TRACKDOWN – "Sweetwater, Texas" – 1957
This is the sixth episode of the 1957 to 1959 western series, TRACKDOWN. Robert Culp stars a Texas Ranger who wanders the State putting the grab on the wanted.
Culp is riding along a trail and come upon a stagecoach. The horses are gone and there are three dead bodies, the stage driver and two passengers. The stage and the people have all been stripped of anything of value. He hears a noise from under the body of the woman passenger. It is a still alive baby.
Culp wraps the child up and continues his ride to the next town. Culp drops the baby off at the town's doc, Art Space. He then has a word with the town Sheriff, Paul Birch. Culp informs Birch of the stage and the bodies. The Sheriff grabs a buckboard and heads off to collect the bodies.
Culp heads for the town saloon for a stiff one and see if they have any milk for the baby. Playing cards is cardsharp, Ray Danton and travelling salesman, Paul Richards. Saloon girl Valerie French makes a crack to Culp when he asks for some milk. Her face drops when Culp explains what he found on the road. She quickly pours Culp a shot and hunts up some fresh milk.
A while later, French is up in her room starring at the mirror. She knows that is was her sister who had been the mother of the child. She had been coming from out east to visit French.
Her man, cardsharp Danton now enters. She up and give Danton a slap. "I know it was you who killed those people. You were gone today just long enough to do it. Where else would you have got that bracelet you gave me. That woman was my sister. I knew you were rotten when I hooked up with you! I'm going to the Ranger and tell him." Danton returns the slap and tells her to shut up. "I never touched those people. You best not accuse people of things without proof." Danton then grabs the fancy bracelet off her wrist. He storms out and back downstairs to continue the card game.
Sheriff Birch has returned with the bodies. And a scrap of paper with a woman's name on it that he found on the dead woman. Culp takes the scarp and returns to the saloon. He asks if anyone knows the name. He can tell by looking at French that she has something to say. French admits that the name is hers. She rapidly fills in Culp on what she fears her lover, Danton, has done.
Culp, backed by Sheriff Birch, stand behind Danton at the table and ask him some questions. Danton slowly reaches in his vest pocket, pulls out the bracelet, then tosses it to Richards. "I'm giving this back to you." Danton says. Both lawmen's eyes narrow as they now look at Richards.
Guns are pulled and levelled at the man. Richards and his case are searched. More bangles and such are found. Our man Richards has a sideline, robbery and murder. Off to the cells he goes. French asks to take care of the baby. She is done with her current life.
The director is long time television man, Donald McDougall. He worked in the medium for over thirty years. The d of p is Guy Roe, a well-known fixture among noir fans. He lensed, WHISPERING CITY, RAILROADED, IN THIS CORNER, BEHIND LOCKED DOORS, TRAPPED, ARMORED CAR ROBBERY and TRY AND GET ME.
This is the sixth episode of the 1957 to 1959 western series, TRACKDOWN. Robert Culp stars a Texas Ranger who wanders the State putting the grab on the wanted.
Culp is riding along a trail and come upon a stagecoach. The horses are gone and there are three dead bodies, the stage driver and two passengers. The stage and the people have all been stripped of anything of value. He hears a noise from under the body of the woman passenger. It is a still alive baby.
Culp wraps the child up and continues his ride to the next town. Culp drops the baby off at the town's doc, Art Space. He then has a word with the town Sheriff, Paul Birch. Culp informs Birch of the stage and the bodies. The Sheriff grabs a buckboard and heads off to collect the bodies.
Culp heads for the town saloon for a stiff one and see if they have any milk for the baby. Playing cards is cardsharp, Ray Danton and travelling salesman, Paul Richards. Saloon girl Valerie French makes a crack to Culp when he asks for some milk. Her face drops when Culp explains what he found on the road. She quickly pours Culp a shot and hunts up some fresh milk.
A while later, French is up in her room starring at the mirror. She knows that is was her sister who had been the mother of the child. She had been coming from out east to visit French.
Her man, cardsharp Danton now enters. She up and give Danton a slap. "I know it was you who killed those people. You were gone today just long enough to do it. Where else would you have got that bracelet you gave me. That woman was my sister. I knew you were rotten when I hooked up with you! I'm going to the Ranger and tell him." Danton returns the slap and tells her to shut up. "I never touched those people. You best not accuse people of things without proof." Danton then grabs the fancy bracelet off her wrist. He storms out and back downstairs to continue the card game.
Sheriff Birch has returned with the bodies. And a scrap of paper with a woman's name on it that he found on the dead woman. Culp takes the scarp and returns to the saloon. He asks if anyone knows the name. He can tell by looking at French that she has something to say. French admits that the name is hers. She rapidly fills in Culp on what she fears her lover, Danton, has done.
Culp, backed by Sheriff Birch, stand behind Danton at the table and ask him some questions. Danton slowly reaches in his vest pocket, pulls out the bracelet, then tosses it to Richards. "I'm giving this back to you." Danton says. Both lawmen's eyes narrow as they now look at Richards.
Guns are pulled and levelled at the man. Richards and his case are searched. More bangles and such are found. Our man Richards has a sideline, robbery and murder. Off to the cells he goes. French asks to take care of the baby. She is done with her current life.
The director is long time television man, Donald McDougall. He worked in the medium for over thirty years. The d of p is Guy Roe, a well-known fixture among noir fans. He lensed, WHISPERING CITY, RAILROADED, IN THIS CORNER, BEHIND LOCKED DOORS, TRAPPED, ARMORED CAR ROBBERY and TRY AND GET ME.
