“The Fatal Step”
“The Fatal Step”
Season: 3 episode 5
Series Episode: 69
Air Date: October 24, 1961
Laramie TV series starring John Smith, Robert Fuller, Spring Byington and Dennis Holmes
A Revue Studios production
Teaser
Sometimes it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad.
Cast & Crew Lists
Cast
| Character | Role | Actor | Actor Age | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Slim" Sherman | Owner - Sherman ranch and relay station | John Smith | 30 | Credited |
| Jess Harper | Sherman ranch hand | Robert Fuller | 28 | Credited |
| Daisy Cooper | Sherman housekeeper | Spring Byington | 75 | Credited |
| Mike Williams | Orphan | Dennis Holmes | 11 | Credited |
| Slim's horse | Alamo | Uncredited | ||
| Mr. Burch | Billy's father/Superintendant of the Overland stage line | Raymond Bailey | 57 | Credited |
| Mort Cory | Laramie sheriff | Stuart Randall | 52 | Credited |
| Wes Darrin | Outlaw | Dennis Patrick | 43 | Credited |
| Gil Fletcher | Billing's marshal | Robert Wilke | 47 | Credited |
| Tad Kimball | Outlaw | Gary Clarke | 28 | Credited |
| Mose Shell | Stagecoach driver | Eddy Waller | 71 | Credited |
| Francie | Billing's saloon girl | Allison Hayes | 31 | Credited |
| Laramie doctor | Raymond Greenleaf | 69 | Credited | |
| Billing's postmaster | Harry Harvey, Sr. | 60 | Credited | |
| Billing's hotel clerk | Olan Soule | 52 | Credited | |
| Billing's bartender | David McMahon | 50 | Credited | |
| Farmer | Tom Fadden | 66 | Credited | |
| Billy Burch | Stage line passenger | Uncredited | ||
| Barnes | George Taylor | 61 | Uncredited | |
| Laramie deputies (2) | Uncredited | |||
| Stage line passenger | Pat O'Malley | 71 | Uncredited | |
| Stage line passengers (2) | Uncredited | |||
| Billing's asseyor | Uncredited | |||
| Mary Anderson | Tad Kimball's fiancee | Mentioned | ||
| Perkins | Laramie farmer | Mentioned |
Crew
| Director | Joe Kane |
| Teleplay | Paul Savage |
| Story | John Champion |
| Producer | John Champion |
| Laramie Theme | Cyril J. Mockridge |
| Music Score | Cyril Mockridge |
| Director of Photography | Ray Rennahan, A. S. C. |
| Associate Producer | Dan Ullman |
| Art Director | Lloyd S. Papez |
| Editorial Dept. Head/Supervisor | David J. O'Connell |
| Editorial Color Consultant | Alex Quiroga |
| Color Processing by | Consolidated Film Industries |
| Film Editor | Ray C. de Vally |
| Musical Supervision | Stanley Wilson |
| Sound | Earl Crain, Jr. |
| Makeup Artist | Jack Barron |
| Hair Stylist | Florence Bush |
| Costume & Wardrobe | Vincent Dee |
| Series Stuntmen (uncredited) | Paul Baxley, Joe Canutt. Bill Catching, Chuck Courtney, John Daheim, Leonard P. Geer, Sol Gorss, Charles Horvath, Robert F. Hoy, Loren Janes, Allen Pinson, Chuck Roberson, Ronnie Rondell Jr., Dean Smith, Tom Steele, Jerry Summers, Jack Williams Note: Robert Fuller often performed his own stunts in the series. |
| Assistant Director | Carter De Haven, III |
| Set Decoration | John McCarthy & Perry Murdock |
Epilogue – based on “The Fatal Step,” a teleplay by Paul Savage & story by John C. Champion
(DAISY COOPER is in the Sherman ranch house kitchen. JESS HARPER and SLIM SHERMAN are sitting at the table in the front room, drinking coffee. MIKE WILLIAMS is standing next to JESS HARPER.)
MIKE WILLIAMS: But, how long did they keep ya in jail.?
JESS HARPER: Too long, Mike. Nah, just a couple hours. Seemed like days though.
(DAISY COOPER slowly walks from the kitchen to stand behind MIKE WILLLIAMS.)
SLIM SHERMAN: See, we had to convince the folks in Billings that we didn’t wound the marshall just because we didn’t like him. That took some doin’, believe me. I don’t think we coulda done it without Tad Kimbal’s help.
JESS HARPER: Yeah, that’s right. And he made a full confession. Townspeople believed him. They hadn’ta…(Fingers his neck) they’da had quite a necktie party.
MIKE WILLIAMS: A necktie party? You mean everybody was going to get all dressed up? How come?
SLIM SHERMAN: Not exactly Mike. Ya’ see a necktie…
DAISY COOPER: Ah, that is what you meant, wasn’t it? You don’t have any objection to wearing a necktie, do you? (Throws a sideways glance at MIKE WILLIAMS)
JESS HARPER: Oh, ah… No, Miss Daisy. Fact is, I got one around here someplace myself. Ah, ya see Mike, ah, those folks up in Montana, they… they dress up more than we do down here in Wyoming.
MIKE WILLIAMS: Maybe they wanted to celebrate ’cause you straightened everything out.
DAISY COOPER: I’m sure that’s right.
SLIM SHERMAN: Necktie party. Now where did you ever pick up a crazy expression like that?
JESS HARPER: From you! Where else?
Geographic References
Billings, Montana Territory, United States of America
Casper, Wyoming Territory, United States of America
Colorado Springs, Colorado Territory, United States of America
Laramie Basin, United States of America
Laramie, Wyoming Territory, United States of America
Oregon, United States of America
Sheridan, Wyoming Territory, United States of America
St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
Summit Pass
Fare
Coffee
Potatoes
Wine
Sources: Laramie episodes (written, spoken and credits), Internet Movie Database (IMDb), Wikipedia, individual observations, and others as indicated by the links.
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