Anna's Top Ten Favorite Actors

Since I have been slacking on posting regularly and I need to beat Irene, I have decided to post again today. I already told her I would post my 'Top Ten Favorite Actors' a while ago so I thought it was about time I did 😁 Keep in mind that many of my favorites are also Irene's favorites, and since she already wrote about them I'm not going to do it a second time.

(These are in no particular order)

1) Montgomery Clift 

 I first saw Montgomery Clift in 'Red River' with John Wayne and to say I was enchanted would be an extreme understatement. The way he portrayed Matthew Garth put him on my list of favorite movie characters/favorite actors. His calm and collected personality (at least in movies. No idea what he was like in real life) made him perfect for the intense situations that he faces in both movies I've seen him in.
In 'Red River' one of my favorite scenes with him is when he meets a fancy gunslinger and soon-to-be new ranch hand named Cherry who thinks he's all that . Well, let's just say Matt proves that Cherry is NOT all that and that he, Matthew Garth, is...well...ALL THAT!
My second favorite scene from that movie is at the very end when John Wayne who plays Thomas Dunson (practically a father to Matthew who goes a little cray cray) and him get into a fist fight. But that's just because I love it when someone who needs a good socking finally gets one! There's really nothing more satisfying.
He also plays the main character (Father Logan) in 'I Confess' by Alfred Hitchcock and he expresses the amount of inner-turmoil perfectly! (Amazing movie by the way. If you haven't seen it, you should)
In short, Montgomery Clift is one of those quiet and chill people that steal my heart. Every. Single. Time. 😊

2) Jack Hogan


Now if any of you have ever seen the TV show "Combat!" (if you haven't then you'll never really live until you do) then you undoubtedly know this charming fellow. I've never really seen him play a main role in movies or anything, but he often showed up in other TV shows at the time as a guest star and also, obviously, played Pvt. William G. Kirby in "Combat!" (only one of the best shows EVER!), who just so happens to also be my favorite character. For those of you who started watching the show but stopped somewhere in the first season (Are there any? If there are, are you even human?), Kirby is not a total jerk through all five seasons. In fact, I think that's why I love him so much. At the beginning of season 1 no one likes Kirby, and I mean NO ONE. But as the show progresses you see him really develop into a good person. But, what makes Jack Hogan so amazing, is that he managed to still keep Kirby's feisty, complaining, and sometimes obnoxious personality, while somehow also being extremely endearing. That's talent! I never really liked the loud mouth obnoxious types (even the ones that aren't bad), but Jack Hogan managed to somehow break the mold for me.
Another thing I'm going to mention is that whenever he guest starred on another show he ALWAYS played a bad guy, so that made him look even MORE appealing in "Combat!" than he already was.😍

3) Kent McCord


Sooooo, since Irene already stole Martin Milner I thought I'd give a section to this guy, who really is just as near and dear to my heart as the cranky old cop himself! (In reference to Officer Pete Malloy played by Martin Milner in Adam-12)
Kent McCord played Officer Jim Reed in the show Adam-12. In the beginning of the show Jim is completely green, having just gotten out of University, and he is partnered with Pete who has had many years experience. Well obviously at the beginning of the show Jim is very nervous and well, cute, especially since Pete is leaning on the sarcastic side of things (don't get me wrong, I love Pete just as much) and it's sometimes hard for Jim to tell when his superior is being serious or not. Anyway, as the show progresses they become great buddies and as Jim starts to feel more comfortable around Pete you see a more joking side of him. While in the beginning of the show Jim never even dreamed of teasing Pete you often see him making jabs at him later on the show. The word I would use to describe Kent McCord in Adam-12 is 'adorable'. That's right, he is just an adorable person that you love to love!
Recently Irene showed me a Dragnet episode where he plays an Undercover Police Officer who is accused of a crime and just looking at him made me nervous! THE FEELS MAN!!! Literally the whole time I was just saying, "Jim! This is so unlike you!". That's when you know you have a good actor. 😎

4) Peter Lawford

Peter Lawford. Ahhhhh yes, Peter Lawford! What a beautiful human being! I first saw Peter Lawford in 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' 1945 portraying the character David. Now to say I didn't really appreciate him would be a lie, because I truly did, but I did not realize just how much I appreciated him until I watched it for the third time with our friends. For some reason that time he just really stood out! His character has a major crush on the main girl Gladys who has a major crush on Dorian and if that's not putting it badly than I don't know what is! Anyway, Gladys refuses to marry him but being the good chap that he is David tries to convince her not to marry Dorian (he's a total creep). If I remember correctly he says, "Even if you're not going to marry me I won't let you marry him!". How unselfish is that? Really, he's just a beautiful person.
Anyway, later on I was watching 'The Longest Day' with the fam and this character showed up. A British soldier wearing a beret and knitted sweater and smoking a pipe. He seemed awfully familiar and as soon as he started talking I knew. Only one person has a voice like Peter Lawford, and that's Peter Lawford! Seriously, I could listen to him talk all day. His voice is just so sooooooooothing...Anyway, I also saw him in a clip from 'Good News' with June Allyson where they're singing the 'Varsity Drag' song and Irene did a spot on impersonation of him singing the first line 😎

5) Leslie Howard

Now this eccentric man is definitely one of the most British people I have ever had the pleasure of watching on screen. I believe he's most well known for his role in 'Pygmalion' as well as Sir. Percy Blakeney in 'The Scarlet Pimpernel', but I love him most for his role as Professor Horatio Smith in 'Pimpernel Smith' which is a WW2 remake of 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'. He is the perfect quirky and forgetful Professor who always has to be reminded of things by his very trustworthy students *not*. I of course liked him in 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' too where he plays a rather vacant English Aristocrat who isn't really vacant and is actually helping the French Aristocrats escape the guillotine (sorry if that's a spoiler), but in 'Pimpernel Smith' his role as the Professor of Archaeology who takes a bunch of his students to Germany for a 'dig' is really the perfect match for him. I think it also has something to do with the fact that Leslie Howard actually directed the movie himself so he really got to choose exactly how he wanted the character portrayed. Professor Smith is probably one of my favorite movie characters.
Fun fact: His son Ronald Howard played Sherlock Holmes! (They looked so much alike!)
😊

6) Vic Morrow

VIC MORROW!!! That right there explains every feeling I have for him! Of course I know him for his role as Sgt. Saunders in "Combat!" but he isn't just Sgt. Saunders...He's so much more! (And by so much more I mean his character in the Bonanza episode 'The Avenger'). Of course I did not know him in real life but the vibe I get every time I watch him act is that he really is a very stoic and no-nonsense type, but still very lovable...obviously...
I remember in one particular "Combat!" episode everyone is in a terrible mood and he's all sunshine and rainbows (maybe it's because he was the only one who liked rain? Its a slim chance, but still) and every time I watch that scene I'm reminded of what a great guy Sgt. Saunders is! I mean, Vic Morrow would have to be great as well in order to portray such an astounding character, so let's not forget that.
In one episode his acting ability got me to cry (I believe that actually happened more than once...Yes...And I'm not ashamed of it!). It was called 'The Little Carousel' and there is a young French girl who is a Nurse and she makes friends with Sgt. Saunders. I'm not going to spoil anything in case you want to watch it, but if you have any kind of intelligence at all you probably already know what happens...
And last of all I just want to mention his great way of getting Lt. Hanley back in shape in 'Hills are for Heroes' because it was priceless! Absolute gold! 💖💛

7) Charles Bronson

One word. Legit. This guy is legit! Now I'm not just saying this. Every single time I see Charles Bronson in a movie or even TV show he is either my favorite character, or very near being my favorite character. Namely, 'The Magnificent Seven'. His role as Bernardo O'Reilly has always been my favorite, even as a little girl, and I don't think it's ever going to change. There's just something so endearing about a guy that kids are attracted to. Is it just me who thinks that? I don't think so! (I know so)
There is one moment in the movie that I remember particularly. (I say this pretending I haven't watched it over a hundred times). All the other guys are sitting around the table eating the yummy good that the Mexicans made for them and Bernardo comes in and tells them that the rest of the villagers are practically eating nothing. They of course then feel bad and end up giving all the food to the kids. I just really like that scene because it's the first real look at his character. Later on there's another scene where the town is having a big party and he's sitting alone whittling a whistle and when he blows into it a cute little Mexican girl turns around and looks at him with big brown eyes and he of course gives her the whistle. This is really just the setting for his later to be child attraction. Later on three boys become his biggest fans and it's the cutest thing ever.
While Charles Bronson's best role to me was Bernardo O'Reilly a couple honorable mentions are: Danny the Tunnel King from 'The Great Escape' and Joseph Wladislaw from 'The Dirty Dozen'.
😎😎😎

8) Viggo Mortensen 

Now pretty much everyone knows this wonderful fellow for his amazing role as Aragorn in 'The Lord of the Rings', but I grew up knowing him as (besides Aragorn of course. I mean, I was born knowing who Aragorn was. Aragorn is like a brother too me!...I wish...) Frank Hopkins from 'Hidalgo'. Yes, a cowboy! And also yes, he is actually blond...ish...
Anyway, if you are a true fan of Viggo Mortensen or The Lord of the Rings then you know that Viggo Mortensen really loves horses and during his time off from filming the most amazing trilogy ever, he would go ride his horse. He would even wear a cowboy hat! So seeing him in Hidalgo should not come as a great surprise.
My farthest memories of Viggo Mortensen are of Aragorn of course, but I don't think I ever really appreciated how well he portrayed him until I got older. We just recently started watching the movies over again (extended addition!) and I swear when he's talking with Gandalf about Frodo in the halls of Rohan while everyone else is partying, he looks like deep down he's going to burst into tears! I kid you not. Thinking about it now and watching it for probably the millionth time I see how sad and melancholic he is through all the movies (If you've read the books or seen the movies you know why too), but Viggo Mortensen really gave off that vibe without outwardly doing anything a regularly sad person would do! (Like cry, for instance) Also, he really does give the impression of a humble king...😁

9) Edd Byrnes 

Okay so this one technically isn't one of my 'top ten favorite actors' but Irene stole most of my favorites and I had to come up with others that I really like and although I've only seen Edd Byrnes in I think two things, both of which he was guest starring in a TV show, one of the characters he played really stood out to me. It was in an episode of Lawman and I don't remember what it's called or what season it was, but he plays a young gunslinger who is on the run and sort of 'hitchhikes' with this group of obvious undesirables. So while they're on their way they run into this guy who is trying to get a doctor from town because his wife is dying. Edd's character says to just let him go (my words at the time being, "Awwww, he's not bad") but the others (one of which is actually Jack Hogan. Hah, figures) like his boots and coat, so obviously they shoot him. Anyway, Edd Byrnes's character decides to leave them and goes back to the dead guys house and ends up bringing the sick wife into town for a doctor. He pretends to be her husband who's a homesteader because he doesn't want anyone to know he's a gunslinger and the wife is temporarily blind. So, in short, this shady gunslinger turns out to be a really nice guy who just has a lot of hard rock on top. What really stuck out to me was just the way he acted the part and how he walked around like a gunslinger would, rather than a homesteader.
Anyway, that was more of an episode review but I don't care! That will probably always be one of my favorite episode characters of all time. 💓

10) Bobby Crawford

Last but certainly not least, my favorite young actor that I'm putting on here partly because I like him and partly because I want to make Irene laugh! (Did it work?) Yes, Bobby Crawford is going on this list. Why, you may ask? Well, the real question is, why not?
I first found out about Bobby Crawford when Irene started watching 'The Rifleman' with Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford (Bobby Crawford's younger brother) and he showed up in an episode. All I remember really is Irene saying that the little kid who fights with Mark is actually his brother. Anyway, time went on and we started listening to Johnny Crawford music and low and behold Bobby Crawford sang with him! Somehow we found out that he also played Andy Sherman, the little brother of Slim Sherman, in the show Laramie and well, he was an adorable little kid and acted way better than I could (or can). He showed great personality on screen as a spunky little brother and even though no one would admit it, he was the real reason we started watching the show in the first place. (Don't get me wrong, we love the show Laramie, but we wouldn't of known about it if it weren't for him)
A while later Irene told me about this Combat episode she wanted to watch (very innocently) called 'A Silent Cry' and I, being the wonderful sister I am, complied. Well, we were watching it, everything was going smoothly, the plot was moving on, then, just when I thought nothing was going to change, out of the woods jumped an 18 year old Bobby Crawford! (At least I think he was 18. He looked 18) To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Irene of course knew about this and so we watched the episode together in total bliss!
What can I say except, I like the boy very much! 😊😊😊


Whelp, that concludes 'Anna's Top Ten Favorite Actors'! I hope you enjoyed my rambling.

                                    - Anna

Saw It In The Movies Tag

We were kindly tagged by the wonderful Hamlette's Solioquy to do this tag and I can proudly say that I am FINALLY doing it! (After Irene nagged me for over a month...Sorry...😇)

The rules:

• Pick at least 3 things that you have done from a movie. It can be any movie, anything you did.
• Tell how the event worked out.
• Link back to the tag's creator and the person who tagged you.
• Have fun.
• Tag 4 people.
• Use the header.'

Sooooo, the first thing that came to both Irene and my mind (minds?) when we were discussing things we actually tried to do, rather than just a line we use all the time (there are a ton!), we both thought of that scene from that episode in Happy Days where Fonzie's cousin breaks a world record for flipping coins off his elbow and catching them in his hand. After seeing that episode we naturally tried it and I managed to catch up to four quarters! (Really impressive, I know)

Short disclaimer, we actually don't watch Happy Days really but a while ago we watched a whole season and had a lot of fun with it. So yeah. (The theme song is AMAZING!)

The second thing we do a lot and waited months for the perfect opportunity is from 'The Great Escape' (only one of the greatest movies oooooon EARTH!). In the movie they're tunneling in the washroom and the German soldiers are coming to check up on them. A couple of guys who are from a different barracks have pre-meditated excuses for being there. Charles Bronson who plays Danny says he came to take a shower, James Coburn who plays Sedgwig says he's a 'lifeguard' (obviously very sarcastic but he can't get in trouble for it) and lastly John Leyton who plays Willie shrugs with the most innocent expression ever and says, "Mopping up!" in his perfectly adorable British way. Anyway, we waited forever until the perfect opportunity arose at soup kitchen. Someone had spilled something and I so graciously volunteered to mop it up. Irene then came into the kitchen, saw the once in a lifetime opportunity, and seized it saying, "What are you doing?". I of course then answered in a spot on John Leyton impersonation that I did not spend hours perfecting in front of a mirror, "Mopping up!"

"Mopping up!"

And last but certainly not least, comes the 'overreacting story'. At one point - quite some time ago now - Irene and I were talking about our sister that had done something and I said "The point is she's clearly overreacting!" and at that instance I knew that it had come from somewhere. Even the way I said it sparked some sort of remembrance but I just couldn't put my finger on it. Neither could Irene. So naturally all day we were torturing ourselves trying to figure out where it came from and finally, at around midnight, I remembered!

Naturally I had to tell Irene but thankfully she too was awake so no heads were severed that dark night 😁

And there you have it, three things we did because we saw it in a movie! As a bonus I will add some lines we say WAY too often.

1) "Come on, we gotta help!" - Mulan

    

2) "Mr. Donovan, I gotta go." - The Apple Dumpling Gang

    

3) "Always make you mad, don't I John T.!" (You know, the way the girl says it) - Rio Bravo

    

4) Aaaaaaand pretty much anything 'Riley' from the National Treasure movies says.

   

Well that's all for today folks! You're suppose tag 4 people but the sad truth is we don't really know 4 people sooooo...yeah...😁 If you enjoyed the tag then you can go ahead and give it a try as well! Have a great rest of your day 😎😊

                - Anna

The Iron Marshal by Louis L'Amour

The Iron Marshal - Louis L'Amour

The Iron Marshal is the tale of a native Irish-New-Yorker (his early childhood spent in Ireland and the rest of his life on the streets of New York) who ends up completely out of place in a no-name town in the middle of Kansas. To be precise, the middle of nowhere. It was written by Louis L'Amour, one of my favorite writers, and the best Western writer out there! 

WARNING: This isn't going to be a very concise review, just telling you in advance. And there are some minor spoilers.

Tom Shanaghy came from Ireland to New York when he was eleven. His father had died in India, and his mother had taken ill and died on the journey over to NYC. From the moment he landed in the Big Apple, Tom was fighting and associating with crooks and criminals. But although he knew everything about his business associates' dishonest ways, Tom Shanaghy never went down that dark path himself. Through a series of events and coincidences (as well as a gang war) Tom ends up getting kicked off a train near a no-name town in Kansas. Taking a room in the small hotel for the night, our hero has nothing more on his mind than buying a ticket for the earliest train to New York. Until he starts noticing that there is something wrong in this town. The current town marshal, Draco, is nothing but a bully, too big for his britches. Ever since he shot the brother of Vince Patterson, a powerful cattle baron, he's been riding high and talking big. Him and his sons need to go, and the townspeople know this. They realize that this young Irishman, Tom Shanaghy, though just a stranger, may be just what they need to bring order and prosperity back to the town they love. Before he knows what he's gotten himself into, Tom is pinning on the badge of town marshal, a man's been murdered by a terribly wicked enemy, and a gold robbery is imminent on the horizon. This young Irishman has found himself in the wild, wild West, but does he like it?

I love the cliched story of a city-slicker finding himself in a hick-town, and this book is the epitome of that story line, but with enough uniqueness and changes to it that it's as entertaining as all-get-out! Tom Shanaghy, our hero, is not clueless, stupid, and rude, he's just a little out of place. Through the course of the book, he learns why the people of a little, no-name Kansas town love their town with all their hearts, and why so many men and women have been drawn from the sparkling lights of New York City, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and other similar cities to go in search of something more that cannot be found in the bustling streets and smoky bars that Mr. Shanaghy is so familiar with. It's just so beautiful!

My Favorite Characters.
Louis L'Amour is great at making characters you love, like, and hate, and The Iron Marshal is no exception.

Tom Shanaghy: It's pretty important that I like the main character in any book I'm reading, so I'm pleased to say that I have a great fondness for Tom Shanaghy. He's no saint, but considering he's grown up with thieves and murderers, I think he turned out pretty well! Always honest, Tom says what he thinks and doesn't beat around the bush. He tries to do what's right, even if he doesn't always succeed. And he also almost always blushes when anyone mentions the girl he likes, so that really cute ^-^

McCarthy: McCarthy is an old blacksmith that was Tom Shanaghy's only friend in New York. He taught Tom everything he knew about blacksmithing and also about life. It was McCarthy that warned Tom about hanging out too much with thieves and murderers. He said that if he didn't get out of New York soon, he was gonna end up dead in some ally, and nobody would even care.

Jan Pendleton: Jan doesn't have a huge part to play in The Iron Marshal's story line, besides romantic interest, but she's cute and spunky, and gives Tom some much needed moral support when things are looking down for him. I like her a great deal.

Red: Don't know his name, don't know his back story, I just know he's a troublemaker and makes friends with Tom after he picks a fight with him. I like him.

And there you have my favorite characters. I'm also quite fond of Josh Lundy, Greenwood, and Mr. Carpenter. Louis L'Amour always has some has some beautiful and intelligent lines or descriptions, so I'll just share a few with you:

McCarthy: "If a man is to be something, if he is to be a man, he's got to be more than muscle. He's got to do something wi' himself. Get an honest trade, a bit of land, a house of your own, if it is only of sod. Here your friends pat you on the back and let you buy them drinks or whatever, but when you get old and fat and sloppy they'll drop you for others. Men like you are born to be used and tossed aside... if you let it happen."

Tom: "What are you? A priest? When did you start preaching, Mac?"

McCarthy: "It's a bit of a warning, that's all. You're a fine lad, so why become what you're becoming? There's a bigger, wider world than any slum, and a man only stays there because he hasn't the guts to get out. There's other people, other places, and you can make new friends, worthwhile friends."

                                                                              -

Red: "That there hat's a temptation. Anybody ever shoot it off?"

Shanaghy pushed the derby back a little and grinned cheerfully.

"Not yet. Maybe that's because they figured I wouldn't know if they were shooting at the derby or me."

                                                                              -

As far as the eye could reach there was only grass moving in the wind. These were the fabled buffalo plains, but there were no buffalo now. Far off, he glimpsed a heard of antelope. There was no sound but the wind...
For several minutes he sat very still, feeling the wind on his face. The air was fresh, the sky was clear, and somehow the soft wind and the coolness smoothed the troubles from his mind.

                                                                              -
Girl: "But he's dead!"
Tom, speaking to a girl who got several men killed, including a Mr. Holstrum and a Mr. Carpenter, but is still pleading not to be put in jail: "That's right ma'am. So is Mr. Carpenter. All because a greedy, selfish girl wanted more than she had. When you can bring them back to life, ma'am, you come and ask me for help. Every man and woman should consider the consequences of his or her actions, and those actions should be considered beforehand, not after. I've no use for crybabies, ma'am, male or female."

                                                                              -

And now, before I spoil this book further, why don't you go read it? It's a suspenseful and exciting ride that will make you long for the good ol' days of shooting bank robbers, riding as far as your horse could take you, and going in search of adventure in the great, open wilderness, that was, and is, America!


                   
                                                                                                                      ~ Irene

                                                           

Introducing..... The Rat Patrol!

Introducing..... The Rat Patrol!

Ah, the Rat Patrol. When I asked one of my senior friends if he recalled an old 60's show called 'The Rat Patrol' he said: "Oh yeah, wasn't that that show about a few guys driving around in jeeps in the desert blowing up things?"

Well, yes, pretty much. But so much more, too! It may be a little corny at times (in terms of realism), but honestly, who watches a World War II show about four good-lookin' guys saving the day in their awesome jeeps for realism? And let's not forget an awesome frenemy relationship with an awesome German captain. The worst episodes of the Rat Patrol are still a whole lot of fun, and the best episodes are nothing short of amazing!

I guess I should give a quick summary of what this show is even about, right? In the early days of World War II, The Brits, The Aussies, and The Yanks, were fighting The Jerry's in North Africa. The Rat Patrol is about three Americans and one Englishman (should've been three Englishmen and one American, but who cares) who ride around in two jeeps and endeavor to cause the enemy as much pain and bother as possible. Pretty great setup, right?

My family (sister) first discovered this show when Anna and I were on vacation at our aunt and uncle's for a week. On our return home, dear sister Xenia was telling us all about this awesome show called, you guessed it, The Rat Patrol! I actually had heard of it before (I was quite an avid listener to the theme song before I even knew what the show was) but had never watched an episode. Silly me! From the very beginning, Anna and Xenia's favorite character was Tully, but I could never (and still can't) decide on Hitch, Tully, or Dietrich. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'd better tell you who all these wonderful people are!

Sgt. Sam Troy, aka, The Sarge, Mr. Grumpy, Big Boss.

Tough as nails and a commanding leader, Sgt. Troy is actually as sweet as they come. He just hides it really, REALLY, well. He's protective of his boys but always ready to whip them back into shape if they get a little out of hand (not that that ever happens). The Sarge knows where he stands and won't back down if he's sure that he's right. He often times must make tough decisions that the others aren't comfortable with. But hey, that's his job. He's the number one Rat, after all.

Sgt. Jack Moffitt, aka, The British Guy.

Moffitt is so very, very, British. He's the cool-headed one when it comes to heated situations. In fact he is sometimes so cool and logical, that both his Fellow Rats and us, the audience, feel he is almost cold! But don't let that throw you off. Moffitt is really an awesome guy with a heart of gold! He was drafted into The Rat Patrol in the first episode to replace a fallen member. The Gang's a little distant and unfriendly to him at first, not thinking he can replace their pal, but he soon is just as much a member as any other Rat. Despite both Troy and Moffitt being Sergeants, the ultimate decision in missions is always left to Troy.

                                              

Pvt. Mark Hitchcock, aka, Hitch.

Hitch is the cheeky one. He wears a red kepi (don't ask why), a pair of glasses (though not consistently), and chews bubblegum. He's also pretty adorable. Although he's undoubtedly the smart-mouth and lady's man of the group, Hitch is definitely also the most naive and childish. He's always ready to go into the fray to save a pal, even if it means quite possibly getting blown to bits. He's a very loyal chap, and I've loved him ever since the first episode.

Pvt. Tully Pettigrew, aka, just Tully.

Tully is all things wise and wonderful. Originally from Kentucky, he used to bootleg moonshine before the war, where he picked up some of his amazing jeep driving skills. As I said before, Tully was Xenia and Anna's favorite character from the very start, and it's easy to see why. At the very most, he probably has five lines in a single episode, but everything he says is almost always amazingly deep. He's got a lovely, light Southern drawl and a beautiful smile. His hair is also pretty notable.

And the Captain is in black and white, just because.

Captain Hans Dietrich, aka, The Enemy.

Dear, dear, Captain Dietrich. He's the classic example of a good man on the wrong side. Dietrich is constantly trying to outwit The Rat Patrol, but it never works. I'm surprised he hasn't been shipped off to the Russian Front yet. I think the Nazi high-ups know that nobody else can capture The Rat Patrol either, so what's the point of getting rid of an awesome and sadly loyal officer like Dietrich? Although he's usually on the wrong side, there are several episodes where the Captain and the Rats team up against a common enemy. Those make up some of my favorite episodes! With his auburn hair, big brown eyes, and voice like melted chocolate, it's hard not to at least like Captain Dietrich! Even when they're engaged in a firefight with him and his men, The Rat Patrol knows that Dietrich will never break his word. He's one cool dude.

                                                                                 -

And there you have it. The five wonderful characters that make up 'The Rat Patrol'! Although I would suggest watching the first episode first (duh!), the characters haven't fully become who they will be for the rest of the show, so don't judge them (and the show) by the first episode. I (and maybe Anna) will eventually do some reviews of our favorite episodes, so I won't write them down here. Just go and see for yourself. You won't regret it. (Unless you don't like a bunch of good lookin' guys running around in jeeps saving the world and having some seriously deep problems along the way but always keeping their sense of humor and being genuinely awesome. Then, my friend, you may have a seriously deep problem).

Let's shake it!

              

                                                                                                                     ~ Irene

                                                

Bonanza: 'The Avenger.'

This is Anna and Irene's entry into the Vic Morrow Blogathon hosted by Hamlette of Hamlette's Soliloquy and DKoren of Sidewalk Crossings. This review (written mostly by Irene, but with Anna's input and editing -incredibly skilled editing at that ;)- here and there) will be a review of a very special episode of Bonanza called 'The Avenger.'
WARNING: Literally tells everything that happens in the episode and is rather long =D =D =D

       

The episode begins with a group of unsavory looking gentlemen riding into fair Virginia City, like many a Bonanza episode. 

They dismount and the top segundo of the group sends out his cronies to 'find out things.' Seems there's gonna be a hangin'! *Cue dramatic music*

Folks 'round town are taking around a petition to be signed by everyone they can find. It seems the more names they have the more likely it is that the poor fellows who are being hanged will, um, not be hanged. And it seems that these poor aforementioned fellows are none other than Ben and Adam Cartwright! They can't hang them! That's gotta be illegal or something! But it doesn't matter what we think. It looks like the Cartwrights are in for it! It's two hours until the scheduled hour of their hanging.

                       
Mr. Cartwright seems pretty chill about his impending fate, but Adam is far from chill. He's un-chill.

   
      Suddenly, two riders come tearing into town. It's the other Cartwright boys, Hoss and Little Joe! The Sheriff makes a comment about how it's good that they're not wearing guns. Mr. Cartwright makes a comment back that if his boys were told not to take guns into town, they aren't going to take guns into town.

You sure about that Pa?

    

                  Enter the rest of the Cartwright family.

They have come to tell Pa and Adam that they found this guy they were looking for called Duce Martin. Dead. He apparently 'fell' off a cliff. Little Joe thinks he was pushed. Of course. Although, he may be right this time, so let's not be too harsh with our Little Joe.
Apparently, this man was a witness to a murder that Mr. Cartwright and Adam committed. Yeah right. Of course he left before the trial was commenced, but that doesn't mean anything. A little lady called Sally Byrnes (she showed up earlier in the episode) testified against the Cartwrights. Little Joe (and everybody else) does not think she is quite trustworthy. Pa tells Hoss and Little Joe that Adam and himself still have a sporting chance to get out of this thing alive. Ed Baxter (the newspaper man) is printing a special edition of the newspaper for the Cartwrights. I'm not sure what it's about, but I'm sure it's good. There's also the town petition. Apparently, if the citizens of Virginia City can wire the Governor fifty names in favor of the Cartwrights not getting executed he will call it off. Little Joe and Hoss still leave the jail looking rather glum, understandably. There's also this guy called Hawkins, along with his men, that they're not supposed to tangle with.

Just had to add this ominous and epic shot.

This is one of Hawkins' top cronies. Charming, is he not?

 As the bad guys laugh and joke about the hanging whilst in the saloon, someone riding down the street outside captures their attention.

A mysterious silhouette.

He's a stranger. No one's ever seen him before.

The infamous Sally Byrnes. She seems very interested, doesn't she? And who wouldn't be, for the strange rider is none other than Vic Morrow himself. But that's not his name in the show, so moving on...

The mysterious stranger stops at the livery stable. It's evident that he loves his horse, so that's just adorable. The stable manager is really talkative. He manages to get out of the guy that he comes from Lassiter, Kansas. Apparently some raiders had recently sacked the town of Lassiter and burned it to the ground. The stable guy tries to get the man to say more, but he's done chatting.

Stable guy looks a little frazzled, doesn't he?

While Vic - Oops, I mean the stranger, is puttering around with his saddle, who should come along but Hoss and Little Joe? Little Joe mistakes the Man From Kansas for one of Hawkins' men so he belligerently bumps into him while walking by. Man From Kansas tells him to watch where he's going while looking at him like this:

Since Man From Kansas called Little Joe 'Kid' Little Joe retaliates and has to be held back by Hoss. What he would do without his older brother, I shudder to think.

Man From Kansas coolly fixes his collar and saunters out of the building while Hoss tells Little Joe that he needs to keep that temper of his in check. Yeah Joe, get it together! 

After this little scuffle the brothers begin to open their blankets, but first they look around the stable to make sure no one is watching. Now guess what they take out of these little innocent bundles? Why guns of course! Adam was right, it would seem (he always is).

They assemble their shotguns to make sure they're in perfect working order and ready for use...

And then hide them behind some grain sacks.

They leave the barn and we cut to a certain little cafe, run by Miss Sally Byrnes. Cool Man From Kansas has just entered the room.

Sally greets him rather unfriendly like, but he doesn't mind much. All he wants is some food. She goes off to fetch him some and while snooping around just a bit, he notices a calendar on her desk with the days marked up until the current.

Man From Kansas comments on this fact after Sally brings him his food and tells him that everyone's afraid to watch the Cartwrights die. She doesn't answer him.

After this little exchange, Hoss and Little Joe come walking into the Cafe. They tell Sally that Duce Martin is dead and that she is now the only witness against their Pa. They ask her if there's nothing they could do to change her mind. Sally says she's not gonna lie for them. Sally's a real jerk right now, but isn't her accent wonderful?

Joe gets a little angry when Sally doesn't want to cooperate, and grabs her roughly. Cool Man From Kansas interposes. What must he think of Little Joe? But Joe does apologize to Sally, and he just looks so sad that you gotta feel for him. After Hoss and Little Joe depart Sally mentions that Cool Man From Kansas (when will they tell us his name?) and this Hawkins fellow are the only people she's seen stand up to the Cartwrights. Man From Kansas asks who they (Ben and Adam) killed. It was Sally's father.

Sally goes on to say that she heard them arguing over some stolen cattle that the Cartwrights accused her father of having bought. She heard the shooting happen. She is very flustered by this point and says: 'Well if you knew what it was like to have someone killed in such a crazy way like that!'
Cool, Cool Man From Kansas answers her:
'I do know. I know very well.'
His tone of voice at this point is sooooo awesome!
Later on, a boy comes into the cafe asking for some food to give to the prisoners. He sees this stranger eating and he thinks this stranger is very cool. Smart boy. He tries mimicking whatever the Man From Kansas does. They quickly become friends.

Note: So we just remembered that we're pretty sure that Vic Morrow's characters' name in this episode is never divulged to the audience. Well, dang it. I guess we'll just call him Vic or Cool Guy from now on.

So anyway, Vic saunters over into the kitchen and begins to question Sally. He asks her if she knows anyone connected with Lassiter, Kansas. She doesn't. He asks her who the biggest rancher is and she tells him it's Ben Cartwright. Cool Man's apparently looking for someone, but is not aware of what this fellow is called. But he assures Sally that he'll know him when he sees him.

While in prison, Mr. Cartwright and Adam are visited by the Hangman and his helper. 

The Hangman suggest that they make sure they're clean-shaven so that the new ropes don't catch at any whiskers, because that would hurt, and that they make sure their boots are on snug, so's they don't fall off. Ben and Adam are touched by this thoughtful gesture... Not. 

BTDubs, Adam is pretty darn sarcastic at this moment, and it's amazing.

Vic comes to visit the Cartwrights in prison. He is visibly disappointed when he sees that Ben is not the man he's looking for. He's about to leave when Hoss comes storming inside. He tells his Pa and brother that Sally Byrnes isn't going to change her story. Little Joe is at the moment looking for Barney Ogden, the petition-signer-go-getter, who is supposed to be down in the mines searchin' for signatures. Most everybody in town is holed up inside 'cause they're afraid of Hawkins and they're  cowards. Okay, that's kind of harsh, but it's also kinda true!

\

I'll just pop in this picture of Vic.

Meanwhile, it's only one hour 'til the execution! All the baddies (excluding Hawkins) are loafing around in the saloon.

Cool Guy comes sauntering in like there's no tomorrow.

And here comes one of the best parts in the whole episode. The two main bad guys get all pushy and kind of seriously annoying, making fun of the way he carries his gun in his britches, calling him 'Little Fella' (oh no they didn't!), and generally acting like the jerks they are.

They then ask him if he's a friend of the Cartwrights. Vic calmly, coolly, and awesomely says 'Yeah,' like he just then decided to become their friends (because he did). He knows the whole saloon is full of the Cartwrights' enemies, but he doesn't give a hoot. Be still my beating heart.

One of the baddies ask him if he's known the formerly mentioned family long. Wonderful Man From Kansas says, while drinking his whiskey, 'Ten, maybe fifteen minutes.' The bad guys continue to harass him a bit, but he pays them no heed. Mr. Chubby (on the left of the last picture. No, not Vic, the other guy on the left!) is eventually told to go cool off outside by baddie on the right. As he walks angrily out of the saloon he runs into the boy whom Cool Guy befriended earlier.

Since his dander's already up from his encounter in the saloon, and he was raised by a pack of evil coyotes, Bert (yes, we do learn his name) decides to have some fun when he learns that the boy is taking some stew to the prisoners for their last supper. He calls out his evil buddy and they begin ruining the food with relish.

It's kind of hard to see, but that's a cigarette butt that the man on the right is
putting into the stew.

Hearing the boy yelling in protest from inside, Vic runs out to help him, taking down those bad guys in grand style. He knocks out one of them then holds the rest at gun point.

Hoss sees the trouble from across the street and comes rushing in to help.

I'd recognize that boot and leg anywhere.

Seeing that they can't do anything for the moment, the bad guys trickle back into the saloon, but not before the top segundo tells Hoss and Cool Guy that they'll be taken care of for sure after the hangin'.

Vic and Hoss looking epic.

After all the baddies have left Vic turns to help the little boy pic up the pot of stew. The boy says rather glumly that he'll have to go get a new pot. Vic tells him to 'Just finish what you started, son.' (That sounds like a fortune cookie)

The kid leaves and Hoss turns to Cool Guy and asks him in a puzzled voice just what side is he on? Vic says that it seems to him that the wrong kind of people are in jail 'round here. You can say that again. They talk a little bit more about the case and Hoss tells Vic why it just couldn't of happened like Sally Byrnes said it happened. Mr. Byrnes was shot from out of the dark. Adam and his Pa shot back into the dark, but they couldn't see anyone. Hoss doesn't think Sally lied, he just thinks she didn't see things right. Maybe she just saw what she wanted to see, eh? Anyhow, Little Joe soon comes running up and looks suspiciously at Vic, but Hoss assures him that he's a good guy. Joe goes on to say that Barney wasn't down at the mines and that they better find that petition, otherwise they might just have to start a small revolution. As the Cartwrights go lookin' for Barney, Cool Guy wanders back to the cafe where Sally is talking to the little boy and cleaning his pot. She says that when Hawkins come to town he'll punish his men for acting the way they did. The boy thinks otherwise. Again, smart boy. Sally says that Hawkins was forced to hire those rough men so he could stand up to the Cartwrights. Cool Guy says that, as a rule, you can usually judge a man by the men around him. Preach, brother, preach.

Meanwhile, the two main baddies have just walked into the newspaper press and Bert casually pulls the blinds down. They bandy a few words with the editor and printer telling him he shouldn't print the newspaper, 'cause it might set people in town thinking the wrong way about the Cartwrights' execution. As the newspaperman doesn't say much, top segundo takes some boiling lead and walks over to the old man. He raises it threateningly and we're left off to guess what happened.

Hoss and Little Joe's search for Barney and the petition leads them to Barney's house, where they find him huddled over a table in the dark with his wife and daughter. He managed to get five names on the petition before Hawkins' men frightened him into stopping. Barney's name was not one of them.

Disgusted, Hoss and Joe decide to take the petition-signing duty on themselves, and leave Barney to wish he had more guts. Geez, Barney.

They go out to get some names on the paper, but lo and behold, no one will sign it. They're all too scared.

They enter the saloon in an attempt to get the barkeeper to sign the petition. As he won't, Bert (yeah, he's around again) decides to make some crass comment about the signing of the petition. Cool Guy hears the talking from outside. 

Hoss doesn't like what Bert said so he promptly shoves him over. It's about time. As the Cartwrights turn to go Bert attempts to shoot them in the back. But he didn't know Vic was around.

Vic saving the day yet again.

After they cautiously leave the saloon Little Joe thanks Cool Guy and calls him 'Lassiter.' Now what the heck is that? Apparently he does have a name in this episode! Man alive, I guess we'll be calling Vic 'Lassiter' from now on. Back to the episode.

Hoss says that Mr. Baxter should have his newspaper edition out by now. The two brothers go over to  Mr. Baxter's to check it out, only to find the place wrecked and the newspaperman scared half to death. Literally.

Hoss and Little Joe decide now is the time to start that miniature revolution. It's nighttime by now and the the infamous Mr. Hawkins finally rides into town. Twenty minutes to go until the hanging.

He enters the saloon and his cronies bring him up to date on the matters at hand.

Mr. Hawkins with his trusty minion Bert.

After the briefing Hawkins tells some of his men to build a big fire by the scaffolding so everyone can see.  Now nothing will go wrong with that plan, will it?

Meanwhile at the barn, Hoss and Little Joe are taking out those revolution starters. Unfortunately for the stable guy, he sees them with their guns, and he has to be taken care of.

Lassiter has taken up residence in the cafe again. He really likes that place, doesn't he? The little boy comes in looking very downhearted because he wasn't in time to give Mr. Cartwright and Adam their last meal. He sits down to tell his woes to Lassiter, because no matter how hard he tries, Vic Morrow will always have that Saunders quality of having people tell him their problems, even when he doesn't ask them to (or want them to).

Sally walks in and sees them talking.

She tries to tell Joey (that was his name!), and I think also herself, that although it's tough that the Cartwright are going to die, that's the way it's gotta be, 'cause they're killers. It's especially hard to continue with this frame of mind when Joey tells both her and Lassiter about the time his parents were deathly ill and Ben Cartwright came over and gave Joey a horse. Said it was a Christmas horse, but it was the middle of the year!

Sally trying hard to stay as tough as nails... And failing miserably.

Joey feels bad that he wasn't able to repay Mr. Cartwright. Lassiter says with conviction that he did pay him back, and that both Mr. Cartwright and he, Lassiter, know it.

Lassiter then takes Joey to the door and sends him off home.

And now here comes the next best part of the episode. Sally putters around, saying that it's just like the Cartwrights to give some kid a little present and get a lifetime of loyalty for it, as if they were kings or something. But she doesn't seems very convinced about it. Lassiter opens the door and looks outside. He tells Sally that she'll have a real good view of the hanging from where she is.

Sally asks Lassiter why he thinks she would want to see it. He says she's been marking the days up until the hanging on her calendar, so of course she wants to see it.

Sally replies that she just wants this execution to happen, but she wouldn't like to see it. She then says she has things to do and hurries into the kitchen. Lassiter pursues her doggedly.

I do love the leaning.

As Lassiter tells her about why hearing a hanging is just as good (or bad) as seeing it, he saunters over to the window that Sally apparently saw the killing from. Except he can't see through the window because it hasn't been cleaned in ages. Lassiter comments on the fact.

Sally asks him why he won't leave her alone. She is very uneasy at this point.

Lassiter tells her he won't leave because she didn't see the killing happen. Duce Martin said he saw it and she assumed the Cartwrights were guilty. Sally says (without very much conviction) that the Cartwrights deserve to hang. Lassiter just says again that she didn't see it. Sally squirms around and then pulls the dead dad card. She says she's been through enough. Apparently Hawkins told her that the Cartwrights would get off of a charge of murder just because they were rich and powerful. Then Lassiter says:

'So you lied?'

Ouch. Guess she did. Lassiter tells her that HE knows the Cartwrights didn't kill her pa, and somewhere, deep down, she knows they didn't too.

Sally asks him one more time to leave her be and runs out of the kitchen. Again, Lassiter follows her like a bloodhound. He goes to the door and throws it wide open. Ben and Adam are being led to the gallows.

  

Little Joe and Hoss are watching from the barn, ready to save their Pa and brother. Joe is eager to start, but Hoss tells him to wait just a second more.

Lassiter begins to tell Sally step by step what is happening outside. He asks her if she can hear them. He is being very psychological at this point. It's awesome.

The Cartwrights ascend the scaffold and have the nooses placed around their necks. They face death like the real men they are.

Sally walks to the open door. As she sees these two brave men about to die, she realizes she can't let this happen!!! She turns to Lassiter and tells him he's right, that she couldn't have seen the Cartwrights kill her pa.

Lassiter tells her to go out and tell them.

Sally runs out into the street, Lassiter not far behind, and tells the sheriff that she lied. She didn't see the Cartwrights kill her pa.

Hawkins sees that she's ruining all of his plans and tells her to stay out of this. Saying that was his fatal mistake, as it draws him to Lassiter's attention. Lassiter says:

'Haven't we met before, Mister? In Lassiter, Kansas. Remember? At another hanging party, remember? '

Oh, Hawkins remembers all right.

He pulls a gun and Lassiter shoots him down like a sack of potatoes.

A miniature shootout erupts, with Hoss and Little Joe chipping in. In the end there are about three men dead, I believe.

Just had to add this picture.

Pa and Adam Cartwright quickly come down from the scaffold to be reunited with the rest of the fam.

Lassiter looks at Hawkins, his search over for the moment.

As the sheriff and his helpers clean up a bit, Lassiter departs to the livery stable. As he hears a banging in a man-sized box, he investigates. And who should be in there but chatty livery guy! Lassiter pays him and heads out of the stable.

He finds Sally waiting for him.

She thanks him for everything. Especially for keeping her from killing innocent men. He tells her that she did what she thought she had to do. Ha! Everybody knows that if it weren't for Lassiter all the Cartwrights would be dead by now! But still, it was a nice gesture.

He says goodbye and leaves her watching him ride away. On his way out of town, he stops to talk to the Cartwrights.

Hoss says they can't thank him for all he's done. Lassiter tells them that his pa was hanged wrongly and he knows how they feel. Mr. Cartwright asks him why he doesn't stay in Virginia City. Lassiter informs them that there are a lot more men that were involved in the hanging of his pa. He's off to find them.

The Cartwrights watch Lassiter ride away into the darkness. A driven man, as Hoss says. 

'I sure would hate to be him.'

Ben says there's somebody he'd like to be even less. Any one of the men that The Avenger is looking for.

 -The End-

And there you have it folks. A very, very long episode review in honor of that wonderful actor, Vic Morrow. His character in this episode of Bonanza is one of my very favorites ever, and I only hope I did him and it a bit of justice. Thanks for reading and may you see this episode sometime soon.

And here's one last picture of The Stranger Cool Man From Kansas Vic Cool Guy Lassiter.