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 [13]  "Sour Annie"*****

Original NBC Airdate - May 8, 1960

Stagecoach Productions

Opening Credits:
Starring
William Bendix [Kelly]
#
Doug McClure [Flip]
#
Co-Starring
Mercedes McCambridge ["Sour" Annie Tatum]

Ending Credits:
Directed by William Witney
#
Written by B.L. James
#
Produced by Samuel A. Peeples
#
Executive Producer Nat Holt
#
Starring
William Bendix
#
Doug McClure
#
Co-Starring
Mercedes McCambridge ["Sour" Annie Tatum]
#
with
Richard Devon [Harlan Deal]
Slim Pickens [Vince Allard, Wrangler Foreman]
Irving Bacon
Andrew Prine [Hank Paulson, young and inexperienced Horse Wrangler who
blamed himself for Annie's accident]
Joe Yrigoyen

[There is a question as to whether Harry Carey, Jr. portrayed the
Storekeeper. If Carey was in the episode he did not
receive an on screen credit.]

[Also in the cast was Harper Flaherty (un-credited) appearing as the
wrangler
holding Flip's horse before the round up.]

#
AN OVERLAND STAGE-BILBEN PRODUCTION
filmed in hollywood at revue studios
mca tv exclusive distributor
#
Director of Photography John L. Russell, A.S.C.
#
Associate Producer . . . Frank Price
Art Director . . . Ray Beal
Editorial Supervisor . . . David J. O'Connell
Film Editor . . . Eugene Pendleton
Music Supervisor . . . Joseph E. Romero
Sound . . . William Russell
#
Assistant Director . . . George Bisk
Set Decorator . . . Hal Gausman
Costume Supervisor . . . Vincent Dee (nice work on Flip's torn clothing
after the cougar attack)
Makeup . . . Jack Barron (well done "sunburn" effects)
Hair Stylist . . . Florence Bush

Brief Synopsis: 
Annie Tatum, a crusty "desert rat" prospector, refuses to die
after being run over by the mustangs she is helping round up for the stage
line.  She and Flip must try to make it out of Indian territory on foot
after greedy Harlan Deal, who wanted Annie's gold, leaves with the guns and
horses. On the walk the pair faces not only the Indians but a desert wind
storm, thirst and exhaustion, and a cougar attack. (bj)

Detailed Synopsis:
In this story of affection and loyalty Kelly and Flip's old prospector
friend Annie Tatum (McCambridge) is critically injured when trampled by the
herd of wild horses she was helping round up for the Overland Stage Company.
Even though their camp is deep in Indian territory, when it is decided that
Annie couldn't be transported to a doctor by coach
because the vibration would be too much for her and she wasn't going to
"make it" anyway Flip insists on staying with the woman through her final
hours
while the other men take the horses into town. Harlan Deal (Devon), a
money-hungry wrangler who had
listened to Annie's tales of striking it rich and seen her pouch of "gold,"
tells Flip he'd "taken a shine to Annie" and wants to help him make her
comfortable although his real motive for staying was to shake the
information out of the miner on the whereabouts of her claim. When Flip
discovers Deal abusing the "sour dough" he bans him from entering her
tent with the hopes of giving his friend a peaceful passing. But to Deal's
impatience and Flip's relief the crusty "Desert Rat" refuses to die. A few
evenings later, after three Sioux had attacked the camp, a frightened Deal
knocks Flip unconscious and leaves, taking the horses, guns, supplies, and
Annie's pouch with him. When Flip regains consciousness the next morning
and finds Annie
is "not a corpse yet" he confides that they both may soon be dead should
the Indians come back. Concerned more for Flip's safety than her own Annie
assures him that she's "half bear and half devil" and is well enough for
the long journey to Fort Kearny, the nearest settlement, despite the fact
that their escape must be on foot. Albeit reluctant to take a woman in her
condition
on such a trek Flip agrees they must vacate the area as soon as possible.
It isn't long before they encounter a small band of Sioux, and, although (in
an amusing scene) Flip and Annie are successful in scaring them off by
pretending to be "loco," Indian threats aren't the only obstacle the pair
must
face on their trip. Thirst, heat, sunburn, and a desert wind storm
take their toll on the two. The weakened Annie suggests that Flip save
himself by going on
alone, but the young man refuses to abandon her. Promising not to
"hold him up tomorrow" Annie slips off during the night. Flip, finding her
gone after being awakened
from sound sleep by a welcomed rain, won't
"leave without" her and attempts to track her down. Ignoring his calls
Annie hides from Flip and, if not for going to his rescue when he was
attacked by a cougar, would have walked away to lose herself in the
wilderness. The duo resumes the hike together but after a few miles falls
to the
ground totally exhausted.
Annie is ready to give up, yet Flip tries to reassure her
that they don't have far to go and is himself encouraged by the sound of
approaching horses. However, to his dismay the Indians have returned, and
Flip stands over Annie, knife in hand, prepared to fight to the death to
protect her.
"Trivial" notes:
Doug McClure also rode the horse he used in this episode in THE
VIRGINIAN 1.01 (01) "The Executioners." (bj)
Portions of the horse roundup scene were shown in color in THE VIRGINIAN
episode 3.18 (078) "Hideout." (bj)

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