Sheriff Tex Tucker maintains the peace in Four Feather Falls, Kansas with the aid of four magic feathers which enable his dog and horse to talk and his guns to swivel and fire automatically whenever he is in danger.
AP Films/Granada Television
Produced: 1959-60
First UK broadcast: 25th February 1960
39 episodes x 13 minutes
Producer: Gerry Anderson
Director of Photography: Arthur Provis and John Read
Art Director: Reg Hill
Special Effects: John Read
Music and Lyrics Composed, Arranged and Conducted by Barry Gray
| Episodes List | |
|---|---|
| 1 |
How It Began Ma Jones warns Little Jake to be careful on his way home from the store as Pedro the bandit is in town, but Jake isn’t worried: Sheriff Tex Tucker will take care of Pedro. Sure enough, Pedro is raiding the bank when he is cornered by Tex who tells him to get out of town. Grandpa Twink relates how Tex first came to Four Feather Falls… Tex is riding west with his horse Rocky and dog Dusty when they come upon a little lost native American boy named Makooya, grandson of Big Chief Kallamakooya. Tex shares the last of his food and water with the boy and decides to take responsibility for getting the boy home. Screenplay by Mary Cathcart Borer Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: Four Feather Falls performed by Rocky, Dusty and Tex Tucker (Kenneth Connor and Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 25th February 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 2 |
Kidnapped Pedro and Fernando have run out of food and money, but Pedro plans to kidnap Doc Haggerty and hold him to ransom. Fernando lures the Doc to their shack with a bogus story that Pedro is very sick, but once there, he is captured and tied up. Doc is very concerned as he is the only doctor for miles around – what if someone gets sick? Chief Kallamakooya appears in Tex’s office requesting medicine to cure little Makooya who is very ill, but Dusty recalls seeing the Doc riding out of town with a stranger that morning. Then Fernando posts the bandits’ ransom demand outside the jailhouse and Tex realises he must rescue the Doc or Makooya will die. Screenplay by Mary Cathcart Borer Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: Four Feather Falls performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 6th October 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 3 |
Pedro Has A Plan Fernando laughs at Pedro’s latest plan to kill Tex Tucker, advising him to wear his old hat into town as Tex has already filled it with bullets. But Pedro is so confident in his plan that he wears his new $10 sombrero instead. While Tex is distracted by Fernando, Pedro sneaks into the jailhouse and steals the magic feathers from the sheriff’s hat which Tex has left there unattended. Then Pedro confronts Tex on Main Street and the sheriff finds he is unable to rely on the power of his magic guns… Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: The Rick-Rick-A-Rackety Train performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 17th March 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 4 |
Pedro's Pardon Pedro rides into town and announces that he is no longer a bandit but a reformed and honest man who wishes to be taken into the Four Feather Falls community. At first Tex invites him to be the guest of the local jailhouse but later agrees to give him the benefit of the doubt and sets him free, warning that if Pedro makes one false move, he’ll be back in jail for good. Pedro visits Ma Jones’s store to buy a new gringo hat but when he pays in cash for a $12 hat, he cons her into accepting only $8. Then Red Scalp arrives in town accusing Pedro of stealing six horses… Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: Happy Hearts And Friendly Faces performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 14th April 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 5 |
A Close Shave While Tex is out of town with Little Jake, Pedro raids Ma Jones’s store, stealing her money and forcing her to fill a pair of sacks with grub. When Tex returns, he learns what has happened and vows to teach Pedro a lesson. Meanwhile, Pedro arranges a plan with Red Scalp to rid them of Tex Tucker and make some money on the side: the native American will lure Tex away from town with a story about a white bandit attacking his people in the Yellow Gulch Hills, enabling Pedro to rob the bank. Red Scalp is at first reluctant to tangle with Tex, but Pedro assures him that he will be safe from Tex’s guns as Big Chief Kallamakooya’s magic will not work on his own people… Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: The Phantom Rider performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 7th April 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 6 |
Indian Attack Fernando attempts to steal Grandpa Twink’s gold watch but as he is being taken into custody by Tex, he points out smoke signals in the hills nearby warning that native Americans are on the warpath and are about to attack the town. Tex rounds up every man in Four Feather Falls to start building barricades and agrees to allow Fernando to help defend the town. Night falls and as Tex knows that the native Americans never attack at night, he leaves Fernando in Doc Haggerty’s charge while he goes to get some shut-eye. But soon all the townsfolk fall asleep, leaving Fernando free to sneak into the jailhouse and switch Tex’s hat and magic feathers with identical duplicates. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: Four Feather Falls performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 31st March 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 7 |
Sheriff For A Day Dan Morse receives a telegram for Tex from the Marshal of Jamestown: he has received word that the stagecoach will be ambushed at Redstone Pass and Tex is urgently needed to provide an escort. Tex realises that Doc Haggerty will be on the stage so he rides out straight away, appointing Little Jake as town sheriff in his place and entrusting him with the two magic feathers which enable Tex’s guns to act on their own. But the telegram is bogus and was actually sent by Big Ben to lure Tex into a trap. The villain strings Tex up on Rocky with a noose around his neck: if Rocky moves, Tex will hang! Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: Four Feather Falls performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 24th March 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 8 |
Dusty Becomes Deputy Prospector Bill Asher entrusts Marvin Jackson with $5,000 worth of gold, the result of five years’ hard work in his gold mine. Jackson assures Asher that the gold will be safe in the bank, but Pedro plans to steal it. That night Tex sees that a prairie fire is burning on the outskirts of town and rounds up the townsfolk to help tackle the blaze. He appoints Dusty as sheriff to safeguard the bank in his absence, but the little dog discovers that Pedro and Fernando have deliberately set fire to their shack to lure Tex out of town while they rob the bank. Dusty races to warn Tex, but the sheriff has mislaid one of his magic feathers and cannot understand what his dog is trying to tell him. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: The Rick-Rick-A-Rackety Train performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 19th May 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 9 |
Gun Runners Tex, Rocky and Dusty are on their way back to Four Feather Falls when Kallamakooya appears bringing bad news: a paleface is selling guns to Red Scalp. Tex calls at Big Ben’s shack and accuses him of being the gun runner but Ben challenges Tex to prove it. After Tex leaves, Dusty stays behind to keep an eye on the villain and that night he sees Red Scalp arriving at the shack for a pow-wow with Ben. The pair argue over the terms of the sale but agree to meet at Dead Man’s Hill the next morning to make the transaction. Dusty races back to Four Feather Falls to tell Tex what he has overheard… Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: Happy Hearts And Friendly Faces performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 28th April 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 10 |
Trouble In Yellow Gulch Four Feather Falls can only be accessed via either Yellow Gulch or the dangerous Black Boulder Canyon where the slightest noise could dislodge a huge precariously-balanced boulder, bringing it down on top of unwary travellers. Pedro’s latest money-making scheme is to charge a toll on entry to Yellow Gulch which he has purchased with the last of his ill-gotten gains. Ma Jones refuses to pay the toll on principle, urging Twink to take them through Black Boulder Canyon when they return to the town from a day out in Twink’s buggy. Pedro is determined to ensure that Yellow Gulch becomes the only route into Four Feather Falls so he and Fernando set out to steal a box of dynamite. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: Four Feather Falls performed by Rocky and Dusty (Kenneth Connor) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 3rd March 1960 5.00pm ITV Network) |
| 11 |
Frame-Up Tex, Dusty and Rocky are on their way to Silver City to help Sheriff Jameson. During the night, a mysterious figure steals Rocky and rides him away. Tex is forced to wait until daybreak before he can track the horse thief. He and Dusty have been walking miles across the prairie when they meet a man who offers to sell Tex his spare horse for $50. Tex has no choice but to accept the offer. Shortly after, he is approaching Silver City when he is stopped by Sheriff Jameson who finds stolen money in the saddlebag of Tex’s new horse. Tex is arrested for theft and locked in jail! Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: The Phantom Rider performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 10th March 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 12 |
Gold Diggers Fernando is repairing the roof of the bandits’ shack when it gives way and he falls through. The accident uncovers a deed box containing a treasure map showing the location of a cache of gold, buried beneath the jailhouse in Four Feather Falls. In order to dig up the gold, one of the bandits must get himself arrested, but Pedro’s plan for Fernando to end up in jail goes wrong when Tex locks Pedro up instead. Then Marvin Jackson admits that he has a serious problem: the key to the bank strongroom is broken and he must send gold out to the ranches the next day to pay the cowboys. Pedro unwittingly provides the solution to the bank manager’s dilemma. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: Happy Hearts And Friendly Faces performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 15th September 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 13 |
Gold Is Where You Find It Pedro has a plan to finally make some money out of his purchase of Yellow Gulch. He creates a fake piece of gold ore by peppering a lump of rock with gold dust and then rides into town to tell the townsfolk that he and Fernando have discovered gold in the gulch. Some of the townsfolk are taken in and before long Grandpa Twink, Doc Haggerty, Marvin Jackson and Slim Jim have all purchased a stake in Yellow Gulch. As they all race off to start digging the next morning, Tex is curious about what is going on and Dan reveals that the gold rush has come to Four Feather Falls. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: The Rick-Rick-A-Rackety Train performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 8th September 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 14 |
Trapped Little Jake and Makooya secretly meet to go fishing at the creek but they soon get bored and start exploring the caves nearby. They chance upon Big Ben’s secret hideout where Red Scalp is helping the villain to make counterfeit coins. When the two boys explore deeper into the cave network, Red Scalp blocks their way out with a huge boulder. Shortly after, he rides into town and uses some of the fake coins to buy a string of beads at the general store. When the native American returns to the cave hideout, Ben is furious with him and the pair fall out, Red Scalp swearing to exact vengeance on the white man who speaks with forked tongue. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by David Elliott Song: Four Feather Falls performed by Rocky and Dusty (Kenneth Connor) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 12th May 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 15 |
The Best Laid Plans Pedro and Fernando enter into partnership with crooked Hank Frisby who tells them he has a plan to rob Jackson’s bank which cannot fail. Frisby rents a room over the bank and entrusts Jackson with a strong box which he claims contains $5,000. Later, Frisby ingratiates himself on the townsfolk by buying everyone a drink at the saloon. He also encourages Tex to sing one of his songs, knowing that the music will cover the sound of hammering as Pedro and Fernando break a hole in the floor of Frisby’s room to access the bank below. But Frisby’s foolproof plan fails to allow for Pedro’s greed and stupidity. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: Four Feather Falls performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 30th June 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 16 |
Escort Released from the jailhouse after completing their latest sentence, Pedro and Fernando are outside the telegraph office when they overhear Dan Morse receiving a telegram for Marvin Jackson. The message requests a sheriff’s escort for a consignment of gold being brought to the town by Alvin P Huckenbacker. This gives Pedro an idea but as he outlines his plan to Fernando he is overheard by Big Ben who recognises an opportunity. Wearing fake deputy’s stars, the two bandits intercept Huckenbacker and escort him to their shack where they are all ambushed by Ben who attempts to take the gold for himself… Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by David Elliott Song: Four Feather Falls performed by Rocky and Dusty (Kenneth Connor) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 16th June 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 17 |
The Toughest Guy In The West A $500 reward has been posted for the capture of Indian Jack, a white gun runner and cattle rustler who deals with (and double-crosses) the native Americans. Slim Jim jokes that maybe Grandpa Twink will bring Indian Jack in if he runs into the villain on one of his visits to Silver City with Ma Jones, but Twink is fed up of being treated like an old fool. On his very next trip in the buggy with Ma Jones, the elderly pair are attacked by Comanches in Buffalo Pass and, abandoning the buggy, they take refuge in a run-down shack. The shack is quickly surrounded by the native Americans but Twink and Martha soon discover that the Comanches are actually after Indian Jack who is also hiding out in the shack. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: Happy Hearts And Friendly Faces performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 21st April 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 18 |
Chance Of A Ghost Marvin Jackson is arranging the sale of the Eureka Silver Mine on behalf of the owners and refuses to sell to Zeke Harman for anything less than the asking price of $20,000 – even when Harman attempts to bribe him. However, Harman has paid Pedro and Fernando $1,000 to don white sheets and pretend to be ghosts, convincing the night watchman Joe that the mine is haunted in the hope of forcing down the sale price. The sceptical Jackson visits the mine with Grandpa Twink, but after seeing the bandits’ ghostly figures, Jackson posts a reward of $2,000 to anyone who can free the mine of the ghosts. The temptation to claim the reward proves too much for the greedy bandits… Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 28th July 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 19 |
Gun Play Big Ben advises cattle rustlers Johnny Pasto and the Nevada Kid that the only thing stopping them from driving 10,000 head of stolen steers through Four Feather Falls is Sheriff Tex Tucker, but the two men laugh at Ben’s warnings of Tex’s magic guns. Riding into town, Pasto attempts to bribe Tex to look the other way, but Tex tells him to get out of town and stay out. Pasto is furious and, with Ben and the Kid, attempts to ambush Tex late that night, but the magic guns swing into action and send the trio packing. The next morning, Pasto posts a challenge outside the telegraph office, accusing Tex of being a low-down yellow coward who hasn’t got the guts to fight without his magic guns… Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by David Elliott Song: The Phantom Rider performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 9th June 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 20 |
A Lawman Rides Alone A new wanted poster offers a reward of $500 for the capture of Blackie and Whitey Strutt who, with an unknown third person, robbed the Wells Fargo office in Laredo. Soon after, Blackie Strutt rides into town and before long Tex has him locked up in the jailhouse. Later, Whitey Strutt is reunited with the brothers’ partner in the Laredo raid, Big Ben, who offers to help spring Blackie from jail. Ben delivers an ultimatum to Tex but the sheriff refuses Whitey’s demands. That night, as Tex prepares to take Blackie to stand trial in James City, Whitey and Ben mount an assault on the jailhouse. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by David Elliott Song: The Rick-Rick-A-Rackety Train performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 26th May 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 21 |
Jail Break Zack Morrill is wanted for murder, cattle rustling, horse stealing and train robbery. As Morrill previously double-crossed Pedro in Tucson, the bandit has no scruples about bringing in his former partner, presenting him as a gift to Tex Tucker and claiming the $500 reward for his capture. Pedro heads off to Hynes Bend where he knows Morrill hides out, and with Fernando’s help he eventually captures the outlaw. Then Morrill offers to split the $10,000 proceeds of the Tucson robbery if the bandits let him go, but Pedro has a better idea: they will tum Morrill into Tex and claim the reward, and then bust him out of jail to collect their share of the Tucson haul. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 5th May 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 22 |
A Little Bit Of Luck Tex is away visiting his family but in his absence crime is running rife in the town as the temporary sheriff, Marshal Ike Burns, has proven hopelessly ineffective. Grandpa Twink proposes the formation of a vigilantes committee, taking the law into their own hands to protect the town until Tex returns next month. Burns warns that anyone he finds toting hardware will be thrown in jail, but with a little persuasion from Ma Jones the townsfolk agree to go ahead with their plans. Burns is worried: in league with Big Ben and another outlaw named Johnny, he is not a real lawman at all and wants to leave town before things get ugly. However, Johnny has learned of a consignment of gold dust from the mines and tells Burns they aren’t quitting until the gold is in their hands. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by David Elliott Song: Happy Hearts And Friendly Faces performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 13th June, 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 23 |
Land Grabbers The Circle Z Ranch is under siege from Morg Fenton and his allies Big Ben and Red Scalp who are trying to force owner Abe Weeks to sell up. Ben and Red Scalp would be happy to just kill Weeks and take the land by force, but Fenton is determined to acquire the deeds legally. Weeks makes a break for it and rides into town to beg Tex for help. Tex is appalled that Fenton has scared off all of Weeks’s ranch-hands leaving him to fend off Fenton alone, but he has bad news for Weeks: the Circle Z is outside Tex’s jurisdiction. Weeks realises that his only recourse is to sell the ranch after all… Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by Gerry Anderson Song: The Phantom Rider performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 11th August 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 24 |
Once A Lawman For the third time in two weeks, the Voise Gang rob Jackson’s Bank. Almost everyone else in the area has also been robbed recently and the townsfolk are disgruntled that Tex has not been able to do anything about it. When Marvin Jackson angrily confronts the sheriff, Tex turns in his star and suggests that the townsfolk find someone else to do the job. Ma Jones appears to be alone in her opinion that the town needs Tex, so he decides that the time has some to move on. When Joe Voise learns from Red Scalp what has happened, he realises that this might be the opportunity they have been waiting for and mounts a plan to get Tex to reveal the details of Jackson’s next gold consignment. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by David Elliott Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 4th August 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 25 |
Election Day Tex’s current term as sheriff is coming to an end so the townsfolk must nominate a candidate for the next term. Usually Tex is the only nominee and his election to office is a matter of formality but this time there is a surprise nominee as Pedro puts his name forward. Everyone laughs at the idea that Pedro could ever be elected sheriff, but in partnership with Big Ben, the bandit has a plan to rig the ballot. Ben obtains forged ballot papers and after voting has ended on election day, they switch the real ballot box with their own duplicate box filled with votes for Pedro! Directed by Gerry Anderson Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Song: Happy Hearts And Friendly Faces performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 14th July 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 26 |
Gun Fight On Main Street Tex’s old friend Cass Morgan rides into town on the trail of Big Ben’s former partners Ike Tobin and Billy Pinto, a pair of outlaws who, he tells Tex, robbed the stagecoach at Kell’s Creek and killed the driver, Morgan’s kid brother. Tex reminds his friend that he cannot take the law into his own hands, but Morgan is out for revenge and warns Tex to stay out of it. Tex has a hunch there’s more to this business than Morgan is letting on, so he heads for the telegraph office. Meanwhile, Ben has made contact with Tobin and Pinto and arrives at the saloon with a message for Morgan: the pair are on their way into town for a noon showdown on Main Street… Directed by David Elliott Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Song: The Rick-Rick-A-Rackety Train performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 21st July 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 27 |
Horse Thieves Big Ben proposes an arrangement with Pedro and Fernando whereby an associate of his will pay the two bandits for as many horses as they are able to rustle. That night, Rocky has just been bedded down in the livery stables when the bandits make their first strike, stealing every horse in Four Feather Falls, including Rocky. Without transport, Tex is unable to pursue the bandits so Dan Morse wires to Silver City for new horses. But Dusty isn’t prepared to wait and sets off to find Rocky himself. He soon locates the makeshift corral where Pedro and Fernando have penned the horses for the night and encourages Rocky to make a leap for freedom. Directed by Alan Pattillo Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Song: Two Gun Tex Of Texas performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 10th November 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 28 |
A Bad Name Big Ben rides into town hotly pursued by Lucky Chance and his new foreman Matt Ames. He bursts into the jailhouse begging Tex for help: Chance believes Ben and Red Scalp to be responsible for the theft of 100 head of cattle the previous night and wants to string Ben up for his crime. Tex exerts his authority and tells Chance to cool off while he tracks down Red Scalp so that both rustlers can face justice. Ben adamantly protests his innocence so Tex agrees to investigate, leaving Twink and Doc to guard Ben while he goes in search of Red Scalp and teams who really stole Chance’s cattle. Screenplay by Phil Wrestler Directed by David Elliott Song: The Phantom Rider performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 29th September 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 29 |
The Ma Jones Story A pair of strangers, Brad Martin and Jeff Ward, arrive in town with a plan to swindle Ma Jones and take possession of the general store. Ward offers Ma a large stock of expensive household items on a hire purchase arrangement of $1 a week. Ma readily signs a contract but then Martin arrives posing as Ward’s boss and exercises his right, according to the contracts small print, to claim full immediate payment for the stock. Unable to pay, Ma must hand over ownership of the store to Martin, who then bullies her into leaving town. When Tex learns what has happened, he rounds up the two conmen and sets out to bring Ma home, but the desert is a dangerous place for an elderly lady… Screenplay by Jill Allgood Directed by Alan Pattillo Song: Happy Hearts And Friendly Faces performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 7th July 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 30 |
Bandits Abroad A $200 reward is being offered for the capture of the bandit Pancho Gomez who bears a remarkable similarity to Fernando. The resemblance presents Pedro with a tempting opportunity: he dresses his partner as a bandito and turns him in to Tex, claiming that the man is Gomez in order to collect the reward. After Fernando has been incarcerated in the jailhouse, Pedro waits until Tex is cleaning his guns and then bursts in wearing a disguise. With their bullets removed, Tex’s guns are unable to open fire and the two bandits get clean away. As they leave town, the pair are spotted by Marvin Jackson and Dan Morse who chase them into Dead Man’s Gulch. There, the bandits split up, unaware that the real Pancho Gomez is at large in the area… Screenplay by Jill Allgood Directed by David Elliott Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 25th August 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 31 |
A Cure For Everything A travelling medicine man named Hyam Wright has arrived in town with his colleague Scrag. Doc Haggerty is worried that the townsfolk will be taken in by the man’s claims to be able to cure everything with his miracle potions. Sure enough, everyone starts buying Wright’s medicines and ointments, and even Tex succumbs to an invitation to sample his invigorating ‘bubbly bath’. But when Wright claims that his medicines have cured Abe Weeks’s daughter, the townsfolk stop calling on the Doc altogether. Worried that Wright is putting Doc Haggerty out of business, Tex visits Chief Kallamakooya and learns the true source of Wright’s colourful medicines. Screenplay by Jill Allgood Directed by Alan Pattillo Song: Four Feather Falls performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 18th August 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 32 |
Teething Troubles Rocky is suffering from toothache but refuses to let Doc Haggerty remove the offending molar. Offers of all the candy he can eat and a brand new five cent piece for his bridle cannot persuade him to be treated. The horse tells Tex that he wants to be taken to the medicine man but Tex assures him that the native American will not be able to help. Tex tries to sing the horse to sleep but when that doesn’t work, everyone has a sleepless night. The next morning, Dan Morse reports that a dentist is on his way from Silver City to cure Rocky, but the stubborn horse doesn’t like the sound of that and runs away. Screenplay by Jill Allgood Directed by David Elliott Song: Four Feather Falls performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 13th October 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 33 |
Buffalo Rocky Six of Pete Carson’s best horses have been stolen from his ranch, but the only tracks would seem to indicate that the thief was a buffalo! Grandpa Twink reports the same phenomenon at Buck Wheatley’s ranch and Tex begins to suspect that the ranchers are all having him on. Then he investigates a similar theft at the Circle Z but when he examines the buffalo tracks he realises that the markings are too short and shallow for the weight of a real buffalo: someone is fabricating the tracks with specially-made skis. Tex vows to beat the ‘buffalo’ at his own game. Screenplay by Jill Allgood Directed by Alan Pattillo Song: The Phantom Rider performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 2nd June 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 34 |
Safe As Houses A stranger rolls into town and introduces himself as Missouri Mike, a general dealer who claims to be able to sell folk things that they never even knew they wanted. He launches into a sales pitch for handy home safes which he says have sold like hot cakes all over the Union. Each safe comes with its own key so no one else can open it, but Slim Jim points out that everyone in Four Feather Falls keeps their money in Jackson’s Bank so they don’t need a home safe. Just as it looks as if Missouri Mike won’t be making any sales, a mysterious masked man shoots up the bank. Nothing is stolen but suddenly the townsfolk are more interested in buying the home safes, particularly when Missouri Mike throws in a free bottle of Napoleon brandy with every purchase. Screenplay by Martin Woodhouse Directed by David Elliott Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 1st September 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 35 |
First Train Through The railroad has finally come to Four Feather Falls with the Canyon Railroad’s completion of track connecting the town to Dallas. During the night, a bad storm apparently causes a landslide which wrecks the track but Tex suspects sabotage. The sheriff’s instincts are true: the foreman is in the pay of the Overland Railroad who plan to force the Canyon Railroad to sell up. Repairs are completed but the foreman engineers the flooding of the track. Tex persuades the Canyon Railroad to make repairs one more time and the line is finally opened, but as the first train approaches the town, Tex discovers that the track has been sabotaged again! Screenplay by Jill Allgood Directed by Alan Pattillo Song: The Rick-Rick-A-Rackety Train performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 22nd September 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 36 |
Fancy Shooting Little Jake is excited that Slim Jim has arranged for Buck Reevers to give a display of fancy shooting at the saloon. Big Ben is less than impressed with Reevers’s poster billing as ‘The Fastest and Bestest in the Westest’ and Tex is concerned that the showman will attract professional gunmen who feel the need to prove themselves against him. Sure enough, gunslinger Lightning’ Lew arrives at Ben’s shack wanting to know all about Reevers. Ben steals one of Reeverss bullets which Lew discovers contains only a quarter charge, so there’s no kick to spoil the showman’s aim. In Lew’s eyes, this makes Rivers a pushover and he rides into town for a showdown. Screenplay by Martin Woodhouse Directed by David Elliott Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 7th July 1960 5.00pm ITV Network) |
| 37 |
Happy Birthday It is Tex Tucker’s birthday and the townsfolk are planning for a party which will be held in Grandpa Twink’s parlour that evening. Jake searches the general store for a special present, a pair of white army-style riding gauntlets, but Ma Jones tells him that to find gauntlets like that he will have to go to Silver City. Twink and Jake set off in the buggy but when Makooya learns where they are going, and why, he asks Kallamakooya to conjure exactly the gauntlets Jake is after. The little native American catches up with Twink and Jake at a watering hole, saving them an arduous journey, but on their way back to town an eagle takes a fancy to the gauntlets and steals them from the back of the buggy! Screenplay by Jill Allgood Directed by Alan Pattillo Song: Happy Hearts And Friendly Faces performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 17th November 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 38 |
Ambush The train from Dallas is bringing $10,000 in cash for Jackson’s Bank, but Red Scalp and his braves are in league with bank clerk William J. Haddon who is travelling with the consignment. They ambush the train and ‘kidnap’ Haddon when they steal the money, so that the bank clerk will not be suspected of complicity. When Tex learns what has happened he immediately sets out to rescue Haddon. Meanwhile, the hapless bank clerk discovers what a fool he was to trust Red Scalp when the native American tie him up and leave him trapped in a ring of fire. Screenplay by Jill Allgood Directed by David Elliott Song: The Rick-Rick-A-Rackety Train performed by Tex Tucker (Michael Holliday) Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 3rd November 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| 39 |
Ride 'Em Cowboy The townsfolk present Tex with a new pair of boots for him to wear at the rodeo the next day. Tex will be testing his skill against Silver City’s top rider Bart Stevens in the trick riding and buggy racing contests, but Stevens has entered into partnership with Pedro and Fernando to sabotage Tex’s performance by stealing the new boots. He also employs them to fix Grandpa Twink’s gun, thereby eliminating any competition in the shooting contest too. The next day, Tex has already given away his old boots to a poor stranger when Pedro snatches the new boots from the jailhouse porch and throws them down a well. Tex has no choice but to go barefoot in the trick riding contest! Screenplay by Jill Allgood Directed by Alan Pattillo Additional Voice Cast:
UK Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, 27th October 1960 5.00pm (ITV Network) |
| Cast List | |
|---|---|
| Tex Tucker | Nicholas Parsons |
| Rocky | Kenneth Connor |
| Dusty | Kenneth Connor |
| Grandpa Twink | David Graham |
| Ma Jones | Denise Bryer |
| Little Jake | Denise Bryer |
| Pedro | Kenneth Connor |
| Fernando | David Graham |