The Tall Man (1962)

It never cracked the top 30 in the ratings, and it aired in an era when TV westerns had just reached their peak and were starting to decline (all those not named Bonanza or Gunsmoke, that is). But according to factsverse.com, co-star Clu Gulager claimed that the real reason The Tall Man was canceled after just two seasons was because of political pressure from Congress. Gulager reportedly said that sometime during the series' 1960-62 run Congress debated on whether or not Billy the Kid was a cold-blooded killer. Since Gulager played a fictional Billy the Kid, who was portrayed as a wild but still good-hearted hero, Congress felt that this was not an appropriate role model for children to see on television, so pressure was applied to NBC to take the series off the air. No details are provided on when this happened and who the principal players were in Congress who helped drive this decision. Likewise, a scan of 1962 issues of TV Guide magazine provides no news item about any decision to cancel the series. In fact, the August 18 issue of the magazine, only a few weeks before the Fall 1962 season was about to begin, contains an article about young TV actors who have gotten poor reviews from critics, including Gulager, who is still described as being affiliated with The Tall Man (as Doug McClure is described as being on Checkmate, another series that was canceled before the Fall 1962 season). Other than missing a paycheck, however, Gulager seems to not have thought much of his own series, as he is quoted in the TV Guide article saying, "If I'd been a critic, I'd have drummed the show off the air as a prime example of what TV should not spend its money on." The factsverse.com piece on Gulager also mentions that he wasn't sold on the series when he was first offered the role, saying that he and his agent had a 3-hour discussion before deciding to accept the part rather than hold out for something better because Gulager at the time was married with a child to support and needed the money immediately.

Even if Congress had not taken action to get the show canceled, by 1962 it offered little to distinguish itself from the scores of other westerns on the air at that time. Whereas earlier episodes had winked at the real-life relationship of Pat Garrett and Billy Bonney, such as it may have been, foreshadowing that they might have to stand off against each other one day, the 1962 episodes dispense with such teases and focus solely on standard TV western stories that could be seen on any of a number of other programs. For example, "The Hunt" (January 27, 1962) centers on wealthy British shipping magnate Edward Van Doren with a passion for hunting, but with the twist that he considers the ultimate hunting challenge to be tracking and killing a human, in this case Billy. He rationalizes that he will be doing society a favor, given the number of men Billy has killed and the danger he poses. Meanwhile, the supposedly untamed Billy espouses the humane belief that it is not sporting to kill unarmed prey. The story and even the title of this episode exactly match one from Have Gun--Will Travel which aired only a week later on February 3, 1962, except that the hunter in this later episode is a Russian nobleman rather than a British mogul.

Then there is the popular quarantine story, titled appropriately enough "Quarantine" (March 17, 1962), in which Garrett has to incarcerate injured bank robber Bob Kelso at the local doctor's office after another patient shows up at the office with symptoms indicating possible bubonic plague. Perhaps this theme had become popular because of hit series like Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey, but in any case at least three other westerns aired quarantine stories in 1962: Lawman ("The Doctor," May 6, 1962), Frontier Circus ("Incident at Pawnee Gun," September 6, 1962), and The Rifleman ("Quiet Night, Deadly Night," October 22, 1962). This Tall Man episode is also notable in that it shows Garrett bending the law in a way he would have disapproved of in earlier episodes--during the three-day quarantine, Kelso works on the doctor's daughter and former girlfriend Amy Beckett to get her to fetch him a file so that he can saw off his handcuffs just as his two brothers show up to spring him from Garrett's custody. Though Garrett is able to outfox the Kelsos with the threat of plague infection, even though he knows the danger has passed, and is able to recapture them before they escape, Amy is still guilty of aiding in the attempted escape. But when she shows up at the jailhouse the next day to turn herself in, Garrett claims that Kelso never really escaped, since he never made it out of her father's office before being retaken, and says that she is only guilty of falling in love with the wrong person, which everyone has done at one time or another. This contrasts with the 1961 episode "A Tombstone for Billy" in which Billy steals a tombstone for a poor widower who feels his late wife has been forgotten by the town she served for so many years. Despite Billy's good-hearted intentions, Garrett forces him to serve a few days in jail to show that no one is above the law, except for lovestruck young women, apparently.

Speaking of misplaced affections, "The Runaway Groom" (April 28, 1962) uses the old fake wedding gag for laughs and suspense when a family of mountain folk come to town claiming that Billy married and fathered a child with their sister Sally a little over a year ago before cowardly disappearing. Billy, naturally, claims to have never even met Sally, much less married her, but her brothers figure he is only trying to escape his familial duty, so they threaten to kill him if he doesn't come back with them and settle down as a proper husband to her. As should be obvious, this is a case of mistaken identity, though it's quite a stretch to believe that Sally would mistake Billy for his colleague Charlie Fox (the two do not even remotely resemble each other), even if it has been over a year since she last saw him. The episode hammers home the TV western trope that marriage is just about the worst thing that could happen to a free spirit like Billy. We see the same theme, with a few different details, presented on Rawhide about 6 months later in the episode "Incident of the Reluctant Bridegroom" in which Rowdy Yates thinks that he has been married during a drunken stupor to the girlfriend of a vindictive saloon owner, only to later learn that the wedding officiant was a wanted outlaw disguised as a minister.

And yet the wild, untamable Billy is willing to consider marriage at least twice during 1962 in "The Girl From Paradise" (January 13, 1962) and the series-ending "Phoebe" (May 26, 1962). But wouldn't you know that both times the girl he professes his undying love for winds up dying. This, too, is an overused plot for just about every TV western that features single male heroes. Case in point: the January 28, 1962 episode of Bonanza titled "The Storm" has Little Joe falling in love with and deciding to marry childhood playmate Laura White. She does not wind up sacrificing herself to save his life, as do Billy's girlfriends in the aforementioned episodes, but instead suffers from a terminal illness that kills her before Little Joe can marry her. Of course, the entire Bonanza family structure is built on Ben Cartwright's three tragically dead wives, each of whom bore him one of his three sons. Though in this case Ben did actually get to wed his three loves and consummate each of these marriages, the wives have conveniently died off before the series begins, though we are treated to a reminder of their tragic ends in flashbacks such as the 1962 episode "Inger, My Love."

Being the more mature of The Tall Man's dynamic duo, Pat Garrett doesn't get quite as close to the altar as Billy does, but he does at least give it some consideration in "St. Louis Woman" (January 20, 1962). When Garrett's friend Tom Davis has to leave town on a cattle deal just before his correspondence fiance Janet Harper is due to arrive in town with her son, Davis asks Garrett to look after her until he can return. But not long after meeting, both Garrett and Janet find that they are attracted to each other, so much so that Janet suggests they run away together to avoid having to hurt Davis. Garrett says that he could never do that to a friend and that he has found his calling as a lawman in Lincoln County. Despite warnings from Billy that he is wading into dangerous waters, Garrett neither plunges headlong into the affair nor nips it in the bud, letting things progress far enough to share a kiss with Janet while they are looking over Davis' ranch. However, Garrett avoids having to make a decision by letting things play out enough such that Janet makes the decision for him. When she witnesses Garrett having to face off against an ornery and armed drunk, she calls the whole thing off, even though Garrett has come around to her suggestion of taking up another line of work in another town. The thought of having another husband die on her is too much for her to stomach, so she says that cattle rancher Davis will make a fine partner for her after all. Garrett also has an opportunity to tie the knot in "The Impatient Brides" (February 3, 1962) when four mail-order brides bound for the next town of Springdale are forced to wait awhile in Lincoln County while the government puts down an Indian rebellion that has the road shut down. Since there is no room in the local hotel, the four young women have to spend the delay in Garrett's jailhouse, and in close proximity to the dashing Garrett, each of them thinks he would make a better catch than what awaits them in Springdale. So during one sleepless night, each woman sneaks downstairs to propose to Garrett, and he tells each one of them "no," never even really considering what they have to offer. Marrying off Garrett or Billy would have been a suitable way to end the series, given that its whole premise was the special relationship they had with each other, which would have been radically altered had one or both of them settled down. In 1962 the fact that the series ended without any sort of resolution was typical, but one can't help wondering if Clu Gulager's claim of Congressional pressure was applied somewhere between the end of production on Season 2 and the beginning of the Fall 1962 season. In any case, the loss was not a great one for the American TV landscape, as The Tall Man had descended into a derivative formula western, stripped of its original character that made it at least mildly interesting.

The Actors

For the biographies for Barry Sullivan and Clu Gulager, see the 1960 post for The Tall Man. For the biography for Mark Tapscott, see the 1961 post for The Tall Man.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 2, Episode 18, "Substitute Sheriff": Andy Clyde (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Real McCoys) plays property owner Pa McBean. Cynthia Chenault (appeared in I Was a Teenage Werewolf, Dino, and This Earth Is Mine and played Carol Potter on The Tom Ewell Show) plays his daughter May. Judy Nugent (Jet Maypen on Walt Disney Presents: Annette) plays his daughter June. Bob Hastings (shown on the left, played Lt. Elroy Carpenter on McHale's Navy, Tommy Kelsey on All in the Family, and Capt. Burt Ramsey on General Hospital) plays railroad company agent J. Simpson Chase.

Season 2, Episode 19, "The Girl From Paradise": Pippa Scott (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Mr. Lucky) plays convicted murderer Anne Drake. Kelly Thordsen (Colorado Charlie on Yancy Derringer) plays sadistic lawman Sheriff Rafe Tollinger. Andy Albin (Andy Godsen on Julia) plays a farmer.

Season 2, Episode 20, "St. Louis Woman": 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 cattle owner Tom Davis. Jan Clayton (shown on the left, starred in Sunset Trail, The Wolf Hunters, and This Man's Navy and played Ellen Miller on Lassie) plays his fiance Janet Harper. Roger Mobley (Homer "Packy" Lambert on Fury) plays her son David.

Season 2, Episode 21, "The Hunt": Richard Ney (shown on the right, appeared in Mrs. Miniver, Joan of Arc, Ivy, Midnight Lace, and The Premature Burial) plays British shipping magnate Edward Van Doren. Madge Kennedy (starred in Baby Mine, A Perfect Lady, Leave It to Susan, Bad Company (1925), and Houseboat and played Aunt Martha Branson on Leave It to Beaver) plays his mother Elizabeth. Hank Patterson (Pete Duggan on The New Adventures of Spin and Marty, Fred Ziffel on Green Acres and Petticoat Junction, and Hank Miller on Gunsmoke) plays stagecoach driver Amos.

Season 2, Episode 22, "The Impatient Brides": Joan O'Brien (shown on the left, starred in Operation Petticoat, The Alamo, It Happened at the World's Fair, and It'$ Only Money) plays mail-order bride Merilee. Beverly Wills (appeared in Some Like It Hot, The Ladies Man, and Son of Flubber and played Beverly Grossman on I Married Joan) plays mail-order bride Caroline. Jane Dulo (Liz Murray on Hey, Jeannie!, WAC Pvt. Mildred Lukens on The Phil Silvers Show, Molly Turner on McHale's Navy, Agent 99's mother on Get Smart, Nurse Murphy on Medical Center, and Grandma Mildred Kanisky on Gimme a Break!) plays mail-order bride Emma. Hollis Irving (Mrs. Woodley on Blondie and Aunt Phoebe on Margie) plays mail-order bride Jane. Tom Fadden (Duffield on Broken Arrow, Silas Perry on Cimarron City, and Ben Miller on Green Acres and Petticoat Junction) plays stagecoach driver Judd Bates.

Season 2, Episode 23, "Rio Doloroso": Dennis Patrick (shown on the right, played Paul Stoddard on Dark Shadows, Capt. Jack Breen on Bert D'Angelo/Superstar, Fred Foley on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Patrick Chapin on Rituals, and Vaughn Leland on Dallas) plays captured murderer Curtis. Alex Montoya (Miguel Morales on The High Chaparral) plays small village strongman Domingo. Linda Dangcil (Sister Ana on The Flying Nun and voiced Carmen Alonso and Raya on Jem) plays village resident Inez.

Season 2, Episode 24, "A Day to Kill": Pamela Duncan (appeared in Lawless Cowboys, Dragonfly Squadron, Attack of the Crab Monsters, and The Undead) plays cantina pianist Angela. Harry Antrim (shown on the left, appeared in Miracle on 34th Street, Words and Music, Ma and Pa Kettle, and Teacher's Pet and played Judge Hooker on The Great Gildersleeve) plays Lincoln County physician Dr. John Hogan. Edward Mallory (Bill Riley on Morning Star and Bill Horton on Days of Our Lives) plays cowboy Johnny Pride. Harry Swoger (Harry the bartender on The Big Valley) plays trigger-happy citizen Larker.

Season 2, Episode 25, "Property of the Crown": Miriam Colon (shown on the right, played Dr. Santos on The Edge of Night, Maria Delgado on One Life to Live, Lydia Flores on All My Children, and Cam's Grandma on How to Make It in America) plays property claimant Angelita Sanchez. Mark Miller (Bill Hooten on Guestward Ho!, Jim Nash on Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Howard Jones on Bright Promise, and Ross Craig on The Name of the Game) plays Lincoln County lawyer Sam Kirby. Katherine Warren (appeared in The Lady Pays Off, The Glenn Miller Story, and The Caine Mutiny) plays wealthy landowner Emma Wainwright.

Season 2, Episode 26, "The Night Hawk": John Anderson (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays U.S. Army Major Jud Randolph.

Season 2, Episode 27, "Three for All": Irene Tedrow (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Dennis the Menace) plays lawless matriarch Maw Kilgore. George Kennedy (shown on the right, 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 her son Hyram.

Season 2, Episode 28, "Quarantine": Gary Clarke (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1962 post on The Virginian) plays bank robber Bob Kelso. Hal Baylor (Jenkins on Rawhide and Mercury on Batman) plays his brother Clint. Susan Silo (Rusty on Harry's Girls and a prolific voice actor on shows such as The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, James Bond, Jr., and Where's Waldo?) plays doctor's daughter Amy Beckett.

Season 2, Episode 29, "The Four Queens": Gaylord Cavallaro (Det. Sgt. Steve Wall on The Pursuers) plays French impresario Jacques Montreaux. Monica Lewis (shown on the right, popular singer who starred in Excuse My Dust, Affair With a Stranger, and The D.I.) plays showgirl Babette Antoine. Mary Moor (Betty Jean Lane/Battle on The Edge of Night) plays showgirl Denise Lawrence. Joyce Bulifant (Mary Gentry on Tom, Dick and Mary, Mrs. Marsha Patterson on The Bill Cosby Show, Peggy Wilson on Love Thy Neighbor, Marjorie Martin on Big John, Little John, Marie Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Miriam Willoughby on Flo, and Emily Wallace on Weird Science) plays showgirl Fifi Dubois.

Season 2, Episode 30, "The Long Way Home": Doris Dowling (shown on the left, starred in The Lost Weekend, The Blue Dahlia, Bitter Rice, and Othello and played Irene Adams on My Living Doll) plays saloon hostess Maisie Turner. Harp McGuire (appeared in Captain Thunderbolt, On the Beach, Inherit the Wind, and Cage of Evil) plays train conductor Joe Tuohy. Clancy Cooper (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Lawman) plays the Wells Junction sheriff.

Season 2, Episode 31, "A Time to Run": John Fiedler (shown on the right, appeared in 12 Angry Men, That Touch of Mink, The World of Henry Orient, Kiss Me, Stupid, Girl Happy, The Odd Couple, True Grit and played Emil Peterson on The Bob Newhart Show and Woody on Buffalo Bill) plays bookkeeper Abner Moody. Charles Watts (Judge Harvey Blandon on Bachelor Father) plays drummer Hiram Sunday. Sandra Knight (ex-wife of Jack Nicholson, appeared in Thunder Road, Frankenstein's Daughter, and Blood Bath) plays mail-order bride Lucy Potter. Thomas E. Jackson (starred in Broadway, Little Caesar, and The Woman in the Window) plays local physician Doc Hogan.

Season 2, Episode 32, "Trial by Fury": Robert Emhardt (Sgt. Vinton on The Kids From C.A.P.E.R. and Willard Masefield on The Edge of Night) plays rogue Judge Oliver Cromwell. Barbara Lawrence (shown on the left, appeared in Margie, The Street With No Name, A Letter to Three Wives, Here Come the Nelsons, and Oklahoma!) plays acquitted saloon girl Sadie Wren. James Griffith (Aaron Adams on Trackdown and Deputy Tom Ferguson on U.S. Marshal) plays ex-convict James Cutter. Fuzzy Knight (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 prospector Johnny Red.

Season 2, Episode 33, "The Frame": Harry Townes (starred in The Brothers Karamazov, Screaming Mimi, and Sanctuary) plays terminally ill patient Henry Stewart. Lori March (shown on the right, played Jennifer Alden on Three Steps to Heaven, Lenore Bradley on The Brighter Day, Amy Stanton on The Doctors, Valerie Ames on The Secret Storm, Lillian Hayes on Search for Tomorrow, Mrs. Henson on The Edge of Night, Mildred Canfield on Texas, and Barbara Gilbert on Another Life) plays his wife Isobel. Stewart Bradley (Lt. Danton on Days of Our Lies) plays a rabble-rousing wrangler.

Season 2, Episode 34, "The Runaway Groom": Roberta Shore (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet) plays jilted wife and mother Sally Tugwell. Gary Vinson (Chris Higbee on The Roaring '20's, George Christopher on McHale's Navy, and Sheriff Harold Skiles on Pistols 'n' Petticoats) plays ranch-hand Charlie Fox. Bernard Fein (Pvt Gomez on The Phil Silvers Show) plays ranch cook Sam.

Season 2, Episode 35, "The Blackrobe": Martin Landau (shown on the right, starred in North by Northwest, Cleopatra, The Greatest Story Ever Told, The Fall of the House of Usher, and Ed Wood and played Rollin Hand on Mission: Impossible!, Commander John Koenig on Space: 1999, Dr. Sol Gold on The Evidence, Bob Ryan on Entourage, and Frank Malone on Without a Trace) plays Jesuit priest Father Guesclin. Slim Pickens (starred in The Story of Will Rogers, Dr. Strangelove, Blazing Saddles, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, and The Howling and played Slim on Outlaws, Slim Walker on The Wide Country, California Joe Milner on Custer, and Sgt. Beauregard Wiley on B.J. & the Bear) plays language interpreter Starr. Russell Thorson (Lt. Otto Lindstrom on The Detectives and William Kennerly on Peyton Place) plays Garrett's former Army commander Major Graves.

Season 2, Episode 36, "The Woman in Black": Gregory Morton (Mr. Wainwright on Peyton Place and Walter Williams on Ben Casey) plays landowner Don Diego de Cardenas. Ricky Vera (Benny Romero on Our Miss Brooks) plays his son Juan. Adele Mara (shown on the left, wife of Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip, The Fugitive, and The Rockford Files creator Roy Huggins who appeared in Wake of the Red Witch, Sands of Iwo Jima, and The Big Circus) plays Don Diego's intended bride Rosa Leodagarious.

Season 2, Episode 37, "Doctor on Horseback": Ed Nelson (Michael Rossi on Peyton Place, Ward Fuller on The Silent Force, and Sen. Mark Denning on Capitol) plays new Steadman physician Dr. Wade Parsons. Mabel Albertson (shown on the right, played Mrs. Whiting on Those Whiting Girls, Irene Brady on The Tom Ewell Show, Mrs. Sprague on The Andy Griffith Show, Mildred Hollinger on That Girl, and Phyllis Stephens on Bewitched) plays widow Kate Baines. June Kenney (starred in Teenage Doll, Attack of the Puppet People, and The Spider) plays abandoned pregnant wife Mary Curtis. Paul Hartman (Albie Morrison on The Pride of the Family, Charlie on Our Man Higgins, Emmett Clark on The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D., and Bert Smedley on Petticoat Junction) plays her father Judd Marlowe. Richard Reeves (Mr. Murphy on Date With the Angels) plays busybody Santee. C. Lindsay Workman (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Donna Reed Show) plays the Steadman barber.

Season 2, Episode 38, "Phoebe": Floy Dean (shown on the left, played Liz Forsythe Stevens on The Young Marrieds and Laura Spencer on Days of Our Lives) plays runaway daughter Phoebe Canfield. George Macready (Martin Peyton on Peyton Place) plays her repressive father Cyrus Canfield. Rusty Lane (Harry Moseby on The Clear Horizon) plays livery owner Trager. 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 irascible jurist Judge Medford. Eve McVeagh (starred in High Noon, The Glass Web, and Tight Spot and played Frances Moseby on The Clear Horizon and Miss Hammond on Petticoat Junction) plays crooked faro dealer Lily Varnell. Lorna Thayer (starred in The Beast With a Million Eyes and played the waitress in Five Easy Pieces) plays a saloon girl and former colleague of Lily's. Clegg Hoyt (Mac on Dr. Kildare) plays bartender Charlie. Cyril Delevanti (Lucious Coin on Jefferson Drum) plays general store owner J.T. Summers.

 

The Tall Man (1961)

Figuring that it was successful enough to earn a renewal for Season 2, the producers for The Tall Man changed little during the course of episodes aired in 1961, continuing to focus on the special relationship between Sheriff Pat Garrett and the often wild and unbridled William Bonney, a.k.a. Billy the Kid, teasing the viewer with hints that the two one day may be forced to face off against each other as in the episode "Dark Moment" (February 11, 1961), and trying to inject humor into the series via somewhat recurring ne'er-do-well Wilfred McBean and his unbridled daughters May and June in "The Reluctant Bridegroom" (February 18, 1961) and "Millionaire McBean" (April 15, 1961). While the closing theme by Esquivel is more orchestral in Season 2, and another sometimes recurring character, Garrett's deputy Andy, is introduced in Season 2, these subtle tweaks have no impact on the overall flavor of the series, and in the case of Deputy Andy, it's questionable why he was added to the series since he has very few lines that have no direct impact on any of the stories in which he appears.

The most significant development in the 1961 episodes is the zeroing in on a theme broached first in 1960 and very much part of public discourse in the political climate of today--the tension between loyalty and the law. As mentioned in our previous post on the 1960 episodes, Billy's character values loyalty above all, sometimes to his detriment. While his loyalty to Garrett usually works in his favor, misplaced loyalty in others often proves dangerous. We see this in the Season 2 episode "Time of Foreshadowing" (November 25, 1961) in which Billy runs into old acquaintance Skip Ferrell who once saved his life in El Paso when he was badly outnumbered by men intent on doing him harm. Billy doesn't know right off that Farrell has escaped from prison and is on the run, so when Farrell asks him for help, he feels obliged to loan him his horse since he owes Farrell for saving his life. However, the farther he goes in helping Farrell, the more he begins seeing what a liar and manipulator his trusted friend is. Farrell has Billy accompany him to an old girlfriend's house. Since her father never liked him, he has Billy knock on her door while he stands back, letting Billy face the girlfriend's shotgun with which she answers the door. Farrell says he is trying to avoid some cavalrymen with whom he argued, but when Billy removes a bullet from his arm, he sees that Farrell is wearing a prison undershirt. When he confronts Farrell with his deception, Farrell counters by saying he noticed that Billy took a liking to his girlfriend Matti and offers not to object if Billy wants to court her after Farrell is gone. But when Farrell learns that Matti's father has died and left her some money, Billy watches as he tries to dupe her into giving it to him and then promising to meet up with her later. The final straw for Billy is when the prison guard searching for Farrell shows up and tells him that Farrell was sent to prison for killing another girlfriend. After the guard leaves, Billy refuses to let Matti leave with Farrell, certain that she will be his next victim once he gets her father's money. His only play is to lure Farrell into drawing against him and then shooting him dead. Matti berates him for killing Farrell, even after he tells her that she would have lived no more than a week had she gone off with Farrell. Her devotion is such that dying would have been worth it just to spend an entire week with him. Billy's sense of loyalty forces him into a no-win situation that threatens to get him killed or sent to prison for aiding an escaped convict.

Billy is duped by another manipulator in "A Scheme of Hearts" (April 22, 1961), this time by a pretty young woman named Nita Jardine who tries to recruit him to kill her ex-con husband after telling him a tale about the husband hunting her down to kill her. However, Garrett figures out her game when he stops the husband outside of town and learns that he is a poor gunman who took the rap for a murder his wife committed while cheating on him. Because she flirts with him and offers him the hope of a future romance, Billy is blind to her machinations and even dismisses Garrett's warnings that he is being used. Garrett and the husband use the old lump of covers in the bedding trick to make Nita think the husband is still asleep in bed when she summons Billy to her hotel room and tells him the husband has abused her. However, Billy refuses to shoot a defenseless, sleeping man, so she grabs his gun and shoots the bedding herself, thereby exposing herself as a cold-blooded killer and proving that Garrett's warning about Billy's misplaced loyalty was right all along.

Billy gets into more trouble due to misplaced loyalty in "The Judas Palm" (October 21, 1961) when he befriends drifter Archie Keogh because Keogh was a friend of his step-father. Keogh repays Billy's kindness and lack of curiosity into Keogh's character by framing him for his murder of cantina owner Rompero, who caught Keogh robbing his cash drawer in the middle of the night. Garrett is obliged to lock Billy up when he finds him holding some but all of the stolen money. But it takes Garrett's clever deduction that the previously penniless Keogh will eventually have to spend the stolen money just to survive, thereby leading Garrett to the money's hiding place, to exonerate Billy. In each of these episodes, Billy faces serious legal consequences because his code of loyalty above all else leads him into trusting those he should not.

Garrett, on the other hand, though in one episode described as a one-time train robber, believes that the law, though not always perfect, tells us how to evaluate people and their actions. Billy frequently expects him to apply the law differently to their friends out of loyalty, but Garrett maintains that the law must apply the same way to everybody. In "Dark Moment" (February 11, 1961), a mutual friend of theirs, Francisco Valdez, shoots and kills lawyer Isaiah Morton from whom he had borrowed money when Morton refuses to give him more time to repay the debt. Even though Valdez admits to the killing, Billy thinks that Garrett should give him a break, but Garrett refuses. Billy determines to break Valdez out of jail and take him to Mexico to evade justice, and Garrett declines to face off against Billy, though he warns him that if he carries his plan through he will be hunted down and face justice himself. The prospect does not deter Billy, but when Valdez learns that Morton's daughter, whom he injured in his escape from the crime scene, will make a full recovery, he refuses to flee with Billy and insists on accepting the legal repercussions of his actions.

Even when Billy breaks the law to help out a friend, such as in "A Tombstone for Billy" (December 16, 1961), Garrett refuses to look the other way and let him get away with it completely. In this episode Billy steals an as-yet uncarved tombstone paid for by wealthy town crank Cyrus Skinner and gives it to poor grieving widower Juan Gonzales, who had grown depressed that the town did not pay tribute to his wife who sold flowers in the town square for many years. Billy presents him with Skinner's tombstone with a story that the town chipped in to buy it for him in order to honor his late wife. When Garrett finally finds out who stole the tombstone and where it is, he still sentences Billy to a few nights in jail, though he also offers to pay Skinner back with some reward money he has just earned in capturing a wanted outlaw. Even though Billy has broken the law in an act of kindness for a grieving husband, Garrett ensures that he doesn't get off scott-free. We as viewers are expected to still like Billy since his heart is in the right place, but we are guided to respect Garrett for insisting on the rational resolution of the issue. As such, the series casts its vote for the status quo in which the established legal system is the best way to deal with all criminal situations. Even when the wrong man is initially charged with a crime, such as Billy's arrest for murder in the aforementioned episode "The Judas Palm," once the case winds through the legal system, justice will be done. If only real life worked that way.

The Actors

For the biographies for Barry Sullivan and Clu Gulager, see the 1960 post for The Tall Man.

Mark Tapscott

Mark Loren Tapscott was born in Bell, California on December 15, 1924. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II, and after returning to civilian life married his high school sweetheart Frances Mae Farrell. He returned to the Marines during the Korean War, after which he moved his family to Eugene, Oregon where he studied journalism at the University of Oregon. After graduating in 1957, he returned to California to pursue an acting career, notching his first credits in 1957 on Maverick and the following year on shows such as Highway Patrol, Colt .45, and The Silent Service. He continued getting bit parts on a variety of TV series until an appearance late in Season 1 of The Tall Man led to a recurring role in Season 2 as Garrett's deputy Andy.

After The Tall Man was canceled, Tapscott was not hurting for work, continuing his prolific TV guest roles with multiple appearances on Lassie, The Big Valley, and The Virginian throughout the 1960s. In 1969 his wife Frances passed away and he remarried to Sybil Line. In 1972 he created the role of Bob Anderson on the soap opera Days of Our Lives and remained in that role for the next 8 years. In 1982 he found work on another soap opera, The Young and the Restless, playing Earl Bancroft until 1983. After an appearance on Highway to Heaven in 1987, he retired from acting. He died from lung cancer 6 years later on September 10, 1993 at the age of 68.

 

Notable Guest Stars

Season 1, Episode 17, "First Blood": Jan Merlin (Roger Manning on Tom Corbett, Space Cadet and Lt. Colin Kirby on The Rough Riders) plays gunman Hendry Grant. Ken Lynch (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Checkmate) plays cattle baron Andy Gorman. Robert Montgomery, Jr. (son of actor Robert Montgomery and brother of Elizabeth Montgomery) plays Billy's friend Jimmy Carter. 

Season 1, Episode 18, "A Gun Is for Killing": Leonard Nimoy (shown on the left, played Mr. Spock on Star Trek, Paris on Mission: Impossible, and Dr. William Bell on Fringe) plays Deputy Johnny Swift. Mary Webster (appeared in The Delicate Delinquent, Eighteen and Anxious, and Master of the World) plays his wife Marian. Gregg Palmer (Tom McLowery on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays cattle trail boss Truman Blanchard. George Orrison (stunt double for Clint Eastwood) plays Blanchard's man Chullo.

Season 1, Episode 19, "The Grudge Fight": Richard Jaeckel (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Frontier Circus) plays Billy's friend Denver. Jerry Summers (appeared in The Young Swingers, Surf Party, and Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine and played Ira on The High Chaparral) plays an unnamed Indian. 

Season 1, Episode 20, "The Best Policy": James Coburn (shown on the right, 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 cattle owner John Miller. Ron Harper (see the biography section for the 1961 post on 87th Precinct) plays Deputy Sheriff Harry. Addison Richards (starred in Boys Town, They Made Her a Spy, Flying Tigers, and The Deerslayer and played Doc Calhoun on Trackdown and Doc Landy on The Deputy) plays circuit Judge Danby.

Season 1, Episode 21, "The Reversed Blade": Murray Matheson (Felix Mulholland on Banacek) plays Billy's boss, rancher John Tundall. Jeanne Cooper (Grace Douglas on Bracken's World and Katherine Chancellor Murphy on The Young and the Restless) plays his ex-wife Elmira Webster. John Archer (husband of Marjorie Lord and father of Anne Archer) plays her new husband Ben Webster.

Season 1, Episode 22, "Dark Moment": Martin Landau (shown on the left, starred in North by Northwest, Cleopatra, The Greatest Story Ever Told, The Fall of the House of Usher, and Ed Wood and played Rollin Hand on Mission: Impossible!, Commander John Koenig on Space: 1999, Dr. Sol Gold on The Evidence, Bob Ryan on Entourage, and Frank Malone on Without a Trace) plays debtor Francisco Valdez. Mimi Gibson (appeared in The Three Faces of Eve, Houseboat, and The Children's Hour and played Barby McGovern on Westinghouse Playhouse) plays lawyer's daughter Judy Morton. Justice Watson (J.W. Harrington on Holiday Lodge) plays town physician Doc Pennfield. 

Season 1, Episode 23, "The Reluctant Bridegroom": Andy Clyde (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Real McCoys) plays lazy homesteader Wilfred McBean. Olive Sturgess (Carol Henning on The Bob Cummings Show) plays his daughter May. Judy Nugent (Jet Maypen on Walt Disney Presents: Annette) plays his daughter June. Ellen Corby (Henrietta Porter on Trackdown and Esther Walton on The Waltons) plays pen-pal bride Hannah Blossom.

Season 1, Episode 24, "Maria's Little Lamb": 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 cattleman Maddock. Bob Hoy (Joe Butler on The High Chaparral and Cliff on Our House) plays an unnamed ranch hand. 

Season 1, Episode 25, "Big Sam's Boy": Paul Carr (shown on the left, played Bill Horton on Days of Our Lives, Casey Clark on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Ted Prince on Dallas, and Martin Gentry on The Young and the Restless) plays inheritance imposter George. 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 his co-conspirator Jericho. John Strong (producer, scriptwriter, and host of talk show The John Strong Show) plays another imposter. 

Season 1, Episode 26, "The Last Resource": Robert J. Wilke (appeared in Best of the Badmen, High Noon, The Far Country, and Night Passage and played Capt. Mendoza on Zorro) plays vengeful Marshal Ben Hartley. Marianna Hill (appeared in Roustabout, Paradise, Hawaiian Style, The Godfather: Part II, and High Plains Drifter) plays saloon girl Rita.

Season 1, Episode 27, "Rovin' Gambler": Robert Lansing (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1961 post on 87th Precinct) plays gambling gunman Doc Holliday. X Brands (Pahoo-Ka-Ta-Wah on Yancy Derringer) plays stage robber Dave Rudabaugh. Faith Deremgue (starred in Cult of the Cobra, This Island Earth, and It Came From Beneath the Sea) plays stage passenger Kate Elder. Tom London (starred in Six-Shootin' Sheriff, Song of the Buckaroo, and Riders in the Sky) plays the stagecoach driver.

Season 1, Episode 28, "Hard Justice": Lyle Bettger (starred in The Vanquished, Destry, and The Fastest Guitar Alive and played Sam Larsen on The Court of Last Resort and Harry Driscoll on The Grand Jury) plays cattle buyer Vince Ober. Mark Tapscott (see the biography section above) plays his henchman Tom. Steve Raines (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Rawhide) plays his henchman Carl. Jack Hogan (starred in The Bonnie Parker Story, Paratroop Command, and The Cat Burglar and played Kirby on Combat!, Sgt. Jerry Miller on Adam-12, Chief Ranger Jack Moore on Sierra, and Judge Smithwood on Jake and the Fatman) plats Garrett's deputy Jim.

Season 1, Episode 29, "The Legend and the Gun": Michael Pate (shown on the left, starred in Face to Face, Julius Caesar, Hondo, and Tower of London and played Chief Vittoro on Hondo and Det. Sgt. Vic Maddern on Matlock) plays assassin Harry Young. Jocelyn Brando (Marlon Brando's sister) plays his wife Martha. Diane Mountford (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Assignment: Underwater) plays his daughter Gloria.

Season 1, Episode 30, "A Kind of Courage": James Griffith (Deputy Tom Ferguson on U.S. Marshal) plays former lawman Clint Latimer. Tommy Ivo (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Donna Reed Show) plays his son Jody. David Kent (Bill Scott on Leave It to Beaver) plays Jody's friend Skip Wallace. Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr. (Luis Valdez on Viva Valdez) plays notorious gunman Marino.

Season 1, Episode 31, "Millionaire McBean": Andy Clyde (see "The Reluctant Bridegroom" above) returns as ne'er-do-well Wilfred McBean. Olive Sturgess (see "The Reluctant Bridegroom" above) returns as his daughter May. Judy Nugent (see "The Reluctant Bridegroom" above) returns as his daughter June. Florence MacMichael (shown on the right, played Phyllis Pearson on My Three Sons and Winnie Kirkwood on Mister Ed) plays child welfare inspector Miss Daggett. William Fawcett (Clayton on Duffy's Tavern, Marshal George Higgins on The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, and Pete Wilkey on Fury) plays the general store owner. 

Season 1, Episode 32, "A Scheme of Hearts": Kathleen Hughes (shown on the left, appeared in Mother Is a Freshman, Mr. Belvedere Goes to College, It Came From Outer Space, and Unwed Mother and played Jane Mitchell on Bracken's World) plays ex-con's wife Nita Jardine. John Lasell (Dr. Peter Guthrie on Dark Shadows) plays her husband Ben. 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 stage driver Clem. 

Season 1, Episode 33, "The Cloud Buster": Frank de Kova (Chief Wild Eagle on F Troop and Louis Campagna on The Untouchables) plays Apache businessman Mike Gray Eagle. Gregory Morton (Mr. Wainwright on Peyton Place and Walter Williams on Ben Casey) plays councilman John Forrest. Sue George (appeared in Rock, Pretty Baby, The Dalton Girls, and Gidget) plays rainmaker Henrietta Russell. 

Season 1, Episode 34, "Ransom of a Town": Eduardo Ciannelli (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Johnny Staccato) plays Lincoln priest Padre. Michael Burns (Howie Macauley on It's a Man's World and Barnaby West on Wagon Train) plays his young friend Danny. 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 kidnapper Ledall. 

Season 1, Episode 35, "Ladies of the Town": Monica Lewis (shown on the left, popular singer who starred in Excuse My Dust, Affair With a Stranger, and The D.I.) plays saloon owner Sal. Wesley Lau (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Perry Mason) plays Silver Creek operator Jason Cleary. John Harmon (hotel clerk Eddie Halstead on The Rifleman) plays his confidant Pinky. Claire Carleton (Nell Mulligan on The Mickey Rooney Show and Alice Purdy on Cimarron City) plays reformer Lettie Tatum.

Season 1, Episode 36, "Death or Taxes": Will Wright (Mr. Merrivale on Dennis the Menace and Ben Weaver on The Andy Griffith Show) plays Lincoln Mayor Hackett. Alan Baxter (appeared in Saboteur, Close-Up, and Paint Your Wagon) plays railroad company supervisor Fallon. James Seay (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays his gunman Holman. 

Season 1, Episode 37, "The Great Western": Connie Gilchrist (shown on the right, starred in Tortilla Flat, A Letter to Three Wives, and Long John Silver and played Purity Pinker on The Adventures of Long John Silver) plays cantina owner Big Mamasita. Frank Ferguson (Gus Broeberg on My Friend Flicka, Eli Carson on Peyton Place, and Dr. Barton Stuart on Petticoat Junction) plays New Mexico territorial governor Gen. Lew Wallace. Ron Starr (appeared in G.I. Blues, Ride the High Country, and Angels Hard as They Come and played Mannion on Mister Roberts) plays his aide Lt. Brian Riley. 

Season 2, Episode 1, "Full Payment": Harry von Zell (the announcer on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show and The George Burns Show and played Frank Curtis on Bachelor Father) plays saloon owner Averill Murphy. Alice Frost (Mama Holstrum on The Farmer's Daughter) plays his wife Hortense. William Phipps (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays disabled townsman Bert. 

Season 2, Episode 2, "The Liberty Belle": Patricia Donahue (shown on the left, played Hazel on The Thin Man, Lucy Hamilton on Michael Shayne, and Birdie Wells on General Hospital) plays Garrett's former girlfriend Elena. 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 drunkard Ethan. Alan Carney (played Mike Strager in a series of RKO comedies in the 1940s and appeared in The Absent-Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and Herbie Rides Again) plays a wino. 

Season 2, Episode 3, "Where Is Sylvia?": 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 con artist Sylvia. Wallace Rooney (Andrew Winters on The Doctors) plays Oakville Marshal Peterson.

 

Season 2, Episode 4, "The Female Artillery": Joan Evans (Leonar on Zorro) plays army wife Lou Belle Martin. Nan Leslie (Martha McGivern on The Californians) plays army wife Beth Thomas.

Season 2, Episode 5, "Shadow of the Past": Charles Aidman (narrator on the 1985-87 version of The Twilight Zone) plays union army traitor Ben Wiley. Nancy Reagan (shown on the left, second wife of Ronald Reagan, starred in The Next Voice You Hear..., Donovan's Brain, and Hellcats of the Navy) plays his wife Sarah. 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 their daughter Sue.

Season 2, Episode 6, "An Item for Auction": Sandy Kenyon (Des Smith on Crunch and Des, Shep Baggott on The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, and Reverend Kathrun on Knots Landing) plays mountain man Sam Naylack. Frank Sully (Danny the bartender on The Virginian) plays a wise-cracking bar patron. 

Season 2, Episode 7, "The Judas Palm": Edgar Buchanan (shown on the right, played Uncle Joe Carson on The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and Petticoat Junction, Red Connors on Hopalong Cassidy, Judge Roy Bean on Judge Roy Bean, Bob/Doc Dawson on Tales of Wells Fargo, Doc Burrage on The Rifleman, and J.J. Jackson on Cade's County) plays drifter Archie Keogh. Craig Duncan (Sgt. Stanfield/Banfield on Mackenzie's Raiders) plays posse member Wilson. Dal McKennon  (see the biography section for the 1961 post on 87th Precinct) plays a bartender.

Season 2, Episode 8, "The Woman": Don C. Harvey (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Rawhide) plays religious sect leader Jeboriah Henry. Kay E. Kuter (Newt Kiley on Petticoat Junction and Green Acres) plays his brother Clarence. Coleen Gray (starred in Kiss of Death, Nightmare Alley, The Killing, The Vampire, The Leech Woman, and The Phantom Planet and played Muriel Clifford on McCloud) plays his sister-in-law Edna Henry. Julie Sommars (Jennifer Jo Drinkwater on The Governor and J.J. and A.D.A. Julie March on Matlock) plays Clarence's wife Anna.

Season 2, Episode 9, "Trial by Hanging": Richard Carlyle (Casey on Crime Photographer) plays Billy's fellow ranch hand Swade Hiney. George Kennedy (shown on the left, 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 wanted outlaw Jake Newton. Walter Kinsella (Happy McMann on Martin Kane) plays Las Cruces Sheriff Cy Claver. Hank Brandt (Leonard Waggedorn on Julia, Morgan Hess on Dynasty, and Dr. Aaron Kranzler on Santa Barbara) plays his deputy Sam Lind.

Season 2, Episode 10, "The Leopard's Spots": Paul Birch (shown on the right, played Erle Stanley Gardner on The Court of Last Resort, Mike Malone on Cannonball, and Capt. Carpenter on The Fugitive) plays covetous cattle rancher Bart Conway. Don Megowan (Captain Huckabee on The Beachcomber) plays his ranch hand Galt. Bennye Gatteys (Judith Potter on The Brighter Day) plays pacifist Charity Newcomb. 

Season 2, Episode 11, "Petticoat Crusade": Mona Freeman (starred in Black Beauty, Mother Wore Tights, Angel Face, and Jumping Jacks) plays suffragette Amy Dodds. Harry von Zell (see "Full Payment" above) returns as saloon owner Averill Murphy. Cecil Smith (Los Angeles Times TV critic) plays newspaper reporter Cecil Humphrey. Herbert Lytton (Admiral Reynolds on McHale's Navy) plays the Lincoln judge.

Season 2, Episode 12, "Time of Foreshadowing": Vic Morrow (shown on the left, starred in Tribute to a Bad Man, God's Little Acre, and Portrait of a Mobster and played Sgt. Saunders on Combat! and Capt. Eugene Nathan on B.A.D. Cats) plays Billy's life-saver Skip Farrell. Judi Meredith (Bonnie Sue McAfee on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show and The George Burns Show, Monique Devereaux on Hotel de Paree, and Betty Cramer on Ben Casey) plays Farrell's former girlfriend Matti Arnold. 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 prison guard Gimp. 

Season 2, Episode 13, "Fool's Play": Paul Comi (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1961 post on Ripcord) plays stagecoach robber Harry Pollitt. 

Season 2, Episode 14, "The Legend of Billy": Berry Kroeger (appeared in Black Magic, Gun Crazy, Hitler, and Demon Seed) plays New York newspaper columnist Dean Almond. Emile Meyer (starred in Shane, Drums Across the River, Blackboard Jungle, Sweet Smell of Success, and Paths of Glory and played Gen. Zachary Moran on Bat Masterson) plays former Pinkerton gunman Jerrod Cobb. Harry Antrim (appeared in Miracle on 34th Street, Words and Music, Ma and Pa Kettle, and Teacher's Pet and played Judge Hooker on The Great Gildersleeve) plays the hotel desk clerk.

Season 2, Episode 15, "A Tombstone for Billy": Howard McNear (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Andy Griffith Show) plays wealthy town crank Cyrus Skinner. Natividad Vacio (Fronk on Father Knows Best) plays recent widower Juan Gonzales. Herbert Lytton (see "Petticoat Crusade" above) returns as the Lincoln judge.

Season 2, Episode 16, "Sidekick": Stafford Repp (Chief O'Hara on Batman) plays thieving trading post owner Judge Barker. Tim Graham (Homer Ede on National Velvet) plays stable owner Mr. Linus. Alma Beltran (Mami Morales on Berrenger's) plays one of Barker's victims.

 

Season 2, Episode 17, "Apache Daughter": Sherry Jackson (shown on the right, played Terry Williams on Make Room for Daddy) plays abducted daughter Sally Bartlett. J. Pat O'Malley (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Frontier Circus) plays her father Sam. Ralph Moody (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Rifleman) plays Chiakawa chief Nanay.