SCHLITZ PLAYHOUSE – The Long Trail – 1954
One of the more popular anthology series of early television, was, SCHLITZ PLAYHOUSE. The long running, 1951 to 1959 series pumped out over 360 episodes. Every week there was a new story starring many of the biggest stars of Hollywood. One week would be a comedy, and the next week could be a war or western themed episode. This particular episode, is number 164 of the production run. It stars Anthony Quinn, Maxine Cooper, Robert Armstrong, John Bryant and Hugh Sanders. The episode is a western set in 1861.
Texas Ranger, Anthony Quinn has been on the trail for Oregon for 4 months. He is to bring in a man wanted on a 3 year old murder warrant. The local sheriff, Robert Armstrong, goes over Quinn's paperwork and says all is in order. Quinn can collect his man, John Bryant, the next day out at the camp where he works.
Armstrong invites the road weary Quinn to stay and have dinner with his daughter, Maxine Cooper and his grandson. Quinn is more than happy to grab a home cooked meal and put his feet up. Quinn packs away several plates of Cooper's cooking, before relaxing with a smoke.
Several riders soon come up to the house and enter. The men are all armed with six-guns and rifles. The men, Hugh Sanders, Steve Darrell and George DeNormand, would all like a few words with Quinn. The men are friends of the wanted man, Bryant. They are here to try and "persuade" Quinn to return to Texas alone.
Quinn is not at all inclined to do this and hints at trouble if he is interfered with. Sheriff Armstrong tells the men that Quinn has the law on his side. "The papers are all legal and valid." The men back off for the moment.
The next morning Quinn and Armstrong ride out to the camp where Bryant is. It turns out that Quinn and Bryant know each other from Texas. Bryant swears the warrant is a mistake. He had killed a man in self-defence. Quinn insists that Bryant will get his day in front of a judge.
Now, Miss Cooper, as well as Sanders, Darrell and DeNormand ride up. We now discover that Cooper is not only Armstrong's daughter, she is also the wife of Bryant, and the father of the young boy. This changes nothing as far as Quinn is concerned.
Sanders, now says he has something that changes everything. He pulls out a telegram from out east. It seems that the civil war has started and Texas has joined the Confederate States. Any legal paperwork, the warrant for example, is now void.
Quinn has a look at the telegram, smiles, wishes Bryant and Cooper a long life and heads off back to Texas.
A much better episode than I make it sound like. There is plenty of tension and hinted violence during the various heated discussions.
The direction is by veteran TV helmsman, Jus Addiss. Addiss knocked out close to 200 television episodes, from 30 different series during his time in the industry.
The episode story was written by, N.B.Stone, who also wrote the stories for MAN WITH A GUN, and the superb, RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY. The episode screenplay was by, George Bruce. Bruce is best known for the films, TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST, SOUTH OF PAGO PAGO, and the film noir, KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL and WALK A CROOKED MILE.
Maxine Cooper some will recall from the Mike Hammer film, KISS ME DEADLY with Ralph Meeker. She played Velda.
Robert Armstrong headlined the big 30's smash, KING KONG.
One of the more popular anthology series of early television, was, SCHLITZ PLAYHOUSE. The long running, 1951 to 1959 series pumped out over 360 episodes. Every week there was a new story starring many of the biggest stars of Hollywood. One week would be a comedy, and the next week could be a war or western themed episode. This particular episode, is number 164 of the production run. It stars Anthony Quinn, Maxine Cooper, Robert Armstrong, John Bryant and Hugh Sanders. The episode is a western set in 1861.
Texas Ranger, Anthony Quinn has been on the trail for Oregon for 4 months. He is to bring in a man wanted on a 3 year old murder warrant. The local sheriff, Robert Armstrong, goes over Quinn's paperwork and says all is in order. Quinn can collect his man, John Bryant, the next day out at the camp where he works.
Armstrong invites the road weary Quinn to stay and have dinner with his daughter, Maxine Cooper and his grandson. Quinn is more than happy to grab a home cooked meal and put his feet up. Quinn packs away several plates of Cooper's cooking, before relaxing with a smoke.
Several riders soon come up to the house and enter. The men are all armed with six-guns and rifles. The men, Hugh Sanders, Steve Darrell and George DeNormand, would all like a few words with Quinn. The men are friends of the wanted man, Bryant. They are here to try and "persuade" Quinn to return to Texas alone.
Quinn is not at all inclined to do this and hints at trouble if he is interfered with. Sheriff Armstrong tells the men that Quinn has the law on his side. "The papers are all legal and valid." The men back off for the moment.
The next morning Quinn and Armstrong ride out to the camp where Bryant is. It turns out that Quinn and Bryant know each other from Texas. Bryant swears the warrant is a mistake. He had killed a man in self-defence. Quinn insists that Bryant will get his day in front of a judge.
Now, Miss Cooper, as well as Sanders, Darrell and DeNormand ride up. We now discover that Cooper is not only Armstrong's daughter, she is also the wife of Bryant, and the father of the young boy. This changes nothing as far as Quinn is concerned.
Sanders, now says he has something that changes everything. He pulls out a telegram from out east. It seems that the civil war has started and Texas has joined the Confederate States. Any legal paperwork, the warrant for example, is now void.
Quinn has a look at the telegram, smiles, wishes Bryant and Cooper a long life and heads off back to Texas.
A much better episode than I make it sound like. There is plenty of tension and hinted violence during the various heated discussions.
The direction is by veteran TV helmsman, Jus Addiss. Addiss knocked out close to 200 television episodes, from 30 different series during his time in the industry.
The episode story was written by, N.B.Stone, who also wrote the stories for MAN WITH A GUN, and the superb, RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY. The episode screenplay was by, George Bruce. Bruce is best known for the films, TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST, SOUTH OF PAGO PAGO, and the film noir, KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL and WALK A CROOKED MILE.
Maxine Cooper some will recall from the Mike Hammer film, KISS ME DEADLY with Ralph Meeker. She played Velda.
Robert Armstrong headlined the big 30's smash, KING KONG.