Joi Lansing-Ralph Taeger-Mari Blanchard
The show takes place in 1897 in the Alaskan Klondike region in the town of Skagway. James Coburn appeared in ten episodes. The star is Ralph Taeger as Mike Halliday. Working in the hotel are Goldie played by Joi Landing and Kathy O’Hara played by Mari Blanchard.
Final episode : February 13,1961 – “The Hostages” w/Lon Chaney,Jr. – A group of soldiers led by Ben Macfin (Lon Chaney,Jr.) bust out of the guardhouse, steal a Gatling Gun and show up in Skagway. They mow down a few townspeople just to show they’re serious. They want to rob the bank safe of its gold.
Inside the bank are Mike Halliday who just stopped by for a loan, the bank president, a lawyer and a nervous teller. The bank president has the lawyer and Mike memorize the combination in case he gets killed while trying to escape. He must have been psychic since he’s gunned down outside. The lawyer also takes a few bullets. Mike gets away to the hotel across the street. Goldie and Kathy hide him in the wine cellar. The townspeople are no help at all.
Ben sends his men all over town to look for Mike. They can’t find him. He decides to burn the whole town down. When one of residents says Mike is a man of principle, Ben gets his next brainstorm. He decides to hold everyone hostage and start gunning them down if Mike doesn’t show himself. That works.
Mike gives in and opens the safe. Ben and his boys load up their wagon. Goldie and Kathy shame the menfolk because they didn’t lift a finger. Mike has Kathy trick one of the soldiers into turning his back. Mike’s outside a window. He gives the soldier a karate chop and changes into his uniform. He asks two of the townsmen for help. They’re still reluctant but finally do it anyway.
The script has been done a few hundred times on TV and the movies but Lon Chaney,Jr. makes it watchable.
Joi Lansing is best remembered by sitcom fans as Shirley Swanson on “The Bob Cummings Show” (1955-59).
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