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 8.21 [222]
"A King's Ransom"
Original NBC Broadcast - February 25, 1970

Universal Studios Inc.
Executive Producer - Norman Macdonnell
Produced by Paul Freeman
Written by John D.F. Black
Directed by Joseph Pevney

Starring:
(shown on the ride-in)
John McIntyre as Clay Grainger (appears)
Doug McClure as Trampas (does not appear)
Tim Matheson as Jim Horn (appears)
Sara Lane as Elizabeth Grainger (appears)
And
James Drury as The Virginian (appears)

Guest Stars
Patrick Macnee [as "Conn" Connor]
#
Jackie De Shannon
As
Mag
#

Complete Ending Credits

Also Starring
Jeanette Nolan
As
Holly Grainger
#
Co-Starring
Don Knight
As
Henry
#
Michael Pate
As
Alf
#
Ross Elliott
As
Sheriff Abbott

Alan Baxter
As
Ben Thomas
#
with
Ann Doran ... Mrs. Thomas

Budd Perkins ... Banker
#
Associate Producers ... Robert Van Scoyk
... John Choy
#
Theme ... Percy Faith
#
Director of Photography ... Enzo A. Martinelli
#
Art Director ... William J. Kenney
Set Decorations ... John McCarthy and Perry Murdock
Unit Manager ... Henry Kline
Assistant Director ... Arthur Levinson
#
Film Editor ... J. Howard Terrill
Musical Supervision ... Stanley Wilson
Sound ... Earl N. Crain Jr.
Color Coordinator ... Robert Brower
Technicolor
Titles and Optical Effects ... Universal Title
#
Editorial Supervision ... Richard Belding
Costumes by ... Helen Colvig
Makeup ... Bud Westmore
Hair Stylist ... Larry Germain
The Title "The Virginian" by permission of EMKA Ltd.
#
Series Regulars Appearing in this Episode:
Clay Grainger, Holly Grainger, The Virginian, Jim Horn, Elizabeth Grainger,
Sheriff Mark Abbott

Story: [rgm]
"Conn" Connor has arrived in Medicine Bow with his wife Maggie claiming to be
a horse dealer. In reality he is the leader of a group of exiled Australian
killers called The San Francisco Hounds. He is in town to scout out the
richest rancher in the area. Once his cohorts, Alf and Henry, arrive in town
they will kidnap the unsuspecting rancher and once the ransom is paid, they will kill him.
*
Following a Medicine Bow social, the Hounds ambush Clay who is riding back to
Shiloh on his own with a gelding he has bought from livery owner, Ben Thomas.
Clay is dumped in an abandoned mine shaft and a ransom note is sent to Shiloh
telling Holly that unless she pays $20,000, the hounds will kill Clay and
burn Medicine Bow to the ground. While Holly races to raise the ransom money
and The Virginian and Jim battle against time to find and free their boss,
a conscience stricken Mag battles between loyalty to her husband and doing
what is morally right. [rgm]

Notes
The reason given for Tampas's absence is due to being in Cheyenne on ranch business. (rgm)
*
Cecil Combs makes another non-speaking appearance as a Shiloh ranch hand in this episode. (rgm)
*
While outlining the plans for finding the place where the Hounds have hidden
Clay, The Virginian refers to the Peterson ranch. This is an allusion to the
ranch where The Virginian first worked in his "origin" episode, "The Drifter" (2.19). (rgm)
*
Jackie De Shannon's main claim to fame was a folk rock singer. She had several
medium sized hits in the middle to late 1960s including "Needles and Pins",
"What the World Needs Now Is Love" and "Put a Little Love in Your Heart".
This was the last of four appearances she made on dramatic / comedy TV series.
De Shannon had previously appeared on "My Three Sons", "The Name of the Game"
and "The Wild, Wild West". (rgm)
*
This was Patrick Macnee's only appearance on the series. He is beat remembered
as British secret agent John Steed from the ABC/ Associated-British, Elstree Studios)
adventure series "The Avengers " (1961-69) and "The New Avengers " (1976-77). (rgm)

Michael Pate also appeared in "Man of Violence" (2.14). (rgm)

Don Knight also appeared in "The Mustangers" (7.11). (rgm)

Alan Baxter also appeared in "Old Cowboy" (3.28) and "The Deadly Past" (6.2). (rgm)

Ann Doran also appeared in "Run Away Home" (1.29), "The Fortunes of J.
Jimerson Jones" (2.17), "Portrait of a Widow" (3.13) and "The Lady from Wichita" (6.3). (rgm)

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