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 4.01 [091]
"The Brothers"
Original NBC Broadcast - 15 September 1965

Universal TV
Executive Producer Norman Macdonnell
Produced by Joel Rogosin
Written by Dick Nelson
Directed by Tony Leader

Starring:
(shown on the ride-in)
Lee J. Cobb as Judge Henry Garth (not in this episode)
Doug McClure as Trampas
Clu Gulager as Emmett Ryker
Randy Boone as Randy Benton  (not in this episode)
Diane Roter as Jennifer Sommers (not in this episode--Miss Roter was
credited from the beginning of season 4 but did not make her first
appearance until 4.07 "Jennifer")
and
James Drury as The Virginian

Guest Stars
Robert Lansing  [Matt Denning]
Andrew Prine [Will Denning]

Full ending credits:
Co-Starring
Jan Shepard as Ellen Denning
#
Kurt Russell as Andy [Denning]
#
With
Hal Baylor  . . .  as Jobie
Loyal Lucas  . . .  as Gunny
Fred Carson  . . .  as Cut Hand
#
Stuart Randall  . . .  as Judge Clayborn
Bill Quinn  . . .  as The Prosecutor
Henry Hunter  . . .  as The Defense Attorney
Jess Kilpatrick  . . .  as Marshal Dawes
Brad Weston  . . .  as The 1st Trooper
#
And
Myron Healey as Sgt. Cohane
#
Associate Producer  James Duff McAdams
#
Theme by Percy Faith
Music Score Sidney Fine
#
Director of Photography  Ray Flin
#
Art Director  . . .  George Patrick
Film Editor  . . .  Edward Haire, A.C.E.
Unit Manager  . . .  Ben Bishop
Assistant Director  . . . Henry Kline
Set Decorators  . . .  John McCarthy and Robert C. Bradfield
Sound  . . .  Earl Crain, Jr.
Color Consultant  . . .  Alex Quiroga
Color by Pathé
#
Editorial Dept. Head  . . .  David J. O'Connell
Musical Supervision  . . .  Stanley Wilson
Costume Supervisor  . . .  Vincent Dee
Makeup  . . .  Bud Westmore
Hair Stylist  . . .  Larry Germain
The Title "THE VIRGINIAN" by permission of EMKA, LTD.

Series regular characters appearing in this episode:  featuring Ryker with
appearances by the Virginian and Trampas.  Cecil Combs was also seen when
the men gathered at the jail to say good bye to Matt.

Synopsis:
Matt Denning (Lansing) has always tried to live by the law.  But when he
thinks "the law had gone sour on them" because his brother is soon to go
before a firing squad for dereliction of duty which he swears he didn't
commit, Matt becomes desperate and breaks Will (Prine) out of the stockade.
In the process, he hits the old guard who later dies of his injuries.  The
brothers plan to start anew in Canada, but they lose much of the head start
Will was counting on when Matt insists he won't leave without the wife and
son he loves.  Because Matt is his best friend Ryker wants to find him
before the army does, but both he and the cavalry detail come upon the
little group of runaways about the same time.  So does a band of  renegade "ghost
dancer" Indians who are looking for ponies.  During the skirmish most of the
soldiers are killed, and Sgt. Cohane (Healey) is badly hurt while trying to
stop the horses from running away.  Although the Sgt. had badgered Ellen
(Shepard) trying to get Matt to fight with him so he could kill him instead
of taking him into custody, the woman tends to his wounds.  The remaining
ghost dancer bravely rides into their camp, and Will gets off a fatal shot
at him before being mortally stabbed by the Indian's lance.  Out of spite to
his honest brother, the dying Will confesses to Matt he had lied to him and
was indeed guilty of neglecting his post the night five men were killed.
Matt offers no resistance, and Ryker brings him into town to stand
trial.  Matt is intent on making sure Ellen knows how to settle their estate
after he's gone, but Ryker doesn't want him to lose hope.  Yet even though
the Sgt. testifies Matt could have used the Indian attack as a cover to run
and feels assured he had not intended to kill anyone, the Judge rules
that laws are made and enforced because without them there would be anarchy
and, in his opinion, there could be no argument to decide guilt or innocence
except the fact that Matt struck the blow that killed the guard.  Many of
the Shiloh hands and men from town join Matt and Ryker in Matt's cell for a
farewell "party," wanting a night of "good" good-byes instead of dreariness.
But the gathering is cut short when Ellen comes to have her final moments
with her husband.  Ellen assures Matt that she and Andy would have enough
money to live on since the Shiloh boys and townsfolk had showed up to buy
their belongings and had paid more than the articles were worth.  After
Ellen leaves, Ryker gets out his bottle of expensive whiskey and he and Matt
are reminiscing when Andy arrives to break his father out of jail.  Matt
takes the gun and tells Andy to go home but keeps the rifle pointed at
Ryker.  Matt wants to live, and for a moment Ryker fears a showdown with his
friend.  However he is able to convince him that it's a "hard road to follow in law, but
if you throw it away there's nothing."  In the morning Ryker hands Matt over
to authorities for the train ride to prison where he will be hanged.  Matt
had "made a man's mistake and was bound to pay a man's price for it." (bj)

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