Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 8, Episode 19 - Black Friday - full transcript

Little Joe puts his life on the line to help sick friend-turned-gunfighter, Steve Friday, who is holed up in a second story hotel room and waiting a challenge from a gunman, hired by the father of one of Friday's victims to avenge his son's death on the anniversary of the killing... Friday the 13th.

ANNOUNCER: The following program

is brought to you in
living color on NBC.

(fanfare plays)

Howdy.

Stable your horse, mister?

Clean stalls, plenty
of oats and water.

Dollar a day.

You got yourself a customer.

Is it always this
hot around here?

'Tain't but 98 in the shade.

You want to see it
get hot, wait'll Friday.



It'll get hot then.

A whole lot hotter.

Take care of my horse, will you?

(hoofbeats fade into distance)

Howdy.

How you doing?

- Room for one?
- Yep.

Just sign the book.

You're a stranger
in these parts.

- That's right.
- Here for cattle buying?

Yeah, looking
first, then buying.

Well, we got the finest
ones here. Pure-bred beeves.

We're famous for 'em.

Improve your herd or build
'em from scratch. We got 'em.



Well, now, I guess
you want to freshen up

and start to those ranches

and look at those cattle, right?

Yeah, I'd like plenty of
hot water for washing.

♪♪

Well, Mr. Cartwright,
here's your key.

You take your drunks pretty
serious around here, don't you?

Oh, he's not drunk.

Now, your room is 25,

top of the landing to the right.

If he's not drunk, what's
the matter with him?

I wouldn't concern myself
if I were you, Mr. Cartwright.

He's beyond help.

This man's a dying man.

Name is Steven
Friday. Black Friday.

Steve Friday, sure.

I wouldn't, Mr. Cartwright.

Well, I would.

Hey.

You're cuttin' in to do
another man's work, boy.

For the time being, anyway.

Hey, Steve.

Steve, it's me, Joe.

Joe Cartwright.

Yeah. I remember.

But what're you doing here?

You're in no condition
to be down here.

Let me get you upstairs in bed.

You mean in my grave, don't you?

Now, don't try and trick me.

'Cause I'll kill you.

Just like the
others, I'll kill you.

Get it clear in your head, boy.

I got a special reservation
in on Mr. Friday.

In fact, three days from now.

Friday the 13th.

The only one this year.

Right, Judge?

It's poetic justice

that he should die on that day.

And quite fitting that
he should crawl...

until then.

Now don't you forget...
Friday's all mine.

(theme song playing)

♪♪

(cocks hammer)

Come on, come on. I just
want to help you, that's all.

Leave me alone.

That's a heck of a way
to talk to an old friend.

Friend?

Maybe.

But that was when I
worked on the Ponderosa

a long time ago.

Things change.

Yeah, I could've guessed
that without you telling me.

Got a lot of fever...
How long you been sick?

You ought to keep that
filled. I'll get you some more.

How about something to eat, too?

Feeling sorry for
me can get you killed.

I'll be back.

Don't bother.

I don't need you.

I don't need anybody.

I'll see if I can
get you a doctor.

Howdy.

Buenos dias, señor.

Let me have a bowl of soup,

a couple of biscuits, and
some tea on a tray, please.

Si, señor.

Wait a minute, Tony.

I'm sorry, Mr. Cartwright,

but you've got to eat that food
down here like everybody else.

Look, you got a
sick man upstairs.

CLERK: Well, I know.

Come on, why don't
you forget the whole thing

and have a drink
on the house, huh?

Where can I find a doctor?

Well, I-I don't recollect.

Thanks.

(sighs)

Judge, how long you going
to let him get in the way?

I hired you to spill
only one man's blood,

the man that murdered my son.

Do you really think Friday's
going to come out and face me?

When Steven Friday
makes a date for a gunfight,

he comes out,
regardless of how he feels.

Especially on his name day.

But to play safe,

we'll starve him a little
and goad him a little.

Instead of being impatient,

you should thank me

for making it easy for
you to earn your fee.

Hold on. The patient will live

long enough for me
to get my coat on.

What did you say his name was?

I just don't like leaving
him alone too long, that's all.

Well, that's the second
time you dodged my question.

Well, what difference does it
make what the man's name is?

It does if it's Steven Friday.

Look, you got a sick
man over in the hotel.

You're the only
doctor in this town.

You gonna let him stay sick?

Listen, young fellow,

there's a certain amount of risk

just living in a trail
town like Chiso.

Now, I'd be willing to
stretch that risk even thinner

for a man with, say,

the average amount
of good and bad in him.

But Black Friday?

What gives you
the right to judge

the good and bad in a man?

I'll, uh, I'll get you
some medication.

You, uh, you get
my point, don't you?

Why, I'd-I'd face a
contagious disease

without hesitation,
but-but this?

You know, my pa once
said that fear and hate

are the two most contagious
diseases known to man.

That's all right.

Give him a half a
powder every two hours.

Use some cool compresses.

See that he takes
some nourishment,

solid food if he
can hold it down.

The fever should
drop within 48 hours.

It's, uh, it's
pointless, you know.

They'll kill him
before the week's out.

Thanks for the medicine.

♪♪

Got you some medicine.

Got fancier pitchers in my room.

Yeah, you told me you
were going for water.

I forgot.

Yeah, a fever will
do that to a man.

You can get yourself
killed that way.

Yeah.

Just take one of
these every two hours.

You ought to be on your
feet in a couple of days.

Drink it.

(Friday sighs)

There you go.

Water, medicine.

Why do you bother?

Dora ask you to?

No.

No, I haven't seen Dora
since you two left Virginia City.

No.

She wouldn't ask you to.

Yeah, she knew...
I was all finished.

A lot of roads,

a lot of towns
since Virginia City.

(sighs)

But you heard about me?

16 men.

You had to hear about me.

Yeah, I heard about you.

First, I didn't believe it.

I never thought I'd
hear you talk about it

like you were proud.

You're proud...

of the way you gentle
horses, handle stock.

All I got to be proud of
is what I can do with this.

Didn't use to be that way.

That first time,

first one in Virginia City...

I heard that wasn't your
fault, you were suckered into it.

Yeah, yeah.

Money gun,

drunk, trying to build
himself a reputation.

He picked on me
for an easy score.

I was more surprised than he was

that it turned out
the other way around.

Why'd you run away?

I guess I just figured
I should move on.

I went on down the road.

(Friday laughs)

Another optimist waiting
around the bend for me.

Come on.

Let's get you in bed.

- No, I'm all right.
- Yeah, you're great.

I've seen kittens in better
shape than you're in.

Let's give that medicine
a chance to work.

It doesn't matter.

End of the week, I'll be fine.

Yeah, let's get
you in bed anyway.

Friday the 13th, huh?

That's the day they picked.

My name day.

The day I fight Nate Jakes.

Yeah, if you're able.

Able or not, I fight him.

You sound like a
man who wants to die.

A man who's got no choice.

We'll talk about that Friday.

Right now you need
some solid food.

Joe.

You're not careful,

you're liable to get
killed instead of me.

Don't come back.

(door closes)

- Mr. Wyllit.
- Thanks, Tony.

- Rare.
- It better be.

WYLLIT: Ah, Mr. Cartwright.

Another steak, Tony.

I'm Josh Wyllit,

known around here as the Judge.

I know your father
by reputation.

Fine man.

A fine ranch, the Ponderosa.

I, uh, presume you're
here to buy cattle?

Yeah, that was the general idea.

Well, sit down, Mr. Cartwright.

I hope you don't mind
my ordering you a steak.

An apology for not welcoming
you to Chiso before now.

Uh, this is Mr. Jakes.

An associate of mine.

You may have heard of him.

Yeah, Nate Jakes...
I've heard of him.

As owner of the largest
ranch in these parts...

(chuckles): well, not
as big as the Ponderosa,

but a fair spread...

I can be of
considerable help to you.

If you don't find what
you want in my herds,

I'll see that you do on
one of the other ranches,

at the right price.

Now, that's what I call
a right generous offer.

After you've eaten your steak,

I'll have one of my men
take you out to my ranch.

Plenty of room.

We can put you up.

Yeah, till maybe
Saturday or Sunday, huh?

(chuckles): Well...

it will take at least two
days to look over my herds.

Mr. Wyllit, you can
talk plainer than that.

- Why don't you say what you mean?
- Why not?

There's an old rule
that says: a wise man

does not intrude in matters
that don't concern him.

I think you should
heed it, Mr. Cartwright.

You got a sick man upstairs...

all of you down here...

and you're gonna give me
a good price on some cattle

if I leave town for
a couple of days.

JAKES (sighs): You know, Judge,

he catches on real quick.

Oh, thank you.

That's a good-looking
steak. How much?

A dollar and a half,
but that's my pleasure.

- I always buy my own dinner.
- (tosses coin onto table)

Looks like I'm gonna
be collecting another fee.

(laughing)

♪♪

There's just nothing I
can do, Mr. Cartwright.

Steven Friday's sick;
he's not beat up or shot.

Nobody's laid a hand on him.

But he can't get
out of the hotel,

and the day after tomorrow
they're gonna kill him.

Now, hold it. I can
only concern myself

with what's happening right now.

Come on, Sheriff, come
on! You're dodging the issue.

No, I think you're the one
that's dodging... you're dodging

the fact that Friday has
already gunned down 16 men.

All right, then arrest him.

Arrest him and get
him out of the hotel!

He's not on any wanted posters.

He never has been; he
doesn't operate that way.

No, all of his kills have
been called fair fights.

Oh, and you know
they weren't fair, huh?

Well, now, are you one
of those people who thinks

that gunslingers are
exciting and romantic?

I think he's a human being.

You just said he wasn't
wanted by the law.

All right... let's
look at the facts.

Friday rides in here
almost a week ago.

Oh, people are chasing him,

but he wants to stay right
here, of his own free will.

Well, now, right away I figure
him just being here is trouble.

And, mister, I was right.

Wyllit rides in,

Nate Jakes rides
in within 12 hours.

Another fact.

He lies up there
and he gets sick.

Well, now, you know
how word travels.

There's a few other fellas

that'd like to be
in on his killing.

So they start to gather,

just in case Friday
outdraws Jakes.

Now, at last count
there were two of them.

I met Wyllit. Who's
the other ones?

Enos Low.

Low's little brother wasn't
fast enough to take Friday.

Now, Low is no gunman, but,
oh, he is a wizard with a rifle.

And then there's Cole Berry.

He's no more than
a kid, but he's fast.

And he'd like to
build a reputation.

Three or four.

Those are tough
odds on a well man.

Oh, there's a
couple of local boys

that'd like to be in
on that killing, too.

And some of our more
respectable citizens,

why, they can just hardly
wait for Friday the 13th.

You see, Mr. Cartwright,
when gunfighters

start to cut each other
down, honest folks benefit.

So you sentence him to
death without a trial, huh?

Oh, that wasn't me.

That was Judge Wyllit.

And folks around here
think that he did right.

Now, Mr. Cartwright,

why don't you forget
about Steven Friday.

He's not worth your worry,

not to mention your life.

Just doing what
I was told, mister.

Well, you were told wrong.

I'm not ready to
leave town just yet.

Take him back to the stable.

Oh, Mr. Cartwright, the man
who had your room showed up,

so I gave it to him.

And since there's no
other room in the house...

LITTLE JOE: I'll move
in with Mr. Friday.

(knocking)

(knocking)

(cocks hammer)

(cocks hammer)

Mornin'.

Thought maybe you'd like
to know it's time for breakfast.

Yeah. Steak and eggs
and grits and biscuits.

And lots of hot
coffee to wash it down.

That is, for them that
can, uh... get served.

(uncocks hammer)

(laughing)

Great to have friends, isn't it?

How you feeling this morning?

FRIDAY: Hm?

Uh, it's too early to tell.

You planning on a party?

Why, don't you
believe in shaving?

Not when I might have
to drink that same water.

Hey, don't you
worry about the water.

You got plenty of it right
outside in that fountain

in the middle of the street.

There's your medicine there.

That's the last of it. Drink up.

I'll go get us some more
water, and you can wash up,

we'll go down and
get something to eat.

(Friday chuckles)

You, uh... you think they're
gonna serve you, huh?

Sure they're gonna serve me.

Served me last night.

Did they?

Then how come you
didn't bring me anything?

We had plenty of
steak left over there.

I didn't think you
were hungry, that's all.

Here.

Drink some more of this.

Water's good for the fever.

There you go.

I'll get this one filled up.

How would you like your eggs?

- Sunny-side up.
- Gotcha.

Morning, Mr. Cartwright.

Another hot day.

Uh, Mr. Cartwright?

Your... your
breakfast's waiting.

- We went through that yesterday.
- I know.

And I misjudged you badly.

I've ordered a tray
prepared for Mr. Friday.

In return, I...

I only ask that you listen
to me for a few moments.

I want the pitcher
filled with water.

Oh, sure.

Get him some water.

Please.

You know who you're
risking your life for?

Do you know what he is?

Yeah, I think I do.

I don't mean statistics.

16 men killed in gunfights.

There's no blood
or pain in numbers.

I mean specifics,
Mr. Cartwright,

such as a boy
named Billy Wyllit.

18-year-old boy
walks into a saloon.

Someone gives him whiskey.

His head spins until he
doesn't know what he's doing.

A professional gunman sees
him, taunts him and cuts him down.

That's who you're helping.

I'm sorry about
your son, Mr. Wyllit.

But if it happened
like you said, then why

- didn't the law do something about it?
- The law was blind.

The law said it
was a fair fight.

Five years ago, and he's
gone on killing ever since,

and still the law does nothing.

So now...

I'm doing the law's
job, Mr. Cartwright.

A fair fight.

All legal.

And you can call
it fair and legal

to hire a gunman
to kill a sick man?

Mr. Friday's breakfast.

The last meal either of
you will get in this town.

And the last water.

I don't want you to be hurt.

I don't want anyone hurt...

but Steven Friday.

But get between Friday
and his retribution...

and you'll get hurt.

(door unlocks)

Wyllit let you
bring this up here?

- Yeah.
- How come? Is it poison?

(sighs): No, he
just wanted to talk.

Wanted me to listen.

Oh, yeah.

That 18-year-old
boy I butchered.

That helpless boy
who took a drink

and didn't know up from
down... I heard how he tells it.

And how do you tell it?

I don't.

Then it happened the
way Wyllit said, huh?

Oh, come on.

What's the use
in talking about it?

His side, my side...
The boy's dead.

I want to hear you tell it.

All right.

Billy Wyllit was 18...
but he was no boy.

He'd killed two cowhands

by the time he decided
I'd be number three.

He came up on me from behind.

He had his gun half out of
his holster, then he yelled.

His bullet burned my side.

It's the closest I ever came.

Now you happy?

I'm sorry.

Sorry, I should have known.

(wry chuckle)

Everybody should know.

Everybody should know.

Everybody should
know about the wife

who keeps begging you to stop.

And you keep telling her
you can't stop because...

the guns keep
coming up against you.

And inside, you
know you can't stop.

And after the tenth or
the 12th, she knows it, too.

And she leaves.

And your whole world
goes out that door with her.

BERRY: Doc's been
called out of town.

He won't be back till
tomorrow afternoon.

Friday afternoon.

He went out to
the Wyllits' ranch.

The Judge asked
me to tell you that.

Oh, so you work for Wyllit, too?

No, not yet.

Jakes has a bigger
reputation, so Wyllit hired him.

But I'll get my chance.

Now, what do you
have against Friday?

Not a thing. First time I ever
saw him was yesterday afternoon

when he almost fell
down the stairs in the hotel.

You don't even know him,
and you still want to kill him?

Yeah. The place
to start is at the top.

When I get him, I
get his reputation

and everything
that goes with it.

The gun jobs and the money.

You'd kill a man you
never even spoke to

just for that, for money?

And I'll get it, too, because
Jakes isn't fast enough.

That's why I'm hanging
around running errands.

When Friday gets
Jakes, I get Friday,

and all the money
Jakes would've got.

If it turns out the other
way, same difference.

I'll take Jakes,
and I still got it all.

Howdy, Mr. Cartwright.

You want your horse, I'll have
Charlie saddle it up for you.

One horse, that's all you take.

No, I don't want
the horse saddled.

Just came over to
check him... It's a hot day,

I want to make sure he's
getting plenty of water.

It's already been taken care of.

We wouldn't let no
horse go without water.

Thank Judge Wyllit for me.

Wyllit's got nothing to
do with it... it's my idea.

You want your horse, you can
have it anytime up till sundown.

After that... nobody leaves.

Yeah, you got a
real brave town here.

All of you against one sick man.

Still sick, huh?

Glad to hear it.

You know, my brother had
been in the saddle for 30 hours.

Out on his feet when
Friday gunned him down.

It's, uh, kind of fittin'

the way things are working out.

You might think so.

And, uh...

don't try sneaking out
the back door of the hotel.

Somebody's always watching.

Oh, I'm sure of that.

I know you want it to
happen tomorrow, Judge,

but I think you're
making a big mistake.

Cartwright come down
here to buy cattle, didn't he?

- Then he sees Friday, and all of a s...
- Shut up.

If anything proves
I'm right, that does.

We can't talk anymore
when he's around.

Look, Judge, first he
moves in with Friday.

That makes two of them.

Now, that don't bother me.

I've beat those
kind of odds before.

Then what's the problem?

Like I said, Cartwright
come here to buy cattle.

He's not going...

He's not gonna
hit the trail alone.

He's got drovers
following him in.

And if he does have?

If he does have... six,

eight, ten drovers...
that's a small army.

I say do it now.

Impossible.

Friday will not come out of
that room until tomorrow noon.

You know that and I know it.

Then I'll go in after him, with
Cartwright in the room or out.

It's all one to me.

That would be shooting
a sick man in his bed...

A clear case of murder...

And that I will not have.

When he sees me, he'll draw.

Don't worry, you'll
get your fair fight.

Without witnesses?

And open to question? No.

Maybe Jakes doesn't
want to give Friday

another day to get well, Judge.

Maybe that's
what's bothering him.

If you don't want
the job, I'll take it.

Sonny...

if you don't stop
trying to cut in,

I promise...

I'll take you first.

Well, now, you can try, Jakes.

I told you I hired Jakes.

And I told you why.

Now, I want to hear
no more from you.

I want Steven Friday's death

legal beyond all doubt.

I want him killed on the
anniversary of my son's death...

at noon on Friday the 13th.

My shadow still out there?

(Little Joe sighs)

Yeah. Yeah,
he's still out there.

Old Enos Low.

Couldn't hit himself
with a six-gun.

With that carbine, he'll
hit anything he can see.

Yeah, so I've heard.

Hey, your head's burning
up; your fever's going up again.

Yeah, and the doctor
said cold compresses.

This isn't very cold, but
it's better than nothing.

My throat's dry. Can
you get me some water?

Yeah.

Here's a little bit. I'll
get you some more.

Keepin' you busy.

(laughs softly): Yeah.

(fountain splashing)

That Cartwright's giving him
all that food and medicine,

and getting water for him,
making a well man out of him.

This keeps on, Friday's gonna be
more than you can handle, Jakes.

(gunshot)

The judge said no water.

You should've listened
to him, Cartwright,

'cause your luck just ran out.

I'm callin' you.

(gunshot)

(gunshot)

(fountain splashing)

I guess maybe you're in the
market for a new gun hand.

I thought you would be.

$1,500.

Same thing I offered him.

You got yourself a new man.

What's the matter, Joe?

Don't feel so good?

I just had to kill a man.

I told you to stay out of it.

Yeah, well, I didn't
have much choice, did I?

(wry chuckle)

You know how many
times I've said that?

Well, Wyllit's gonna have
to get himself a new gun.

At least that'll
buy us some time.

He don't need much time.

He's got a line waiting outside.

Yeah, I talked to that kid
at the doc's office yesterday.

Berry?

Yeah, he would
be the first in line.

He said he didn't even know you.

But he wants to kill me.

You find that hard to
understand, don't you?

I don't.

I understand it very well.

(gunshot)

(gunshot)

(gunshot)

(gunshot, glass shatters)

♪♪

It's that Berry kid
out there showing off.

(chuckles) It's probably
a little more than that.

Gunfighters sometimes send
their reputations down the road

ahead of them to...

to scare the man
they're going to meet.

Berry doesn't have a reputation,

so he probably wants to
show me what he can do.

But one thing he can't show me

is what he does when
the target shoots back.

You know, when
we didn't have any,

all I could think
about was water.

Now that we've got
it, my thirst is gone.

You're in no shape
to go out there.

In 30 minutes, we'll know.

(door opens)

(door closes)

Send your hired
gun away, Mr. Wyllit.

I want to talk to you alone.

Let him have his say.

What's on your mind?

I came to ask for a
little mercy for Friday.

Mercy, Mr. Cartwright?

For a man who doesn't
know the meaning of the word?

I can't help you.

You chose to involve yourself

with a man who's
about to be killed, legally.

Did you say "killed legally"?

At noon today,

the fifth anniversary
of my son's murder.

Now, tell me, just
what kind of killing

is legal, Mr. Wyllit?

A hanging?

Yes, but only after a man
has been tried in a courtroom,

convicted and sentenced.

No, I don't see any courtroom
here, no judge, no jury.

All I see is an armed mob
waiting to force a sick man

out into the street so
he can be murdered.

And you're gonna
call that legal?

I'm taking advantage
of the loophole in the law

that Friday has
used in all his killings.

At noon... Steven Friday
comes out of that room

to meet Mr. Berry.

A face-to-face
shootout in the street.

A fair fight.

That kind of killing is
legal, Mr. Cartwright.

Your son was killed in
a face-to-face shootout,

Mr. Wyllit, and you
call that one murder.

If your boy had been a
tenth of a second faster,

that could be him up in the
room right now instead of Friday.

- Or don't you like to think about that?
- (rifle cocks)

(cocks hammer)

There's been enough talk.

Everything fair and legal, huh?

You still have a few minutes...

if you want to say
good-bye to your friend.

Come on, come on, what
are you trying to prove?

All right, you got a
kid out in the street

who's trying to build
himself a reputation.

Don't give him
a chance to do it.

What do you suggest I do?

All you managed
was to lose your gun.

I say stay in the room,
don't go out there.

Till I starve or
they burn me out?

When my father gets
here with some men,

we'll get you out of here.

Then what?

I go to another town
where other Judge Wyllits

and Cole Berrys
are waiting for me?

Five minutes to 12:00.

Got another gun?

Yeah.

There's one in the drawer.

When you go out
there, I'm going with you.

Thanks, Joe.

(hammers cocking)

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

(fountain splashing)

I got the top man.

I got his reputation!

I got it all!

Last town.

End of the road.

(wind whistling softly)

(panting weakly)

I didn't want to kill your boy.

I had enough... killing.

♪♪

So you got what you wanted.

You got him, you
got your reputation.

You got your revenge.

All of you all got just what
you wanted, didn't you?

By killing a man
with an empty gun.

(wind whistling softly)

♪♪

ANNOUNCER: This has
been a color production

of the NBC Television Network.