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 9.10 [235]
"experiment at new life"
NBC Broadcast - 18 November 1970

Universal City Studios, Inc
executive producer norman macdonnell
written by lois hire
directed by jeannot szwarc
 
starring
(shown on opening sketch sequence)
stewart granger [Col. Alan MacKenzie] (not in this episode)
doug mcclure [Trampas] (not in this episode)
lee majors as tate (not in this episode)
james drury as the virginian
 
guest stars
vera miles [Amelia  Ballard]
sue lyon [Belinda Ballard]
ralph meeker [August Gruber]
 
full ending credits:
co-starring
chris robinson as sandy
#
michael mcgreevey as toby wheeler
#
rex holman as buck
#
and
lyle bettger as seth wheeler
#
with
woodrow chambliss  macintosh
meg wyllie  mary
kay e. kuter  will
#
script consultant  robert van scoyk
#
music score  ralph ferraro
theme  ennio morricone
#
director of photography  enzo a. martinelli
#
art director  william j. kenney
set decorations  perry murdock
unit manager  henry kline
assistant director  les berke
#
film editor  george ohanian
sound  earl n. crain, jr.
technicolor
main title design  jack cole
titles and optical effects  universal title
#
editorial supervision  richard belding
costume supervision  vincent dee
makeup  bud westmore
hair stylist  larry germain
 
Series regular characters appearing in this episode:  the Virginian
 
Brief Synopsis:
The Virginian finds some missing Shiloh cattle in a commune's
herd.  Although it's a common practice on the range for ranchers to pick up
a few strays here and there, the foreman suspects the animals were stolen. The
founder of the commune, who had recently died of apparent suicide, believed that
"man, given the right environment, was capable of achieving perfection," and his
widow Amelia Ballard (Miles) tries to assure the Virginian there is no
reason for anyone to steal in New Life because everyone shares equally.  Amelia
wants to carry on her husband's way of living, but others in the town are impatient
to have what they'd been promised, especially August Gruber (Meeker), the man in charge of
the commune's livestock.  The discussion at the counsel meeting centers
around dissatisfaction and the fear many men will choose to leave because
they have no wives.  It is decided the solution for the common
good is "complex marriage" where every woman belongs to every
man. Although reluctant and feeling this arrangement would be against her husband's
wishes Amelia tells her daughter they will have to abide by the
"law."  Belinda (Lyon) will have nothing of this because she is in
love with an "outsider"--Toby (McGreevey), the son of a frightened neighboring
rancher.  Their safety becomes a concern when Gruber informs Amelia she is
soon to be his wife and Belinda belongs to his rough cowhands.  Added to
the task of getting MacKenzie's cattle back, the Virginian risks his life to
help the two women escape Gruber's tyranny. (bj)

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