Episode
The High Chaparral: The Assassins
Overview
An Apache renegade and his followers plan to kill Cochise's peace representative in the Cannon ranch house and start a new Indian war. Medicine man Nock-Ay-Del explains that Cochise will agree to live peacefully if John Cannon offers sufficient gifts. Buck warns against a death trap when an outpost guard is killed during negotiations. Sub-chief Soldado and three warriors move in towards the ranch house to accomplish their purpose.
Details
- Series
- The High Chaparral
- Season
- Season 1
- Episode
- Episode 17
- Air date
- 1968-01-07
- Runtime
- 52 min
Episode context
The Assassins is Episode 17 in Season 1 of The High Chaparral. It aired on 1968-01-07. The runtime is 52 min.
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Episode 16: The Firing Wall
Fernando Lamas guest-stars as a Mexican bandit turned revolutionary who captures and prepares to execute the Cannon Ranch hands to prove his power.
Manolito is jailed by El Caudillo, the Mexican bandit, when Conchita lures the group across the border. Billy Blue Cannon is allowed to escape, and he returns with El Caudillo's old enemy, Don Sebastian, and the entire group, except ranch hand Pedro, then is jailed. Hope for escape fades when El Caudillo prepares to shoot the group before frightened villagers to prove his power and to force them to join his revolution to conquer Mexico.
Episode 18: Survival
John Cannon and Billy Blue are captured by Apaches far from home and made to face death from lack of water.
John and Billy force a wounded Indian, Klosen, to lead them toward water but the Apache escapes. Buck and Manolito catch a glimpse of a war party wearing John's and Billy's hats but harsh desert winds make it impossible to track the missing pair. When John and Billy do find water, renegade Chief Soldado ties them to a rock to die of thirst.
More episodes from this season
Episode 15: The Terrorist
Henry Silva guest-stars as a revolutionary who plans to assassinate Benito Juarez, exiled President of Mexico, on the Cannon Ranch.
Manolito frees his old friend Santos from a Mexican jail, where he has been imprisoned by the French as a terrorist for Juarez. Santos and his sister, Pilar, are taken to the Cannon Ranch where Victoria arranges for Juarez to plan an invasion of Mexico. Manolito learns Santos has turned traitor and plans to conquer French-ruled Mexico himself. Before Manolito can warn his friends, Santos's followers take over the ranch and prepare to kill Juarez upon his arrival.
Episode 19: Gold Is Where You Leave It
John Cannon drives gold seekers from an abandoned mine on his land and they retaliate by plotting to kill the Cannons.
Lije Driskill, Johnny Faro and Shorty Bleeson fail in an attempt to kill Buck, Sam and Victoria, who are driving back to the ranch with dynamite to use at the mine. Driskill and his companions then raid the ranch and drive off the cattle. Buck, mistaking a friendly kiss from Victoria, leaves to dynamite the mine, and plans to make it his final job for John. Billy Blue rides to help Buck. but is captured by Driskill, who plans to kill the young m
Episode 14: Mark of the Turtle
John Cannon risks breaking a mutual defense agreement with Victoria's father and dissolution of his marriage when his ranch hands join a posse searching for marauding bandits in Mexico.
Marshal Virgil Shanks leads the posse into Mexico and comes into strong conflict with Buck and the Cannon cowhands when he disregards the delicacy of the situation and rides boldly onto Montoya land. Manolito finds the bandit leader, El Lobo, on his father's land and attempts to move the bandits out before the posse moves in for the kill.
Episode 20: The Kinsman
The Cannons care for a wounded relative who repays them by stealing the ranch payroll.
Uncle Dan Brookes arrives suddenly after a 15-year absence seeking safety in the heavily fortified ranch. He conceals the fact he is wanted dead or alive for murder and has been shot by bounty hunters Mace and Gurney. When Buck hires the bounty hunters as ranch hands, Brookes saves his own skin by offering to help Mace and Gurney steal the Cannon payroll.
Episode 13: The Widow from Red Rock
Billy Blue Cannon faces possible hanging when he is court-martialed on the charge of killing an army general's son.
Billy Blue saves an Indian girl from advances by a drunken army lieutenant, who is killed in the fight. When the girl flees to the Apache stronghold, Buck and Manolito risk their lives to persuade Cochise to release Blue's only eyewitness. Her testimony is discarded when the court learns her release was obtained by a bribe. It becomes obvious to John Cannon that the court-appointed defense is incapable of saving Billy Blue, and John personally takes over his son's defense.
Episode 21: Champion of the Western World
Billy Blue Cannon plans to earn money for an expensive silver saddle by boxing.
Billy Blue learns Killian and his ranch hands have entered every event in the Fourth of July rodeo to win the saddle, so the High Chaparral wranglers compete trying to help Blue, but they fail. Desperate for funds, Blue works out for five dollars with champion Paddy O'Bannion's opponent, but breaks the man's jaw. Buck convinces Blue he must fight the champ if he hopes to buy the saddle. Blue learns O'Bannion needs the fight money to marry and is torn between mixed reactions.
Episode 12: The Price of Revenge
Buck Cannon goes to work as foreman for a lovely neighboring widow, and clashes with his brother John when the job appears permanent.
Buck falls in love with the widow, Melanie Cawthorne, and becomes her tool as she strives for quick riches and respectability. As water grows scarce, she buys stolen Mexican cattle from Romero without Buck's knowledge.
Episode 22: Ride the Savage Land
Buck and Manolito invade the Apache stronghold to rescuer a captive white girl.
Ann, an Apache slave for five years, is rescued by Buck and Manolito as she flees from her captors, but her frail sister Olive is recaptured. John asks a passing Army detachment for aid, but the unit is massacred before it can help. Buck and Manolito ride unarmed into the Apache stronghold prepared to buy the girl's freedom, but the Apache chief and the medicine man offer to let them go free with the girl if Manolito can survive a test of courage.
Episode 11: A Hanging Offense
Billy Blue Cannon faces possible hanging when he is court-martialed on the charge of killing an army general's son.
Billy Blue saves an Indian girl from advances by a drunken army lieutenant, who is killed in the fight. When the girl flees to the Apache stronghold, Buck and Manolito risk their lives to persuade Cochise to release Blue's only eyewitness. Her testimony is discarded when the court learns her release was obtained by a bribe. It becomes obvious to John Cannon that the court-appointed defense is incapable of saving Billy Blue, and John personally takes over his son's defense
Episode 23: Bad Day for a Thirst
Buck Cannon jeopardizes his life, when he tries to turn two Apaches into wranglers.
Sourdough and Saddleblanket quickly become valuable hands. When an Apache war party kills three ranchers and kidnaps the two Indian wranglers, all but Buck believes the two Apaches are killers and have reverted to their old ways. The High Chaparral group tracks the war party to an Army fort the Indians have captured and where Buck lies seriously wounded beyond reach of his comrades. Almost dying of thirst, Buck's only chance for survival lies in an appeal to his Indian wranglers inside the fort to turn on their fellow Apaches.