This thread is named after that DVD set I got (but haven't watched yet) called Trek Stars Goes West, about Star Trek actors in TV westerns. ;)
Mainly I just wanted to get things off to a start by mentioning that today's episode of The Virginian on Encore Westerns (4:30 p.m. EST), "Man of Violence," has both Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelly. I'll be watching! ;) It's directed by the great b-western director William Witney.
Trek Goes West
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klondike
Re: Trek Goes West
Paula, if I'm remembering right, Witney also handled all of Warner Bros' private-eye "address" shows -"Bourbon Street Beat", "77 Sunset Strip", "Surfside Six", etc.pvitari wrote:It's directed by the great b-western director William Witney.
Speaking of spontaneous connections, I just realized that Van Williams, who played rookie detectives on both Bourbon St. and Surfside, went on to the title role on TV's "Green Hornet" series, with Bruce Lee!
Sorry . . think I just drifted off-track here, didn't I ??
Re: Trek Goes West
Klondike, I don't think Witney worked on any of those. But you're right about Van Williams! ;) What a pity that The Green Hornet remains mired in rights limbo and is not available on DVD.
A team of runaway mustangs couldn't drag me to the new feature film version with (ugh) Seth Rogen.
Looking forward to watching that Virginian episode tonight! It's parked on my DVR awaiting my attention. :)
A team of runaway mustangs couldn't drag me to the new feature film version with (ugh) Seth Rogen.
Looking forward to watching that Virginian episode tonight! It's parked on my DVR awaiting my attention. :)
Re: Trek Goes West
I watched The Virginian episode, "Man of Violence." Virginian episodes ran 90 minutes (with commercials, about 75 minutes without) and were frequently compared to mini-movies. If ever there was a Virginian episode that was a mini-movie, this is it. At 75 minutes (well, 71, I assume a few minutes cut for syndication), with William Witney's superb direction and many longshots of action taking place in expansive, starkly beautiful and rugged desert scenery, this easily could have been a b-western at your local bijou.
In fact, I suspect this was adapted from a movie script, as a) the only series regular in it is Doug McClure, as Trampas, and the writer credits read: "teleplay by John d.f. Black" (yes, the initials are in lower case) and "based upon a screenplay by James Patrick." So sounds like this was something sitting on a shelf somewhere and they dusted it off, changed the lead character's name to Trampas and made some other adjustments, and voila, an episode of The Virginian! And fine darn tootin' one too.
The plot (courtesy TV.com):
Trampas' Uncle Josh (Harry Shannon) is murdered during an holdup by Wismer (Leonard Nimoy) and Judson (William Bryant). On their trail, Trampas is eventually forced to illegally enter Apache territory where the two robbers had made a gold strike. He is joined on his quest by a guide who is after the gold (Michael Pate), a woman (Peggy McCay) who is looking for her husband who it turns out is Judson, and an army doctor who is attempting to escape court martial (DeForest Kelly).
Additional info: the two thieves also stole $1500 of Trampas' money that his uncle was taking to the bank for him. Trampas was hoping to use it to buy a place of his own.
This is one of those stories where an odyssey into an extreme, harsh environment, in this case the desert -- and not only the desert, but a desert that is "forbidden territory" -- and the likelihood of death, either from (anonymous) Indians enraged by our heroes encroachment on their territory, or parching heat and lack of water, brings out the true character of each, er, character. People find resources within themselves they felt they didn't have and do things they thought they could never do, or vice versa.
Nimoy's role as the robber is rather short as he is only in the first half hour. He's fine, but it's not a role that calls for anything all that special.
It's DeForest Kelley who really gets to shine here. His character, Army doctor Lt. Beldon, is a self-loathing alcoholic (are there any other kind?) :) who believes that he killed Nimoy's character, Wismer, through negligence by being drunk on duty. (Wismer had been wounded by an Indian arrow and brought to the fort for treatment.) What really happened is that another character killed Wismer (more or less by accident) but since no one saw the killer the military thought it was Beldon's fault, thus the court-martial he is now evading by following Trampas into Apache territory. Kelley has several scenes where we see how agonized and guilty he is, over his drinking, over Wismer, over what he considers a display of cowardice, over his life in general, and it's a solid, meaty role for Kelley, who digs his teeth into it.
There are a several battles with Indians, and a lot of this is played out in longshot with the Indians and the white characters galloping furiously off in the expansive desert landscape, far away from the camera. The locale includes an enormous, striped bluff that dwarfs the humans and with the big sky and huge flat area in front of the bluff, makes the people look puny indeed. Very impressive visuals for a TV show, though The Virginian was not just another show, given its hour and half length. Director Witney as usual brings excitement to the action and tension and human interest to the character interaction.
This is prime stuff for DeForest Kelley fans and the good news is that "Man of Violence" is a second season episode, which means it's available on DVD. I am rather shocked that it's not available through Netflix -- I thought they had everything!
In fact, I suspect this was adapted from a movie script, as a) the only series regular in it is Doug McClure, as Trampas, and the writer credits read: "teleplay by John d.f. Black" (yes, the initials are in lower case) and "based upon a screenplay by James Patrick." So sounds like this was something sitting on a shelf somewhere and they dusted it off, changed the lead character's name to Trampas and made some other adjustments, and voila, an episode of The Virginian! And fine darn tootin' one too.
The plot (courtesy TV.com):
Trampas' Uncle Josh (Harry Shannon) is murdered during an holdup by Wismer (Leonard Nimoy) and Judson (William Bryant). On their trail, Trampas is eventually forced to illegally enter Apache territory where the two robbers had made a gold strike. He is joined on his quest by a guide who is after the gold (Michael Pate), a woman (Peggy McCay) who is looking for her husband who it turns out is Judson, and an army doctor who is attempting to escape court martial (DeForest Kelly).
Additional info: the two thieves also stole $1500 of Trampas' money that his uncle was taking to the bank for him. Trampas was hoping to use it to buy a place of his own.
This is one of those stories where an odyssey into an extreme, harsh environment, in this case the desert -- and not only the desert, but a desert that is "forbidden territory" -- and the likelihood of death, either from (anonymous) Indians enraged by our heroes encroachment on their territory, or parching heat and lack of water, brings out the true character of each, er, character. People find resources within themselves they felt they didn't have and do things they thought they could never do, or vice versa.
Nimoy's role as the robber is rather short as he is only in the first half hour. He's fine, but it's not a role that calls for anything all that special.
It's DeForest Kelley who really gets to shine here. His character, Army doctor Lt. Beldon, is a self-loathing alcoholic (are there any other kind?) :) who believes that he killed Nimoy's character, Wismer, through negligence by being drunk on duty. (Wismer had been wounded by an Indian arrow and brought to the fort for treatment.) What really happened is that another character killed Wismer (more or less by accident) but since no one saw the killer the military thought it was Beldon's fault, thus the court-martial he is now evading by following Trampas into Apache territory. Kelley has several scenes where we see how agonized and guilty he is, over his drinking, over Wismer, over what he considers a display of cowardice, over his life in general, and it's a solid, meaty role for Kelley, who digs his teeth into it.
There are a several battles with Indians, and a lot of this is played out in longshot with the Indians and the white characters galloping furiously off in the expansive desert landscape, far away from the camera. The locale includes an enormous, striped bluff that dwarfs the humans and with the big sky and huge flat area in front of the bluff, makes the people look puny indeed. Very impressive visuals for a TV show, though The Virginian was not just another show, given its hour and half length. Director Witney as usual brings excitement to the action and tension and human interest to the character interaction.
This is prime stuff for DeForest Kelley fans and the good news is that "Man of Violence" is a second season episode, which means it's available on DVD. I am rather shocked that it's not available through Netflix -- I thought they had everything!
Last edited by pvitari on January 14th, 2011, 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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movieman1957
- Administrator
- Posts: 5522
- Joined: April 15th, 2007, 3:50 pm
- Location: MD
Re: Trek Goes West
I don't know how long it will be here but there is a short video clip on this page with Leonard Nimoy talking about his appearance on "Gunsmoke."
http://www.tvworthwatching.com/
The whole thing will be on PBS "Pioneers of Television."
http://www.tvworthwatching.com/
The whole thing will be on PBS "Pioneers of Television."
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
Re: Trek Goes West
Finally ripped open the plastic on the Trek Stars Go West set. Here's the back of the package so you can see what's in the set. I made the scan fairly large so it would be legible:
Of course, when I saw that they had a 1949 episode of the Lone Ranger with DeForest Kelley, I had to watch that first. 1949! Kelley plays "young Mr. Bob Kittredge," who returns west after years in the east to take over his family's ranch after the death of his father. However, devious villains manage to frame the long-time foreman and the top baddie takes on the job. Soon they're holding "Mr. Bob" hostage and forcing him to sell the ranch so they can make off with the proceeds. The Lone Ranger and Tonto -- with the help of the foreman and all the old hands -- to the rescue! Heigh-ho Silver!
I made some quick screencaps... here is a sampling.
"Mr. Bob" shakes the hand of sneaky Red Deavers, played by Norman Willis. Red is the no. one bad guy.
With Emmet Lynn as Banty Bishop, the old foreman.
Who do you think is that squinty-eyed codger on the left? It's Clayton Moore, the Lone Ranger, in disguise to assess the situation.
A short time later...
Mr. Bob gives Banty and all the old hands their jobs back -- "for life!"
Is it just me, or was Jay Silverheels really hot?
Of course, when I saw that they had a 1949 episode of the Lone Ranger with DeForest Kelley, I had to watch that first. 1949! Kelley plays "young Mr. Bob Kittredge," who returns west after years in the east to take over his family's ranch after the death of his father. However, devious villains manage to frame the long-time foreman and the top baddie takes on the job. Soon they're holding "Mr. Bob" hostage and forcing him to sell the ranch so they can make off with the proceeds. The Lone Ranger and Tonto -- with the help of the foreman and all the old hands -- to the rescue! Heigh-ho Silver!
I made some quick screencaps... here is a sampling.
"Mr. Bob" shakes the hand of sneaky Red Deavers, played by Norman Willis. Red is the no. one bad guy.
With Emmet Lynn as Banty Bishop, the old foreman.
Who do you think is that squinty-eyed codger on the left? It's Clayton Moore, the Lone Ranger, in disguise to assess the situation.
A short time later...
Mr. Bob gives Banty and all the old hands their jobs back -- "for life!"
Is it just me, or was Jay Silverheels really hot?
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klondike
Re: Trek Goes West
According to Mrs. K's grandparents, & uncle, Jay was pretty easy to be around as a teen & young man, too; they knew him as an acquaintance on the St Regis Reservation - evidently he was also quite an outgoing athlete, as well.
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JackFavell
- Posts: 11926
- Joined: April 20th, 2009, 9:56 am
Re: Trek Goes West
And GORGEOUS! Jay Silverheels is beautiful. And that voice!
I am wondering if DeForest Kelley has his lovely southern drawl in this episode? I adore him so that is the one I would have watched too.
I am wondering if DeForest Kelley has his lovely southern drawl in this episode? I adore him so that is the one I would have watched too.
Re: Trek Goes West
JackFavell, Kelley sounds pretty much like Kelley in that episode... not an overt Southern accent but a hint of it... like when he played Bones. I always loved those Star Trek episodes where something would happen and he'd forget himself and the Southern accent would blossom. :)
Jay Silverheels was a boxer, a wrestler, and a lacrosse player -- he was on a team in an amateur lacrosse association. He also bred and raised and rode horses. And his real name was... Harold Smith! ;) "Jay Silverheels" was his nickname as a lacrosse player and he adopted it for his screen name.
(Info above courtesy Wikipedia.)
It's good to know that others also have the Jay Silverheels lurve... :) And a relief to see a genuine Native Canadian playing Tonto, rather than a paleface in makeup. :) Supposedly they're working on a new Lone Ranger movie, with Johnny Depp to play Tonto. Depp has some Cherokee ancestry but still....
Wonder how they came up with the name of Tonto, as that means "stupid" or "foolish" in Spanish!
Jay Silverheels was a boxer, a wrestler, and a lacrosse player -- he was on a team in an amateur lacrosse association. He also bred and raised and rode horses. And his real name was... Harold Smith! ;) "Jay Silverheels" was his nickname as a lacrosse player and he adopted it for his screen name.
(Info above courtesy Wikipedia.)
It's good to know that others also have the Jay Silverheels lurve... :) And a relief to see a genuine Native Canadian playing Tonto, rather than a paleface in makeup. :) Supposedly they're working on a new Lone Ranger movie, with Johnny Depp to play Tonto. Depp has some Cherokee ancestry but still....
Wonder how they came up with the name of Tonto, as that means "stupid" or "foolish" in Spanish!