Created and produced by Samuel Peeples,[3] the series is set in New Mexico in the late 1870s[1] and also depicts other figures of the period, such as John Tunstall and Lew Wallace.
In the premiere episode, "Garrett and the Kid" (September 10, 1960), Garrett arrives in Lincoln, depicted in the series as a gold-mining boomtown, as the new deputy sheriff, only to learn that a crooked saloon owner, Paul Mason (Robert Middleton), dominates the community, including the marshal, Dave Leggert (Denver Pyle). When he sees his power threatened, Mason tries to hire Billy to kill Garrett, unaware that the two were then on friendly terms. Vaughn Taylor is cast in this episode as Judge Riley, and King Donovan appears as a Mason henchman.
Andy Clyde was cast in five episodes as Pa McBeam; Judy Nugent plays McBean's daughter, June. Different actresses were cast as the other daughter, May. Olive Sturgess played the part of May in "McBean Rides Again" (Nº 13), "The Reluctant Bridegroom" (Nº 23), and "Millionaire McBean" (Nº 31). Andy Clyde also appeared at the time in the role of the neighboring farmer George MacMichael on ABC's The Real McCoys, starring Walter Brennan.
Other guest stars
In addition to the aforementioned, other actors appearing on The Tall Man in individual episodes include:
Jack Gould, in a review in The New York Times, called the program "a characteristic item of uninventive tripe".[5] He described Sullivan's portrayal of Garrett as "an official who exudes sternness, physique, and no-think" and, comparing Gulager's Billy the Kid to Edd Byrnes's character on 77 Sunset Strip, as "made to resemble a Kookie of the sagebrush".[5]
Story by : D. C. Fontana Teleplay by : Martin Berkeley
October 15, 1960 (1960-10-15)
7
7
"The Parson"
Henry S. Kesler
D.C. Fontana Frank Price
October 29, 1960 (1960-10-29)
8
8
"Night Train to Tularosa"
Franklin Adreon
Barry Shipman
November 5, 1960 (1960-11-05)
9
9
"Larceny and the Ladies"
Herschel Daugherty
Frank Price
November 12, 1960 (1960-11-12)
10
10
"Counterfeit Law"
Franklin Adreon
Samuel A. Peeples
November 19, 1960 (1960-11-19)
11
11
"And the Beast"
Frank Arrigo
Frank Price
November 26, 1960 (1960-11-26)
12
12
"Bitter Ashes"
Richard Irving
Samual A. Peeples
December 3, 1960 (1960-12-03)
13
13
"McBean Rides Again"
Frank Arrigo
Frank Price
December 10, 1960 (1960-12-10)
14
14
"Tiger Eye"
Franklin Adreon
D.C. Fontana
December 17, 1960 (1960-12-17)
15
15
"Billy's Baby"
Franklin Adreon
Frank Price
December 24, 1960 (1960-12-24)
16
16
"One of One Thousand"
Franklin Adreon
Borden Chase
December 31, 1960 (1960-12-31)
17
17
"First Blood"
Franklin Adreon
Samual A. Peeples
January 7, 1961 (1961-01-07)
18
18
"A Gun is for Killing"
Franlin Adreon
Samual A. Peeples
January 14, 1961 (1961-01-14)
19
19
"The Grudge Fight"
Richard Irving
Cyril Hume
January 21, 1961 (1961-01-21)
20
20
"The Best Policy"
Franklin Adreon
Frank Price
January 28, 1961 (1961-01-28)
21
21
"The Reversed Blade"
Franklin Adreon
Peter Barry
February 4, 1961 (1961-02-04)
Murray Matheson portrays Billy's employer, John Tundall, though the name of the historical person is John Tunstall. Tundall grows indignant when the con-man Ben Webster (John Archer), who stole his wife and $10,000 eight years earlier, arrives in Lincoln. Jeanne Cooper plays Tundall's former wife, now Mrs. Elmira Webster. John Tunstall died at twenty-four, but Matheson was forty-nine when he assumed the role as Billy's employer.
22
22
"Dark Moment"
William Witney
Samuel A. Peeples
February 11, 1961 (1961-02-11)
23
23
"The Reluctant Bridegroom"
Lesley Selander
Frank Price
February 18, 1961 (1961-02-18)
Ellen Corby is featured as Hannah Blossom, a potential mail order bride, for Pa McBeam. Hannah is lured to Lincoln through a fraudulent letter written by the McBeam daughters.
24
24
"Maria's Little Lamb"
Frank Arrigo
Barry Shipman
February 25, 1961 (1961-02-25)
25
25
"Big Sam's Boy"
Leslay Selander
Tom Seller
March 4, 1961 (1961-03-04)
26
26
"The Last Resource"
Richard Bartlett
Frank Price
March 11, 1961 (1961-03-11)
27
27
"Rovin' Gambler"
William Witney
Samual A. Peeples
March 18, 1961 (1961-03-18)
28
28
"Hard Justice"
William Witney
Samuel A. Peeples
March 25, 1961 (1961-03-25)
29
29
"The Legend and the Gun"
R.G. Springsteen
Samual A. Peeples
April 1, 1961 (1961-04-01)
30
30
"A Kind of Courage"
R.G. Springsteen
Tom Seller
April 8, 1961 (1961-04-08)
31
31
"Millionaire McBean"
William Witney
Frank Price
April 15, 1961 (1961-04-15)
32
32
"A Scheme of Hearts"
R.G. Springsteen
Tom Seller
April 22, 1961 (1961-04-22)
33
33
"The Cloudbusters"
R.G. Springsteen
D. C. Fontana
April 29, 1961 (1961-04-29)
Frank de Kova plays Mike Gray Eagle, who sells water to Lincoln residents at inflated prices during a drought, during which the only flowing stream is on the Apache reservation.
34
34
"Ransom of a Town"
Franklin Adreon
Story by : Mark Weingart Teleplay by : Barry Shipman
May 6, 1961 (1961-05-06)
35
35
"Ladies of the Town"
Richard Barlett
Samual A. Peeples
May 20, 1961 (1961-05-20)
36
36
"Death or Taxes"
Frank Arrigo
Barry Shipman
May 27, 1961 (1961-05-27)
Garrett rides into a railroad company town that abuses its workers, runs illegal gambling halls, and refuses to pay its taxes. Character actor Will Wright plays Mayor Hackett in this episode, which features James Seay as Holman.
37
37
"The Great Western"
Frank Arrigo
Melton S. Gelman
June 3, 1961 (1961-06-03)
Frank Ferguson plays Wallace in a story about Big Mamacita (Connie Gilchrist), the owner of a rowdy cantina outside Lincoln and her grandson, who is a Wallace aide.
Charles Aidman is cast as Ben Wiley, the father of Billy's newest girlfriend, Sue Wiley (Barbara Parkins). Sheriff Garrett recognizes Wiley as an informant who stopped Garrett from escaping from a Confederate prison during the American Civil War. Nancy Davis Reagan appears in this episode as Ben's wife, Sarah.
43
6
"An Item for Auction"
Sidney Landfield
Arthur Browne Jr.
October 14, 1961 (1961-10-14)
44
7
"The Judas Palm"
Sidney Lanfield
David Lang
October 21, 1961 (1961-10-21)
45
8
"The Woman"
Ted Post
Arthur Browne, Jr.
October 28, 1961 (1961-10-28)
46
9
"Trial by Hanging"
Sidney Lanfield
Arthur Browne, Jr.
November 4, 1961 (1961-11-04)
47
10
"The Leopard's Spots"
Richard Donner
Tom Seller
November 11, 1961 (1961-11-11)
48
11
"Petticoat Crusade"
Richard Donner
Frank Price
November 18, 1961 (1961-11-18)
49
12
"Time of Foreshadowing"
R.G. Springsteen
Robert E. Thompson
November 25, 1961 (1961-11-25)
50
13
"Fool's Play"
Lesley Selander
David Lang
December 2, 1961 (1961-12-02)
51
14
"The Legend of Billy"
Tay Garnett
Shimon Wincelberg
December 9, 1961 (1961-12-09)
52
15
"A Tombstone for Billy"
Sidney Landfield
Thomas Thompson
December 16, 1961 (1961-12-16)
53
16
"Sidekick"
Ted Post
Les Crutchfield
December 23, 1961 (1961-12-23)
54
17
"Apache Daughter"
Tay Garnett
Richard Fielder
December 30, 1961 (1961-12-30)
J. Pat O'Malley portrays Sam Bartlett, whose daughter, Sally (Sherry Jackson), is released from Apache captivity after nine years. However, Sally wants to return to her husband, Talano, (Anthony Hall, aka Sal Ponti) a Chiricahua warrior.
55
18
"Substitute Sheriff"
Lesley Selander
Frank Price
January 6, 1962 (1962-01-06)
The McBeam daughters enlist their father as an acting sheriff in a scheme to thwart the seizure of their property for right-of-way by the railroad. Bob Hastings appears in this episode as J. S. Chase.
56
19
"The Girl from Paradise"
Edward Montagne
Richard Fielder
January 13, 1962 (1962-01-13)
Billy is framed for murder by his old nemesis, Rafe Tollinger (Kelly Thordsen), the sheriff of a neighboring county. He is sent to the gallows along with Anne Drake (Pippa Scott), a pretty young woman who is also framed for murder. The two are handcuffed together but manage to escape and then must flee from an approaching posse.
57
20
"St. Louis Woman"
Sidney Lanfield
Arthur Browne, Jr.
January 20, 1962 (1962-01-20)
Jan Clayton, formerly of CBS's Lassie, portrays Janet Harper, a widow engaged to marry Tom Davis (Russ Conway), a longtime friend of Sheriff Garrett. While Tom is away from Lincoln on a cattle drive, Janet begins to show a romantic interest in Garrett. Roger Mobley appears in this episode as David Harper, Janet's young son.
58
21
"The Hunt"
Lesley Selander
Paul King
January 27, 1962 (1962-01-27)
A wealthy young man, Edward Van Doren (Richard Ney) hires Billy to guide him into the wilderness to kill a mountain lion. However, Van Doren's real target is Billy himself. This episode presents details about the Colt Model 1877 .41 caliber, the gun used by Billy the Kid.
59
22
"The Impatient Brides"
Edward Montagne
Frank Price
February 3, 1962 (1962-02-03)
60
23
"Rio Doloroso"
Sydney Pollack
Joe Stone Paul King
February 10, 1962 (1962-02-10)
61
24
"A Day to Kill"
Frank McDonald
Paul King
February 17, 1962 (1962-02-17)
62
25
"Property of the Crown"
Frank McDonald
Tom Seller
February 24, 1962 (1962-02-24)
63
26
"Night of the Hawk"
Tay Garnett
Richard Fielder
March 3, 1962 (1962-03-03)
64
27
"Three for All"
Tay Garnett
Arthur Browne, Jr.
March 10, 1962 (1962-03-10)
Irene Tedrow portrays the fiery Maw Killgore, who breaks her sons out of the Lincoln jail, where they are being held for having vandalized a saloon. The Killgores then place Garrett in his own cell while they go on a crime spree. George Kennedy plays Hyram Killgore.
65
28
"Quarantine"
Sidney Lanfield
Samuel A. Peeples
March 17, 1962 (1962-03-17)
66
29
"The Four Queens"
Sidney Lanfield
Tom Seller
March 24, 1962 (1962-03-24)
67
30
"The Long Way Home"
Tay Garnett
D.D. Beauchamp
March 31, 1962 (1962-03-31)
68
31
"A Time to Run"
Tay Garnett
Paul King
April 7, 1962 (1962-04-07)
69
32
"Trial by Fury"
Edward Montagne
Paul King
April 14, 1962 (1962-04-14)
Billy receives a letter from a prospector, Johnny Red (Fuzzy Knight), informing him of the potential discovery of a lost Spanish mine near San Miguel, a ghost town, in southern New Mexico. James Griffith is cast in this episode as James Cutter and Robert Emhardt as Judge Oliver Cromwell.
70
33
"The Frame"
Edward Montagne
Margaret Armen
April 21, 1962 (1962-04-21)
Harry Townes is cast as Henry Stewart, diagnosed with a fatal illness and jealous of his wife's former association with Sheriff Garrett. While mentally unbalanced from his illness, Stewart plots his own suicide and plans to frame his wife, Isobel (Lori March), for murder.
71
34
"The Runaway Groom"
Edward Montagne
Frank Price
April 28, 1962 (1962-04-28)
The Tugwell Brothers seek the husband of their sister, Sally (Roberta Shore), who deserted his wife right after the marriage a year earlier. They believe Billy the Kid is the missing husband and father of Sally's baby, rather than Charlie Fox (Gary Vinson).
Dr. Wade Parsons (Ed Nelson), who has assumed the practice of a beloved doctor who retired, must attempt to save the life of a young pregnant woman after she attempts suicide when her husband deserts her.
75
38
"Phoebe"
Sydney Pollack
David Lang
May 26, 1962 (1962-05-26)
George Macready portrays Cyrus Canfield, a vengeful father searching for his runaway teenaged daughter, played by Floy Dean. When Canfield sees Billy with a necklace owned by Phoebe, he suspects that the young gunfighter may have killed his daughter. Billy, however, explains that Phoebe gave him the necklace as a gift after he rescued her in a rockslide.
Release
On October 30, 2007, Timeless Media Group released fifteen episodes of the series on a Region 1 three-DVD set in the United States. On December 6, 2011, Timeless Media Group released The Tall Man- The Complete TV Series on DVD in Region 1.[6]
References
^ abcBrooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (7th ed.). New York: The Ballentine Publishing Group. p. 1004. ISBN0-345-42923-0.
^McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 817. ISBN0-14-02-4916-8.
^"Assorted flavors"(PDF). Broadcasting. September 19, 1960. p. 50. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
