Episode
The Virginian: The Drifter
Overview
This episode recounts in flashback how the Virginian came to Shiloh Ranch. The Virginian comes to Medicine Bow and first works for Miles Peterson (Leif Erickson) whose spread is run by ranch foreman Hugh Stager (Michael Forest). Stager tries to gain control of the ranch by romancing Peterson's daughter Maria (Mariette Hartley) and plotting to remove Peterson and blame it on Judge Garth. However, he has not reckoned on the Virginian and his growing friendship with Judge Garth.
Details
- Series
- The Virginian
- Season
- Season 2
- Episode
- Episode 19
- Air date
- 1964-01-29
Episode context
The Drifter is Episode 19 in Season 2 of The Virginian. It aired on 1964-01-29.
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Episode 18: The Thirty Days of Gavin Heath
Former British soldier Gavin Heath (Leo Genn) strikes it rich and returns to Medicine Bow where he had previously lived. Heath is attacked by an apparently rabid dog. Thinking he may only have 30 days to live, Heath is forced to confront his cowardly past.
Episode 20: First to Thine Own Self
A young drifter named Randy (Randy Boone) camps with Silas (Frank Maxwell) and his young daughter Melanie (Claire Wilcox) near Medicine Bow. Silas reveals he has been mining and that he found gold nuggets. Silas is murdered, the gold stolen and Randy is accused of the crime. He hides out with Melanie who knows him innocent and with help from Betsy Garth and the Virginian is eventually able to expose the real killers.
More episodes from this season
Episode 17: The Fortunes of J. Jimerson Jones
J. Jimerson Jones (Pat O'Brien) finds a gold vein and on the way to Chicago to enjoy his fortune, meets Judge Garth and Betsy. In Chicago the Garth's make the acquaintance of young newspaper reporter Eddie Tighe (David Macklin) while Jones meets a middle-aged hotel maid, Maggie Hyeth (Ann Doran). Jones becomes the target of con artists and Betsy the romantic target of Tighe, with generally humorous results.
Episode 21: A Matter of Destiny
Robert Gaynor (Peter Graves), a wealthy and somewhat ruthless Chicago meat packer, buys a local ranch and comes to Medicine Bow. He begins romancing, and wins the heart of, Janet Lawrence (Jean Hale) who had been seeing Trampas. Gaynor's methods bring him into conflict with local ranchers. In the end it is up to Trampas to resolve the conflict and save Gaynor from a hired assassin.
Episode 16: Roar from the Mountain
A cougar kills a Shiloh hand and Steve Hill, experienced in hunting these animals, tracks it into the mountains where he comes upon a homestead owned by Nancy Mayhew (Joyce Bulifant) and her husband Charles (Jack Klugman). The Mayhew's have strained relations and it is learned Charles son was killed by the same cougar. Nancy blames this on Charles' cowardice and indicates a romantic interest in Steve, an interest which eventually endangers Steve's life.
Episode 22: Smile of a Dragon
Trampas is the sole survivor of a stagecoach robbery but he is wounded and wanders off in a daze. The local Sheriff (Richard Carlson) finds him and accuses him of being one of the robbers, hints the townspeople will lynch him and even tries to kill him. Trampas escapes and takes refuge with Kim Ho (Miyoshi Umeki) who learns of his innocence. Meanwhile Steve Hill heads for the area thinking Trampas is dead. Trampas tries to find the real guilty parties to clear himself and in the end is saved by the arrival of Steve Hill.
Episode 15: The Invaders
Rancher Mike Tyrone (Ed Begley) purhases a ranch near Medicine Bow, and moves there with his daughter Margaret (Beverly Owen), and his two sons (Rees Vaughan and James McMullen). Tyrone tries to force surrounding ranchers to sell their spreads, eventually cutting off the water from a local river that the other ranchers use to water their stocks. However, the conflict is ended by an unexpected decision of Margaret Tyrone.
Episode 23: The Intruders
Judge Garth is hosting a meeting at Shiloh Ranch between a US Army General and the Chief of the Sioux (Iron Eyes Cody) as someone is trying to stir up trouble between the Indians and Army. He manages to send most of the hands away to keep the meeting secret. Four men arrive including Trachsel (Darren McGavin) and the Utah Kid (David Carradine), and they take the remaining residents hostage intent on killing the Sioux Chief when he arrives. However, the criminals did not reckon on the abilities of Judge Garth and Betsy's visiting friend, young Chicago newspaper reporter Eddie Tighe (David Macklin).
Episode 14: Man of Violence
Trampas' Uncle Josh (Harry Shannon) is murdered during an holdup by Wismer (Leonard Nimoy) and Judson (William Bryant). On their trail, Trampas is eventually forced to illegally enter Apache territory where the two robbers had made a gold strike. He is joined on his quest by a guide who is after the gold (Michael Pate), a woman (Peggy McCay) who is looking for her husband who it turns out is Judson, and an army doctor who is attempting to escape court martial (DeForest Kelly).
Episode 24: Another's Footsteps
The Virginian's friend, young Dan Grant (Paul Petersen), is killed in a bank robbery. The three robbers escape a posse but the Virginian is more persistent and tracks them to Montana. Two of the robbers are captured and the Virginian tracks the third (Johan Agar) to a farmstead occupied by a young boy and his mother (Sherree North), and suspects the absent husband is the third gunman. As he waits for the husband to return he bonds with the boy and becomes romantically involved with the wife. However, the robber returns and the inevitable showdown occurs.
Episode 13: Siege
Trampas wins $1,000 at poker in Medicine Bow and heads to his old stomping grounds of Logan, New Mexico to repay several debts. There he has a run in with comancheros, led by Pedro Lopez (Joseph Campanella), who virtually run the town and have the town leaders under their thumb. Trampas discovers that some of the commancheros have murdered his old friends and turns them over to the Marshall (Ron Hayes) to hold for trial. However, Pedro threatens the townsfolk and they cave under and force the marshall to release the murderers. Pedro and his men then come gunning for Trampas.
Episode 25: Rope of Lies
A beautiful woman, Alva Lowell (Diana Millay), arrives in Medicine Bow having just bought the Lazy K Ranch and manages to hire a reluctant Steve Hill to be her foreman. A former business partner of Alva's, Jess Carver (Peter Breck), arrives and is killed by Steve, apparently in self-defence. However, Steve is arrested and must go to trial defended by Judge Garth's friend, lawyer Ebberly Packis (Paul Fix).