Thirty years and seven hundred fifty miles from Moab, Ben and Roger now laugh at the memories. On a pleasant Saturday afternoon in Malibu, Roger jokingly accuses Ben of having wanted the show to become Alias Jones. “I’m sure that that was completely true, but I couldn’t laugh about it at the time,” Roger admits. Ben promptly denies the charge. He never likes to be the sole lead in a show, a position he declares the “loneliest experience in the world.” Ben prefers to be part of an ensemble cast as he was in The Chisholms, a situation where he felt secure. “I was never at home [starring] alone, even though I may have been competitive and wanted to be better than all [of them].” That competitive spirit was something that had bothered Peter, who once told Roger the only thing he disliked about working with Ben was that sense of competition. Peter was always ready to help his fellow actors and he was bewildered by Ben’s attitude. He didn’t understand where it was coming from and, being Peter, assumed he had done something to cause it. But the real source of the rivalry was Ben’s insecurity. He said of Peter, “I thought he was so much better than me and it was a jealousy that I had, of not being up to his level.” As a result, Ben constantly pushed himself to outdo his co-star and never realized Peter was aware of what he was doing. “[Peter] never saw that,” Roger explains, “because he didn’t like himself very much and he didn’t think he was very good.” Ben ponders that for a moment. “Ah, but I knew he was.” [9]
The location shooting in Moab added a sense of realism to the third season episodes. The blue sky and red earth, stunning rock formations, forests and canyons gave a true feeling of the Old West to Heyes and Curry’s adventures. Ben and Roger were beginning to develop their own chemistry and, while different from that between Ben and Peter, it worked. The magic of the Utah landscape and the combination of the people, the time, and the show itself, all added up to a special feeling that was communicated in the texture of the third season episodes.
Ben Murphy as Kid Curry in Moab. Sagala collection
Monty Laird. Courtesy of Ben Murphy
Relaxing between scenes. Courtesy of Ben Murphy
Roger Davis and Ben Murphy. Courtesy of Ben Murphy
Courtesy of Ben Murphy
Chapter 9
The Third Season: The Governor Might See Fit to Wipe Their Slate Clean
September 16, 1972-January 13, 1973
Third Season Credits (1972-73)
DIRECTOR: Alexander Singer, Jack Arnold, Edward M. Abroms, Jeff Corey, Richard Bennett, Jeffrey Hayden
CASTING: Joe Reich, Milt Hamerman
UNIT MANAGER: Carl Beringer
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: John Gaudioso, Alan Crosland, Dick Bennett
2ND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Charles Dismukes, Win Phelps (Trainee), Dick Bennett, Herb Dufine
ART DIRECTOR: Phil Bennett
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Ira Diamond
SET DECORATOR: Bert Allen
PROPS: Jack Hamilton, Bill Smallback, Vic Petrotta, Jr.
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR: Dell Ross
CAMERA: Gene Polito
SOUND: Robert Bertrand
WARDROBE — MEN: Harry Pasen, Jack Takeuchi
WARDROBE — WOMEN: Geneva Rames, Gretchen Fusilier, Leah Rhodes, Louise Clark
PUBLICITY: Bob Palmer
COORDINATOR: Charles Johnson
EDITORIAL SUPERVISION: Richard Belding
EDITOR: Gloryette Clark, John Dumas, Albert Zuniga, Tom Mcmullen, Charles Mcclelland, Bob Shugrue
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Walt Segalo, Gene Craig
Moab Crew (July 1972)
DIRECTOR: Alexander Singer
UNIT MANAGER: Carl Beringer
1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: John Gaudioso
2ND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Charles Dismukes
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TRAINEE: Win Phelps
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR: Hope Mclaughlin
EDITOR: John Dumas
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Jerry Ludwig
DIALOGUE COACH: Steve Gravers
CAMERAMAN: Gene Polito
CAMERA OPERATORS: Serge Haignere, Tom Cross
FIRST CAMERA ASSISTANTS: John Thoeny, Charles Mills
SECOND CAMERA ASSISTANT: Gene Luce
CAMERA MECHANIC: John Walker
GAFFER: Ron Mcleish
BEST BOY: John Todd
LAMP OPERATORS: Ben Graham, Charles Raffington
GENERATOR OPERATOR: Harry Jukes
KEY GRIP: Kenny Smith
SECOND GRIP: Jerry King
DOLLY GRIP: John Black
GRIP: Gary Parker
MIXER: Bob Bertrand
BOOM OPERATOR: Mert Strong
RECORDER: Bill Griffith
PROPERTY MASTER: Jack Hamilton
ASSISTANT PROP MAN: Stan Benbrooks
ART DIRECTOR: Phil Bennett
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Ira Diamond
SET DRESSER: Bert Allen
LEADMAN: John Lowery
SPECIAL EFFECTS: Don Courtney
CRAFT SERVICEMAN: Lou Perna
GREENSMAN: John Hudson
MAKEUP: Mike Westmore, Werner Keepler
HAIRDRESSER: Carolyn Elias
MEN’S WARDROBE: Jack Takeuchi
WOMEN’S WARDROBE: Neva Rames
STUDIO WRANGLER BOSS: Rusty Mcdonald
KEY WRANGLER: Roy Williams
WRANGLER: Hutch Hutchinson
UNIT PUBLICIST: Bob Palmer
CASTING DIRECTOR: Joe Reich
SECRETARY: Karen Reitz
TRANSPORTATION CAPTAIN: Mel Bingham
DRIVER HORSE TRUCK: Danny Anglin
DRIVER WATER WAGON: Jim Burris
DRIVER #498: Bill Essen Pries
DRIVER #618: Cecil Moon
HONEYWAGON DRIVER: Bob Munson
FIRST AID: Jim Rawlins
AUDITOR: Paul Riggs
TIMEKEEPER: Dan Young
STAND IN (MURPHY): Monty Laird
STAND IN (DAVIS): Cecil Combs
STUNTMAN (MURPHY): Jimmy Nickerson
STUNTMAN (DAVIS): Sonny Shields
COURT FOREMAN: Jim Wood
CARPENTER: Jim Walker
A.H.A. REPRESENTATIVE: Chick Hannon
The Long Chase
“Can you imagine that? Harry Briscoe incompetent?”
Harry Briscoe
STORY: JOHN THOMAS JAMES
TELEPLAY: JOHN THOMAS JAMES
DIRECTOR: ALEXANDER SINGER
SHOOTING DATES: UTAH — JULY 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 1972; STUDIO — JULY 24, 25, 26, 1972
ORIGINAL US AIR DATE: SEPTEMBER 16, 1972
ORIGINAL UK AIR DATE: OCTOBER 29, 1973
Two bandits, Mugs McGeehu and Hank Silvers, dash out of the Bank of Cottonwood. Townspeople scatter as the men leap on their horses and ride off.
Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry ride through the desert. They are recognized by Moroni Stebbins who works at untangling his horses’ reins at the side of the road. Stebbins jumps in his wagon and races towards town. The boys race off in the opposite direction.
Soon a posse is on their trail.
The boys reach the town of Sagers. Bursting into the livery stable, they claim to be deputies on the trail of three outlaws and exchange their exhausted mounts for two fresh horses. As they switch their saddles to the new animals, Curry asks the proprietor if he rents horses. The idea is preposterous but, when pressed, the proprietor suggests fifty cents an hour as a fair price. The boys drive the remaining horses out of the stable, handing the proprietor enough money to cover their “rental” before riding out.
The posse, led by Deputy Wermser, arrives seeking fresh horses and is dismayed to find the stable empty.
Heyes and Curry watch and wait as a train takes on water. As it begins to move, they run and jump into a boxcar. Inside they find their old friend Harry Briscoe, rumpled and miserable.
The posse reaches the railroad tracks and begins following the train.
Harry tells the boys he’s been fired from the Bannerman Detective Agency for incompetence. Heyes observes they’ve met a lot
of Bannerman detectives and Harry is no more incompetent than they are. Harry smiles, his spirits lifted. Hearing horses, the three men slide open the boxcar door and take a look. Mystified, the boys watch as a member of the posse climbs a telegraph pole. Harry explains that with the proper equipment the man can send a message from there.
Heyes and Curry discuss their options — jump off the train in the middle of the desert or stay on board until the train reaches the town the posse has just telegraphed. Neither is acceptable. But Heyes has an idea that will work if Harry still has his Bannerman credentials. He does.
Heyes and Curry spruce Harry up, brushing the dust off his clothes and giving him a shave. Soon he looks respectable again.
The train pulls into Little Grande. Sheriff Tankersley and his men are inspecting the cars when the boxcar door opens. Hands raised, Heyes and Curry jump out, followed by Harry, gun in hand. Tankersley inspects Harry’s credentials, then reluctantly accepts that Heyes and Curry are in his custody.
While the sheriff sends a telegram, the trio waits outside, worried that he is checking up on Harry. Tankersley joins them and announces that Deputy Wermser will accompany them to Cheyenne.
As the stagecoach heads north, Wermser details the social events he’ll be missing and Curry threatens to live up to his reputation unless the deputy quits complaining. Wermser explains that he wouldn’t be on this trip if the sheriff had gotten an answer to his telegram about Harry. Harry and the boys exchange anxious looks.
The answer finally came and it wasn’t good. Sheriff Tankersley and his men follow the stagecoach with grim determination.
Heyes and Curry silently beseech Harry to come up with a plan. Harry thinks hard. Leaning out the window, he urges the driver to speed up because dust behind them is most likely the Devil’s Hole Gang. Wermser looks, but doesn’t see anything. Harry explains that superior vision is a special qualification necessary for BDI men. Wermser takes another look. “By golly, there is something out there.” Harry, trying hard not to show his surprise, leans out for another look. In the distance there really is a cloud of dust.
Heyes and Curry play it up, insisting it’s their gang following them, all the while hoping Harry can come up with a plan. Harry struggles to think of something. In desperation, he asks Wermser if there’s a ranch nearby.
Sheriff Tankersley and company continue to follow the stagecoach.
At the road to the Circle Y Ranch, Harry and the boys get out. Over Wermser’s protests, Harry convinces him to stay aboard to act as a decoy. The stage takes off and the trio heads for the ranch where Harry asks for horses and gear, promising reimbursement from the BDI. Learning the prisoners are the notorious Heyes and Curry, the rancher obliges.
Tankersley catches up to the stagecoach, angry to find Wermser alone. The deputy’s feeble explanation does not appease him. “Stay with the stage, Wermser,” Tankersley orders coldly. “Go to Cheyenne. Don’t ever come back.”
Heyes, Curry and Harry, having headed north from the Circle Y for the sake of appearances, now turn south to head for the railroad.
The posse stops at the Circle Y where the rancher informs Tankersley that the outlaws were handcuffed and Briscoe had them covered. They headed north, he tells the sheriff, toward Cheyenne.
The posse continues the chase, finding the point where their quarry turned south.
Curry’s horse comes up lame, forcing him and Heyes to ride double, slowing them down. All the while Harry complains about being on the run, certain to be caught and sent to jail. They reach the railroad tracks in time to catch a passing train, hopping aboard even though it’s heading back to Little Grande.
Inside the boxcar they find two scruffy men already in residence. After wary introductions, Harry sits down near Heyes and begins to poke his thumb into Heyes’s back while commenting to the men that his friends are going to have to jump off the train before it reaches Little Grande. Curry is certain Harry has lost his mind and isn’t reassured when Harry next announces that they like him in Little Grande, so it’s safe for him to stay on the train. Curry is even more confused when Heyes agrees with Harry. The shorter man asks why they aren’t welcome in Little Grande. Disturbing the peace, Heyes offers. His friend has a drinking problem. “When he drinks he thinks he’s Kid Curry.” The two burst out laughing as Curry scowls.
Heyes and Curry jump off the train ten miles outside of Little Grande. They find some shade and settle down to wait for Harry to return with food, water and horses. Curry wants to know what they’re doing. Heyes admits he’s not sure himself, but Harry had something in mind. Curry is appalled. “Harry had something in mind? Is that what I heard you say?” Sheepishly Heyes admits he lost his head, but with Harry continuously poking him in the back, he got the impression that Harry had a plan.
They debate the merits of attempting to jump on a train moving at full speed, risking having their arms ripped off, versus walking ten miles to town under cover of darkness. “I think I’d rather get my arm ripped off,” Curry decides. They hear horses approaching and duck down just as the posse passes by.
In the boxcar, Harry pulls out his gun and gets the drop on the two men — Mugs McGeehu and Hank Silvers — whom he has recognized. They’re under arrest.
When the train pulls into Little Grande, once again the sheriff is startled at the boxcar door opening during his inspection. Hands up, out jump McGeehu and Silvers, followed by Harry, gun at the ready. He introduces his two new prisoners to the sheriff, stating that they’re wanted for grand theft in Colorado. Tankersley counters with the information that they’re wanted for murder here in Utah. The deputies escort the outlaws to jail while the sheriff pulls Harry aside. What happened to Curry and Heyes? Harry feigns surprise at learning it was the sheriff who was following the stage, then explains that Curry and Heyes jumped him and escaped. Tankersley is skeptical, wondering why they left him his gun. “Because they took the bullets out first, Sheriff.” Harry offers his empty gun as proof. The sheriff is almost convinced, but when the BDI finally answered his telegram, they denied Harry worked for them. Harry forces a laugh. That’s standard procedure, designed to protect their agents, he bluffs. If Harry sent a telegram and used the right code word, their answer would be different. The sheriff hauls Harry to the telegraph office.
Meanwhile, Heyes and Curry wait miserably under a tree. They’ll catch the train east if they don’t starve to death before it comes by.
At the telegraph office, the sheriff reads the response from the BDI congratulating Harry on the capture of McGeehu and Silvers and claiming the reward for the company. Sheriff Tankersley now understands what Harry meant by the right code word. Harry lost him the popular Heyes and Curry, but delivered the despised McGeehu and Silvers. The sheriff is ahead on the deal, so he’s going to let Harry go.
Heyes and Curry dash for the eastbound train, noting with annoyance Harry waving at them from the comfort of the passenger coach. The train is moving at full speed as they struggle to grab hold of the passing boxcar rail. Heyes makes it but Curry loses his grip and falls. When he doesn’t get up, Heyes jumps off the train and races to his side. He leans over his unconscious friend, worried and scared. It looks bad. After a time, Curry stirs and opens his eyes. With a relieved smile, Heyes helps Curry to his feet and they retreat to their “office” to make new plans, first of which will be to torture and kill Harry Briscoe.
That night Heyes and Curry begin the long walk to town. They meet a boy leading two horses. He’s taking them to some very important people, he says, and he promised the man who’s paying him that he wouldn’t let anything go wrong. “That man wouldn’t happen to be Detective Harry Briscoe of the BDI, would it?” Curry asks. It would. The boy hands over the horses, along with canteens and saddlebags full of food. Heyes and Curry wonder how Harry was getting along with the sheriff. Real good, the boy tells them, since he brought in those two killers. Heyes and Curry exchange astonished looks.
The next day Heyes and Curry ride through the desert. T
he countryside is too beautiful to keep riding through in such a hurry, they decide, and slow their horses to a walk, the better to look and appreciate. They offer a friendly greeting to a man passing by. It’s Moroni Stebbins again. Alarmed, he whips his horse and hurries towards town. Heyes and Curry spur their horses in the opposite direction.
Alias Smith & Jones: The Story of Two Pretty Good Bad Men Page 40