Tales of Wells Fargo (1962)

 

In our post on the 1961 episodes, we covered the changes made to the program for Season 6 in an attempt to recapture its early-life appeal and compete with other higher profile westerns that had entered the market, in particular Bonanza, and how these changes had not had the intended effect of increasing viewership. Nothing of significance changed in the latter 2/3 of Season 6, the episodes that aired in 1962. The series continued to rely on shopworn plots already used on every other western series of the era, a device so obvious that even reviewers on imdb.com have complained about it, most notably for the episode "Don't Wake a Tiger" (May 12, 1962). And the expanded cast introduced at the beginning of Season 6 to appeal to a wider demographic was used less and less as the season progressed, with some characters not appearing at all in several consecutive episodes. Many of the final episodes have Jim Hardie on the road or stuck in some remote location away from his horse farm and neighbors. The last time we see the character of Mary Gee is in episode 24, "Chauncey" (March 17, 1962), meaning she misses the last 10 episodes of the series. In fact, we see more of Wells Fargo clerk Sam Whipple (played by Phil Chambers) than we do of Mary Gee.

But speaking of the episode "Chauncey," it is perhaps the lone episode centered on the character of Tina Swenson, who somehow falls in love with a psychopath "poetic" drifter and refuses to heed the warnings of her mother and Hardie about the young man's instability. While it's not completely unbelievable that an educated young woman might be attracted to a man who talks about metaphysical subjects rather than just farming, is able to paint pictures, if crudely at that, and talks about achieving his dreams through sheer willpower, Chauncey Evans is clearly brutish in grabbing whatever he wants and a little too smooth in coming up with excuses for the lies he keeps spinning to keep others at bay. As Hardie and the law get closer to pinning the murder of a Wells Fargo agent in another town on him, he grows more desperate, and the story devolves into a Snidely Whiplash-style melodrama with Chauncey kidnapping Tina and driving her to the iconic house used in Hitchcock's Psycho, if there was ever any doubt about Chauncey's mental state. Reviewers on imdb.com have lauded this episode for its early, if oversimplified and sensationalized, examination of mental illness, but newly popular medical series such as The Eleventh Hour and Ben Casey were already offering a more measured, if still sensationalized, view of mental issues. More interesting in this Tales of Wells Fargo episode is the treatment of Tina's too-easy willingness to ignore Chauncey's obvious red flags in her desperation to find a lover. This form of mental imbalance is far more common and at times harder to recognize. Certainly Tales of Wells Fargo wasn't the first television show to examine romantic abuse, but it still deserves credit for broaching a female-centered problem in a genre almost exclusively devoted to unreal male action heroes.

Another episode that deserves a modicum of praise is the series finale "Vignette of a Sinner" (June 2, 1962). It, too, revolves around a woman choosing a romantic partner for all the wrong reasons--this time out of a misplaced sense of loyalty to her father. Rachel Whitman plans to marry banker Les Caldwell because he loaned her late father $30,000 to try to keep his renowned horse farm afloat, but even the loan was not enough to save the farm, and Rachel doesn't realize that since then Caldwell has resorted to embezzlement, robbery, and attempted murder to make back the money he loaned. Enter Jim Hardie, who with a little prodding from Jeb Gaines, is immediately smitten with Rachel when she demonstrates she can ride a jumping horse. Even after learning of Caldwell's crimes, Rachel sticks by him, thinking she has no other choice when he is seriously wounded exchanging gunfire with his hired safe-cracker. Caldwell, of course, must pay for his crimes and dies from the gunshot wound, but Hardie does not see any flaws in Rachel for abetting his attempt to evade the law, and at episode's end, he asks her to stay after she boards a stagecoach bound for Kentucky, her original home. This is a significant change for Hardie, whom we have earlier seen reject an attempted reunion with former lover Ella Congreve, who chose a life on the stage rather than becoming Hardie's housewife, in "Return to Yesterday" (January 13, 1962).  It would have been a fitting ending to the series to have Rachel accept Hardie's invitation to stay, suggesting that perhaps he would settle down with her on his horse farm, a mutual interest for the couple, possibly even retiring from Wells Fargo to do so. But this was not the era of tidy series finales, as would be later seen on programs such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show or M*A*S*H. So instead we have Rachel tell Hardie that after what has just happened, she needs time to recover, but also adds that one day she may be ready, leaving the door open just a tiny sliver that they may eventually wind up together. Given that Hardie is a man who typically gets what he is after, we can conjecture that after thinking things over, if he still wants her, he will find a way to make it happen. But the final image we get is her stagecoach driving away with Hardie standing there watching her go. That's about the closest we can get to having a series wrapped up in a meaningful way circa 1962.

One final note: Tales of Wells Fargo seemed to get more coverage in the pages of TV Guide after it was dead in the water than it had the previous two years. The April 21, 1962 issue featured a two-page photo spread about Dale Robertson's office at Revue Studios, decorated as if it were a set for the program. Given that the show would air only until June 2 of that year, and the same issue reported renewals for shows such as Bonanza and Laramie, as well as the cancellation of Thriller, surely the days of Tales of Wells Fargo were already numbered by late April. And yet, this is the kind of photo feature that could have been shot and written at any time and then run in the magazine whenever there was a particularly slow news week. The June 2, 1962 edition of the magazine contained a feature story on actress Lory Patrick, who played Tina Swenson, mentioning that Tales of Wells Fargo "won't be around next season," but then adding that Revue was keeping her under contract to guest star on "prestige shows" as well as all the Revue-produced shows in the upcoming season. Though Patrick appeared on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Wide Country, Alcoa Premiere, It's a Man's World, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Laramie, and Wagon Train in late 1962 and 1963, her career slowed down dramatically thereafter and was over by 1967. Dale Robertson by this time had moved on to star in another western series, Iron Horse, trading his stagecoach on Tales of Wells Fargo for a train.

The "Notable Guest Stars" section below contains screen grabs for all the episodes included on the Timeless Media Group box set for the final season, which does not include all the episodes from that season. The remaining episodes can be found on the Starz streaming service, which requires a paid subscription. However, there is a problem viewing these episodes with the Firefox browser, which is why these episodes have no screen grabs below.

The Actors

For the biography of Dale Robertson, see the 1960 post on Tales of Wells Fargo. For the biographies of William Demarest, Virginia Christine, Mary Jane Saunders, Lory Patrick, and Steve Darrell see the 1961 post on Tales of Wells Fargo.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 6, Episode 15, "Moneyrun": Michael Ansara (shown on the left, husband of actress Barbara Eden, appeared in Julius Caesar, The Robe, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and Harum Scarum, played Cochise on Broken Arrow and Deputy U.S. Marshal Sam Buckhart on The Rifleman and Law of the Plainsman, and voiced General Warhawk on Rambo) plays renegade Mexican army commander Col. Peralta. Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr. (Luis Valdez on Viva Valdez and Hernandez on General Hospital) plays Mexican army commander Col. Navarro. George Dolenz (father of Micky Dolenz, appeared in The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler, Vendetta, Scared Stiff, and The Last Time I Saw Paris and played Edmond Dantes/The Count of Monte Cristo on The Count of Monte Cristo) plays deposed Mexican Governor Rafael De Lopa. Vinton Hayworth (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Lawman) plays Wells Fargo executive Ben Travers. Frank Gerstle (Dick Gird on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and voiced Raseem on The Banana Splits Adventure Hour)  plays his agent Tim. Phil Chambers (Sgt. Myles Magruder on The Gray Ghost and Jason the hotel clerk on The Andy Griffith Show) plays telegraph clerk Sam.

Season 6, Episode 16, "Return to Yesterday": Dianne Foster (shown on the right, starred in Night Passage, The Last Hurrah, and The Deep Six) plays world renowned singer Ella Congreve. Addison Richards (starred in Boys Town, They Made Her a Spy, Flying Tigers, and The Deerslayer and played Doc Calhoun on Trackdown, Doc Landy on The Deputy¸ and John Abbott on Ben Jarrod) plays her father Simon. Yvette Vickers (starred in Reform School Girl, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, and Attack of the Giant Leeches) plays her assistant Agnes Jenkins. Lew Gallo (Major Joseph Cobb on 12 O'Clock High and directed multiple episodes of That Girl, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Love American Style, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and The New Mike Hammer) plays hotel bellhop Harry Bowen. Phil Tully (Charlie the bartender on The Deputy) plays hotel detective McGuire. Jason Robards, Sr. (father of Jason Robards, Jr.) plays Simon's physician Dr. Ira P. Strickland. Phil Chambers (see "Moneyrun" above) returns as Wells Fargo clerk Sam.

Season 6, Episode 17, "Reward for Gaine": John Doucette (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Lock Up) plays Jeb's brother Sgt. Gaine. John Anderson (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays his U.S. Army commander Col. Bledsoe. Steven Terrell (Tom on The Pride of the Family) plays one of Gaine's soldiers Trillby. Robert Karnes (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Lawless Years) plays Beldsoe's adjutant Cpl. Lark. Linda Dangcil (Sister Ana on The Flying Nun, Elena on Villa Alegre, and voiced Carmen Alonso and Raya on Jem) plays Indian chief's daughter Feather.

Season 6, Episode 18, "Assignment in Gloribee": Patricia Owens (starred in The Happiest Days of Your Life, Sayonara, The Fly, and Hell to Eternity) plays journalist Katherine Ann Murdock. Rod Cameron (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Coronado 9) plays ex-con Nathan Chance. George Kennedy (starred in Charade, The Sons of Katie Elder, The Dirty Dozen, Cool Hand Luke, and The Naked Gun and played MP Sgt. Kennedy on The Phil Silvers Show, Father Samuel Cavanaugh on Sarge, Bumper Morgan on The Blue Knight, and Carter McKay on Dallas) plays his robbery partner Hawk. Stafford Repp (Lt. Ralph Raines on The Thin Man, Brink on The New Phil Silvers Show, and Chief O'Hara on Batman) plays wealthy cattle buyer Major Shankford. Leonard P. Geer (Ollie on The Adventures of Spin and Marty) plays bounty hunter Jeelo Curran. Gilman Rankin (Deputy Charlie Riggs on Tombstone Territory) plays rancher Jake.

Season 6, Episode 19, "Incident at Crossbow": Sean McClory (shown on the left, played Jack McGivern on The Californians and Myles Delaney on Bring 'Em Back Alive) plays ex-con bank robber Con Toole. Hal Baylor (Jenkins on Rawhide and Mercury on Batman) plays his henchman Hondo. Dan Sheridan (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Lawman) plays stagecoach driver Sam Storey. Michael Forest (starred in Ski Troop Attack, Atlas, and The Glory Guys and was the voice of Capt. Dorai on Street Fighter II: V and Olympus on Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue) plays gambler Duke Tolliver. Robert Sampson (Sgt. Walsh on Steve Canyon, Father Mike Fitzgerald on Bridget Love Bernie, and Sheriff Turk Tobias on Falcon Crest) plays New Jersey farmer Arthur King. Joyce Meadows (Lynn Allen on The Man and the Challenge and Stacy on Two Faces West) plays his fiance Flo Healey. Russell Thorson (Det. Lt. Otto Lindstrom on The Detectives and William Kennerly on Peyton Place) plays waystation operator Jug Perry. Robert B. Williams (see the biography section for the 1962 post on Hazel) plays lawman Marshal Charlie Dodge.

Season 6, Episode 20, "Portrait of Teresa": Arthur Franz (shown on the right, starred in Flight to Mars, The Member of the Wedding, and The Caine Mutiny and played Bill Winters on World of Giants and Hugh McLeod on The Nurses) plays painter Mel Akins. Simon Oakland (starred in Psycho, West Side Story, and Follow That Dream and played Inspector Spooner on Toma, Tony Vincenzo on Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Brig. Gen. Thomas Moore on Black Sheep Squadron, and Sgt. Abrams on David Cassidy - Man Undercover) plays small village strongman Podario. Rico Alaniz (Mr. Cousin on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays his henchman Lopez. Roberto Contreras (Pedro on The High Chapparal) plays another henchman Antonio. William Fawcett (Clayton on Duffy's Tavern, Marshal George Higgins on The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, and Pete Wilkey on Fury) plays stagecoach driver Charlie. Hal Needham (Hollywood's highest-paid stuntman who invented numerous stunt devices, was a double for Richard Boone and Burt Reynolds, and directed Smokey and the Bandit, Hooper, and Cannonball Run) plays a rowdy cattle drover.

Season 6, Episode 21, "Hometown Doctor": Richard Long (shown on the left, starred in The Stranger, Criss Cross, All I Desire, and as Tom Kettle in 4 Ma and Pa Kettle features, and played Red Randolph on Bourbon Street Beat and 77 Sunset Strip, Jarrod Barkley on The Big Valley, Professor Everett on Nanny and the Professor, and Ernie Paine on Thicker Than Water) plays Dr. Jeremy Wilson, son of the deceased Gloribee physician. Lillian Bronson (Mrs. Drake on Date With the Angels) plays one of his father's patients Missee Blake. Ken Scott (appeared in The Three Faces of Eve, Woman Obsessed, Beloved Infidel, and Desire in the Dust and played Det. Vincent Polk on McCloud) plays cattle trail boss Stringer. Paul Sorenson (Andy Bradley on Dallas) plays one of his drovers Ace. George D. Wallace (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays another drover Cross. Hank Patterson (see the biography section for the 1962 post on Gunsmoke) plays stagecoach driver Sid. Roy Barcroft (Col. Logan on The Adventures of Spin and Marty and Roy on Gunsmoke) plays cattle mogul Sam Rogers.

Season 6, Episode 22, "The Traveler": Jack Warden (starred in From Here to Eternity, 12 Angry Men, and Run Silent, Run Deep and played Matt Gower on The Asphalt Jungle, Major Simon Butcher on The Wackiest Ship in the Army, Lt. Mike Haines on N.Y.P.D., Morris Buttermaker on The Bad News Bears, and Harry Fox, Sr. on Crazy Like a Fox) plays ex-con school teacher Brad Axton. Ken Mayer (Maj. Robbie Robertson on Space Patrol) plays his former partner Sunderman. Warren J. Kemmerling (Judge Rense on How the West Was Won) plays his other former partner Morgan. Celia Kaye (see the biography section for the 1962 post on The New Loretta Young Show) plays his daughter Julie. Tyler McVey (Simon Peter on The Living Christ Series and Maj. Norgrath on Men Into Space) plays Wells Fargo agent Max Andrews. Hank Patterson (see "Hometown Doctor" above) plays returns as stagecoach driver Sid. Phil Chambers (see "Moneyrun" above) returns as the Wells Fargo office clerk and telegrapher. Debbie Megowan (Dorine Peters on My Three Sons) plays Axton's sick pupil Cindy Reeves. Dorothy Lovett (played Judy Price in 5 Dr. Christian feature films, Dr. Robinson McKay on The Seeking Heart, and Edie on The Donna Reed Show) plays her mother.

Season 6, Episode 23, "Winter Storm": Dan Duryea (shown on the right, starred in The Little Foxes, The Pride of the Yankees, Scarlet Street, and Winchester '73 and played China Smith in China Smith and The New Adventures of China Smith and Eddie Jacks on Peyton Place) plays Oregon lawman Marshal Blake. R.G. Armstrong (Police Capt. McAllister on T.H.E. Cat and Lewis Vendredi on Friday the 13th) plays ghost-town resident Hanson. James Beck (appeared in The Bonnie Parker Story, Paratroop Command, Hound-Dog Man, and The Outsider and played Sgt. Highton on Hondo) plays one-armed former soldier Eddy Pierce. Gale Garnett (Grammy-winning popular singer who appeared in Tribute, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding) plays Nez Perce squaw Ruth.

Season 6, Episode 24, "Chauncey": Burt Brinckerhoff (Charles Shannon on Dr. Kildare and directed multiple episodes of Lou Grant, Nine to Five, Remington Steele, ALF, and 7th Heaven) plays violent drifter Chauncey Evans. Andy Albin (Andy Godsen on Julia) plays his Uncle Joe. Phil Chambers (see "Moneyrun" above) returns as Wells Fargo clerk Sam Whipple. Donald Elson (Fred on Little House on the Prairie) plays Willow Creek lawman J.C. Clegg.

Season 6, Episode 25, "Who Lives by the Gun": Judith Evelyn (appeared in Rear Window, Hilda Crane, Giant, The Brothers Karamazov, and The Tingler and played The Woman on Windows) plays small-town mining company owner Emily Callan. Bart Patton (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Riverboat) plays her son Jeff. Paul Birch (Erle Stanley Gardner on The Court of Last Resort, Mike Malone on Cannonball, and Capt. Carpenter on The Fugitive) plays local lawman Sheriff Maxon. John Archer (father of Anne Archer, former husband of Marjorie Lord, appeared in White Heat, Ten Thousand Bedrooms, Blue Hawaii, and How to Frame a Figg) plays saloon owner Grant Reynolds. Kathie Browne (Angie Dow on Hondo and was Darren McGavin's second wife) plays saloon girl Peggy. John Alderson (Sgt. Bullock on Boots and Saddles and Wyatt Earp on Doctor Who) plays Emily Callan's right-hand man Gage. John Mitchum (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Riverboat) plays the saloon bartender.

Season 6, Episode 26, "To Kill a Town": Buddy Ebsen (see the biography section for the 1962 post on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays Hardie's outlaw prisoner Lou Reese. Russell Johnson (starred in It Came From Outer Space, This Island Earth, and Johnny Dark and played Marshal Gib Scott on Black Saddle, Professor Roy Hinkley on Gilligan's Island, and Assistant D.A. Brenton Grant on Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law) plays his pursuer Normalie Hall. Harry Lauter (Ranger Clay Morgan on Tales of the Texas Rangers, Atlasande on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, and Jim Herrick on Waterfront) plays Hall's hired gunman Pete. Peter Helm (brother of actress Anne Helm) plays hot-headed young gunslinger Jason Moore. Joan Staley (Playboy Playmate who appeared in Cape Fear, Roustabout, Valley of the Dragons, Johnny Cool, and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and played Tiger on The Lively Ones, Hannah on 77 Sunset Strip, and Roberta Love on Broadside) plays hotel chambermaid Clarissa. Olan Soule (Aristotle "Tut" Jones on Captain Midnight, Ray Pinker on Dragnet (1952-59), Cal on Stagecoach West, the Hotel Carlton desk clerk on Have Gun -- Will Travel, and Fred Springer on Arnie and voiced Batman on The All-New Super Friends Hour, Challenge of the Superfriends, The World's Greatest SuperFriends, and Super Friends) plays the New Madrid storekeeper. Roy Wright (Shipwreck Callahan on The Islanders) plays the New Madrid blacksmith.

Season 6, Episode 27, "End of a Minor God": Lin McCarthy (starred in Yellowneck, The D.I., and Face of a Fugitive and played Bill Talbot on Modern Romances) plays notorious gunman Billy Trent. Jan Merlin (Roger Manning on Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, Lt. Colin Kirby on The Rough Riders, and wrote screenplays for Another World) plays his pursuer Johnny Fullen. Eileen Ryan (mother of Sean, Chris, and Michael Penn) plays mail-order bride Lorry Cannon. William Schallert (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) plays bookish stage passenger Paul Grieg. Robert J. Stevenson (bartender Big Ed on Richard Drum and Marshal Hugh Strickland on Stagecoach West) plays stagecoach driver Art Riddle. Hank Patterson (see "Hometown Doctor" above) plays shotgun rider Charlie Benson. Jon Lormer (Harry Tate on Lawman, Sam Watkins on The Real McCoys, the autopsy surgeon on Perry Mason, Simon Benjamin on The Young Marrieds, and Judge Irwin A. Chester on Peyton Place) plays Gloribee citizen Bert Hensley. Richard Tyler (appeared in The Bells of St. Mary's, Father Was a Fullback, and Tea and Sympathy and played Henry Aldrich on The Aldrich Family, and Dick and Beta on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet) plays wannabe gunman Beau Enders. Walter Coy (Zoravac on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, Jason Farrell on A Flame in the Wind, and was the narrator on Frontier) plays Buena Vista Sheriff Vincour.

Season 6, Episode 28, "Remember the Yazoo": Jason Evers (starred in The Brain That Wouldn't Die, House of Women, The Green Berets, and Escape From the Planet of the Apes and played Pitcairn on Wrangler, Prof. Joseph Howe on Channing, and Jim Sonnett on The Guns of Will Sonnett) plays New Orleans Wells Fargo branch manager Tom Kelly. Jeanne Bal (Pat Baker on Love and Marriage and Jean Pagano on Mr. Novak) plays his fiance Annette Decatur. Alan Napier (appeared in The House of the Seven Gables, Lassie Come Home, Joan of Arc, Marnie, The Loved One, and Batman: The Movie and played Gen. Steele on Don't Call Me Charlie and Alfred the butler on Batman) plays her father Col. Decatur. James Westerfield (appeared in The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, and The Love God? and played John Murrel on The Travels of Jamie McPheeters) plays career criminal Sam Heffridge. Robert Cornthwaite (Professor Windish on Get Smart and Howard Buss on Picket Fences) plays robbery plot organizer Anthony Boaz. Richard Devon (Jody Barker on Yancy Derringer) plays co-conspirator Pierre Carondelet.

Season 6, Episode 29, "The Angry Sky": Arch Johnson (starred in Somebody Up There Likes Me, G.I. Blues, and The Cheyenne Social Club and played Gus Honochek on The Asphalt Jungle and Cmdr. Wivenhoe on Camp Runamuck) plays mule driver Swede Lowell. Anne Barton (Nan Fry on Big Town) plays his wife Helen. James Griffith (Aaron Adams on Trackdown and Deputy Tom Ferguson on U.S. Marshal) plays heist ringleader Roland Jensen. Fay Spain (starred in Dragstrip Girl, Al Capone, and The Gentle Rain) plays his fiance Marie Jarnier. Robert Colbert (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Maverick) plays Jensen henchman Rossi.

Season 6, Episode 30, "Royal Maroon": Kathleen Crowley (Terry Van Buren on Waterfront and Sophia Starr on Batman) plays aspiring entertainer Royal Maroon. Harold J. Stone (John Kennedy on The Grand Jury, Hamilton Greeley on My World and Welcome to It, and Sam Steinberg on Bridget Loves Bernie) plays general store proprietor Mr. Brian. Ron Foster (Officer Garvey on Highway Patrol) plays his henchman Ken Morris. Frank Ferguson (Gus Broeberg on My Friend Flicka, Eli Carson on Peyton Place, and Dr. Barton Stuart on Petticoat Junction) plays stagecoach driver Sedge. Charles Seel (see the biography section for the 1962 post on Dennis the Menace) plays physician Dr. Fergus. Ken Lynch (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Checkmate) plays the Clearwater sheriff.

Season 6, Episode 31, "The Gold Witch": Ron Rendell (starred in Pacific Adventure, Bulldog Drummond at Bay, Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back, Lorna Doone, and Kiss Me Kate, was the host for The Vise and played Capt. Frank Hawthorn on O.S.S.) plays phony hypnotist Arthur Reardon. Diana Millay (Laura Collins on Dark Shadows and Kitty Styles on The Secret Storm) plays his wife Ruth. Whit Bissell (starred in He Walked by Night, Creature From the Black Lagoon, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, and Hud and played Bert Loomis on Bachelor Father, Calvin Hanley on Peyton Place, and Lt. Gen. Heywood Kirk on The Time Tunnel) plays Wells Fargo stagecoach driver Charlie. Alan Hale, Jr. (shown on the left, played Biff Baker on Biff Baker U.S.A., Casey Jones on Casey Jones, and The Skipper on Gilligan's Island) plays wealthy former miner Paul Denning. Claire Carleton (Nell Mulligan on The Mickey Rooney Show and Alice Purdy on Cimarron City) plays his wife Mary-Sue. Laya Raki (Halima on Crane) plays a gypsy woman.

Season 6, Episode 32, "Don't Wake a Tiger": Jim Davis (Matt Clark on Stories of the Century, Wes Cameron on Rescue 8, Marshal Bill Winter on The Cowboys, and Jock Ewing on Dallas) plays vengeful former Union soldier Jonus Sawyer. Gary Clarke (see the biography section for the 1962 post on The Virginian) plays his brother Davie. Royal Dano (appeared in The Far Country, Moby Dick, and The Outlaw Josey Wales) plays Wells Fargo relay station operator Robert Mapes. Marjorie Reynolds (starred in Holiday Inn, Ministry of Fear, The Time of Their Lives, and The Great Jewel Robber and played Peg Riley on The Life of Riley) plays his wife Helen. Kelly Thordsen (Colorado Charlie on Yancy Derringer) plays Little Bend sheriff Tom. Harp McGuire (appeared in Captain Thunderbolt, On the Beach, Inherit the Wind, and Cage of Evil) plays his deputy Sam Harris. Tom Greenway (Sheriff Jack Bronson on State Trooper)plays Wells Fargo agent Henry Sharp. Hank Patterson (see "Hometown Doctor" above) plays the Wells Fargo stagecoach driver. William Tannen (Deputy Hal Norton on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays barfly Ollie Cooper. Mark Allen (Matt Kissel on The Travels of Jamie McPheeters and Sam Evans on Dark Shadows) plays barfly Bill. Mauritz Hugo (appeared in Revenge of the Zombies, Secret Agent X-9, and Alvarez Kelly and played George Holden on The Cisco Kid) plays the Little Bend Wells Fargo agent.

Season 6, Episode 33, "The Wayfarers": 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 stagecoach robber Ben Crider. Hugh Marlowe (starred in Twelve O'Clock High, All About Eve, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers and played Ellery Queen on Mystery Is My Business and Jim Matthews on Another World) plays banker George Adams. June Vincent (starred in Honeymoon Lodge, Black Angel, Shed No Tears, and The Creeper and played Dr. Amanda Winninger on Bright Promise) plays his wife Grace. Robert Ellenstein (appeared in 3:10 to Yuma, Too Much Too Soon, and North by Northwest) plays novelist Augustus Parmalee. Robert Bray (Simon Kane on Stagecoach West and Corey Stuart on Lassie) plays disgraced seaman Henry Maxon. Alex Montoya (Miguel Morales on The High Chaparral) plays Mexican bandito Juan Morin.

Season 6, Episode 34, "Vignette of a Sinner": Jeff Morrow (starred in Sign of the Pagan, This Island Earth, Pardners, and The Giant Claw and played Maj. Bart McClelland n Union Pacific and Dr. Lloyd Axton on The New Temperatures Rising Show) plays bank director Les Caldwell. Joyce Taylor (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Men Into Space) plays his fiance Rachel Whitman. William Mims (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays outlaw for hire Lucius Kramm. 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 ex-con physician Doc Bell. Sam Gilman (Sam Grafton on Shane) plays phony elixir salesman Rockaway. Dean Smith (Doug McClure's stunt double on Overland Trail, Dale Robertson's stunt double on Iron Horse, and stunt coordinator on How the West Was Won and Simon & Simon) plays his accomplice Michael. James Craig (starred in Kitty Foyle, The Devil and Daniel Webster, The Human Comedy, Kismet (1944), and Our Vines Have Tender Grapes) plays the Rawlston sheriff.

 

Lock Up (1961)

As it entered the last stretch of its two-year run, legal drama Lock Up did not stray from its original formula, documented in our post on the 1960 episodes--renowned defense attorney Herbert L. Maris continues his quest for justice, defending the unjustly accused without ever entering a courtroom and aided by his police lieutenant buddy John Weston, who is usually the one who arrests the person Maris ends up exonerating. The partners in crime detection take another fishing trip together, this time to a tropical island in "Planter's Death" (March 25, 1961). The two also improbably wind up in Paris together in "A French Affair" (February 11, 1961) when Maris travels abroad to help a client complete a business merger, while Weston just happens to be in the same city to attend a training seminar given by Interpol. In "Hurricane" (May 13, 1961) the duo travel to the Florida Keys during a raging storm hoping to hear the deathbed confession of the key witness in a murder trial Maris lost years before only to arrive too late, necessitating having to unravel what the witness was planning to tell them. The two also step out together socially, or try to in "Red Confetti" (March 18, 1961), which begins with both dressed in tuxedos for the annual Policeman's Ball only to be diverted by a strange hit-and-run case that scuttles their plans for the evening. The camaraderie, playful teasing, and yet common devotion to serving justice is similar to the relationship between Chief Marshal Simon Fry  and Deputy Clay McCord on the western series The Deputy, but Maris and Weston's relationship is more unusual because they are natural antagonists, not employer and employee. However, the contradictory nature of this relationship both undercuts the series being based on actual people and events and makes it more enjoyable because it is uncommon.

One could fault the series for failing to choose whether it is a drama or a comedy--the closing credit scenes with Maris and Weston clowning around with props used during the episode are often at odds with the serious nature of the main plot, often involving a death of some kind or other, whether by murder, suicide, or accident. A few episodes even use a sprightly musical score more appropriate for a show like Leave It to Beaver. But perhaps the most bizarre episode centers on a precocious young girl named "Jennifer" (January 28, 1961), who witnesses her father and step-mother having a nasty argument over dinner just as her governess has brought her into the dining room to say goodnight, and after everyone has gone to bed someone douses her father with gasoline and sets him on fire, killing him. Despite the gruesomeness of the murder, the episode maintains a light and cheery tone as Jennifer tries to act very grown up when she calls on Maris to defend her step-mother, who has been accused of the killing. Jennifer also spends a fair amount of time trying to dig up new evidence and keeping her name in the papers with her exploits, but after eliminating all the other suspects, Maris concludes that the real killer is--SPOILER ALERT--Jennifer herself. The convoluted logic of her decision to kill her own father is that he never spent any time with her during his marriage to Jennifer's biological mother, who then died, at which point he paid more attention to her, but when he remarried, she was left out in the cold again. When Maris finally identifies Jennifer as the killer, there is no discussion of her needing psychiatric care nor suffering any repercussions for her act. Maris merely takes her in his arms and tells her that all the headaches and nightmares she had been having are a thing of the past, and the typically goofy ending that plays out during the final credits has Maris and Weston discovering that they each bought Jennifer the same doll.

As unsettling as the Jennifer episode may be, it is consistent with an affinity for quirky characters that Lock Up seemed to specialize in during its final season. Besides the prepubescent murderer/celebrity Jennifer in the aforementioned episode, we meet an entire office full of strange characters in "The Case of Willie Betterley" (April 15, 1961). They include the supervisor of a corporate payroll office Horace Sobel, who pretends to be the heir of a large fortune in order to make himself feel more important but who is extremely nervous and takes prescription medicine to alleviate his anxiety; the titular Willie Betterley, nephew of the company president, who claims to have stolen a missing payroll and distributed it to the poor perhaps as a revenge fantasy against his controlling uncle; clerk Melanie, who interprets her own dreams as a way of solving the mystery of the missing payroll; and the oversexed Miss Patton, who flirts with Betterley and Sobel, in addition to Maris and Weston, just to shock her prudish coworker Nettie. While quirkiness for its own sake is most often annoying and contrived, this episode actually plays out fairly well, as one can easily imagine that a payroll office might be staffed by employees that wound up there because they could never function in any customer-facing department.

Another collection of quirky characters is presented in "Face of Innocence" (June 3, 1961), which centers around seaside artist Marianne Kelly, who seems normal enough herself, but she is surrounded and looked after by poet and vine-grower Roger, charter boat owner and shooting enthusiast Captain Sharpe, and hotel supervisor and moral authority Mr. Scully. Frank Ferguson goes a bit over the top in rendering the cantankerous sea captain, who rambles a bit too long on his prowess in shooting fish and in today's world would have been shot dead the moment he points his rifle at Weston in an act of defiance rather than actual threat, but the episode is a bit more measured in capturing the world inhabited by artists, poets, and other free spirits. Senior citizen dance student Hildegard Longacre in the aforementioned "Red Confetti" episode is also a hoot, particularly when she flirts with Weston. Less successful is the curmudgeon retired lawyer Samuel Abercrombie Putnam in "A Case of Arson" (January 21, 1961), whose very name signals "I am an eccentric inserted here for comic effect" and who inhabits Maris' office while he seeks to extricate an old personal friend from a case of disinheritance. But the episode also features a fire chief named Carson who seems to derive an occupationally dangerous fascination in watching things burn, making him a suspect in the case, if only temporarily. The zoo staff in "Jungle Compound" (April 8, 1961) is likewise comprised of fringe characters, former circus performers forced to find work in a zoo when their circus was mismanaged into oblivion, which leads to the assassination of their former manager just before he was going to take over the zoo.

Yet by comparison MacDonald Carey's Herbert Maris seems a bit dull, always even-keeled and indefatigable in his search for justice. Fortunately, he is balanced by the bombastic and easily excited Lt. Weston, played with zeal by John Doucette. Weston's frequent hasty arrests and superficial investigations never dampen his confidence that this time Maris is mistaken. However, rather than just being an ass, he freely admits when Maris has proven his initial assessment wrong and is ultimately more interested in justice being served than in being proved right. His flawed if predictable character lifts Lock Up from the slag heap of just another rote crime drama to an entertaining if not enlightening dramedy.

All but two of the 1961 episodes are available online either on youtube.com or archive.org, though the audio and video quality is extremely poor. In 2017 ClassicFlix announced a planned DVD release of the complete season but eventually canceled the project when they were unable to find existing copies of all the episodes.

The Actors

For the biographies of MacDonald Carey, John Doucette, and Olive Carey, see the 1960 post for Lock Up.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 2, Episode 17, "His Brother's Keeper": Britt Lomond (Captain Monastario on Zorro) plays police patrolman Larry Wade. Joe Sawyer (appeared in The Grapes of Wrath, Sergeant York, The Outlaw, Gilda, and It Came From Outer Space and played Sgt. Biff O'Hara on The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin) plays his superior Sgt. McAvoy. Sally Kellerman (starred in Reform School Girl, MASH, Brewster McCloud, Slither, and The Player and played Lola on Chemistry, Constance Bingham on The Young and the Restless, Toni Maron on Maron, and Janet Davidson on Decker) plays Wade's brother's former girlfriend Cubbie Borden. Florence Lake (Jenny on Lassie) plays Wade's brother's current girlfriend Penny Jackson. Robert Christian (Dr. Colby on All My Children) plays store owner Carl Norwood.

Season 2, Episode 18, " A Case of Arson": Cyril Delevanti (Lucious Coin on Jefferson Drum) plays elderly lawyer Samuel Abercrombie Putman. Phillip Terry (appeared in Sweater Girl, The Lost Weekend, and The Leech Woman) plays motor court heir Harold Denham. Barbara Lang (Julie Tate on Lawman) plays his wife Elaine. Fuzzy Knight (shown on the left, appeared in She Done Him Wrong, Moulin Rouge (1934), My Little Chickadee, and Deep in the Heart of Texas and played Sagebrush on The Gene Autry Show and Pvt. Fuzzy Knight on Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion) plays fire chief Carson.

Season 2, Episode 19, "Jennifer": Gina Gillespie (shown on the right, played Tess on Law of the Plainsman and Mimi Scott on Karen) plays orphan Jennifer Vaughn. Angela Greene (Tess Trueheart on Dick Tracy) plays her governess Lisa Swanson.

Season 2, Episode 20, "Abandoned Mine": Andy Clyde (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Real McCoys) plays Nevada sheriff Tom Hurley. Gloria Jean (starred in If I Had My Way, A Little Bit of Heaven, Never Give a Sucker an Even Break, Moonlight in Vermont, I'll Remember April, and Copacabana) plays mining heir Laura Cruthers. Robert Knapp (Ben Olson on Days of Our Lives and SAC Noel McDonald on The F.B.I.) plays cattle baron Nick Hawkins. 

Season 2, Episode 21, "A French Affair": Richard Arlen (starred in The Virginian, Dangerous Paradise, Gun Smoke, Island of Lost Souls, and Alice in Wonderland) plays restaurateur Eddie Carver. Gregory Gaye (shown on the left, appeared in Dodsworth, Tovarich, Ninotchka, and Creature With the Atom Brain and played The Ruler on Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe and Andre the Maitre D' on The Roaring 20's)plays Interpol Inspector de Walt. 

Season 2, Episode 23, "Fugitive From Fear": Sue Randall (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Leave It to Beaver) plays suspect's wife Peggy Tyler. Gail Bonney (Goodwife Martin on Space Patrol and Madeline Schweitzer on December Bride) plays nosey apartment resident Mrs. Gleason. Bek Nelson (Dru Lemp on Lawman and Phyllis Sloan on Peyton Place) plays executive's wife Naomi Marsden. Byron Morrow (Capt. Keith Gregory on The New Breed and Pearce Newberry on Executive Suite) plays psychiatrist Dr. Ralph Sterling.

Season 2, Episode 24, "Design for Murder": George E. Carey (Lamont Corbin on General Hospital) plays fashion designer Harvey Pinkly. Emmaline Henry (Kate Dickens on I'm Dickens, He's Fenster, Nora Grady on Mickey, and Amanda Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie) plays his fiance Marion Green. Helen Wallace (Nurse Lucy Webber on Dr. Kildare) plays his wardrobe manager Mrs. Henrietta Carlton. Robert Gothie (Sam Hanson on The Gallant Men) plays Marion's brother Bob. Gage Clarke (Mr. Botkin on Gunsmoke) plays Pinkly's partner Bruce Paulson.

Season 2, Episode 25, "Like Father, Like Son": Robert Warwick (starred in Alias Jimmy Valentine, The Supreme Sacrifice, The Heart of a Hero, and Against All Flags) plays grandfather George Burkhart. Tommy Ivo (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Donna Reed Show) plays his grandson George Burkhart III. Stefanie Powers (shown on the left, starred in Experiment in Terror, Stagecoach, The Boatniks, and Herbie Rides Again and played April Dancer on The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Toni "Feather" Danton on The Feather and Father Gang, Jennifer Hart on Hart to Hart, and Jane Powers on Doctors) plays George III's car-racing friend Mandy Adams. Harlan Warde (John Hamilton on The Rifleman and Sheriff John Brannan on The Virginian) plays hypnotist Dr. Horace Belvin.

Season 2, Episode 26, "Red Confetti": Neil Hamilton (shown on the right, played Commissioner Gordon on Batman) plays dance studio owner Mark Devlin. Renie Riano (appeared in Tovarich, 4 Nancy Drew features, Li'l Abner, and 5 Maggie and Jiggs features) plays dance student Hildegard Longacre. Clem Bevans (appeared in Sergeant York, Saboteur, The Yearling, Mourning Becomes Electra, and Harvey) plays murder victim's boyfriend Mr. Montgomery. Russell Arms (vocalist who regularly appeared on Your Hit Parade) plays reluctant witness Douglas Manning.

Season 2, Episode 27, "Planter's Death": Richard Aherne (appeared in Sahara, Of Human Bondage, and Christopher Columbus) plays a Caribbean island police inspector. Isabel Jewell (appeared in Bondage, Here Comes the Groom, Go West Young Man, Gone With the Wind, Born to Kill, and Belle Starr's Daughter) plays voodoo priestess Mama Katu. Luciane Auclaire (Miss Belgium 1956) plays suspect's friend Madeleine Giroux. Albert Carrier (appeared in Tender Is the Night, Fitzwilly, and Scarface) plays plantation caretaker Claude Germain.

Season 2, Episode 28, "Two Wrongs": Jack Cassidy (shown on the left, Tony Award-winning father of David and Shaun Cassidy and husband of Shirley Jones, played Oscar North on He & She) plays actor Vincent Gibson. Nancy Rennick (Patty Johnson on Rescue 8) plays another actor's roommate Joan Hammond. Douglas Dick (Carl Herrick on Waterfront) plays theatre director Louie Lamark. Walter Coy (Zoravac on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger and was the narrator on Frontier) plays housing developer Steve Ryker.

Season 2, Episode 29, "Jungle Compound": Don Haggerty (shown on the right, played Jeffrey Jones on The Files of Jeffrey Jones, Eddie Drake on The Cases of Eddie Drake, Sheriff Dan Elder on State Trooper, and Marsh Murdock on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays zoo manager Mr. Donovan. Nancy McCarthy (played Bunny (later recast as Mary Ann) in the original unaired pilot of Gilligan's Island) plays his daughter Marge. Hank Patterson (Fred Ziffel on Green Acres and Petticoat Junction and Hank on Gunsmoke) plays animal feeder T.G. Tyler. Larry G. Blake (the unnamed jailer on Yancy Derringer and Tom Parnell on Saints and Sinners) plays Donovan's planned successor Mr. Braun.

Season 2, Episode 30, "The Case of Willie Betterley": Steve Franken (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) plays company president's nephew Willie Betterley. Percy Helton (Homer Cratchit on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays his uncle J.Q. Betterley. Jonathan Hole (Orville Monroe on The Andy Griffith Show) plays payroll supervisor Horace Sobel. Joyce Jameson (appeared in The Apartment, Tales of Terror, and The Comedy of Terrors and played Skippy on The Andy Griffith Show) plays payroll clerk Miss Patton. Sara Haden (appeared in Anne of Green Gables, The Shop Around the Corner, and Above Suspicion and played Aunt Milly Forrest in 13 Andy Hardy features) plays payroll clerk Nettie. Ruth Clifford (starred in Polly Put the Kettle On, Mother o' Mine, and Hungry Eyes) plays payroll clerk Melanie.

Season 2, Episode 31, "The Wildcatter": John Howard (Dr. Wayne Hudson on Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal, Commander John "Pliny" Hawk on Adventures of the Sea Hawk, Dave Welch on My Three Sons, and Cliff Patterson on Days of Our Lives) plays oil executive Bob Coburn. Adele Mara (wife of Maverick producer Roy Huggins who appeared in Wake of the Red Witch, Sands of Iwo Jima, and The Big Circus) plays his secretary/treasurer Norma Ames. Guy Stockwell (shown on the right, starred in Sword of Zorro, The War Lord, Beau Geste, and Airport 1975 and played Chris Parker on Adventures in Paradise) plays former employee Bud Towns. Arthur Hunnicutt (starred in The Red Badge of Courage, The Last Command, The Cardinal, and Cat Ballou) plays wildcatter Hank Parsons.

Season 2, Episode 32, "The Accused": Audrey Dalton (appeared in Titanic (1953), Separate Tables, and Kitten With a Whip) plays invalid's wife Susan Carter. Anna Lee (shown on the left, starred in King Solomon's Mines, How Green Was My Valley, Flying Tigers, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Sound of Music, and In Like Flint and played Lila Quartermaine on General Hospital) plays her mother-in-law Helen Carter. Richard Crane (Rocky Jones on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, Dick Preston on Commando Cody, Sky Marshal of the Universe, and Lt. Gene Plehn on Surfside 6) plays building supervisor Tom Barnes. 

Season 2, Episode 33, "Leading Young Citizen": Ray Hamilton (Al Casey on King of Diamonds) plays war hero Joe Taner. Jeanne Bates (appeared in The Phantom, , The Strangler, Eraserhead, Gus, and Mulholland Drive and played Nurse Wills on Ben Casey) plays his sister Catherine. Karyn Kupcinet (Carol on The Gertrude Berg Show) plays Joe's girlfriend Wanda Mather. 

Season 2, Episode 34, "Hurricane": Robert Knapp (see "Abandoned Mine" above) plays murder trial witness' son-in-law Eric Holden. Lory Pastick (later changed her name to Lory Patrick, second wife and widow of Dean Jones, appeared in Surf Party and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and played Tina Swenson on Tales of Wells Fargo) plays his wife Phyllis. 

Season 2, Episode 36, "Sacrifice Play": Vinton Hayworth (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Lawman) plays sleazy newspaper columnist Mills Ambrose. John Considine (shown on the right, brother of Tim Considine, played Grant Capwell on Santa Barbara) plays his research assistant Steve Larkin. Bill Zuckert (Arthur Bradwell on Mr. Novak and Chief Segal on Captain Nice) plays newspaper editor Al Bingham. Jean Carson (Rosemary on The Betty Hutton Show) plays gossip columnist Everil Cummings.

Season 2, Episode 37, "Face of Innocence": Faith Demergue (starred in Cult of the Cobra, This Island Earth, and It Came From Beneath the Sea) plays artist Marianne Kelly. Alan Hale, Jr. (shown on the left, played Biff Baker on Biff Baker U.S.A., Casey Jones on Casey Jones, and The Skipper on Gilligan's Island) plays poet Roger. Frank Ferguson (Gus Broeberg on My Friend Flicka, Eli Carson on Peyton Place, and Dr. Barton Stuart on Petticoat Junction) plays boat owner Captain Sharpe. Walter Baldwin (appeared in The Best Years of Our Lives, Mourning Becomes Electra, Destry, and Rosemary's Baby, was the original Floyd the barber on The Andy Griffith Show, and played Grandpappy Miller on Petticoat Junction and Green Acres) plays hotel caretaker Mr. Scully.

Season 2, Episode 38, "The Intruder": Jan Shepard (Nurse Betty on Dr. Christian) plays estranged wife Allison Conway. Charles Quinlivan (Frank Garlund on Mr. Garlund) plays her boyfriend Don Nichols. Francine York (shown on the right, starred in Wild Ones on Wheels, The Doll Squad, and Marilyn Alive and Behind Bars and played Lorraine Farr Temple on Days of Our Lives and Queen Medusa on Jason of Star Command) plays Conway's estranged husband's current girlfriend Patrice Reed.

Season 2, Episode 39, "The Case of Nan Havens": Mary Tyler Moore (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Dick Van Dyke Show) plays espionage suspect Nan Havens. Penny Edwards (starred in That Hagen Girl, Tucson, Missing Women, and Million Dollar Pursuit, filled in for a pregnant Dale Evans in several early 1950s Roy Rogers features, and modeled in ads for Lux, Palmolive, and Tiparillos) plays drive-in waitress Laura Mead.