CTVA - The Virginian 1.07 "Riff-Raff" 7-Nov-1962

CTVA
The Classic TV Archive - TV Western series
<Previous                     The Virginian                        Next>
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9

 
1.07 [--]
"Riff-Raff"

(no on-screen title)
NBC Broadcast - 7 November 1962

Revue Studios Production
Executive Producer Charles Marquis Warren
Produced by Warren Duff
Written by Jon Booth
Directed by Bernard Girard

Starring:
(shown on the ride-in)
Lee J. Cobb as Judge Henry Garth (not in this episode)
Doug McClure as Trampas
Gary Clarke as Steve Hill
and
James Drury as The Virginian

Guest Star:
Ray Danton [ Lt. Hamilton]

End Credits (complete):
Co-Starring
Pippa Scott as Molly
#
Roberta Shore as Betsy
#
Don Durant as Capt. Langhorne
Karl Swenson as Col. Theo. Roosevelt
Judson Pratt as Harry
#
With
Bing Russell as Sergeant Eads
Jan Stine as Eddy
Rod Daniel as Billy
Tom Hernandez as The Spanish Officer
Hal Needham as The Man
#
Virginian theme Percy Faith
#
Director of Photography - Lionel Lindon, A.S.C.
#
Art Director - George Patrick
Film Editor - Edward Haire, A.C.E.
Editorial Dept. Head - David J. O'Connell
Musical Supervision - Stanley Wilson
Set Decorators - John McCarthy and Ralph Sylos
Color Consultant - Alex Quiroga
Color Processing by Consolidated Film Industries
#
Assistant Director - John Clarke Bowman
Sound - David H. Moriarty
Costume Supervision  - Vincent Dee
Makeup - Leo Lotito, Jr.
Hair Stylist - Florence Bush
The title "The Virginian" by permission of EMKA, LTD.

Series Regular Characters in this Episode:
Trampas, Steve, Virginian, Molly,
brief appearance by Betsy and recurring character Eddie

Brief Synopsis:
The Virginian, Steve and Trampas join the cavalry to fight in Cuba.
Trampas wants to impress Molly, who loves the look of a man in
uniform, by joining the Rough Riders.  The Virginian can't
imagine Trampas in the service since, to be a soldier, one has
to be able to follow orders, and sends Steve to bring him 
home. However, when he arrives at the military camp, Steve also
enlists. The Virginian goes to get them both and is persuaded
that with his authoritative skills as a foreman he's needed as
an officer. All three of the Shiloh hands end up going to San
Juan Hill where their efforts help win the war. (bj)

Detail Synopsis:
"Eddy, Where's Trampas?" the Virginian asks.
Trampas leaves Eddy in charge of his chores while he goes to meet Molly at
the train station.  The newspaper woman is returning from her trip with all
kinds of international information and big plans of putting up "Remember
the Maine" posters and writing a recruiting story about the war. Steve also
leaves his task branding cattle with the thought of welcoming Molly home.
Molly finds the cowhands to be ill-informed about current events and
wonders if a uniform would improve either of them.  Steve realizes that the
only way they could get a uniform would be to enlist to which Molly replies
that she loves the dusty boys just as they are and wouldn't have them
change for all the uniforms and wars in the world.  About this time an
angry Virginian arrives in town to tell Steve and Trampas to get back to
work, explaining to them that their job of keeping the fighting men fed was
just as important as military duty.  But Trampas wants to impress Molly's
sense of the romanticism of a man in uniform and heads off to San Antonio
to join the Rough Riders.  The Virginian notes that "Trampas is about as
much cut out to be a soldier as--if you want to be a soldier you gotta
learn to take orders.  Can you imagine Trampas taking orders from anybody,
I mean anybody?" and sends Steve to bring him home.  On the way South Steve
meets mountain man Harry (Pratt) and several others who are going to Texas
to "jine up."  When they reach the military camp Steve, hoping to get his
friend thrown out of the army, encourages Trampas to disregard an officer's
command.  Drex Hamilton (Danton), the Lieutenant from back East who's only
been schooled in military tactics and has no experience, would be glad to
be rid of Trampas.  But Captain Langhorne, also a "social soldier" from the
East, believes the men from the West had potential to be good soldiers.
Unable to get Trampas to leave with him and outraged that the Sergeant
called him no-good-for-the-army "riff-raff" Steve also enlists.  At this
news (the favorite saying in this show seemed to be "He what?  He did
what?"), the Virginian decides he must go to Texas himself to bring his
hands back to Shiloh.  While waiting to take this matter before Col.
Roosevelt the Captain, who has been having trouble managing the new
recruits, asks the Virginian for advice on getting the Westerners to follow
orders.  The boss man stresses the importance of gaining their respect by
being as "handy" as they are.  Since the officers believe they can out-ride
the mountain men and cowboys they challenge the Virginian, Trampas, Steve,
and Harry to an anything-goes polo match.  Each side, though bruised and
battered afterwards, admires the other for their horsemanship--a skill that
serves no real purpose since the Rough "Riders" would have been more aptly
named the Rough "Walkers."  Col. Roosevelt then persuades the Virginian
that the war was more important than raising cattle and that, with his
authoritative skills as a foreman, he's needed as a leader.  All three of
the Shiloh hands end up going to fight in Cuba.  As a small troop of men
are scouting ahead of the main battalion the Lieutenant, who wants to make
a big name for himself in battle by charging a cannon, is injured.  Corporal
Virginian now suggests that instead of their little group storming the hill
they maneuver through the tall grass and sneak up on the Spanish soldiers.
The rest of the platoon soon arrives and makes a diversion so that the
whereabouts of the cannon can be determined, allowing the Virginian's bunch
to take out the artillery.  Five months have now gone by and the cowhands
(with Trampas wearing his "uniform" shirt) return to Medicine Bow expecting
a warm welcome. But Betsy and Molly play down their arrival, much to the
boys' disappointment, until Molly reads aloud the article she is writing
for the Banner to inform the townspeople that the Judge has forgiven the
men who "ran out on him" and invites everyone to a big homecoming
celebration in their honor. (bj)

Return to The Classic TV Archive "The Virginian" Home Page

Return to The Classic TV Archive Western  Page
Return to The Classic TV Archive Home Page

Feedback  -  "The Virginian" Forum