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 7.26 [201]
"The Stranger"
NBC Broadcast - 9 April 1969

Universal City Studios, Inc.
Executive Producer Norman Macdonnell
Produced by Joel Rogosin
Written by Mel Goldberg
Directed by Michael Caffey

Starring:
(shown on the ride-in)
John McIntire as Clay Grainger
Doug McClure as Trampas (not in this episode)
David Hartman as David Sutton (last regular appearance)
Sara Lane as Elizabeth Grainger
and
James Drury as The Virginian

Guest Star
Shelly Novack [Garrison]

Complete ending credits:
Co-Starring
John Doucette as Arthur Willis
#
Michael Conrad as Sam Marish
Lorraine Gary as Laura
#
Ross Elliott as Sheriff Abbott
Paul Carr as Frank Hodges
#
With
Jadeen Vaughn as Sue
#
Michael Vandever  . . .  Jo-Jo
Harry Swoger  . . .  Shaw
Harper Flaherty  . . .  Harper
(Stuart Randall portrayed the prosecuting attorney but was not credited for his appearance)
#
Theme Percy Faith
#
Director of Photography Enzo A. Martinelli
#
Art Director  . . .  William J. Kenney
Film Editor  . . .  Edwin H. Bryant, A.C.E.
Unit Manager  . . .  Henry Kline
Assistant Director  . . .  Wilson Shyer
Set Decorators  . . .  John McCarthy and Perry Murdock
Sound  . . .  Robert L. Post
Color Coordinator  . . .  Robert Brower
Technicolor
#
Editorial Supervision  . . .  Richard Belding
Musical Supervision  . . .  Stanley Wilson
Costumes by  . . .  Helen Colvig
Makeup  . . .  Bud Westmore
Hair Stylist  . . .  Larry Germain
The Title "THE VIRGINIAN" by permission of EMKA, LTD.

Series regular characters appearing in this episode:  The Virginian, Clay
and Elizabeth Grainger, Dave Sutton, Sheriff Abbott, Harper, and Cecil

Brief Synopsis:
Garrison (Novack), a quiet man who keeps to himself, is one of several new
hands at Shiloh.  Because he had been out to the Willis house on business
earlier and did not have the alibi of being at the dance Saturday night when
the crime occurred he becomes the prime suspect in a robbery/murder,
especially since he had once fought in the saloon with Sam, the foreman of
the Willis ranch who was killed.  The Virginian refuses to believe that "the
stranger" is guilty even after he finds the stolen money hidden under the
floor boards in the tack room where Garrison spent much of his time.  With
Garrison convicted and sentenced to be hanged the Virginian intensifies his
efforts to prove his innocence.  At first he supposes the culprit must have
been one of the other new hands but finds instead Willis had robbed his own
safe and planted the money at Shiloh to cover up the fact that he and his
foreman had unintentionally gotten in a gunfight after Sam backed out of his
agreement to marry Willis's daughter.

Character notes:  In this episode it is very clear that both the Virginian
and Clay Grainger are men of honor, justice, and loyalty. When the Virginian
held to his belief that Garrison was innocent
despite incriminating evidence against him Clay stood by his foreman
although in so doing he would lose money he was counting on if Willis
canceled the deal to buy horses from Shiloh:  "If all that's to be lost
because you're doing the right thing, helping a man who needs help, we'll
survive without selling those horses and we'll live without (Willis's)
friendship, too, if that's the price of it."  Clay Grainger also said in
words what has been evident by many actions throughout the series--the
Virginian is a "man who values his privacy and independence" (in Clay's
thinking his foreman was trying so hard to defend Garrison because he saw
something of himself in "the stranger").  But despite his independent nature
the Virginian still chose to get involved even if it meant his own privacy
was infringed upon or he must risk his life to find Garrison, who had
escaped from jail, and bring him back for trial.  The Virginian surely knew
what he was talking about when, after Garrison was acquitted and decided to
move on, he wished "the stranger" a good bye with, "It's hard to be
yourself, be your own man, go your own way.  I hope you find what you're
looking for." One little note on Elizabeth Grainger--she's an "awful" cook. (bj)

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