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3.15 [075]
"A Man of the People"
Original NBC Broadcast - 23 December 1964
Universal TV
Executive Producer
Frank Price
Produced by Winston Miller
Teleplay by William Fay and True Boardman
Story by William
Fay
Directed by William Witney
Starring:
(shown in the ride in)
Lee J. Cobb as Judge Henry Garth
Doug McClure as Trampas (not in this episode)
Clu Gulager as Emmett Ryker
Roberta Shore as Betsy Garth
Randy Boone as Randy Benton (not in this episode)
and
James Drury as The Virginian
Guest star
James Dunn [Congressman Matthew J. Cosgrove]
Ending Credits (incomplete)
Co-Starring
Arthur Space as Ownie Francis
#
Martin West as David O'Mara
#
with
Roy Engle as Barney Wingate (recurring character / larger font than the others)
Brendan Dillon as James Dolan
Hal Baylor as Sgt. Costello
A.G. Vitanza as Dominic Pellegrini
Robert Boon as Hans Jungmann
Alvy Moore as Ray Harris
Pitt Herbert as the Telegraph Operator
#
Russ Bender as the Land Office Clerk
David McMahon as the Conductor
Sam Edwards as the Hotel Clerk
Shirley O'Hara as Mrs. Dolan
Barry Brooks as the Workman
Jimmy Joyce as the Cameraman
Hoke Howell as the Corporal
#
Virginian Theme Percy Faith
#
Director of photography Ray Rennahan, A.S.C.
#
Story Editor Cy Chermak
#
Art director ... George Patrick
Film Editor ... Edward Haire, A.C.E.
Assistant director ... Ray Taylor, Jr.
Set decorators ... John McCarthy and unknown (George ?)
Sound ... Frank H. Wilkinson
Color consultant ... Alex Quiroga
Color by Pathe
#
Editorial Dept. Head ... David J. O'Connell
Musical Supervision ... Stanley Wilson
Costume Supervisor ... Vincent Dee
Makeup ... Bud Westmore
Hairstylist ... Virginia Darcy
The title "The Virginian" by permission of EMKA LTD.
Series regular characters appearing in this episode:
featuring Judge Garth, with
Betsy, Ryker (as Sheriff), Barney Wingate, brief appearance by the Virginian
Detailed Synopsis:
The Virginian and Judge Garth ride out to a pasture where some homesteaders are
camped. They are greeted by James Aloysius Dolan, who is not happy to see them.
The Judge informs them that this is government land leased to the ranchers for
grazing and is not suitable for farming. Dolan will hear nothing of it and
orders them off "his" land. Judge Garth, who had tried to be reasonable with
them says that the next time he returns it will be with a court order. After
they leave, Dolan's wife scolds him for being so rude. Dolan replies, "We've got
all the friends we need. We've got Matt Cosgrove, haven't we? Are you gonna take
that fella's word against 'Honest Matt'?"
Meanwhile, Betsy is driving a buggy and is passed on the road by a group of
cavalry men. The cavalry kicks up a load of dust causing her to sneeze and lose
her hat. The leader of the cavalry unit stops, goes back to retrieve Betsy's hat
and apologizes to her.
Back in town, Judge Garth and Barney Wingate are at the land office checking the
status of their lease on the grazing land. They are informed that the lease
expired two months ago. Barney is surprised and says that the lease has always
been renewed automatically. The land office clerk explains that an order came
down from Washington cancelling that kind of renewal. When asked if the
homesteaders have picked up the lease, the clerk says he hasn't heard anything
about it. As they leave the land office, Barney is apologetic for not having
kept on top of the lease and says he'll check with the other ranches to see if
they've heard anything about this. Outside, they see a large sign being unveiled
welcoming Congressman Matt Cosgrove of New York to Medicine Bow. They check in
with Ray Harris, at the Medicine Bow Banner who tells them that Cosgrove has
arranged for 200 families to move from New York to the 10,000 acres of grazing
land (50 acres for each family). He shows them a Banner story on the matter
which says that Cosgrove will be arriving for a three day celebration of the new
settlement. The article further states that Cosgrove is an old friend of Judge
Garth's, having "read law with him" some thirty years earlier in Springfield,
Ohio, and that it was at the Judge's suggestion that this resettlement take
place. This arouses the Judge's ire, for he had indeed known Matt Cosgrove in
the past but thought he was a "windbag" and had certainly not made any such
suggestion about the resettlement. Ray says that this will increase the town's
population substantially in one fell swoop and that's important to the newspaper
and the local merchants. It's so important, in fact, that United Press is
sending a reporter from Denver to cover the story. "Oh, by the way, starting
tonight there'll be free drinks for everyone at the saloon, courtesy of Matthew
J. Cosgrove, just in case you're interested," he adds.
The cavalry unit we met earlier rides into town and their leader, Lt. David
O'Mara, stops by the hotel to visit Ownie Francis, Cosgrove's administrative
assistant. We learn that David is Cosgrove's nephew. Ownie explains that
Cosgrove will be in town to officiate over the resettlement deal. David says
that doesn't sound like his Uncle Matt, "transporting two hundred voters two
thousand miles from the polls." Ownie says they're doing it through various
immigrant societies; the Sons of Erin, the Italian-American fellowship and a
German organization, "so aside from the nobility of the idea, for every vote we
lose, we gain twenty more back home." David also correctly surmises that his
uncle pulled a few strings so that David and his unit would just happen to be in
the area repairing a bridge while Uncle Matt was enjoying his moment of glory.
When asked why Cosgrove selected Medicine Bow for this venture, Ownie says that
the Congressman got the idea last year when he stopped off to visit his old
friend, Judge Garth, and discovered that there was a lot of government land
available here for anyone who wanted to buy it. David remembers his uncle
talking about the trip and also remembers him mentioning Judge Garth's daughter;
"'the fairest flower this side of Dublin' he called her." At this, he decides he
should go out to Shiloh and visit her himself; "After all, it's only polite that
I should drop in on my uncle's old friend!"
David rides out to Shiloh and is pleasantly surprised to find that Betsy is the
girl he met earlier. He flirts with her and explains that he is Congressman
Cosgrove's nephew. Although Betsy is polite and at first impressed with him, he
makes several awkward errors, such as calling her "Bessie" and inaccurately
describing the scenery around West Point. Judge Garth and Barney Wingate enter
and, not realizing who David is, Barney says, "If you're right about this fellow
Cosgrove, if, as you say he's nothing but an opportunist and a carpetbagging
demagogue, why don't we go over his head in Washington?" Barney leaves and Betsy
sheepishly tries to tell her father who David is. David picks up the slack and
says, "What your daughter is trying to say is that the opportunist and
carpetbagging demagogue you have referred to happens to be my uncle!" and leaves
in a huff.
The next day Betsy rides out to where the cavalry is camped to apologize to
David. He is still angry and tells her that he heard in town that Judge Garth is
leading a group of ranchers to try to destroy his uncle's "entire plan for
Medicine Bow." Betsy sticks up for her father and says that if he's opposed to
the plan, he must have a good reason. David sneeringly replies, "That's a
detached and impartial judgment if I ever heard one!" She retorts, "It's obvious
they didn't teach you one thing at West Point, Lieutenant--to be a gentleman!"
and rides off. He mounts up and rides to catch her as she leads him on a merry
chase. While chasing her, he takes a spill on his horse and pretends to have
been knocked unconscious.
Congressman Cosgrove arrives in town accompanied by another group of settlers
and is met at the train by Ownie Francis and Ray Harris. Back at Shiloh, Betsy
is caring for the "ailing" Lt. David O'Mara. He's obviously enjoying being a
patient and tells her, "With service like this and food like this, I don't think
I'm ever going to get well!" They start to resume their argument, but decide to
call a truce. "Let's make a bargain. Your father and my uncle are grown up men.
Let's let them fight their own battles. What do you say?" says David. Betsy
agrees and shakes his hand. She hears voices downstairs and sees Congressman
Cosgrove and Ownie Francis at the bottom of the stairs. Cosgrove is arguing with
her father and demanding to see his nephew. Betsy comes down to say hello and
Cosgrove reverses course and turns on the charm. "Ah, Betsy, me gal, you're
still the fairest flower this side o' Dublin!" he says as Judge Garth winces.
David comes downstairs and assures his uncle that his injury was nothing more
than a bump on the head. He says that he could have gone back two days ago, but
he wanted to stick around until he was sure Betsy was no longer mad at him.
Betsy says that everything between them is okay now, so with that matter
settled, Judge Garth invites Cosgrove and Ownie into the study to discuss the
resettlement plans. The Congressman acknowledges that the Judge is upset with
him for taking away his "private empire," but says that they made sure that
there was other grazing land available farther away that he could use. Ownie
adds that they consulted maps to determine this. "Maps?" yells Judge Garth, "Two
thousand miles away and you can tell what's good grazing land? You couldn't tell
a good piece of grazing land if you rode over it!" He then asks him what he
knows about the land the settlers are using. "Well, you showed it to me youself
last year! A great green sweep of God's providence, and much better for families
to be sharing than your cows!" replies Cosgrove. The Judge says that the land is
"handsomely suited for successive crops of grass suitable for grazing. I'm sure
that's not what your settlers had in mind." He adds that "if you take a plow to
that land, within two to three years every grain of topsoil will have blown
away." He asks if they got a government report on the suitability of the land
for farming. Ownie says they did, but he doesn't have the papers with him. A
surprised Judge Garth says he wants to see them and admits that he doesn't like
giving up the grazing land, but they'll manage to survive. His main concern is
for the settlers. Ownie says he'll wire Washington and should have the report
sometime tomorrow.
As they return to town, Ownie tells Cosgrove to go on ahead while he sends the
wire. However, he does not do so. Instead he picks up the Congressman's incoming
messages and several blank forms. He then goes up to Cosgrove's hotel room to
deliver the messages and lies about having sent the wire to Washington. Cosgrove
thanks Ownie for his loyal service through the years, 18 to be exact, and says
that they make a good team.
Over at Shiloh, Barney Wingate has something to show Judge Garth. It's an
advertising brochure titled "Go West Wise Man" that was given to the settlers.
The brochure includes a beautiful picture of a farm and a testimonial from one
Carl Stoner, who is described as a "successful Wyoming farmer." Barney and the
Judge remember Carl Stoner and he was anything but successful. To prove their
point, they fetch James Dolan and two other settlers and take them out to show
them "the actual farm of Carl Stoner after he's tried to farm it three years."
What they see is a barren wasteland with a broken down barn. The settlers can't
believe it's true and accuse the Judge of lying. Just then, Cosgrove and Ownie
ride up with the Congressman complaining that the Judge "went behind me back"
with his "lies." Judge Garth replies that if he would have gone to him first, he
would have gone behind the settlers' backs. He wanted them to see it first-hand.
Cosgrove can't believe this is the farm in the picture and Ownie produces a
telegram purportedly from the Department of Agriculture saying that the soil
tested fine.
Finally, the day arrives for the celebration. There are banners galore and a
marching band. The press is on hand taking pictures of the event. Cosgrove
starts to give a speech; "Me good friends, old and new, we come to a glorious
occasion, an event that marks the fulfillment of a thousand dreams and the dawn
of a magnificent tomorrow!" He is interrupted by rousing applause from the
crowd, including Betsy, who tells her skeptical father, "Oh, Daddy! Now you have
to admit it is exciting!" David O'Mara comes up from behind and informs Betsy
that there will be a street dance later and "all her dances are spoken for." She
hushes him and turns their attention back to the podium where Dolan, as
representative of the Sons of Erin, is presenting Congressman Cosgrove with
their final payment of $10,000 for the land. This is followed by similar
payments from the German group and the Italian-American fellowship. While all
this is going on, the telegrapher comes up to Judge Garth with a reply to a
telegram he had sent off earlier. The telegram is from the Department of
Agriculture stating that a report sent to "Owen Francis two weeks ago" said the
land is "not suited for farming." The Judge asks about the telegram that came
yesterday from Washington for Ownie or the Congressman. The telegrapher doesn't
remember any such telegram coming yesterday from Washington.
Up on the podium, Cosgrove has received a total of $40,000 from the various
groups and entrusts it to Ownie for later deposit in the local bank. He summons
Sheriff Ryker from the crowd to accompany Ownie to his room to count the money.
Ryker wonders why they didn't just collect and deposit the money in a bank in
New York and take out a bank draft. Ownie replies, "You'd never make a
politician, Sheriff...That's no way to get your picture in the paper. Nobody
takes pictures of a bank draft." Ryker doesn't like the idea of announcing to
everybody where the money is; "You know you could open that safe downstairs with
a hammer and a screwdriver." Ownie is one step ahead of him, however. He's not
going to put the money in the safe, but instead will put it in a suitcase in his
room and only he and Ryker will know about it. Meanwhile, Judge Garth is over at
the telegraph office verifying that no messages had indeed come in from
Washington the previous day. The Judge is puzzled because he saw the telegram
that Ownie had produced saying the soil had tested fine. He asks if Ownie could
have gotten a blank form. The telegrapher says that indeed he did.
Judge Garth returns to the hotel and insists on speaking to Congressman Cosgrove
and Ownie. He shows them the telegram that he received saying the soil is not
suitable for farming and accuses Ownie of writing the other telegram himself. A
shocked Cosgrove grabs Ownie and asks him if he's going to deny it. Ownie admits
that he fabricated the telegram as part of an ongoing coverup for Cosgrove's
promises. The Judge asks how they planned to cover up the fact that the soil was
no good. Ownie replies that it would have taken two to three years before anyone
found out and by that time Cosgrove "would have had a dozen other projects
going." The angry Congressman tells him to "get out of here! Get out of me
sight!" Ownie adds a parting shot of his own; "Sure, I'll go. You're through,
anyway. I don't want to stay hooked up with a loser!" After he leaves, the
realization of what has happened hits the Congressman hard; "You know, he's
right. I am through." Judge Garth offers to break the news to the settlers, but
Cosgrove insists on doing it himself. "I've made a lot of speeches and I used to
enjoy it. I won't enjoy this one," he says, "there's one thing good about it,
though. I won't have to make another one." Meanwhile, Ownie is back in his room,
packing to leave, when he spies the money-filled suitcase in his closet.
We next see the train pulling out of Medicine Bow. A short way out of town,
Ownie, breathless and with suitcase in hand, stops the train and boards. Back at
the celebration in town, Matt Cosgrove stops the music to make the difficult
admission that they've all been fooled. He attempts to return the money to the
settlers, but the lock box from the safe is empty. Ryker steps up to say that
there never was any money in it. Ownie Francis put it in a suitcase in his room.
Ryker discovers that Ownie has run off with the money and tells the angry crowd
that he'll wire the sheriff at the first train stop to arrest him. The telegraph
isn't working, however. Ownie must have cut the wires. Cosgrove asks if there
isn't anything they can do and Ryker admits that if he gets off at the first
stop, Carbon Junction, he'll be hard to find. Lt. David O'Mara hears this and,
without telling anyone, races back to his camp. He can use his unit's semaphore
signalling equipment to get a message to Carbon Junction ahead of the train.
It's five o'clock back at the telegraph office in Medicine Bow. The wires are
still down, so Ryker has to announce that the train has probably made it to
Carbon Junction. He offers to walk Cosgrove back to the hotel for protection,
but the Congressman says that these are good people and will not harm him. Ryker
does so anyway as the would-be settlers look on in silence. The sad procession
is broken up by the unexpected arrival of the train backing up into Medicine
Bow. On the train are the captured Ownie and the money, guarded by the U.S.
Cavalry.
Later that night, up in Cosgrove's room, we see the Congressman brainstorming
with Judge Garth and some of the settlers about various jobs they could do
around Medicine Bow. Judge Garth notes that some of the settlers were dairy
farmers and that the grazing land could indeed be used for that purpose. When
Cosgrove reminds him that that would force his "precious steers" elsewhere, the
Judge says, "Everyone's making adjustments around here. I guess we can make
some, too." He then goes to Betsy and David, who are waiting downstairs. He
tells David that his uncle is "tireless" and asks him to drive Betsy home. The
two enjoy a laugh as David shows Betsy how she could use a sword to reflect the
moonlight or sunlight to him if she ever wanted to send him a message in the
future--the same way the semaphore equipment did.
[rho]
Observations:
Time problem: When Judge Garth and Barney Wingate first see the banners
welcoming Congressman Cosgrove to Medicine Bow, the Judge remarks that "Matt
Cosgrove is the biggest windbag this country has produced since the hot air
balloon went up at the St. Louis fair!" The St. Louis World's Fair took place in
1904, which was later than the presumed time period of the series.
On the reliability of the train schedule: Ownie tells the telegrapher that the
celebration will start at 11 AM. The telegrapher says that's good. He'll be able
to attend because the eastbound train is due at 11 AM. Ownie asks him if it's
due at 11, won't he need to be at the station? He replies, "Due at 11; hope for
noon; count on 2 o'clock. Real dependable that way!"
Ryker's heritage?: When the Congressman is making his speech at the celebration,
he makes a laudatory statement about the German settlers and we see Ryker
joining the crowd in the applause. When he makes a similar laudatory statement
about the Italians, we see the same people applauding again, but this time Ryker
doesn't join in. I always wondered if this was supposed to imply that Ryker
might be of German descent.[rho]
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Main Contributor for this episode - Robert Henry Ohlemeyer [rho]