TALES OF WELLS FARGO "Shotgun Messenger"1957
TALES OF WELLS FARGO was a western series than ran for a total of 200 episodes between 1957 and 1962. Dale Robertson plays the lead as Jim Hardee. Hardee is an agent for the stage and cargo hauling outfit. When something goes wrong he is the man they send to fix it.
This episode is the 6th of the series. Wells Fargo man Dale Robertson is sent off with another employee to set up a new stage line at a new gold field. The men are to set up an office and hire new drivers and shotgun guards. Several unsavoury types, Kevin Hagen and Kem Dibbs try to sign up. Robertson though does not like the looks of the men and turns them down. He hires a young local lad, Michael Landon instead.
Robertson's gut instinct about Debbs and Hagen being criminal types is soon proved correct. The two men attempt to rob the stage on its very first run. Landon turns out to be rather handy with a rifle and chases the bandits off. Landon does collect a shoulder wound though in the fight.
Several days later, Landon is grabbed off the streets at gunpoint by the same two men. The men, Debbs and Hagen tell Landon that they know he is the son of a former Wells Fargo man who was fired in disgrace. They threaten to tell Robertson this and get him fired. They will not do this if Landon will help them on a hold-up. Landon agrees to the deal.
The crooks though end up with guns in their faces and lead in their gut when they try to bushwhack the stage. It seems that Robertson knew all along whom Landon's father was. Debbs, before he dies confesses to being involved in the robbery that Landon's father was blamed for. Landon's father had always claimed he was innocent.
This is another sharp looking episode with several Oscar types behind the camera. The director, Lewis R Foster was a two time nominated and one time winner of an Academy Award. He collected his Oscar nods as a writer for, THE MORE THE MERRIER and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINTON. As a director he was helmsman on a string of decent B westerns and noir. These include, THE EAGLE AND THE HAWK, MANHANDLED, CRASHOUT, EL PASO, CAPTAIN CHINA and TOP OF THE WORLD. Handling the cinematography here is the one time nominated, John F Warren.
Michael Landon of course would go on to fame on the series, BONANZA, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE and HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN.
TALES OF WELLS FARGO was a western series than ran for a total of 200 episodes between 1957 and 1962. Dale Robertson plays the lead as Jim Hardee. Hardee is an agent for the stage and cargo hauling outfit. When something goes wrong he is the man they send to fix it.
This episode is the 6th of the series. Wells Fargo man Dale Robertson is sent off with another employee to set up a new stage line at a new gold field. The men are to set up an office and hire new drivers and shotgun guards. Several unsavoury types, Kevin Hagen and Kem Dibbs try to sign up. Robertson though does not like the looks of the men and turns them down. He hires a young local lad, Michael Landon instead.
Robertson's gut instinct about Debbs and Hagen being criminal types is soon proved correct. The two men attempt to rob the stage on its very first run. Landon turns out to be rather handy with a rifle and chases the bandits off. Landon does collect a shoulder wound though in the fight.
Several days later, Landon is grabbed off the streets at gunpoint by the same two men. The men, Debbs and Hagen tell Landon that they know he is the son of a former Wells Fargo man who was fired in disgrace. They threaten to tell Robertson this and get him fired. They will not do this if Landon will help them on a hold-up. Landon agrees to the deal.
The crooks though end up with guns in their faces and lead in their gut when they try to bushwhack the stage. It seems that Robertson knew all along whom Landon's father was. Debbs, before he dies confesses to being involved in the robbery that Landon's father was blamed for. Landon's father had always claimed he was innocent.
This is another sharp looking episode with several Oscar types behind the camera. The director, Lewis R Foster was a two time nominated and one time winner of an Academy Award. He collected his Oscar nods as a writer for, THE MORE THE MERRIER and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINTON. As a director he was helmsman on a string of decent B westerns and noir. These include, THE EAGLE AND THE HAWK, MANHANDLED, CRASHOUT, EL PASO, CAPTAIN CHINA and TOP OF THE WORLD. Handling the cinematography here is the one time nominated, John F Warren.
Michael Landon of course would go on to fame on the series, BONANZA, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE and HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN.
