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Season 3 (1954-55)
Episode Guide
compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by:
references:
TV Guide
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive
############# Death Valley Days ##############
############# season 3 1954-55 ##############
##############################################
16 New episodes (prod. nos. #338-#353)
Hosted by Stanley Andrews - The Old Ranger
3.01 Death Valley Days: THE SAINT'S PORTRAIT [BH]
McCann Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 338 (ODAT: 24Sep54; OREG: LP4143)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Photography by Harry Neumann
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Eugenia Paul .................. Sabita
Rico Alaniz ................... Miguel
Maurice Jara .................. Felipe
Martin Garralaga .............. Father Lopez
Chief Thundercloud
Frank Nachero
George Lewis
Julian Upton
Neyle Morrow
Synopsis:
In New Mexico two Indian tribes feud over the 200-year-old portrait
of St.Joseph which according to superstition brings prosperity
to the tribe which owns it. One of the tribes, jealous of their
neighbors who have the portrait, steals it and sure enough, they
become prosperous and the other tribe fades. Eventually, the fight
is settled by the U.S.Supreme Court, which returns the portrait
to the rightful tribe owners. And in a moralistic roundup, the
local priest convinces both tribes it's hard work, not the portrait,
which makes for prosperity. [Variety: Oct.13'54][BH]
3.02 Death Valley Days: ELEVEN THOUSAND MINERS CAN'T BE WRONG [BH]
McCann Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 339 (ODAT: 25Sep54; OREG: LP4141)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast: [LHA/BH]
Bill Kennedy ............ Leonard Pike
Bill Boyett ............. Jim Hardwicke
Claudia Barrett ......... Nella Corning
Gordon Barnes ........... Ed Barrett
Leonard Penn ............ Tom Sweeney
Keith Richards .......... Banker
Connie Coxon
Glenn Strange
Jack O'Shea
John Daly
Michael Vallon
Synopsis:
When the hero (Bill Boyett) kills a claim-jumper in self-defense,
and tells the law about it, an unscrupulous district attorney
frames him on a murder rap. All this is to show that the small
town of Columbia convicts its "killers." And why? Because
Columbia's citizens want their town to be named the capital
of California. All this happens in 1854. The politically
ambitious DA rounds up 11,000 signatures for a petition in
Columbia's behalf, while succeeding in having the hero
convicted at the same time. The hero's counsel swipes the
petition, however, fixes it up a bit so it's a request
for the prisoner's pardon, something the governor hastily
grants. [Variety: Oct.27'54][BH]
3.03 Death Valley Days: BLACK BART, THE PO-8 [BH]
McCann Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 340 (ODAT: 26Oct54; OREG: LP4330)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Don Beddoe
Helen Brown
Helene Heigh
John Damler
Bob Swan
Bud Osborne
Glenn Strange
Tex Terry
Richard Shackleton
Lee Tung Foo
Ralph Sanford
Synopsis:
A schoolteacher turns to holding up stages when a practical joke,
during which he impersonates a highwayman, nets him $2,000 in
coins and gold dust, more than he'd made in two years teaching.
He turns pro with much success and no trouble. Between holdups,
he resides in San Francisco where he meets and becomes friendly
with Wells Fargo detectives trying to solve the crimes. They
finally catch up to him, when he leaves a starched shirtcuff at
the scene and trace him by its laundry mark. A sly fellow,
Bolton's trademark was to leave a poem in the deserted strongbox
taken off the stage, signed "Black Bart - the Po-8."
[Variety: Nov.22'54][BH]
Note:
Black Bart's real name was Charles E.Bolton. He was almost 60 years
old when he began his stage robbing ca-reer and, because of his age,
only served a short term in the California State penitentiary for
his crimes. One of the verses Black Bart left in a strong box read:
"I've labored long and hard for bread, For honor and for riches.
But on my corns too long you've tred, You fine-haired sons-of-bitches." [BH]
3.04 Death Valley Days: LOLA MONTEZ (1955) (b&w)
McCann Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 341 (ODAT: 4Jan55; OREG: LP4392)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Paula Morgan .......... Lola Montez
James Lilburn
Michael Ferris
Glase Lohman
Gabor Curtis
William Tannen
Baynes Barron
George Milan
Burt Wendland
Bruce Riley
John Hubbard
Beverly Thompson
Synopsis 1:
Paula Morgan stars as the fiery world famous dancer. Born in Limerick,
Ireland as Maria Dolores Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, escapes an ill-matched
marriage by fleeing to Spain. Under the name of "Lola Montez," she
becomes the dancing rage of Europe. Among her famous admirers, King
Ludwig I of Bavaria, showers her with palaces and a fortune. Revolt
forces her to flee and she eventually heads to America for more romance
and adventures.
Synopsis 2:
The story of Lola Montez, who was born Marie Gilbert in Limerick,
Ireland, in 1818, is told in this episode. She first found fame as
an actress and dancer in Europe and became notorious as the mistress
of Franz Liszt, Alexandre Dumas and Ludwig 1 of Bavaria. She arrived
in San Francisco in 1853 and again became a sensation. Her popularity
soon faded, however, but she found the answer to her search for love
and happiness by taking care of fallen women in New York. She died
in 1861. [BH]
Review:
"Paula Morgan, obviously picked for the lead because she's a looker,
fails to meet the requirements of the role. Mrs.Woodman's script
covers a lot of territory and so does Lola Montez. The story is
well developed in the writing as it covers the beauty's career
embracing several continents and quite a few males. But the
woodenness of Miss Morgan paradoxically makes it rarely
believable even though the yarn's based on fact." [Variety: Feb.14'55][BH]
3.05 Death Valley Days: TO BIG CHARLIE FROM LITTLE CHARLIE [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 342 (ODAT: 6Dec54; OREG: LP4393)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Don Megowan ............... Big Charlie
Douglas Henderson ......... Little Charlie
William O'Neal ............ Spencer Gates
Maureen Stephenson ........ Consuela Gates Loomis
Angie Dickinson
I.Stanford Jolley
John Daly
Britt Wood
Rama Bai
Synopsis:
The story covers three decades plus a lot of territory, rotating
between Nevada and New York as it tells the tale of what happens
when two prospectors strike it rich. But Ruth Woodman has
constructed her teleplay as well it's never cumbersome nor dull
despite the immense compression task.
The yarn follows the careers of the pair, known as Big Charlie
and Little Charlie. The ambitious big one weds a tycoon's daughter,
hies off to the big town and becomes a millionaire. But he's so
immersed in money-making that his wife leaves him and he wallows
sorrowfully in his wealth.
Little Charlie, on the other hand, isn't out for coin, and by
grubstaking others soon winds up broke. But with it all, he
derives from it an "inner satisfaction" moralizes Mrs.Woodman
as the play ends with the partners re-united for a Christmas
in the desert. [BH]
3.06 Death Valley Days: HALFWAY GIRL [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 343 (ODAT: 22Oct54; OREG: LP4331)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Barbara Bestar
Steven Clark
Bill Kennedy
Howard Wright
Hank Patterson
Hal Smith
Harry Harvey
Glen Kilburn
Synopsis:
The story takes its title from the fact that the girl meets the chap
she's in love with halfway between their respective ranches, due to
parental opposition on both sides. Each father blames the other for
the death years before of a son, and the quarrel has endured. When
the boy's father exacts an unwilling promise, as a deathbed request,
that his son won't wed his enemy's daughter, the romance hits a snag
and changes to great bitterness. But all ends sweet and lovely with
the discovery that the boy is adopted, not the dead man's son by birth.
[Variety: Nov.9'54][BH]
3.07 Death Valley Days: THE LIGHT ON THE MOUNTAIN [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 344 (ODAT: 19Nov54; OREG: LP4329)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Michael Colgan ......... William M. Stewart
Phyllis Coates ......... Annie Stewart
Glase Lohman ........... Richard Corey
Angie Dickinson ........ Salina Harris
Benny Burt
Baynes Barron
Jack Jordan
Norman Bartold
Jack O'Shea
Synopsis:
This episode tells the absorbing story of how Nevada was admitted to
the Union and the fight to eliminate corruption in order to gain
admittance. Billed as a true story "Light on the Mountain"
graphically revolves around two men and the way they expose
three crooked judges. These judges are so corrupt it isn't
enough to have one of them presiding over an important case
- they even bribe eight of the ju-rors to be sure of the verdict.
[Variety: Dec.6'54][BH]
3.08 Death Valley Days: SEQUOIA [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 345 (ODAT: 31Dec54; OREG: LP4391)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Lane Bradford
Eilean Rowe
Carol Thurston
Angie Dickinson
Baynes Barron
Chief Yowlachie
George Lewis
Robert Paquin
Melodie McGowan
Jerry Nader
Synopsis:
Once there was an Indian named Sequoyah, who despised his white
masters but envied them because they knew how to write. Invalided
by an accident, he decided to take it upon himself to create a
set of symbols for the tribesmen. With berries for ink, a tree
branch for a pen, and burchwood for paper, he gave the redman
his first written language. It was no pushover for old Sequoyah
to have his alphabet of 86 signs accepted by the Cherokees and
even his squaw turns on him for scratching senseless marks.
He was finally hailed as a hero and to perpetuate his great deed
the big redwoods up North were named for him. [Variety: Jan.18'55][BH]
3.09 Death Valley Days: DEATH AND TAXES [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 346 (ODAT: 3Feb55; OREG: LP4458)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Wayne Mallory
Charlita
Jean Lewis
Wes Hudman
Vernon Rich
Ralph Sanford
John Cason
George Sherwood
Bob Peterson
Jack O'Shea
Synopsis:
When a young tenderfoot from Kansas arrives in the rich silver camp
of Limbo, he is immediately sworn in as a deputy and commissioned
the never-before-attempted task of collecting taxes from the outlaws
who populate the area. On the point of gunning him down at such a
suggestion, the toughest desperado of them all so admired the youth's
gall that he backs him up with his sidearms when the other outlaws balk.
Planning to rob the deputy of his taxes, the outlaw instead turns up
a better nature and lets him return to town, adding his own taxes as well.
[Variety: March 29'55][BH]
3.10 Death Valley Days: MILLION DOLLAR WEDDING [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 347 (ODAT: 1Mar55; OREG: LP4525)
(rebroadcast 11Aug58)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest cast:
Virginia Lee ........... Aggie Feline
James Best ............. Tiny Stocker
Steve Mitchell ......... George Titus
Russ Todd .............. Russ Jenkins
Michael Vallon
William Schallert
Marjory Bennett
Synopsis 1:
A handsome gullible miner is tricked by unconscionable pranksters,
George and Russ into proposing to the camp's homely waitress,
Aggie. [RF]
Synopsis 2:
Hoping to trick a fellow miner into proposing to a lonely plain-looking
waitress in a Death Valley mining community, two miners named George
and Ross plot a elaborate practical joke in which they promise him
$50,000 if he will wed her. They plan to pay off with a sack of
worthless shares in an abandoned gold mine. After the wedding and
the young couple learn they've been tricked, they settle down to
the humdrum life of mining when - of course! - a new vein is
discovered and the stock booms to $1,000,000. [BH]
Review:
"James Best and Virginia Lee deliver bang-up performances. Steve Mitchell
and Russ Todd handle trickster parts in good fashion." [Variety: March 14'55]
[BH]
3.11 Death Valley Days: RIGGS AND RIGGS [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 348 (ODAT: 24Feb55; OREG: LP4526)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Jack Daly .............. Henry Riggs
Ella Ethridge .......... Alvirah Riggs
Dick Elliott ........... Bob Mitchell
Helene Heigh ........... Helen Mitchell
John Martin ............ Andrew Johnson
Gene Roth
Pat Gallagher
Wanda Barbour
Jacii Lee
Synopsis:
Henry Riggs goes to San Francisco to deposit the $70,000 he and his
wife have gotten from their mining claim. Instead, Henry meets a
sailor and sets off on a world cruise, spending the money on wine,
women and song. He returns home with lots of experience, but no
money, and finds that his wife has struck it rich with another
claim. This time, however, Mrs.Riggs has wised up and they'll
split the loot. [Variety: April 1955][BH]
3.12 Death Valley Days: LOVE 'EM AND LEAVE 'EM [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 349 (ODAT: 29Mar55; OREG: LP4602)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast: [LHA]
Bill Sheldon .......... Terry Burns
Helen Marshall ........ Nina Congdon
Regina Gleason ........ Vera
Garr Nelson ........... John Ferrand
Synopsis:
A young adventurer leaves his girl behind to go West to prospect for gold.
He's pretty startled when she walks into the gambling hall he frequents
- accompanied by her husband. [BH]
3.13 Death Valley Days: THE SEVENTH DAY [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 350 (ODAT: 28Apr55; OREG: LP5309)
(rebroadcast 22Apr57 NBC Mon)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest cast:
Alan Wells
Michael Moore
Barbara Lang
Synopsis 1:
Conflict arises when a prospector, guiding a wagon train to California
during the Gold Rush, insists that Sunday be kept as a day of rest. [RF]
Synopsis 2:
A wagon train is troubled by the lust for gold among its passengers. [BH]
3.14 Death Valley Days: I AM JOAQUIN [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 351 (ODAT: 7Jun55; OREG: LP5377)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Cliff Field
Steve Conte
Jeanne Cooper
John Damler
Synopsis:
The story of Joaquin Murietta. The wife of a sea captain allows her
husband to take their daughter aboard his gold-carrying ship
and during the night bandits kidnap the child. [BH]
3.15 Death Valley Days: THE CRYSTAL GAZER [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 352 (ODAT: 3Jun55; OREG: LP5378)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Natalie Norwick ...... Eilley [LHA]
Morgan Jones
Michael Ferris
Michael Monroe
Synopsis:
The seventh daughter of a seventh daughter receives strange insights
into her future. [BH]
3.16 Death Valley Days: THE MORMONS' GRINDSTONE [BH]
McCann-Erickson, Inc. prod. no. 353 (ODAT: 28Apr55; OREG: LP5308)
Directed by Stuart McGowan/ Teleplay by Ruth Woodman
Hosted by Stanley Andrews
Guest Cast:
Clark Howatt .......... Murphy
Fran Bennett
William Boyett
Harry Lauter
Henry Rowland
Hank Patterson
Rusty Westcoatt
Synopsis:
Gold is where you find it, runs an old saying, and much the same can
be said for silver. In this tale of the historical Utah rush in 1876
that produced over $10,000,000 in precious ore, the romance of the
accidental discovery is made both interesting and educational.
An old grindstone gathering dust and grime in a storage corner of
a blacksmith shop led to the famous silver reef strike, but it
complicated the ro-mance of a young couple. [Variety: May 24'55][BH]
############# Death Valley Days ##############
############## end of season 3 ###############
##############################################
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