Have Gun – Will Travel is an American Western television series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on Saturdays at 9:30–10:00 pm (EST) from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Richard Boone was rated number three or number four in the Nielsen ratings every year of its first four seasons.
Set in the period of the Old West, the series follows the adventures of "Paladin", played by Richard Boone, a gentleman investigator/gunfighter who travels around the Old West working as a gunfighter for hire. Although Paladin charges steep fees to clients who can afford to hire him, typically $1000 per job, he provides his services for free to poor people who need his help.
Paladin is hired to bring back a rancher's daughter (Janice Rule), but he must face the girl's gunfighter husband (Jack Lord).
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"The Outlaw"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Sam Rolfe
September 21, 1957 (1957-09-21)
A criminal (Charles Bronson) breaks out of jail to get revenge on the banker who testified against him. Featuring Grant Withers. A "Wanted Dead or Alive " poster bearing picture of Charles Bronson character revealed at opening of episode in lobby of Hotel Carlton.
The fifty rifles that Paladin won in a poker game prove to be useful when he gets involved in a range war. Featuring Rodolfo Acosta and Vic Perrin.
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"The Long Night"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Sam Rolfe
November 16, 1957 (1957-11-16)
Paladin and two other men (James Best, William Schallert) are held hostage by a cattle baron (Kent Smith) who intends to hang one of them at sunrise for his wife's murder.
Paladin discovers a woman (June Lockhart) and a baby abandoned by a wagon master who said the baby had typhoid. Featuring Grant Withers and Whit Bissell.
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"The Englishman"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Sam Rolfe
December 7, 1957 (1957-12-07)
Paladin takes an English man and woman (Tom Helmore, Alix Talton) to a new ranch in Montana where an angry trader plots against them.
While investigating a friend's murder, Paladin finds out that the man's heirs are being systematically robbed. Featuring Susan Cabot, Robert J. Wilke and Bob Steele.
In 1997, TV Guide ranked this episode #83 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes.
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"The Five Books of Owen Deaver"
Lamont Johnson
Sam Rolfe
April 26, 1958 (1958-04-26)
Sheriff Owen Deaver (James Olson) brings his Philadelphia brand of justice to a Wyoming town, prompting Paladin to action as a favor to an old friend. Featuring Lurene Tuttle and Walter Barnes.
Paladin plans to make a timid barber (Dean Harens) a hero when the barber's girlfriend starts a gunfight to make him jealous. Featuring Charles H. Gray.
A man named Sid Morgan (Denver Pyle), whom an outlaw has threatened, hires Paladin to take him and his fiancée to Silver City.
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"The Taffeta Mayor"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Albert Aley
January 10, 1959 (1959-01-10)
Paladin convinces a widow (Norma Crane) to run for mayor when her husband is killed looking to get the job. Featuring Edward Platt.
Note: Paladin mentions that ". . the Wyoming territorial legislature granted woman suffrage several years ago. ." That happened on December 10, 1869, so this episode is set in the early 1870s.
Paladin tries to end a feud over a woman (Madlyn Rhue) between two brothers (Robert J. Wilke and James Drury) -- both good friends of his from his Civil War days -- only to wind up in the middle of it.
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"The Scorched Feather"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Bruce Geller
February 14, 1959 (1959-02-14)
Paladin deals with a schizophrenic who hired him to arrest him. Featuring Lon Chaney Jr.
Paladin is accused of murder in a strange town where he is forced to stand trial in a kangaroo court. Featuring Jacques Aubuchon, Perry Cook and Ben Wright.
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"Maggie O'Bannion"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Gene Roddenberry
April 4, 1959 (1959-04-04)
A woman named Maggie O'Bannion (Marion Marshall) takes a liking to Paladin as he tries to help her save her ranch. Featuring Peggy Rea and Don Haggerty.
Note: This episode's final scene is set at the immediate aftermath of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, giving it a date of June 26 or 27, 1876 (it's unclear if they came upon it immediately afterwards or on the next day)
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"Homecoming"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Albert Aley
May 23, 1959 (1959-05-23)
Paladin finds out that his client's false testimony sent an innocent man to prison. Featuring Ed Nelson and Don Megowan.
When four out of five men who were hired to lynch a murderer named Bert Talman (Leo Gordon) are themselves killed, Paladin is hired to protect the fifth. Featuring John Emery and Walter Burke.
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"Heritage of Anger"
Lamont Johnson
Leonard Heideman
June 6, 1959 (1959-06-06)
Paladin must find out why a bandit named Garcia is bothering the Avery family. Featuring Carol Thurston.
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"The Haunted Trees"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Kay Lenard & Jess Carneol
June 13, 1959 (1959-06-13)
A widow (Doris Dowling) asks Paladin to protect her from her stepson, whom she says is threatening her business and her life. Featuring Burt Metcalfe.
A woman named Cynthia Palmer (Eleanor Audley) wants Paladin to rid a town of troublemakers and send her meek son (William Joyce) back East. Featuring Sue Randall.
Paladin and a professional gunfighter (James Coburn) are duped into replacing two duelists in a New Orleans affair of honor. Featuring Paul Cavanagh and Dolores Donlon.
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"Love of a Bad Woman"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Robert Dozier
March 26, 1960 (1960-03-26)
A woman named Tamsen Sommers (Geraldine Brooks) says she is a husband-hunting widow, which proves to be contradicted by her very-much-alive spouse (Lawrence Dobkin).
Paladin goes after a gunslinging woman (Paula Raymond) seeking to avenge her brother's murder in the Civil War. Featuring Jack Weston.
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"Never Help the Devil"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Archie L. Tegland
April 16, 1960 (1960-04-16)
Paladin attempts to protect a wounded gunman (Jack Lambert) from a victim's vengeful brother.
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"Ambush"
Richard Boone
Robert E. Thompson
April 23, 1960 (1960-04-23)
Paladin, along with others, must find out why a gunman is holding them hostage. Featuring George Macready.
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"Black Sheep"
Richard Boone
Shimon Wincelberg
April 30, 1960 (1960-04-30)
Paladin travels South of the Border to find an heir named Ben Huttner (Patrick Wayne) who's wanted for murder. Featuring Stacy Harris and Suzanne Lloyd.
Lisa Lu first appears here as Hey Girl (an identical role to Kam Tong's Hey Boy), she makes numerous appearances in Season 4 as Tong's temporary fill-in/replacement.
Paladin becomes umpire at a baseball game where guns are being used as much as bats. Featuring J. Pat O'Malley and Jack Albertson.
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"Saturday Night"
Buzz Kulik
Jack Curtis
October 8, 1960 (1960-10-08)
Paladin winds up in the town of a corrupt sheriff (Martin Balsam), in jail after getting into a brawl, and in a cell embroiled in a murder mystery.
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"The Calf"
Richard Boone
Howard Rodman
October 15, 1960 (1960-10-15)
A ranch owner has been driven nearly insane by a kink in a fence (he and his now deceased brother built the fence starting from different ends to divide their properties) which he wants perfectly straight. Featuring Denver Pyle, Parker Fennelly and Don Grady.
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"The Tender Gun"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Jay Simms
October 22, 1960 (1960-10-22)
Sheriff Maude J. Smuggly (Jeanette Nolan) needs Paladin's help with facing landgrabbers. Featuring Lou Antonio.
Paladin assists traveler Phileas Fogg (Patric Knowles) on his 80-day trip around the world as people have been engaged to slow down Fogg so he loses his wager. Featuring Peter Whitney.
A judge is about to release Justin Groton (Buzz Martin), a man who's been in prison awaiting execution since he was thirteen years old. Featuring Barry Kelley and George Mitchell.
Paladin has to protect his $5,000 prisoner (Ivan Dixon) from a group of bounty hunters looking to collect the reward.
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"The Tax Gatherer"
Richard Boone
Robert E. Thompson
February 11, 1961 (1961-02-11)
Paladin is hired as a tax collector in a town where the last three tax collectors were killed on the job. Featuring Roy Barcroft and Harry Carey Jr.
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"The Fatal Flaw"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Jack Laird
February 25, 1961 (1961-02-25)
With a blizzard raging on, Paladin shares a cabin with marshal and his prisoner, who's trying to talk his way to freedom. Featuring Royal Dano, Allyn Joslyn and Jena Engstrom.
As the jail door has yet to arrive, Paladin volunteers to keep guard on Bobby Joe, one of three brothers who comprise a gang attempting to extort money from farmers on threat of poisoning their wells with arsenic. Featuring David J. Stewart and Perry Lopez.
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"The Long Weekend"
Byron Paul
Jack Laird
April 8, 1961 (1961-04-08)
Every six months, silver miner Shep Montrose comes to town for the weekend, spends large and causes a huge amount of damage. The townsfolk like Shep and do not want him hurt so Paladin is hired to prevent the damage. Featuring Roy Barcroft and Ralph Moody.
A sharpshooter (Kenneth Tobey) with a big reputation is oddly reluctant to use his gun.
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"My Brother's Keeper"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Jay Simms
May 6, 1961 (1961-05-06)
After he has been attacked by a mountain lion, two men find Paladin presumably mortally wounded and they steal his horse, money ($2000) and guns and leave him to die. Featuring Wright King, Betsy Jones-Moreland, Ed Nelson, Karl Swenson and Ben Wright.
Paladin finds a drunken and disheveled Calamity Jane (Norma Crane), a woman he admires and upon whom he emulated some of his gun skills, passed out in his hotel's lobby.
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"The Road"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Frank R. Pierson
May 27, 1961 (1961-05-27)
After getting robbed at a trail-side inn, Paladin is forced to cross a mountain on foot without food. Featuring Trevor Bardette, Gene Lyons and George Kennedy.
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"The Uneasy Grave"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Jack Curtis
June 3, 1961 (1961-06-03)
Outside of town Paladin meets a woman, Kathy (Pippa Scott), burying her murdered fiancé after she has been run out of town for the murder. Featuring Lillian Bronson and Don Beddoe.
A nurse pays Paladin to escort her to a gold field without a doctor. On the way they meet two men raising a cairn over a third man's body, claiming the corpse is that of their friend who was shot in the back with an arrow by Native Americans. When the younger man raises a knife to Paladin, Paladin shoots him in the arm who is tended by the nurse. Later, the older man threatens Paladin with a stick but backs down. The next day the younger man pockets his knife and threatens to slit the nurse's throat and in a scuffle the older man obtains Paladin's revolver. The pair of men go to escape but the younger one wants to rape the nurse. Just before he is shot, Paladin kills the older man with his derringer and the younger one begs the nurse not to let Paladin have him. Paladin and the nurse set out to the gold field with the younger man in tow as a prisoner.
Paladin finds a bloodstained riderless horse. Following its tracks he comes across the corpse of its rider, father of young woman Sara Jane Darrow who holds Paladin at gunpoint before being disarmed by him. The pair are shot at by Carter Tyler (Duane Eddy), the young man who had shot Mr Darrow as part of a long running family feud. Paladin captures him and intends to take him to town for trial. Eventually Sara Jane is persuaded by Paladin to forgive Carter, figuring that too many have died over the generations, just as other members of the Tyler family come to find Carter so Paladin releases him.
Paladin is given half of a $500 bill, a stage ticket from a small town to Yuma and a promise to receive the other half of the bill in payment. Waiting for the stagecoach, Paladin meets five other travellers (sheriff and his prisoner; retired insurance salesman; former army officer and his wife). During the trip, a Mexican bandit named Solomon stops the coach to find a man who killed the wife of Miguel, one of Solomon's friends. The sheriff overreacts and shoots unarmed Miguel dead and is killed by Solomon. With Miquel dead and unable to identify the murderer, Solomon demands Paladin choose someone to kill.
A multiple murderer hides behind a woman in a saloon. He is shot by Paladin. The saloon's owner, a woman called "Big Red", catches a stray shot from the murderer and is mortally wounded. With the doctor out of town Paladin takes charge of her while some of the townsmen, including her ex-boyfriend Guy who acts as the bank, make wagers on her dying before sunrise. Paladin wagers $1000 at 5-to-1 odds that she will survive. Paladin questions Guy and learns he studied to be a doctor, though never practised, and was using his education to make a prognosis to work out which side to bet on. Paladin threatens him with a new wager: Guy dies too if Red dies. Guy says if the surgery succeeds the men who lose money will probably kill him; Paladin says, "The difference is probably, you can be absolutely certain of me." The men find out about the surgery and one drunk tries to stop it. Guy tells Red he does not want her to die. The surgery is successful and Red tells Guy he was always a rotten gambler, including betting against himself, and that to pay off his wager he'll have to take up work as a doctor. He acquiesces and the pair kiss.
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"A Proof of Love"
Richard Boone
Lou Shaw & Peggy Shaw
October 14, 1961 (1961-10-14)
Gun-inept farmer Henry Gray (Charles Bronson) seeks a mail order bride. He asks Paladin to teach him to gunfight so he can recover $300 from his neighbor, Rud Saxon (George Kennedy). At Rud's house, Calliope (Chana Eden), the Greek mail order bride, tells Paladin she left Henry because he and his mother are dour and banned having fun. She convinces Rud to return the money. That night a loud party goes on at Rud's barn. Paladin quotes Tennyson ("he that shuts Love out, in turn shall be // Shut out from Love") and surreptitiously asks Henry to go but Henry's mother forbids it; he sneaks out with Paladin when she is asleep. Calliope sings a song that Paladin translates that, a Greek girl left home to get married in a far away country. Paladin tells Henry that Calliope anticipates he being unable to have fun but just try to. Henry's mother arrives and Henry stands up to her. After a fist fight between Henry and Rud, and then Rud and Paladin, Calliope goes to the unconscious Henry and tells Paladin she chooses Henry. Paladin remarks it is unfortunate she lacks any sisters. Calliope replies that she has several and that Paladin does not have to go to Greece, she will bring them there.
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"The Gospel Singer"
Byron Paul
Robert E. Thompson
October 21, 1961 (1961-10-21)
Paladin travels to Bugbear, recently renamed Elysium, to help rid it of violence. Melissa (Suzi Carnell), a Christian missionary, joins him on her way to Bugbear and reproves him for carrying a gun. In Bugbear, Paladin's conditions are that the law-abiding folk who hired him give up their weapons just like the hooligans. He meets with more resistance, including shooting dead one of the Durbin brothers, whose fellow gang members warn of reprisal when the surviving brothers find out. Melissa gains pledges from many townsmen, including those who refused earlier to give up their revolvers. At lunch she tells Paladin their guns were given to her because of God's love, and that God has chosen him to do God's work of disarming the town. Paladin replies that in a year the townsmen will be scared by something and return to their old ways. Immediately news of the Durbin gang arriving sends the men back to their guns. Melissa stands between Paladin and the three outlaws and tries to convince them all to give up their arms; Paladin gives her his revolver. The Durbin brother shoots at Paladin; Paladin uses his two-shot derringer on him and another outlaw. The third one gets the drop on Paladin from behind but Melissa points Paladin's revolver point blank at his head. Later, when he's paid, the townsmen say Paladin should split his fee with Melissa since he could not have done it alone. Paladin replies, "since Melissa has your guns and your pledges and that's all that she asked for, I will accept your money since that's all I asked for", and he rides away.
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"The Race"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Lou Shaw & Peggy Shaw
October 28, 1961 (1961-10-28)
On his way to ride in a horse race Paladin intervenes in what he thinks is a fistfight between two Native Americans (but he later learns it was "training"). He learns that the race is to be between a settler, Sam Crabbe (Ben Johnson), and a Native American tribe for possession of the local land. It is to involve beating each other while riding. Paladin is to race for Crabbe; one of the men Paladin injured was to have been his opponent. Paladin wants the race delayed until a new opponent can be trained. He withdraws as it is an unjust cause (saying the Native Americans will die without the land but "the white man can live any place. You can start over if you lose, he can't"). Crabbe insists the race go ahead. Paladin attempts to persuade (with the gifting of his horse, saddle and his guns to the chief) that he will ride for them to prevent the elderly chief dying by racing in the grueling event. On the way, Native Americans and settlers both intervene--lassoing Crabbe, tripping Paladin's horse--and eventually both are dismounted and fist fight. About to win, Paladin instead helps Crabbe walk to the finish line but refuses to let either of them to cross and win saying it will change nothing. He exhorts settlers and Native Americans to work together, then he walks them across together. Crabbe asks how long until another rider can be trained. Paladin gives the chief his card then rides off.
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"The Hanging of Aaron Gibbs"
Richard Boone
Robert E. Thompson
November 4, 1961 (1961-11-04)
Meeting her on the trail, Paladin helps Sarah Gibbs (Odetta) travel to Dunbar, a tiny mining settlement, where her husband Aaron (Rupert Crosse) is to be hanged that afternoon with two other men for mass murder during an attempted burglary. The townsfolk, Deputy Jim Harden (Edward Faulkner) in particular whose brother died, objects that Aaron should be allowed to talk to anyone as none of the townsfolk could comfort the murdered men as they were dying. Paladin intervenes and Sarah and Aaron are allowed to talk. Aaron explains that he and his fellow thieves set explosives to block the mine entrance to delay pursuit and he did not know anyone would be injured or die. The three men are executed. Paladin condemns Harden as not much of a man. One of the townswomen offers Sarah a token of consolation by giving her shawl to cover Aaron's corpse. Paladin and Sarah ride off on her cart.
Paladin is hired to recover a stolen piano European pianist Franz Lister (Keith Andes) brought with him for a concert. A ransom has already been brokered which Paladin is to deliver but Lister insists no one should pay as the piano was a gift from a king, "you do not buy it like a harlot in a street, you fight for her like a woman you love". Paladin tries to enlist four men to help but no one is willing to risk their lives for a piano until Paladin uses word play to trick the loudest objector into saying he has a stomach for trouble. On the road, Sybil (Antoinette Bower), adult daughter of the woman for whom the concert is to be played, says she is jealous of Lister's affection for his piano. Meeting the thieves, Lister goes berserk that it is scratched and starts a fist fight. In the scuffle the piano's cart rolls down a hill and the piano is destroyed. Lister gives his concert on a tiny piano. In the audience are the rough men, now dressed up, who Paladin recruited. Backstage Sybil gives Paladin a long kiss on the lips and he declares, "I have been paid."
Paladin learns that former bounty hunter Ben Jalisco (Charles Bronson) has murdered a guard and escaped from prison. Jalisco was in prison for having stalked his bounties like animals claiming they all had no souls so killing them was no different to killing animals or Indians who also have no souls. Paladin guards Jalisco's wife Lucy (Coleen Gray) who informs on Jalisco and who helped Paladin catch him. Jalisco murders the sheriff, Armstedder (John Litel), guarding Lucy but leaves Paladin alive so that Paladin can help him flee. He delivers long speeches to Lucy and Paladin while holding a shotgun to her head. On the trail to Mexico, Jalisco accuses Lucy of turning him in because of her feelings for Paladin which they deny. Jalisco abhors Lucy for working in a saloon which she says she had to do to eat because she was not free to marry. Two men, one a lawman, ride up and Jalisco threatens to kill Lucy to force Paladin to defend him. Paladin "shoots to wound" one man. The other wounds Jalisco who changes his mind from shooting that man to trying to shoot Lucy; Paladin shoots him as he points his shotgun at Lucy and he dies. A mourning Lucy tells Paladin she guesses she should thank him, that now she is free, that all the worse is behind her and that something good has to happen.
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"The Brothers"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Robert E. Thompson
November 25, 1961 (1961-11-25)
A widow seeks revenge for the murder of her husband by Bram Holden (Buddy Ebsen), who rules over a town called Thornburg. Paladin is hired. He abducts Holden, who escape attempt forces Paladin to take them into the desert on foot to avoid pursuit. With both nearly dead from dehydration. The pair are rescued by prospector "Possum" Corbin (Paul Hartman) who has poor eyesight. Despite offers of large sums of money from Paladin to take them to town, Possum explains he is intent upon seeking vengeance upon his brother, Arnie, who nine years ago stole their earnings, abducted his half-Chinook wife and left her to die in the wilderness when she fell ill. Instead Possum is going to Thornburg. Hearing this Holden wakes up and laughs at the irony. Seeing his face for the first time, Possum calls Holden Arnie. Holden insists he is not Arnie and Possum threatens torture. Paladin points out they are handcuffed together; to free Paladin Possum grabs an axe to cut off Holden's hand; Paladin intervenes; Possum ends the scuffle by shooting Holden dead. On the way to the town they are met by a man on horseback who tells them where a federal marshal can be found. Possum insists the man, who is much younger and looks and sounds nothing like Holden, is Arnie and grabs his rifle to shoot the man. Paladin asks him, "What about the body in the back of this wagon?" Possum reples, "Who? Don't you understand?" Irritatingly and knowingly, Paladin says he does.
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"A Drop of Blood"
Richard Donner
Shimon Wincelberg
December 2, 1961 (1961-12-02)
A long, florid telegram invites Paladin to be best man at his friend Nathan Shotness's (Martin Gabel) daughter's wedding.[Notes 1] When he arrives, Nathan says the wedding has been postponed and moved to San Francisco because of Billy Buckstone (Noah Keen) who has threatened to ruin the wedding, perhaps killing Nathan or at least driving him out of town. Buckstone was sentenced to be hanged on Nathan's testimony but then released by a corrupt judge. Paladin says the wedding should be held locally and Nathan should ask his neighbors for help as he was the hero of the county for putting away Buckstone. Nathan points out the selfishness of people and that if he left his home would be burned down since they would not stop Buckstone. In town, Buckstone and his gang harass Rivka (Roxane Berard) and her hapless fiance Faivel Melamed (Mike Kellin) but Paladin intervenes. Over supper, Rivka asks Paladin to teach Faivel how to shoot. Paladin softly demurs saying such things are not for everyone. Faivel excuses himself from the table, borrows Paladin's revolver and shows himself a gun expert. The next day at the wedding the sheriff, who stays outside, takes off his gun (because it is a wedding, against Paladin's advice) and the rabbi asks Paladin (inside) to take off his. Despite the sheriff, Buckstone's gang arrives and upsets the dishes and food outside while the ceremony goes on inside. Paladin restrains Nathan until arson is involved when Paladin rushes out unarmed joined by Faival, who proves himself not hapless, and Nathan. The trio knock the gang unconscious, the wedding completes and they all celebrate.
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"A Knight to Remember"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Robert Dozier
December 9, 1961 (1961-12-09)
Paladin is hired to find a delusional elderly father (Hans Conried) who believes he is Don Quixote and is making a nuisance of himself. Secretly the son hopes his father will attack Paladin and be killed when Paladin defends himself. With Paladin absent for a moment the old man sparks a violent incident in a cantina; angered by this the son publicly announces a $1000 bounty for his father's death. When confronted by Paladin the son refuses to retract the bounty and grabs an axe to kill Paladin but is shot dead. Meeting the old man in the middle of a field, the old man claims he has finally slain a monster (leading Paladin to the corpse of the man from the cantina who was seeking revenge) and so is now a true knight. Paladin dubs him a knight and confesses to killing his son. The man and his daughter walk peacefully back to his house. Paladin tells the cantina owner that if anyone harms the old man he will hear about it—and he will come back.
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"Blind Circle"
Richard Donner
Anthony Wilson
December 16, 1961 (1961-12-16)
Two members of the Cattleman's Association[Notes 2] ask Paladin to stop Jess Larker (Hank Patterson), a poor and now elderly man whom they have for years used as a killer to stop cattle rustling, from hunting a bounty on a man named "Cabell" that they forgot even existed. Paladin finds Larker and they stay at a boarding house Despite a no talking at supper rule, Paladin charms the hostess Emily Madison (Ellen Atterbury) and tells the other guests that Larker is a paid killer looking for someone he believes to be a fellow guest and that it would be better for the rustler to turn himself in to Paladin. In the morning, one of the guests has run off. Larker pays his own bill from a wad of cash. When asked Sarah Allyson (Susan Davis), the absent man's wife, tells Paladin to go away, she gave all their money to his friend (Larker) and that her husband was acquitted of rustling under his real name. A gun shot summons Paladin to the dining room where he finds Larker mortally shot. He does not tell Paladin who shot him but points behind Paladin to where the killer is hiding. Paladin shoots the killer (an unnamed guest, not Sarah's husband) and returns the wad of cash to Sarah, saying she paid for Larker's stay and maybe she could pay for his funeral too. As he is leaving guest Simpson says of Larker, "That's the way they live. They expect that," and Paladin pauses for a moment.
Paladin believes he is winning the workings of a "silver strike" (a mine) for a month but instead he is winning his opponent's (Jacques Aubuchon) son Silver Strike Moriarity (Flip Mark) who the gambler forces to work to earn money while he himself does nothing but drink and gamble. The opponent does not believe Paladin will take Silver, but Paladin does. Instead of making him work, Paladin forces the boy to bathe and takes him to school. The boy's father objects, starting a fist fight to keep the boy from becoming better than the father. The boy agrees to go to school, hoping to learn how to fight his father like Paladin has done, when he sees a girl who also attends.
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"Squatter's Rights"
Richard Boone
Harry Julian Fink
December 30, 1961 (1961-12-30)
Because he believes Costigan's (Warren Stevens) brother died in Paladin's stead and because he believes Costigan's cause is just, Paladin volunteers to help, for free, as Costigan pushes squatters off his land in Wyoming. Costigan's sense of propriety insists that he pay Paladin.[Notes 3] Costigan orders his man Juan Quintos (Carlos Romero) to hang a squatter who has killed one of Costigan's cattle. Paladin objects, is pistol whipped from behind, and wakes to find the squatter hanged. Refusing to bow to Costigan's will Paladin drives off Costigan and his men and takes the corpse to the chief squatter Clemenceau (Robert J. Stevenson) saying he no longer works for Costigan. At night, Costigan comes to Clemenceau's house with a $1000 check for Paladin's fee, saying he honors his agreements. He will let Clemenceau's wife go free, and offers to let Paladin live too; Paladin returns the same offer to Costigan and says he will push Clemenceau off the land. In a gunfight Costigan and the only two of his many men that he brought along are killed. Paladin tells Clemenceau he will still force him to leave because Costigan was right, just wrong in his ways. In the morning Paladin surprises Clemenceau by offering him the $1000 cheque: he refuses but his wife takes it and they leave.
Forced to stay in a small tavern due to a flooded stream, Paladin calls out the local bully "Big" Fontana (Chris Alcaide) for cheating at drinking games by using water. Fontana challenges Paladin to a gunfight but before it can take place local Boise Peabody (Strother Martin) steps in and draws against Fontana, shooting him dead. Peabody is fearless having received a prognosis that he will die before dawn. (Later Paladin discovers the man who made the prognosis is not actually a doctor.) Peabody awakens in the morning agitated that he is not dead and scared he will be killed by Big's brother "Little" Fontana (L. Q. Jones), and asks for Paladin's help. To avoid anyone coming after Peabody, including people who just want to take on the man who killed the previous tough guy, Paladin holds a funeral for Peabody but when little Fontana arrives Peabody rushes out from hiding revealing the ruse. Little Fontana challenges him to a duel knowing he is unarmed but Paladin intervenes. Fontana feigns walking away but draws and is shot dead by Paladin. Paladin and Peabody mark a fresh grave with a headstone reading "Here Lies the Man who Killed Big Fontana Born March 6, 1875 Died March 7, 1875".
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"Justice in Hell"
Richard Boone
Jack Laird
January 13, 1962 (1962-01-13)
A man shows Paladin a shell shocked and heavily scared girl to emotionally manipulate him into hunting Rusty Doggett (John Alderson) who slaughtered the girl's wagon train and wounded her when she was an infant. Doggett is easy to apprehend but the town is a haven for criminals and almost every man in the saloon trains his gun on Paladin. Paladin surrenders his guns but still starts a fistfight, is knocked out, and wakes to find himself the property of dandy opportunist Dallas Burchfield (William Schallert). Burchfield suggests a trial to leading townsman Teague (Alan Carney); Paladin will be hanged dead if he cannot prove Doggett is guilty. Paladin's elegant oratory tricks Doggett into incriminating himself by revealing details about the girl but Teague says he is not convinced. Inspired by Paladin's earlier approbations, Burchfield offers himself in Paladin's place saying he does not want to live in hell with filth like Doggett. Enraged, Doggett stabs Burchfield and Teague shoots Doggett dead. Paladin is allowed to leave with Burchfield.
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"Mark of Cain"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Shimon Wincelberg
January 20, 1962 (1962-01-20)
European phrenologist Dr. Avatar (Philip Coolidge) contacts Paladin having travelled to America to study habitual murderers whose head measurements are the proverbial "mark of Cain". In a general store Paladin identifies a wanted murderer who draws on Paladin and is shot dead. Avatar notes that Paladin attracts violence: he goads men into drawing then kills them in self defense. Paladin and Avatar arrive at the remote cabin of Jake Trueblood (Roy Barcroft), a multiple killer now elderly. Avatar takes Jake's measurements and declares he is a congenital murderer. Alone at night, Avatar offers Paladin a lot more money to collect Jake's head as proof to take back to Europe; Paladin refuses. When he sneaks in to kill and decapitate Jake himself, Avatar is caught and lies saying Paladin intends to kill Jake. Paladin is held at gunpoint by Jake but Jake says he cannot kill Paladin. Alone again, Avatar tells Paladin one man's life is a small price to pay for the advancement of science: his, Jake's or Paladin's. His first plan foiled he was hoping Jake would kill Paladin--or he could have saved himself some effort by having Paladin killed in San Francisco. Paladin measures Avatar's head and the results show Avatar has the mark of Caine. Avatar draws on Paladin. Paladin bluffs Avatar into turning his revolver away and Paladin shoots Avatar with his derringer.
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"The Exiles"
Sutton Roley
Robert E. Thompson
January 27, 1962 (1962-01-27)
Revolutionary Mexican Provisional General Ortega (Gerald Price) hires Paladin to recover bonds from an aristocrat (Jay Novello), the former treasurer to Maximilian I of Mexico, who fled with the French backed bonds when the emperor's regime fell, before the bonds depreciate further. Paladin meets the aristocrat and his wife (Vivi Janess) selling food they cooked on the street, compliments them on the food, then introduces himself saying he knows who they are and brokers a meeting with Ortega. The meeting goes poorly, the aristocrats say the bonds belong to the empress. At night Ortega tells Paladin he will kill the aristocrats. Paladin says Ortega can have the bonds but not the aristocrats' lives. Paladin visits the aristocrats and warns them. Before the next dawn Ortega comes for them. The countess, partly persuaded by Paladin saying the bonds will help the people, relents rather than have her husband killed and hands over the bonds. Ortega leaves with Paladin, acknowledging himself, the count and countess as having different governments but being one people.
176
21
"The Hunt"
Andrew V. McLaglen
Herman Groves
February 3, 1962 (1962-02-03)
Thinking he is going to help a widow (Joan Elan) in Oregon, Paladin is instead offered fifty thousands of dollars by Russian Prince Radachev (Leonid Kinskey) so he and Paladin can hunt each other. Paladin refuses and Radachev says the woman is part of the game now too; Paladin departs with her. Cavalry troopers disbelieve Paladin and prefer the innocent story of Radachev when he arrives. When Radachev's dog injures the woman Paladin agrees to play the game. Radachev stalks Paladin at night but is shot himself. The next day, an old man begs Paladin for help with his wife who is in labour. This is a ruse, the man has no wife, instead a badly wounded Radachev is in the shed and holds Paladin at gun point until Paladin shoots him dead. The prince's manservant arrives and, learning the prince is dead, gives Paladin an envelope with a letter and a large amount of cash.
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22
"Dream Girl"
Richard Boone
Lou Shaw & Peggy Shaw
February 10, 1962 (1962-02-10)
Paladin helps Buddy (Hal Needham) transport a large sack of gold dust to Jackson City. Once there Buddy asks Paladin to help him find a woman named Ginger (Peggy Ann Garner) whom Buddy met five years ago just one time on her way to church and who said she'd wait to marry Buddy. The woman doesn't even remember Buddy's name or where they met and is cool towards him until she gets a large engagement ring. That night Paladin rightly deduces Ginger has told Buddy to elope with her. He tells Buddy Ginger wasn't on her way to church but was on her way to work as a "saloon girl" (prostitute) and that Ginger is amoral enough to kill Buddy for his money. She has set up an ambush with two armed men but Paladin stops Buddy and kills the men. Buddy confronts Ginger and buys the saloon so Ginger does not have to go to work but Ginger rejects Buddy and he rampages. Paladin tells Buddy he was in love with a dream, that Ginger hasn't changed and she doesn't deserve to pay for his illusions. Buddy proposes to her, she demurs saying she doesn't have to be married to be an honest woman. Buddy gives her the bar and walks off.
Astrologer Samuel Keel believes the stars are bad for him to search personally so he hires Paladin to find Seth Carter in order to win a lottery that will go to the last man alive; Keel bought Carter's stake in the lottery. Paladin finds a former army officer who knew Carter acting as a living corpse in a travelling fair. He tells Paladin he served time following a court martial for a massacre that Carter planned, but could not prove Carter's involvement, and that he saw a man called Welsley recently. This man dies soon after bitten by a snake while in a glass coffin. Former missionary Carl Welsley tells Paladin he knows who Carter is. He says Carter planned the massacre after Welsley told Carter about gold found on Native American land. Carter then used a government agent named Parsons to buy the now uninhabited land for low price. Welsley, wracked by guilt, goes insane and suicides by running in front of a moving cart. Welsley's claims lead Paladin to Catherine Parsons, wife of the agent. She is shot off screen just after Paladin arrives and dies clutching an amulet identical to one Keel was wearing earlier. Paladin deduces correctly that Samuel Keel is in fact Seth Carter. Keel/Carter draws a gun but is shot dead by Paladin. Featuring Jack Elam, Robert F. Simon and Lloyd Corrigan.
Paladin helps Emily Eubanks (Fintan Meyler) search the Barbary Coast for her fiancé Albert (James Callahan). To win a $1,000 prize money at the saloon the piano player works at, Paladin wins a fistfight with a local prizefighter. Paladain loans Emily and Albert the money he won; however in a twist ending Albert prefers to abandon Emily so he can gamble in the saloon breaking his engagement; Paladain takes back the money (minus $10.00) from Albert and then escorts a heartbroken but wiser Emily home. Featuring George Kennedy and Virginia Gregg.
A woman named Sabina (Patricia Medina) uses Paladin as a way out of her life as a poor potter's wife. Featuring Al Ruscio.
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"American Primitive"
Jerry Hopper
Harry Julian Fink
February 2, 1963 (1963-02-02)
Paladin joins Ernie Backwater (Harry Morgan), an old sheriff friend, in the hunt for a fugitive Robert J. Wilke who killed five men while trying to avenge his son's murder.
^Nathan and his daughter appeared in Season 4's The Fatalist.
^One of these men, Hughes, explicitly names the current years as 1875.
^During this conversation Paladin reveals he keeps five rounds in his revolver. This practice left one chamber of a six-shooter empty to keep the hammer from accidentally discharging the weapon.
^S. Bar-David is a pseudonym for Shimon Wincelberg.