This long running series was really hitting its stride by this episode. Full cast involvement. Some humor, deadly gunfights and character development for both regulars and guest alike. The relatively young, slim Jack Elam, in all his villainy, causes all manner of trouble for the whole Cartwright clan, angers his hill country mother and the story climaxes in an unusual, surprise ending. I loved the resolution.
Especially poignant is the fact that three of these familiar actors of the day had no careers by 1963. Don C. Harvey (as Elam's brother) died too young in 1963, Anita Sands turned her back on Hollywood that same year at the ripe age of 23. Steven Terrell left the profession not long after, having been on many 50s and 60s popular series. The daily grind of early television in the early days didn't have the glamour or lure of financial renumeration it has today. Some actors doffed the costumes and make-up for family and other pursuits. I think the attitude of actors may have been healthier and more philosophical back then. I am fascinated by actors' careers and what they do when not acting and how they reinvent themselves for private life. So many of this era worked intensely for about 12 years and then stopped. I could draw up an extensive list, they're still living. Just not acting.
5 Reviews
Not like everyone else
mitchrmp14 July 2014
Main Characters: The Mother and daughter Spitfires
Bonanza Characters: Little Joe and Ben
After Little Joe catches a man burning their land, he has to kill the man in order to stop the fire. The daughter is naturally upset and tries to kill Little Joe. Oh, but here's the clincher: she's not like anybody else. she's a dirty, smelly, no-manners, cursing spitfire. And her mother's much worse! We're talking a different kind of people who sees nothing wrong with killing.
This episode shows the other side of life - those backwoods people who like living that way and want to keep living that way. The Mama carries a gun and is probably more of a gunfighter than her husband and boys put together. Yep, you know the type...
Bonanza Characters: Little Joe and Ben
After Little Joe catches a man burning their land, he has to kill the man in order to stop the fire. The daughter is naturally upset and tries to kill Little Joe. Oh, but here's the clincher: she's not like anybody else. she's a dirty, smelly, no-manners, cursing spitfire. And her mother's much worse! We're talking a different kind of people who sees nothing wrong with killing.
This episode shows the other side of life - those backwoods people who like living that way and want to keep living that way. The Mama carries a gun and is probably more of a gunfighter than her husband and boys put together. Yep, you know the type...
Amusing
richard.fuller112 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
We are given some backwoods family called the Hoads, who become involved with the Cartwrights when Little Joe shoots one of the sons who tried to shoot Joe in the back.
Little Joe is that fast, it seems.
There is a family Matriarch called Maud Hoad, who is pretty mean with a whip.
Maud is played by Katherine Warren.
Now we also have the more familiar Jack Elam as one lunatic son, before Elam began portraying those lovable fellows he became better known for, and we have Mary Treen, she who is best known for working in the bank in 1946's "Its A Wonderful Life" as well as appearing on an episode of the Brady Bunch as the humorless Kay, Alice's substitute.
I half get the impression that Treen was originally offered the part of Maud Hoad, or i owuld deduce she was presented it first.
Whatever.
The son who was shot had a young daughter. She is the spitfire, hence the title. She's supposed to be quite a handful as the Cartwrights attempt to control her.
I guess the most interesting part is Treen giving her that bath.
But then there is also Warren's performance.
Tvland has a tendency to show this episode of Bonanza more than they should, so I have seen it more than once.
Oddly enough, Warren is in an equally puzzling episode of "Father KNows Best" a Christmas episode, as a cold, humorless old aunt, who has her icy heart melted by Kathy Anderson's kindness.
Aw.
So here she is on Bonanza, having two sons shot by Joe Cartwright, the fastdraw.
She must learn to forgive and not let that whip do her reasoning.
Before Jeanette Nolan did Dirty Sally, here was Katherine Warren, trying her hardest to look mean while her offspring dies around her.
With stark blue eyes, it isn't easy for her, but she gives it her best, keeping her mouth as straight and inflinching as she can.
She appears to be a little tanned up as well, no doubt makeup.
This performance seems to be desiring an Emmy nomination so much, it isn't funny, but then the work does emerge as one of the grandest 'nice try' performances I have ever seen.
The granddaughter was "The Spitfire" and the title is misdirected. It isn't the cleaning up of the granddaughter that is interesting, it is Katherine's performance that stands out for standing out too much.
She should have been the spitfire for Ben Cartwright, instead of the granddaughter being one toward Little Joe.
Little Joe is that fast, it seems.
There is a family Matriarch called Maud Hoad, who is pretty mean with a whip.
Maud is played by Katherine Warren.
Now we also have the more familiar Jack Elam as one lunatic son, before Elam began portraying those lovable fellows he became better known for, and we have Mary Treen, she who is best known for working in the bank in 1946's "Its A Wonderful Life" as well as appearing on an episode of the Brady Bunch as the humorless Kay, Alice's substitute.
I half get the impression that Treen was originally offered the part of Maud Hoad, or i owuld deduce she was presented it first.
Whatever.
The son who was shot had a young daughter. She is the spitfire, hence the title. She's supposed to be quite a handful as the Cartwrights attempt to control her.
I guess the most interesting part is Treen giving her that bath.
But then there is also Warren's performance.
Tvland has a tendency to show this episode of Bonanza more than they should, so I have seen it more than once.
Oddly enough, Warren is in an equally puzzling episode of "Father KNows Best" a Christmas episode, as a cold, humorless old aunt, who has her icy heart melted by Kathy Anderson's kindness.
Aw.
So here she is on Bonanza, having two sons shot by Joe Cartwright, the fastdraw.
She must learn to forgive and not let that whip do her reasoning.
Before Jeanette Nolan did Dirty Sally, here was Katherine Warren, trying her hardest to look mean while her offspring dies around her.
With stark blue eyes, it isn't easy for her, but she gives it her best, keeping her mouth as straight and inflinching as she can.
She appears to be a little tanned up as well, no doubt makeup.
This performance seems to be desiring an Emmy nomination so much, it isn't funny, but then the work does emerge as one of the grandest 'nice try' performances I have ever seen.
The granddaughter was "The Spitfire" and the title is misdirected. It isn't the cleaning up of the granddaughter that is interesting, it is Katherine's performance that stands out for standing out too much.
She should have been the spitfire for Ben Cartwright, instead of the granddaughter being one toward Little Joe.
The Hoads
bfreedman-077166 March 2021
The ending felt a little deus ex machina but a great episode nonetheless. Big ups to Katherine Warren as an overly maked up Ma Hoad. Nice whip work. Jack Elam was vintage Jack Elam although a bit skinny. Strong performance from Landon after a string of Hoss-centered episodes. One of the best of the second season so far.
checked out like Pernell Roberts
glitterrose9 November 2021
I was watching the episode until I got to that STUPID bathtub scene and Joe fixing this chick's hair. I know what I've said on other reviews about the best Bonanza episodes are the ones where you have the Cartwrights helping people. Episodes like this don't apply. You have to put a contraption up to get the girl to take a bath? You have Joe fixing her hair to girl her up? Perhaps I'd have a better time accepting these scenes if the same girl hadn't just tried to kill Joe!
I get it. The Cartwrights are all gentlemen. They go into heat very easily to the point where I wonder how they don't walk around with a book in front of their pants anytime they're away from the Ponderosa but they're still gentleman. I get where Joe would feel guilty about killing the girl's father even if it was a case of self defense and he'd do something to try and help the girl. But that one scene just had me doing that Krysten Ritter eye rolling gif and I decided to fast forward through the episode and watch the two other scenes with Adam since I like his character the best.
One truly wonders if he pitched fits like Robert Reed did on "The Brady Bunch" when they were doing stupid episodes or if the writers knew to write as little scenes as possible for Adam when doing a stupid episode. Would've loved to have been a fly on the wall for both sets...
I get it. The Cartwrights are all gentlemen. They go into heat very easily to the point where I wonder how they don't walk around with a book in front of their pants anytime they're away from the Ponderosa but they're still gentleman. I get where Joe would feel guilty about killing the girl's father even if it was a case of self defense and he'd do something to try and help the girl. But that one scene just had me doing that Krysten Ritter eye rolling gif and I decided to fast forward through the episode and watch the two other scenes with Adam since I like his character the best.
One truly wonders if he pitched fits like Robert Reed did on "The Brady Bunch" when they were doing stupid episodes or if the writers knew to write as little scenes as possible for Adam when doing a stupid episode. Would've loved to have been a fly on the wall for both sets...
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