"Helen of Abajinian" - Head 'Em Straight

Chess knight courtesy of COCHISE LEATHER COMPANY

“Helen of Abajinian”

Season: 1 episode 16
Series Episode: 16
Air Date: December 26, 1957

Teaser

“I rode out here to bring you back and that’s what I am going to do. Don’t reach for that weapon. Guns are my business.”

Employment Solicitation

Central Californian
Dancing Girl Missing
Simi Valley’s Armenian colony today sadly cancelled its annual wine festival. The reason – the festival’s principal dancer is reported to have eloped with a passing cowboy. Although the girl’s father, Samuel Abajinian has offered one thousand dollars for her return, local authorities point out that she is of age and they have no jurisdiction in the matter.

Fee

$1000

Quotes

“There’s a woman at the start of all great things.”
Paladin quoting Lamartine

“There is a woman at the beginning of all great things.”
Alphonse de Lamartine

“Heaven’s best gift. The most delightful of God’s creatures.”
Paladin quoting Shelley

“Win her and wear her if you can. She is the most delightful of God’s creatures, Heaven’s best gift, man’s joy and pride in prosperity, man’s support and comforter in affliction.”
Percy Bysshe Shelley

“We are indebted to women first for life itself and then for making it worth living.”
Paladin

“Next to God, we are indebted to women, first for life itself, and then for making it worth living.”
Mary McCloud Bethune

“All men who avoid female society have gross tastes.”
Paladin quoting Thackeray

“All men who avoid female society, have dull perceptions, and are stupid,
or who have gross tastes, and revolt against what is pure.”
William Makepeace Thackeray as quoted in The Ladies’ Repository, Volume 26, page 627

Cast & Crew Lists

Cast

Character	Role	Actor	Actor Age	Status
Paladin	An arbiter	Richard Boone	40	Credited
Kim Chan "Hey Boy"	Hotel Carlton porter	Kam Tong	51	Credited
Helen Abajinian		Lisa Gaye	22	Credited
Marga Abajinian		Naomi Stevens	31	Credited
Samuel Abajinian		HaroldJ. Stone	44	Credited
Gourken		Vladimir Sokoloff	68	Credited
Jimmy O'Riley		Wright King	34	Credited
Jorgi		Nick Dennis	53	Credited
	Elderly gentleman in Hotel Carlton	Mathew McCue	62	Uncredited
	Gypsy	Nick Borgani	53	Uncredited

Crew

Director	Andrew V. McLaglen
Assistant Director	Howard Joslin
Creators	Herb Meadow & Sam Rolfe
Writer	Gene Roddenberry
Script Supervisor	Richard Chaffee
Producer	Julian Claman
Production Manager	Glenn Cook
Director of Photography	William Margulies
Art Director	James W. Sullivan
Opening Theme Music Composer	Bernard Hermann (Herrmann) (Uncredited)
"Ballad of Paladin" Singer	Johnny Western
"Ballad of Paladin" written by	Johnny Western, Richard Boone & Sam Rolfe
Supervising Editor	Fred W. Berger, A.C.E.
Film Editor	MIchael Luciano, A.C.E.
Optical Effects	Jack Rabin & Louis DeWitt
Sound Editor	Roderick Sound, Inc.
Property Master	Mike Gordon
Makeup Artist	William Wood (Woods)
Hair Stylist	Madine Danks
Wardrobe	Joseph Dimmitt
Set Decorator	Raymond Boltz, Jr.
Casting	Lynn Stalmaster and Associates
Richard Boone's Stunt Double	Hal Needham (Uncredited)
Production Companies	A CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) Television Network Production, Filmaster Productions
Recording Company'	Westrex Recording System
	ATFP (Alliance of TV Film Producers)

Awards

The Writers Guild of America (WGA), USA awarded Gene Roddenberry was awarded “Best Teleplay” by the Screen Writer’s Guild for this episode.

Filming Location

Sets
Paramount Studios – 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States of America

Closing Credits background
Lone Pine – California, United States of America

Sources

Have Gun – Will Travel episodes (written, spoken and credits), Internet Movie Database (IMDb), Wikipedia, individual observations, and others as indicated by the links.

Note: Give credit when credit is due. Suggestions for corrections, additions and deletions are welcome through the Dispatch Rider. Please provide information and the grounds on which the claim is based.

“Helen of Abajinian”

Chess knight courtesy of COCHISE LEATHER COMPANY