Playback is currently unavailable for S2 E1 · Ride a Dark Trail. Episode details remain available below.
The Virginian
The Shiloh Ranch in Wyoming Territory of the 1890s is owned in sequence by Judge Henry Garth, the Grainger brothers, and Colonel Alan MacKenzie. It is the setting for a variety of stories, many more based on character and relationships than the usual western.
- Cast:
- Doug McClure, James Drury, Lee Majors, Stewart Granger
- Language:
- English
- Country:
- United States of America
- Network:
- NBC
Episode guide
Seasons
Season 2
Episodes
E01
Episode 1
Ride a Dark Trail
1963-09-18 · 90mThe Virginian accidentally comes upon, and is held at gunpoint by, young Lon Mortison (Buzz Martin). The boy had been searching for a gambler who he thinks is responsible for his father's suicide and had already shot and wounded a man who interfered. In order to convince the boy to give himself up, the Virginian recounts in flashback how Trampas first came to Shiloh Ranch. He came seeking revenge on Judge Garth who had been forced to kill Trampas' father (Sonny Tufts) in self-defence. This object lesson serves to get Lon to realize the error of his actions and convince him to surrender to the Sheriff.
Current episode
E02
Episode 2
To Make This Place Remember
1963-09-25 · 90mJudge Garth is convinced to go to Arapaho, Wyoming, by Roseanna Dobie (Joan Blondell), an old friend. Her son is dead and although it is claimed he had died when thrown off a horse, actually, an old friend of the Judge's, rancher/lawyer Frank Sturgis (John Dehner), had led a group of 13 men who had lynched John Dobie for allegedly beating to death a young woman who had rejected his advances. Roseanna (Joan Blondell) claims her son's innocence and demands his name be cleared by an ""after the fact"" trial. To clear their names and consciences, the Judge manages to get Sturgis to be the prosecutor and to participate in a ""trial"" with the 12 others involved in the lynching, including the dead girl's father, as the jury and the Judge as defence attorney.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E03
Episode 3
No Tears for Savannah
1963-10-02In Santa Rita the Virginian meets an old flame, Savannah (Gena Rowlands), who has been seeing a local man, a very jealous Gordie Madden (Robert Colbert). Savannah is accussed of murdering Madden and the Virginian gets Judge Garth to come and defend her. However, the cards are stacked against them as Madden's wealthy father (Everett Sloan) controls the town, including the Sheriff (Stephen McNally), and wants revenge.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E04
Episode 4
A Killer in Town
1963-10-09 · 90mA bounty hunter named George Wolfe (Broderick Crawford) comes to Medicine Bow, having been summoned by a now dead informant who told Wolfe a fugitive is in town. Although the informant had left a letter revealing the fugitive's identity in a lock box at the bank it can not be accessed until the circuit judge can return and issue a court order. Trampas, who had accidentally become involved with some felons two years before, thinks he is Wolfe's quarry and Wolfe is suspicious of him. Before matters can come to a head, however, an outbreak of typhoid fever intervenes.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E05
Episode 5
The Evil That Men Do
1963-10-16In cooperaton with a progressive warden, Judge Garth gets a man named Matthew Cordell (Robert Redford), who had been in orphanages or prison most of his life, paroled into his custody to work at Shiloh Ranch for a year as a blacksmith. Cordell who had been mistreated his whole life, remains aloof and has several run-ins with the ranch hands. He saves Betsy Garth's horse and she begins to fall in love with him but he is more interested in Rita Marlow who owns the local dress shop. Trouble occurs when an old prison friend of Cordell's, Deke (Don O'Kelly), arrives and tries to get him to help rob Judge Garth.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E06
Episode 6
It Takes a Big Man
1963-10-23Judge Garth is asked by an old friend, Wade Anders (Lloyd Nolan), to take his eldest son Hank (Chris Robinson) to work as a hand at Shiloh. He wants the son to eventually take over his ranch but Hank has personal problems which make him difficult to handle, especially a hatred for Indians. At Shiloh he has run-ins with Trampas who is acting as foreman while the Virginian is away, and this conflict eventually leads to tragedy and a showdown.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E07
Episode 7
Brother Thaddeus
1963-10-30Former n'er do well Willie Caine (Albert Salmi) is now a monk, Brother Thaddeus. He is involved in establishing a mission and boy's school on property owned by Judge Garth and Trampas and Steve Hill are helping to build the mission. A gang, including a former crony of Thaddeus', robs the train and Sheriff Abbott (Ross Elliott) locks him up as an accomplice. Thaddeus manages to escape and with the help of Trampas sets out to track down the gang and exonnerate himself.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E08
Episode 8
A Portrait of Marie Valonne
1963-11-06After delivering a herd of cattle to New Orleans, the Virginian meets and falls for a mysterious woman, Marie Valonne (Madlyn Rhue). He is attacked and the woman disappears. In his attempts to relocate her he comes into conflict with Johnny Madrid (Mark Richman) who controls some corrupt politicians. Despite the assistance of a local police detective, Dan Bohannon (Skip Homeier), the Virginian is unsuccessful in finding Marie and is only left with her picture.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E09
Episode 9
Run Quiet
1963-11-13Steve Hill befriends a dishevelled deaf mute named Judd (Clu Gulager) and convinces the Virginian to gives him a job at Shiloh ranch. Judd is accussed of murdering a gambler, runs off and is befriended by spinster farm owner Ruth Ferris (Gail Kobe). Steve Hill manages to track down Judd, tells him to give himself up and then sets off after the real perpetrators. The murderers try to kill Steve but he is saved by the arrival of Judd who then returns to the waiting Ruth with whom he has fallen in love.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E10
Episode 10
Stopover in a Western Town
1963-11-27The well-off Caroline Witman (Joan Freeman) and her Aunt Grace (Lillian Bronson) visit Medicine Bow on their way from San Francisco to New York. Caroline falls in love with the Virginian who generally ignores her but a Shiloh hand, Jefferson Tolliver (Dick York), becomes smitten with her and she encourages Tolliver's advances in order to make the Virginian jealous. Tolliver's ambitions are thwarted by a lack of money and when he catches an unemployed hand rustling cattle, rather than turn him in, he joins him in crime. However, they end up murdering a ranch hand and this eventually leads to a penultimate confrontation between Tolliver and his friend, the Virginian.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E11
Episode 11
The Fatal Journey
1963-12-04After she calls for the President to bring in the army to rid the badlands of outlaws, newspaper editor Molly Wood, the Virginian's love interest, is murdered by four of those outlaws: O'Dell (Steve Ihnat), Horn (John Milford), Denver (Berkeley Harris) and their ruthless leader, Colonel Calhoun (Robert Lansing). The Virginian joins a posse but while the other posse members give up he eventually locates the villains' badlands hideout. He poses as a prison escapee, joins the gang and exacts his revenge.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E12
Episode 12
A Time Remembered
1963-12-11Accompanied by her secretary (Melinda Plowman), opera singer Elena (Yvonne DeCarlo) comes to Medicine Bow to perform. Judge Garth recognizes here as someone he knew years before and is clearly attracted to her. A man named Carl Elston arrives in town and is shot by Elena who claims he is a stranger who tried to force his attentions on her. However, Sheriff Abbott (Ross Elliott) discovers evidence that Elena knew Carl, and that he was her manager and husband. The Judge is forced to defend Elena in court and uncover the truth.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E13
Episode 13
Siege
1963-12-18Trampas 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.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E14
Episode 14
Man of Violence
1963-12-25 · 90mTrampas' 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).
Watch progress · Not tracked
E15
Episode 15
The Invaders
1964-01-01 · 90mRancher 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.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E16
Episode 16
Roar from the Mountain
1964-01-08A 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.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E17
Episode 17
The Fortunes of J. Jimerson Jones
1964-01-15 · 90mJ. 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.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E18
Episode 18
The Thirty Days of Gavin Heath
1964-01-22Former 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.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E19
Episode 19
The Drifter
1964-01-29This 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.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E20
Episode 20
First to Thine Own Self
1964-02-12A 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.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E21
Episode 21
A Matter of Destiny
1964-02-19Robert 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.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E22
Episode 22
Smile of a Dragon
1964-02-26Trampas 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.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E23
Episode 23
The Intruders
1964-03-04Judge 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).
Watch progress · Not tracked
E24
Episode 24
Another's Footsteps
1964-03-11The 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.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E25
Episode 25
Rope of Lies
1964-03-25A 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).
Watch progress · Not tracked
E26
Episode 26
The Secret of Brynmar Hall
1964-04-01 · 90mBetsy Garth is driven by Randy to Brynmar Hall, a large mansion, where she meets several other old acquaintances and invitees (Brooke Bundy, Tom Skerritt, Mark Goddard). All knew Mildred Brynmar, a young woman who was killed in a fire two years before, and have been invited to the house by Mildred's mother (Jane Wyman). A masked figure spies on the proceedings and several mysterious events occur which culminate in death.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E27
Episode 27
The Long Quest
1964-04-08 · 90mThe Virginian is friends with Mary Ann Martin (Patricia Breslin) and her young son Cricket (Casey Peters) who live near Shiloh ranch. A detective named Corbett (Joseph Campanella) and his client, Judith Holly (Ruta Lee), claim that Cricket is actually Holly's son and that she wants him back. The Virginian attempts to ferret out the truth of the situation in order for Mary Ann to retain custody of the boy. The affair culminates in a series of surprising events at a judicial hearing.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E28
Episode 28
A Bride for Lars
1964-04-15Lars Holstrum (Peter Whitney) is a middle-aged and wealthy rancher friend of Judge Garth's who is about to marry a 20 year old girl. Lars injures his back and Trampas is given the job of traveling to Laramie to pick up the girl, Katia Swenson (Katherine Crawford). On the return trip the two have a series of misadventures revolving around encounters with local Indians, a group of cowpokes, and a mysterious man who has been trailing them from Laramie.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E29
Episode 29
Dark Destiny
1964-04-29Steve, Randy and other hands capture two horse rustlers, Frank Conrad (Robert Wilke) and Striker (Edward Faulkner), and kill a third. They also find Conrad's daughter, Billie Jo (Brenda Scott) and she is taken to Shiloh until the court can decide her custody and the rustler's fate. There she nurses Randy Benton who has hurt his back and lost the feeling in his legs. Billie Jo is eventually forced to decide on her future by choosing between helping her father escape and returning to a life on the run, or accepting the kindnesses of the Shiloh crew which promise a better future.
Watch progress · Not tracked
E30
Episode 30
A Man Called Kane
1964-05-06 · 90mRandy and Betsy explore a cave and find a number of gold coins and a human skeleton, a find which gets wide publicity in the newspapers. Kane (Jeremy Slate) shows up and begins working at Shiloh where he reveals to Randy that he is not only his long lost older brother but also that he is evading the law on charges he claims were false. The publicity also attracts a US Treasury agent, Duggan (Dick Foran), as the coins seem to be a small part of missing Confederate assets. A treasure hunt ensues in which Randy is ultimately forced to decide on his brother's fate.
Watch progress · Not trackedCast
Doug McClure
Trampas
James Drury
The "Virginian"
Lee Majors
Roy Tate
Stewart Granger
Col. Alan MacKenzie