Batman) plays young lover Josefa Carillo. Jan Arvan (Nacho Torres on Zorro and Paw Kadiddlehopper on The Red Skelton Hour) plays her father Don Joaquin Carillo. 

Season 8, Episode 24, "One Man Tank": Dabbs Greer (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Gunsmoke) plays storekeeper Leo Harris. Eddie Harmon (Eddie Halstead on The Rifleman) plays salt company agent Mike Shannon. C. Lindsay Workman (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Donna Reed Show) plays his assistant Jimson. 

Season 8, Episode 25, "The Man on the Road": John Raitt (shown on the right, Broadway musical star, starred in The Pajama Game, father of Bonnie Raitt) plays peddler John Abraham Dandridge. House Peters, Jr. (Sheriff Jim Billings on Lassie) plays condemned man Wilbur Rawson. Douglas Fowley (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays old-timer Zeb. Mort Mills (Marshal Frank Tallman on Man Without a Gun, Sgt. Ben Landro on Perry Mason, and Sheriff Fred Madden on The Big Valley) plays land-grabber Holt. Rudy Solari (Frank Martinez on Redigo and Casino on Garrison's Gorillas) plays Holt's henchman Garr. 

Season 8, Episode 26, "The Man Everyone Hated": James Craig (shown on the left, starred in Kitty Foyle, The Devil and Daniel Webster, The Human Comedy, Kismet (1944), and Our Vines Have Tender Grapes) plays California Indian Reservation Act author Gen. Edward F. Beale. Charles Davis (Tennyson on The Wild Wild West) plays dry goods salesman Alf Culkins. Ken Mayer (Maj. Robbie Robertson on Space Patrol) plays slave ship owner Jim Blanchard. Joseph V. Perry (Nemo  on Everybody Loves Raymond) plays his henchman Rafe. Linda Watkins (Robin Crosley on One Life to Live) plays dock gadabout Kate.

Season 8, Episode 27, "The General Who Disappeared": Richard Webb (shown on the right, played Captain Midnight on Captain Midnight and Deputy Chief Don Jagger on Border Patrol) plays interim Montana governor Gen. Thomas Meagher. Howard Petrie (Hugh Blaine on Bat Masterson) plays Speaker of the House Arthur Justman. Bill Quinn (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Rifleman) plays legislator Haynes. Joanna Lee (appeared in The Joker Is Wild, The Brain Eaters, and Plan 9 From Outer Space and wrote screenplays for The Flintstones, My Three Sons, Gilligan's Island, Nanny and the Professor, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, and Room 222) plays saloon singer Flora Dodd.

Season 8, Episode 28, "The Million Dollar Pants": Red Buttons (shown on the left, starred in Sayonara, Hatari!, The Longest Day, Stagecoach, and The Poseidon Adventure and played Henry Wadsworth Phyfe on The Double Life of Henry Phyfe, Al Baker on Knots Landing, and Jules Rubadoux on ER) plays blue jeans inventor Levi Strauss. Richard Carlyle (Casey on Crime Photographer) plays harness maker Patrick Mahoney. Dan Barton (Det. Sgt. Burke on Dan Raven) plays banker Arnold Leacock. Lisa Gaye (Gwen Kirby on How to Marry a Millionaire) plays sickly boat passenger Yvonne Benet. Ted Knight (Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Roger Dennis on The Ted Knight Show, and Henry Rush on Too Close for Comfort) plays a ship officer. Francis de Sales (Lt. Bill Weigand on Mr. & Mrs. North, Ralph Dobson on The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, Sheriff Maddox on Two Faces West, and Rusty Lincoln on Days of Our Lives) plays a San Francisco doctor.

Season 8, Episode 29, "Pirates of San Francisco": H.M. Wynant (see "The Battle of Mokelumne Hill" above) plays ship's first mate Tom Patrick. George Wallace (shown on the right, starred in Radar Men From the Moon, Destry, and Forbidden Planet and played Judge Milton Cole on Hill Street Blues and Grandpa Hank Hammersmith on Sons and Daughters) plays pirate leader Jake Handley. Eddie Quillan (see "Dogs of the Mist" above) plays his recruiter Salty. Ann McRea (Midge Kelsey on The Donna Reed Show) plays barmaid Gwen. Charles H. Gray (Officer Edwards on Highway Patrol, Pico McGuire on Gunslinger, Clay Forrester on Rawhide, and Bill Foster on The Young and the Restless) plays newspaper editor Ed Wilson. Edgar Barrier (appeared in Phantom of the Opera (1943), Adventures in Silverado, Macbeth (1948), and Snow White and the Three Stooges and played Don Cornelio Esperon on Zorro) plays ship owner Richards. 

Season 8, Episode 30, "A Woman's Rights": Dean Harens (Noel Clinton on General Hospital and  SAC Bryan Durant on The F.B.I.) plays storekeeper John Morris. Bethel Leslie (shown on the left, appeared in 15 episodes of The Richard Boone Show and played Claudia Conner on All My Children and Ethel Crawford on One Life to Live) plays his wife Esther. Stanley Clements (Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie in 6 Bowery Boys feature films) plays prospector Steve Nelson. Bartlett Robinson (Frank Caldwell on Mona McCluskey) plays Nelson's lawyer McGreevey. Hope Summers (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Andy Griffith Show) plays suffragette Lucretia Mott. Frank Wilcox (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Untouchables) plays Wyoming Governor Lee.

Season 8, Episode 31, "Eagle in the Rocks": Ricardo Montalban (shown on the right, starred in The Kissing Bandit, On an Island With You, The Singing Nun, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and played David Valerio on Executive Suite, Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island, and Zach Powers on The Colbys) plays infamous bandito Joaquin Murrieta. Lisa Gaye (see "The Million Dollar Pants" above) plays his girlfriend Raquel. Jack Kruschen (appeared in The War of the Worlds, The Apartment, Lover Come Back, and Freebie and the Bean and played Tully on Hong Kong, Sam Markowitz on Busting Loose, Papa Papadapolis on Webster, and Fred Avery on Material World) plays his chief lieutenant Manuel Garcia. Karl Swenson (Lars Hanson on Little House on the Prairie) plays shop owner Joe Andrews. Henry Beckman (Commander Paul Richards on Flash Gordon, Mulligan on I'm Dickens, He's Fenster, George Anderson on Peyton Place, Colonel Harrigan on McHale's Navy, Capt. Roland Frances Clancey on Here Come the Brides, Pat Harwell on Funny Face, Harry Mark on Bronk, and Alf Scully on Check It Out) plays rabble rouser Brand. Tom Holland (voice of Pancho and Japanese Beetle in Tijuana Toads shorts) plays Brand's accomplice Eldon. 

Season 8, Episode 32, "Cap'n Pegleg": Douglas Fowley (see "The Man on the Road" above) plays vengeful sailor Barnaby Quirt. Jerry Paris (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Untouchables) plays newspaper reporter Brian Brophy. Paul Burke (shown on the near left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Naked City) plays former sailor John Starkweather. Aneta Corsaut (shown on the far left, played Irma Howell on The Gertrude Berg Show, Helen Crump on The Andy Griffith Show, Head Nurse Bradley on House Calls, and Judge Cynthia Justin on Matlock) plays his wife Lydia. William Schallert (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) plays sailor Charlie Tetlow. 

Season 8, Episode 33, "Emma Is Coming": Alan Reed (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Flintstones) plays singer's manager Col. Mapleson. Roy Barcroft (Col. Logan on The Adventures of Spin and Marty and Roy on Gunsmoke) plays Austin, NV citizen Frank Taylor. Robert Foulk (Ed Davis on Father Knows Best, Sheriff Miller on Lassie, Joe Kingston on Wichita Town, Mr. Wheeler on Green Acres, and Phillip Toomey on The Rifleman) plays citizen Bart Corey. Rick Jason (Robin Scott on The Case of the Dangerous Robin and Lt. Hanley on Combat!) plays outlaw Duke Clayton. Dan Sheridan (see "The Devil's Due" above) plays the Austin sheriff. 

Season 8, Episode 34, "Human Sacrifice": Craig Duncan (see "Dogs of the Mist" above) plays stagecoach waystation operator Henry McCallum. Steven Ritch (Nakaya on Broken Arrow and wrote screenplays for multiple episodes of Tightrope, Frontier Circus, and Wagon Train) plays medicine man Pimu. Arlene Martel (Tiger on Hogan's Heroes and Spock's Vulcan bride on Star Trek) plays Shoshone chief's wife Julia.

Season 8, Episode 35, "Pete Kitchen's Wedding Night": Cameron Mitchell (shown on the left, starred in Death of a Salesman, Les Miserables, How to Marry a Millionaire, and Carousel and played John Lackland on The Beachcomber, Buck Cannon on The High Chaparral, and Jeremiah Worth on Swiss Family Robinson) plays rancher Pete Kitchen. Barbara Luna (Maria on One Life to Live) plays his betrothed Dona Rosa. Charles H. Gray (see "Pirates of San Francisco" above) player an army captain. Robert Sorrells (Seaman Claude White on Ensign O'Toole) plays Kitchen ranch hand Slim. 

Season 8, Episode 36, "Mission to the Mountains": Harry Lauter (Ranger Clay Morgan on Tales of the Texas Rangers, Atlasande on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, and Jim Herrick on Waterfront) plays Nevada rancher Henry Schmidtlein. Wayne Rogers (shown on the right, played Luke Perry on Stagecoach West, Capt. John McIntiye on M*A*S*H*, Jake Axminster on City of Angels, Dr. Charley Michaels on House Calls, and Charlie Garrett on Murder, She Wrote) plays his brother George. John Hoyt (starred in My Favorite Brunette, The Lady Gambles, and Blackboard Jungle and played Grandpa Stanley Kanisky on Gimme a Break!) plays prospector Crandell. Charles H. Gray (see "Pirates of San Francisco" above) plays an army sergeant.

Season 8, Episode 37, "The Great Lounsberry Scoop": Ron Hayes (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Bat Masterson) plays Bismarck Tribune editor Col. Clement Lounsberry. John Clarke (Officer Joe Huddleston on The New Breed and Mickey Horton on Days of Our Lives) plays his reporter Mark Kellogg. Michael Emmet (Cpl. Davis on Boots and Saddles) plays his New York publisher James Gordon Bennett. Walter Sande (appeared in To Have and Have Not, A Place in the Sun, and Bad Day at Black Rock and played Capt. Horatio Bullwinkle on The Adventures of Tugboat Annie and Papa Holstrum on The Farmer's Daughter) plays Bismarck telegrapher Carnahan.

Season 9, Episode 1, "Pamela's Oxen": Ida Lupino (shown on the right, legendary actress and director who starred in They Drive by Night, High Sierra, The Sea Wolf, Road House, Women's Prison, and Junior Bonner and played Eve Drake on Mr. Adams and Eve and Dr. Cassandra on Batman) plays widow farmer Pamela Mann. James Coburn (starred in The Magnificent Seven, Charade, Our Man Flint, and In Like Flint and played Jeff Durain on Klondike and Gregg Miles on Acapulco) plays army Capt. Steve Barnes. James T. Callahan (Dr. Yates Atkinson on Dr. Kildare, Danny Adams on Wendy and Me, George Callison on The Governor and J.J., Sgt. Hal Grady on The Runaways, and Walter Powell on Charles in Charge) plays his colleague Pvt. Riggs. Robert Sorrells (see "Pete Kitchen's Wedding Night" above) plays renegade Fergus. Jack Donner (Alfred the butler on General Hospital and Walter on The Guest Book) plays renegade Billy Crane. 

Season 9, Episode 2, "Splinter Station": Jane Russell (shown on the left, starred in The Outlaw, The Paleface, Double Dynamite, Macao, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) plays Union army widow Mary Taylor. Claude Akins (Sonny Pruett on Movin' On and Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo on B.J and the Bear and on Lobo) plays Confederate soldier Caleb Luck. 

Season 9, Episode 3, "Queen of the High Graders": Will Wright (Mr. Merrivale on Dennis the Menace and Ben Weaver on The Andy Griffith Show) plays mine owner Jim Barker. Larry Pennell (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Ripcord) plays mine detective Romer Maxwell. Virginia Christine (was the Folger's Coffee woman in commercials and starred in The Mummy's Curse, The Killers, and Night Wind and played Ovie Swenson on Tales of Wells Fargo) plays mine thief Kate Henson. 

Season 9, Episode 4, "Devil's Bar": Ron Hayes (see "The Great Lounsberry Scoop" above) plays pacifist prospector Dan Bartlett. Hugh Sanders (starred in That's My Boy, The Pride of St. Louis, The Winning Team, and The Wild One) plays store owner George Merritt. Joe Conley (Ike Godsey on The Waltons) plays Merritt's friend Alf. William Mims (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays blacksmith Jake Higgins. Raymond Hatton (starred in Oliver Twist (1916), The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Lord Jim, played Marshal Sandy Hopkins in 28 westerns and Rusty Joslin in 7 other westerns, and played The Mole on Dick Tracy)plays townsman Old Pete.

Season 9, Episode 6, "Yankee Confederate": Elaine Devry (daughter of a Disney animator who was Mickey Rooney's fourth wife) plays Confederate conspirator Belle Waverly. Gavin MacLeod (shown on the left, starred in Operation Petticoat, The Sand Pebbles, and Kelly's Heroes and played Joseph Haines on McHale's Navy, Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rhoda, and Capt. Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat) plays her fiance Dandy Martin. Stan Jones (composer of the song "Ghost Riders in the Sky," played Deputy Harry Olsen on The Sheriff of Cochise) plays Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Tod Andrews (Maj. John Singleton Mosby on The Gray Ghost) plays Union undercover agent Capt. Lynn Parker.

Season 9, Episode 7, "The Gentle Sword": Roy Engel (shown on the right, see "The Battle of Mokelumne Hill" above) plays explorer and mine owner John C. Fremont. Lorna Thayer (starred in The Beast With a Million Eyes and played the waitress in Five Easy Pieces) plays his wife Jessie. Karen Green (Mary Hammond on The Eve Arden Show) plays her daughter Lily. Tom Reese (starred in Taggart, The Money Trap, and Murderers' Row and played Sgt. Thomas Velie on Ellery Queen) plays Merced Mining Company ramrod Blaster. 

Season 9, Episode 8, "Extra Guns": Guy Madison (shown on the left, starred in Till the End of Time, 5 Against the House, The Last Frontier, and The Beast of Hollow Mountain and played Wild Bill Hickok on Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok) plays saloon owner Luke Short. Joan Taylor (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Rifleman) plays piano teacher Mady Lovett. Jon Lormer (Harry Tate on Lawman, various autopsy surgeons and medical examiners in 12 episodes of Perry Mason, and Judge Irwin A. Chester on Peyton Place) plays Dodge City County Attorney Mike Sutton. Henry Corden (Carlo on The Count of Monte Cristo, and Babbitt on The Monkees and did voicework on The Flintstones, Jonny Quest, The Atom Ant Show, The Banana Splits Adventure Hour and Return to the Planet of the Apes) plays Sheriff L.C. Hartman. 

Season 9, Episode 9, "The White Healer": Lee Philips (starred in Peyton Place and The Hunters, and played Ellery Queen on The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen; also directed 60 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and multiple episodes of Peyton Place, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Doris Day Show, and The Waltons) plays army doctor Lt. Leonard Wood. Harry Holcombe (shown on the right, appeared in The Fortune Cookie, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Foxy Brown, Escape to Witch Mountain, and Empire of the Ants and played Frank Gardner on Search for Tomorrow, Doc Benson on My Mother the Car, Mr. Kendricks on Barefoot in the Park, and Dr. J.P. Martin on Bonanza) plays his commanding officer Gen. Nelson Miles. 

Season 9, Episode 10, "The Wind at Your Back": Steven Terrell (Tom on The Pride of the Family and Clarence Day, Jr. on Life With Father) plays young thief Johnny Carter. June Dayton (see "The Devil's Due" above) plays desert mission nun Sister Mary Frances. Joel Ashley (Pvt. Boone on Boots and Saddles) plays hardened outlaw Forbes Buckner. 

Season 9, Episode 11, "3-7-77": Joel Crothers (shown on the left, played Lt. Nathan Forbes on Dark Shadows, Julian Cannell on Somerset, Dr. Miles Cavanugh on The Edge of Night, and Jack Stanfield Lee on Santa Barbara) plays job seeker Jim Badger. S. John Launer (Marshall Houts on The Court of Last Resort and the judge 33 times on Perry Mason) plays town assayer Lundy. Alexander Lockwood (Judge Baker on Sam Benedict) plays store owner Ellis. Sheldon Allman (appeared in Hud, The Sons of Katie Elder, and In Cold Blood, played Norm Miller on Harris Against the World, was the singing voice for Mister Ed, and composed theme songs for the cartoons George of the Jungle, Superchicken, and Tom Slick) plays corrupt sheriff J.J. Cornett. Grady Sutton (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Lawman) plays victimized stagecoach passenger Joe Shelton.

Season 9, Episode 12, "A Girl Named Virginia": John Anderson (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays wagon train member Jim Reed. Mary Gregory (appeared in Sleeper and Coming Home and played Dr. Stanwhich on Knots Landing and Judge Pendleton on L.A. Law) plays his wife Margaret. Patty McCormack (shown on the right, starred in The Bad Seed, All Mine to Give, The Explosive Generation, and Frost/Nixon and played Torey Peck on Peck's Bad Girl, Lisha Steele on Young Dr. Malone, Anne Brookes on The Ropers, Liz La Cerva on The Sopranos, and Connie Campolotarro on Have You Met Miss Jones?) plays his daughter Virginia. Edward Platt (appeared in Rebel Without a Cause, Written on the Wind, Designing Woman, and North by Northwest and played the Chief on Get Smart) plays wagon train leader Frank Graves. Berry Kroeger (appeared in Black Magic, Gun Crazy, Hitler, and Demon Seed) plays moocher Lou Kesselberg. 

Season 9, Episode 13, "City of Widows": Dayton Lummis (shown on the left, see "Shadows on the Window" above) plays mine owner Capt. John De La Mar. Ross Elliott (Freddie the director on The Jack Benny Program and Sheriff Abbott on The Virginian) plays newspaper editor James Logan. 

Season 9, Episode 14, "The Young Gun": Arthur Franz (starred in Flight to Mars, The Member of the Wedding, and The Caine Mutiny) plays convicted bank robber Matt Warner. Stephen Roberts (Stan Peeples on Mr. Novak) plays bank owner George Barrows. King Calder (Lt. Gray on Martin Kane) plays Vernal, Utah Sheriff Pete Harmon.