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The Deputy (TV series)

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The Deputy
Allen Case as McCord on the set with guest star Vivian Vance, 1959
GenreWestern
Created by
Starring
Narrated byHenry Fonda
Theme music composerJack Marshall
ComposerJack Marshall
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes76 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 12, 1959 (1959-09-12) –
July 1, 1961 (1961-07-01)

The Deputy is an American Western television series starring Henry Fonda and Allen Case that aired on NBC from 1959 to 1961. Fonda portrayed Chief Marshal Simon Fry of the Arizona Territory and Case played Deputy Clay McCord, a storekeeper who tried to avoid using a gun.[1]

Synopsis

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Fonda narrated most episodes and appeared briefly at the beginning and ending of most segments. He played the lead in only six episodes in the first season and 13 in the second. Usually, he gave his deputy the assignment, and on rare occasions, thanked him at the conclusion of the episode. As Fred MacMurray did while shooting the sitcom series My Three Sons, Fonda performed all of his work on The Deputy in several lengthy sessions, so as to leave himself free for other projects. Although based in Silver City, the marshal's district also covered several nearby towns. Deputy McCord was a storekeeper who bore arms with great reluctance. Wallace Ford appeared as the elderly marshal, Herk Lamson, with Betty Lou Keim as McCord's sister, Fran, in the first season. Read Morgan joined the show in the second season as Sergeant Hapgood Tasker, known as "Sarge", a one-eyed United States Army cavalry enlisted man stationed in town. Gary Hunley played as Deputy Clay McCord's young brother Brandon McCord in an episode of the television series.[2]

Cast

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Recurring cast

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Episodes

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Season 1

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Badge For A Day (The Deputy)"Don MedfordRoland Kibbee & Norman LearSeptember 12, 1959 (1959-09-12)
22"The Wild Wind"David ButlerN.B. Stone Jr.September 19, 1959 (1959-09-19)
33"Back To Glory"Felix E. FeistCharles SmithSeptember 26, 1959 (1959-09-26)
44"Shadow Of The Noose"Robert B. SinclairRoland Kibbee & Norman LearOctober 3, 1959 (1959-10-03)
55"Powder Keg"David ButlerWells Root & Ron BishopOctober 10, 1959 (1959-10-10)
66"Like Father"David ButlerJerry SackheimOctober 17, 1959 (1959-10-17)
77"Proof Of Guilt"Arthur LubinMelvin LevyOctober 24, 1959 (1959-10-24)
88"The Johnny Shanks Story"David ButlerN.B. Stone Jr.October 31, 1959 (1959-10-31)
99"Focus Of Doom"Arthur LubinSidney Michaels & Michael KraikeNovember 7, 1959 (1959-11-07)
1010"The Big Four"David ButlerKay Lenard & Jess CarneolNovember 14, 1959 (1959-11-14)
1111"The Next Bullet"David ButlerKay Lenard & Jess CarneolNovember 28, 1959 (1959-11-28)
1212"The Deal"Herschel DoughertyHerbert Purdom & Michael KraikeDecember 5, 1959 (1959-12-05)
1313"Land Greed"Robert B. SinclairDale Eunson & Katherine AlbertDecember 12, 1959 (1959-12-12)
1414"Man Of Peace"Frank ArrigoHerbert PurdomDecember 19, 1959 (1959-12-19)
1515"The Orphans"Frederick StephaniKatherine Albert & Dale EunsonDecember 26, 1959 (1959-12-26)
1616"Backfire"Jim HoganWilton SchillerJanuary 2, 1960 (1960-01-02)
1717"Hang The Law"Robert B. SinclairHerbert PurdomJanuary 9, 1960 (1960-01-09)
1818"Silent Gun"Sidney LanfieldHendrik VollaertsJanuary 23, 1960 (1960-01-23)
1919"The Hidden Motive"Sidney Lanfield & Robert B. SinclairKay Lenard & Jess Carneol & Michael KraikeJanuary 30, 1960 (1960-01-30)
2020"Lawman's Blood"John BrahmCharles SmithFebruary 6, 1960 (1960-02-06)
2121"The Return Of Simon Fry"Arthur LubinTerence MaplesFebruary 13, 1960 (1960-02-13)
2222"Queen Bea"Herschel Daugherty & Robert B. SinclairHerbert PurdomFebruary 20, 1960 (1960-02-20)
2323"The Two Faces Of Bob Claxton"David ButlerCharles O'NealFebruary 27, 1960 (1960-02-27)
2424"Lady With A Mission"Sidney LanfieldCharles SmithMarch 5, 1960 (1960-03-05)
2525"The Border Between"Frank ArrigoHal Biller & Austin KalishMarch 12, 1960 (1960-03-12)
2626"Final Payment"Frank ArrigoCharles R. MarionMarch 19, 1960 (1960-03-19)
2727"Dark Reward"Louis King & Robert B. SinclairMarianne MosnerMarch 26, 1960 (1960-03-26)
2828"Marked For Bounty"Sidney LanfieldWilliam YagemannApril 2, 1960 (1960-04-02)
2929"The Truly Yours"David ButlerMontgomery Pittman & Herbert PurdomApril 9, 1960 (1960-04-09)
3030"A Time To Sow"Louis KingKay Lenard & Jess CarneolApril 23, 1960 (1960-04-23)
3131"The Last Gunfight"Sidney LanfieldCharles Smith & Richard CarrApril 30, 1960 (1960-04-30)
3232"Chain Of Action"Sidney LanfieldLester FullerMay 7, 1960 (1960-05-07)
3333"The Lucifer Urge"Sidney LanfieldEllis KadisonMay 14, 1960 (1960-05-14)
3434"Palace Of Chance"Sidney LanfieldCharles Smith & Frank EdmundsMay 21, 1960 (1960-05-21)
3535"The X Game"David ButlerHerbert PurdomMay 28, 1960 (1960-05-28)
3636"The Stand-Off"David ButlerEllis Kadison & Louis PaulJune 11, 1960 (1960-06-11)
3737"Trail Of Darkness"Sidney LanfieldHendrik VollaertsJune 18, 1960 (1960-06-18)
3838"The Choice"David ButlerSaul Schwartz & Lester FullerJune 25, 1960 (1960-06-25)
3939"Ma Mack"Robert B. SinclairRod PetersonJuly 9, 1960 (1960-07-09)

Season 2 (1960–61)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
401"The Deadly Breed"Virgil W. VogelClarke ReynoldsSeptember 24, 1960 (1960-09-24)
412"Meet Sergeant Tasker"Reginald Le BorgRichard MorganOctober 1, 1960 (1960-10-01)
423"The Jason Harris Story"Tay GarnettCharles SmithOctober 8, 1960 (1960-10-08)
434"The Fatal Urge"Tay GarnettJoseph CarterOctober 15, 1960 (1960-10-15)
445"Mother and Son"Louis KingCharles R. MarionOctober 29, 1960 (1960-10-29)
456"Bitter Root"Louis KingKay Lenard & Jess CarneolNovember 5, 1960 (1960-11-05)
467"The Higher Law"Tay GarnettCharles Smith & William NashNovember 12, 1960 (1960-11-12)
478"Passage to New Orleans"Louis KingHendrik VollaertsNovember 19, 1960 (1960-11-19)
489"The World Against Me"David ButlerHal Biller & Austin KalishNovember 26, 1960 (1960-11-26)
4910"Sally Tornado (aka Lady For A Hanging)"Louis KingCharles SmithDecember 3, 1960 (1960-12-03)
5011"The Three Brothers"Sidney LanfieldPeggy O'Shea & Lou ShawDecember 10, 1960 (1960-12-10)
5112"Day of Fear"Tay GarnettClarke ReynoldsDecember 17, 1960 (1960-12-17)
5213"Second Cousin to the Czar"Louis KingKay Lenard & Jess CarneolDecember 24, 1960 (1960-12-24)
5314"The Judas Town"Frank ArrigoHal Biller & Austin KalishDecember 31, 1960 (1960-12-31)
5415"Duty Bound"Herschel DaughertyRod PetersonJanuary 7, 1961 (1961-01-07)
5516"The Lesson"Frank ArrigoKay Lenard & Jess CarneolJanuary 14, 1961 (1961-01-14)
5617"Past and Present"Tay GarnettRudy MakoulJanuary 21, 1961 (1961-01-21)
5718"The Hard Decision"David ButlerPeggy and Lou ShawJanuary 28, 1961 (1961-01-28)
5819"The Dream"Tay GarnettEllis KadisonFebruary 4, 1961 (1961-02-04)
5920"Shackled Town"Tay GarnettClarke ReynoldsFebruary 11, 1961 (1961-02-11)
6021"The Lonely Road"Louis KingWilliam F. LeicesterFebruary 18, 1961 (1961-02-18)
6122"The Challenger"Frank ArrigoRichard MorganFebruary 25, 1961 (1961-02-25)
6223"Edge of Doubt"Frank ArrigoPeggy O'Shea & Lou ShawMarch 4, 1961 (1961-03-04)
6324"Two-Way Deal"Tay GarnettWilliam YagemannMarch 11, 1961 (1961-03-11)
6425"The Means and the End"Tay GarnettFinlay McDermidMarch 18, 1961 (1961-03-18)
6526"The Example"Otto LangRalph GoodmanMarch 25, 1961 (1961-03-25)
6627"Cherchez La Femme"David ButlerStuart JeromeApril 1, 1961 (1961-04-01)
6728"Tension Point"Tay GarnettClarke ReynoldsApril 8, 1961 (1961-04-08)
6829"Brother in Arms"David ButlerEdward J. LaksoApril 15, 1961 (1961-04-15)
6930"The Return of Widow Brown"Otto LangNorman JacobApril 22, 1961 (1961-04-22)
7031"Spoken In Silence"Tay GarnettKay Lenard & Jess CarneolApril 29, 1961 (1961-04-29)
7132"An Enemy of the Town"Frank ArrigoJerry Sackheim & Curtis KenyonMay 6, 1961 (1961-05-06)
7233"The Legend of Dixie"Frank ArrigoMichael Kraike & Robert SabaroffMay 20, 1961 (1961-05-20)
7334"The Deathly Quiet"Otto LangPaul FranklinMay 27, 1961 (1961-05-27)
7435"Brand of Honesty"Tay GarnettHerbert PurdomJune 10, 1961 (1961-06-10)
7536"Lorinda Belle"Sherry ShourdsHendrik Vollaerts & Michael KraikeJune 24, 1961 (1961-06-24)
7637"Lawman's Conscience"Fredrick StephaniMichael Kraike & Saul SchwartzJuly 1, 1961 (1961-07-01)

Production notes

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The series was created by Roland Kibbee and Norman Lear, produced by Revue Studios, and featured a jazz guitar score by Jack Marshall.[3][4] It was the first television series that involved Lear as a creator or executive producer.[5] William Frye was the executive producer, and Michel Kraike was the producer. Kibbee and Lear were the head writers. Kellogg's sponsored alternate weeks. The Deputy aired at 9 pm Eastern on Saturdays.[3]

Original tie-in novel

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An original, licensed novel, based on the TV series concept and characters, was issued in paperback by Dell Publishing. The book was titled simply The Deputy, after the series; the author was veteran Western novelist Roe Richmond; the publication date was September, 1960; and the cover illustration, featuring Henry Fonda and Allan Case, was a painting by John Leone. The cover price was 35¢.

Bantam Books reissued the novel in 1986, as a non-tie-in, paperback edition, displaying no stated connection to the TV series whatsoever, under the title The Saga of Simon Fry. The cover price was $2.75. The circumstances behind the reprint are unknown.

Home media

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On October 26, 2010, Timeless Media Group released the complete series on DVD in Region 1. The 12-disc set features all 76 episodes of the series.

References

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  1. ^ Alex McNeil, Total Television, New York: Penguin Books, 1996, pp. 212-213
  2. ^ Aaker, Everett (May 16, 2017). Television Western Players, 1960-1975: A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. p. 87. ISBN 9781476628561 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b "This Week (Cont'd)". Ross Reports. September 7, 1959. p. 76. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  4. ^ Aaker, Everett (2017-06-08). Television Western Players, 1960-1975: A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. p. 169. ISBN 978-1-4766-6250-3.
  5. ^ Evans, Art (2020-07-09). World War II Veterans in Hollywood. McFarland. p. 214. ISBN 978-1-4766-7777-4.
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