In "Man of God," a Season One episode of "Laramie," the Sioux are on the warpath in Dakota Territory and Father Elliott (James Gregory), a Catholic priest in a monk's robe and cap, sets off on a mule to try and reach Sitting Bull to talk him out of war. He spends a night at the Sherman Ranch with series regulars Slim (John Smith) and Jess (Robert Fuller), but neither one will offer to guide him to Sitting Bull's location. They consider it too dangerous. So Elliott enters a saloon in Laramie and recruits someone named Charlie Root (Bill Williams), who, unbeknownst to Elliott, is a gunman working for a band of gunrunners and whiskey sellers whose trade with the Indians will be jeopardized by any moves for peace. Jess gets wind of all this and sets off in pursuit to try and catch up with them before Root can harm the padre. But Father Elliott, not simply a naïve do-gooder but a true "man of God," is not easily fooled and has a trick or two up his sleeve himself.
There's some great location shooting in this episode once they get to Sioux country. It's got a great cast which includes Raymond Bailey as an army colonel who gives the priest nothing but scorn; Douglas Kennedy as the leader of the gunrunners; and, in a remarkable cameo appearance, Frank DeKova as Sitting Bull. But it's Gregory as the unwavering, unflappable but surefooted priest who steals the show. There's more talk than action, but it's great dialogue and Gregory keeps us enthralled. (The script is by Kathleen Hite, who had quite a long list of exemplary TV writing credits, including the second episode of "Laramie," "Glory Road," which also had a charismatic religious figure at the center of it.)
There's some great location shooting in this episode once they get to Sioux country. It's got a great cast which includes Raymond Bailey as an army colonel who gives the priest nothing but scorn; Douglas Kennedy as the leader of the gunrunners; and, in a remarkable cameo appearance, Frank DeKova as Sitting Bull. But it's Gregory as the unwavering, unflappable but surefooted priest who steals the show. There's more talk than action, but it's great dialogue and Gregory keeps us enthralled. (The script is by Kathleen Hite, who had quite a long list of exemplary TV writing credits, including the second episode of "Laramie," "Glory Road," which also had a charismatic religious figure at the center of it.)
