THE FORD TELEVISION THEATRE – Gun Job – 1953
This episode is the 51st outing of, THE FORD TELEVISION THEATRE. This anthology series ran between 1952 and 1957. The production run was 195 episodes. The series was fairly popular and featured many well-known guest stars, such as, Raymond Burr, Thomas Mitchell, Richard Denning, Teresa Wright, Kathryn Grant, Scott Brady, Howard Duff and Richard Conte.
This one is set in the 1870's in the American southwest. Ex Sheriff, Philip Carey and his new wife, Ellen Drew, have just bought a small cattle ranch. They want to settle down and raise a family.
Carey arrives at his ranch after a day of hard work and finds several visitors. The town council of the small town where Carey had been the Sheriff want to have a talk. The leader of the group, Don Harvey, tells Carey they would like him to come back and be the Law again. The new Sheriff, Peter Whitney, is not working out. Carey tells them he is finished with that life and says no thanks.
Several days later, the young boy from the next farm over appears. The kid, Sammy Ogg, tells Carey there has been trouble at his father's place. The local cattle baron type, Ward Bond, has driven a huge herd of cattle through the family's corn crop. Bond is less than amused that "seed planters" were taking up the open range. He intends to drive the farmers off.
Carey tells the youth to have his father, Sandro Giglio, go to town and swear out a complaint with the new lawman, Whitney. Giglio does this but nothing happens. The next day, Carey and Miss Drew are in town picking up a few supplies. Ward Bond and some of his boys are hooting it up at the local drinking hole.
Carey has a word with Sheriff Whitney about the trouble between the farmer types and Bond. Whitney is not at all happy about getting on the wrong side of the powerful Bond. He has five kids himself, and really does need the stress. He takes off the badge and quits.
Now farmer Gigilo hits town toting a rifle. He wants to shoot Bond for wrecking all his crops. Carey takes the gun away and sends him back home. He has a polite word with cattleman Bond about the dispute. Bond calls the farmer an out and out liar. It was just a few steers that got loose Bond tells Carey. Carey leaves it at that and heads home.
The next morning, Gigilo and his family stop at Carey's ranch. They tell Carey and Drew that they have had enough. It seems like time to move elsewhere. Bond and several of his hands now ride up. Bond calls the unarmed farmer out. Carey grabs his gun from inside and steps up beside the farmer. Bond goes for his iron but Carey is quicker. Bond tumbles out of the saddle dead as a skunk. Bond's hired hands want no part of Carey and ride off.
Carey's wife, Drew, looks him in eyes, and says it is okay to go back as the local law. The town needs him.
This one comes across as sort of a reverse take on the film, HIGH NOON. The director, Ted Post, worked on many of the western series populating the airwaves in the 1950's and 60's. These include series like, ZANE GREY THEATER, TOMBSTONE TERRITORY, THE RIFLEMAN, THE VIRGINIAN, WAGON TRAIN and RAWHIDE. On RAWHIDE he became friends with Clint Eastwood. Eastwood hired Post to direct his films, HANG 'EM HIGH and MAGNUM FORCE.
This episode is the 51st outing of, THE FORD TELEVISION THEATRE. This anthology series ran between 1952 and 1957. The production run was 195 episodes. The series was fairly popular and featured many well-known guest stars, such as, Raymond Burr, Thomas Mitchell, Richard Denning, Teresa Wright, Kathryn Grant, Scott Brady, Howard Duff and Richard Conte.
This one is set in the 1870's in the American southwest. Ex Sheriff, Philip Carey and his new wife, Ellen Drew, have just bought a small cattle ranch. They want to settle down and raise a family.
Carey arrives at his ranch after a day of hard work and finds several visitors. The town council of the small town where Carey had been the Sheriff want to have a talk. The leader of the group, Don Harvey, tells Carey they would like him to come back and be the Law again. The new Sheriff, Peter Whitney, is not working out. Carey tells them he is finished with that life and says no thanks.
Several days later, the young boy from the next farm over appears. The kid, Sammy Ogg, tells Carey there has been trouble at his father's place. The local cattle baron type, Ward Bond, has driven a huge herd of cattle through the family's corn crop. Bond is less than amused that "seed planters" were taking up the open range. He intends to drive the farmers off.
Carey tells the youth to have his father, Sandro Giglio, go to town and swear out a complaint with the new lawman, Whitney. Giglio does this but nothing happens. The next day, Carey and Miss Drew are in town picking up a few supplies. Ward Bond and some of his boys are hooting it up at the local drinking hole.
Carey has a word with Sheriff Whitney about the trouble between the farmer types and Bond. Whitney is not at all happy about getting on the wrong side of the powerful Bond. He has five kids himself, and really does need the stress. He takes off the badge and quits.
Now farmer Gigilo hits town toting a rifle. He wants to shoot Bond for wrecking all his crops. Carey takes the gun away and sends him back home. He has a polite word with cattleman Bond about the dispute. Bond calls the farmer an out and out liar. It was just a few steers that got loose Bond tells Carey. Carey leaves it at that and heads home.
The next morning, Gigilo and his family stop at Carey's ranch. They tell Carey and Drew that they have had enough. It seems like time to move elsewhere. Bond and several of his hands now ride up. Bond calls the unarmed farmer out. Carey grabs his gun from inside and steps up beside the farmer. Bond goes for his iron but Carey is quicker. Bond tumbles out of the saddle dead as a skunk. Bond's hired hands want no part of Carey and ride off.
Carey's wife, Drew, looks him in eyes, and says it is okay to go back as the local law. The town needs him.
This one comes across as sort of a reverse take on the film, HIGH NOON. The director, Ted Post, worked on many of the western series populating the airwaves in the 1950's and 60's. These include series like, ZANE GREY THEATER, TOMBSTONE TERRITORY, THE RIFLEMAN, THE VIRGINIAN, WAGON TRAIN and RAWHIDE. On RAWHIDE he became friends with Clint Eastwood. Eastwood hired Post to direct his films, HANG 'EM HIGH and MAGNUM FORCE.