Cheyenne's newest friend is Hoot Hollister, whom he met while fur trapping. During an ambush in town by ruffians determined to relieve them of their hard-earned money, they're joined in the fight by an old friend, dapper Price Edwards. Along with a lovely young woman named Caroline Parker, whom they meet evidently by chance in a local shop, they board a riverboat headed for St. Louis, where Hoot plans to marry his longtime fiancée, Hildy.
This episode opens with Cheyenne witnessing a card sharp, played by the ever-menacing Leo Gordon, plying his trade on a riverboat. Cheyenne sees him again two years later, only this time the shark (calling himself Lou Santell) is after Hoot's money. Cheyenne becomes suspicious when he finds a connection between Santell, Price, and Caroline. Worse yet, he discovers that the three of them are working together to cheat Hoot at the poker table. But Cheyenne won't let the old codger be conned by what he's come to realize are seasoned gamblers dealing from a stacked deck.
Caroline's job is to distract Cheyenne. At first she's reluctant, even begging Price to forget the money and leave, but he convinces her that they have no choice; there's no reneging on a debt to men like Lou Santell. So she gives in, but when she tries her charms on Bodie, he doesn't fall for it. When it's obvious that Hoot's imposing new friend will not back down, Santell puts him out of commission with a decisive blow to the head. But being hard-headed has served Cheyenne Bodie well over the years, so it takes more than that to stop him, and he manages to save Hoot from losing his marriage money. Santell ends up arrested, Price meets his demise under the boat's massive wheel, and Caroline is left to mourn alone.
Arthur Hunnicutt has played the same Hoot Hollister character many times in his career. He's a delight to watch this time around, too, a nice counterpart to Clint Walker's commanding Cheyenne Bodie, who proves yet again to be the best friend anybody could want. Santell is a familiar persona for Leo Gordon, one of the most realistic bad guys ever on film. Walter Reed is good as Price Edwards, Cheyenne's flawed old acquaintance for whom even the love of a decent woman isn't enough to temper his avarice. As usual, the sets and costumes are authentic. One thing Warner Brothers did very well was to place their old West characters in historically accurate surroundings. And mention must be made of the construction crews who built those authentic sets. For example, during his decisive last fight with Lou Santell, Cheyenne hooks his arm around a pillar of the paddle wheeler to stop himself from going overboard, and the pillar doesn't give the slightest wobble; that's great set-building. Even the background music is always appropriate, never intrusive; in this series they artistically weave the "Cheyenne" theme into the narrative at pivotal moments and in season two finally use that great theme over the credits.
At the heart of all the action, of course, is the main character. And Clint Walker--as the old friend who invited us along with Cheyenne Bodie on his latest adventure--never disappointed.
This episode opens with Cheyenne witnessing a card sharp, played by the ever-menacing Leo Gordon, plying his trade on a riverboat. Cheyenne sees him again two years later, only this time the shark (calling himself Lou Santell) is after Hoot's money. Cheyenne becomes suspicious when he finds a connection between Santell, Price, and Caroline. Worse yet, he discovers that the three of them are working together to cheat Hoot at the poker table. But Cheyenne won't let the old codger be conned by what he's come to realize are seasoned gamblers dealing from a stacked deck.
Caroline's job is to distract Cheyenne. At first she's reluctant, even begging Price to forget the money and leave, but he convinces her that they have no choice; there's no reneging on a debt to men like Lou Santell. So she gives in, but when she tries her charms on Bodie, he doesn't fall for it. When it's obvious that Hoot's imposing new friend will not back down, Santell puts him out of commission with a decisive blow to the head. But being hard-headed has served Cheyenne Bodie well over the years, so it takes more than that to stop him, and he manages to save Hoot from losing his marriage money. Santell ends up arrested, Price meets his demise under the boat's massive wheel, and Caroline is left to mourn alone.
Arthur Hunnicutt has played the same Hoot Hollister character many times in his career. He's a delight to watch this time around, too, a nice counterpart to Clint Walker's commanding Cheyenne Bodie, who proves yet again to be the best friend anybody could want. Santell is a familiar persona for Leo Gordon, one of the most realistic bad guys ever on film. Walter Reed is good as Price Edwards, Cheyenne's flawed old acquaintance for whom even the love of a decent woman isn't enough to temper his avarice. As usual, the sets and costumes are authentic. One thing Warner Brothers did very well was to place their old West characters in historically accurate surroundings. And mention must be made of the construction crews who built those authentic sets. For example, during his decisive last fight with Lou Santell, Cheyenne hooks his arm around a pillar of the paddle wheeler to stop himself from going overboard, and the pillar doesn't give the slightest wobble; that's great set-building. Even the background music is always appropriate, never intrusive; in this series they artistically weave the "Cheyenne" theme into the narrative at pivotal moments and in season two finally use that great theme over the credits.
At the heart of all the action, of course, is the main character. And Clint Walker--as the old friend who invited us along with Cheyenne Bodie on his latest adventure--never disappointed.
