User Reviews

THE DEPUTY, lasting two seasons on NBC and an early credit for producer/creator Norman Lear, was essentially a vehicle for second billed Allen Case, despite Henry Fonda's starring presence as Marshal Simon Fry of Arizona's Silver City, shooting all his scenes in a matter of weeks to allow time for his busy film career. Case's Clay McCord is a storekeeper who puts on his deputy badge in Fry's absence, an expert shot but reluctant to use a gun, which actually plays a part in this 68th episode, "Brother in Arms," featuring Denny Miller as Clay's boyhood friend Billy Jason, a fast draw with a gun in his face, using McCord's father as his primary inspiration. This does not sit well with Clay's remembrance of his late father, with his great reverence for life and a preference to talk it out rather than shoot it out. Having legally gunned down a hostile loser in self defense in front of both marshal and deputy, Billy's sharpshooting reputation has followed him from town to town, only admitting to being in Silver City for a homecoming. His true intention is revealed soon enough, confronting wealthy Tom Arnold (Lon Chaney) about his long dead father, who was killed in a mine cave in before Billy was born, partners in the mine before Arnold gave up every penny to buy out every share from the widow, living a poverty stricken life that finally ended four weeks earlier, for which the youth blames the older man. Arnold has no desire to strap on a gun against this unexpected foe, but he does have a staunch ally in peace maker Clay. Lon Chaney essayed a great many villainous roles in feature Westerns, but was eminently skilled in sympathetic oaters on the small screen, with a final twist to add perspective to a well written half hour, the last of 15 episodes directed by veteran David Butler.

Overall, this series was pretty low-key compared to many of the 30-minute TV oaters of that era. Fonda's veteran presence would carry the episodes in which he was featured, which, unfortunately was the minority of those filmed.

This episode stands out for two reasons - above-average script, especially in its last five minutes; and a fine guest performance from an old pro, Lon Chaney, Jr., which more than atoned for this being one in which Henry Fonda was only on camera for a cup of coffee - literally and figuratively.

Apparently, these comments were less than 600 characters, forcing me to add more bulk to pass inspection. So no need to keep reading. This whole paragraph is just for the word counting program.