The Fugitive (1963–1967): Season 3, Episode 11 - Set Fire to a Straw Man - full transcript

Don't you worry
about my problems.

What I can't handle,
my money can.

Bought me privacy.
I bought Jesse.

He wanted a kid,
there was one available.

I see.

Well, I guess you've
taken care of everything.

Almost.

Mickey, what time is it?

MICKEY: Ten o'clock.

At exactly 11:00

I want you to call the police



and tell them that
Chris Benson has stolen

some car radios
from the warehouse.

Tell them we also believe he is
wanted elsewhere for something.

Give them anything we
have in the personnel file.

Descriptions, addresses,
etc. Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

Get Max on the phone.

You're lucky, Benson.

You have a lot more
time than Porter did.

Tick... tick... tick...

Starring David Janssen
as Dr. Richard Kimble.

An innocent victim
of blind justice,

falsely convicted for
the murder of his wife,

reprieved by fate when
a train wreck freed him



en route to the death house,

freed him to hide in
lonely desperation,

to change his identity,

to toil at many jobs,

freed him to search
for a one-armed man

he saw leave the
scene of the crime,

freed him to run before
the relentless pursuit

of the police lieutenant
obsessed with his capture.

The guest stars in tonight's
story, Diana Hyland,

Edward Binns, Joseph Campanella.

Tracton, New Jersey.

A small industrial town

where a passerby has
summoned the police

to a mugging in a dirty alley.

But this senseless beating

is about to take on far
more significance to a man

not even witness
to it. A man named

Richard Kimble.

Okay, hold it!

Right there!

Get your hands up!

Put them in back of your head!

Go right in, officer.

Well, how about it, Stan?

Is this one of the guys
that beat you up or not?

I told you it wasn't
him. He works here.

That's right, sergeant.

He's under Jesse
at the warehouse.

That's just the way
beatings happen, Mr. Savano.

Somebody doesn't like the way

somebody else gives an order,

so they decide to do
something about it.

I don't remember
what they looked like.

I never saw them before.

They almost beat your brains out

and you don't remember
what they look like?

Yeah. Okay.

You get a free pass
this time, Benson.

Next time a cop wants to
ask you some questions,

don't act like you just
robbed a bank, okay?

Yes, sir.

Sergeant?

Okay, Mr. Savano, let's go.

Much obliged, thank you boys.

You're pretty banged up, Jesse.

Maybe you better go on home
and take the rest of the day off.

Yeah, but who's going
to set up billet space

for those 200 batteries that
came in this morning, huh?

He thinks he's married
to this warehouse.

Well, I guess he'll
need some help.

Thanks for backing
me up, Mr. Savano.

Forget it.

Oh, Benson.

You know, the cop had a point.

Why did you try to sneak away?

Well, I had this trouble
once with the police.

It was on the
west coast. Save it.

I was just wondering why,
not how, or where or when.

Put the rest of that
stuff back in T-22.

And don't forget to pull
the old stock forward.

I'll do that, Jesse, if
you want to go home.

I'm not going home.

You ought to take care of that.

Look, forget it!

Now skip the sympathy,
will you, Chris? I'll live.

MICKEY: Warehouse.

Yeah?

Mr. Savano wants somebody
to go out to the house

and change a flat
on his sister's car.

Okay, we'll take care of it.

Hey, Chris, if you
wanna be of some help,

you can go out
and fix that flat.

Take the pickup.

What's the address?

1202 Linden. Honk
when you get there.

And keep your nose clean.

Yeah, sure.

The car is over there.

Will you please fix it
right away and leave.

Don't you just hate people
who drive over nails?

Just the people
that put them there.

I thought you were
resting, Miss Savano.

What?

I said I thought
you were resting.

No, Max, I wasn't resting.

The shade in my
room won't close.

Would you see
if you could fix it?

Yes, miss.

Excuse me.

Buon giorno.

I'm Stella Savano and you are a
new employee at the warehouse.

Chris Benson.

I've only been there
a couple of weeks.

I'll speak to my brother about
the way he keeps secrets.

I need that. Do you?

Uh-huh.

Is it hopeless?

No, it's just a flat tire.

I'll put the spare on and
take this one back to the shop

and have it fixed.

Do you think you
can fix the other thing?

What other thing?

Well, noises happen after
it's been running for a while.

What kind of noises?

Funny little clicking sounds.

After I fix this I'll take a
look under the hood, all right?

If I have car trouble again,

will you be the one
they'd send out to fix it?

You're wanted on
the telephone, Benson.

It's Mr. Savano.

You can take it right in there.

Excuse me.

Thanks, Max,
thank you very much.

Yes, sir.

Yes, this is Benson.

How are you coming over
there? Almost through?

It shouldn't be much longer.

Oh, Max tells me my sister
has been hanging around.

Hope she's not making
a nuisance of herself.

No, sir, she's not
in the way at all.

Good, good.

I'll tell you what. I'm
about to leave the office.

Why don't you meet me over
at the Gatewood Inn for a drink?

I'll expect you in
about a half an hour.

Yes, sir.

Uh... That'll have to wait.

Your brother's just invited
me to have a drink with him.

Yeah, I knew he would.

Uh, waiter.

How about it, Benson?
You want another one?

No, thanks.

I, uh...

I get the feeling
I'm still on duty.

Well, as a matter of fact,

if Jesse had sent one of the
other guys out to fix that tire,

we, uh, wouldn't
have had this problem.

Problem?

Well, to tell you the truth, I
hear tell that you and Stell

were very... impressed
by each other.

Well, she's very attractive.

You'd be surprised how
many times I've heard that.

Uh, you mentioned a problem.

Oh, yes.

Did she talk to you
about her boyfriend?

She talked about
the car, that's all.

Well, he's in the
service. A nice boy.

His name is Owen Porter.

They plan to be married
when he gets out.

You see, a woman
like Stell gets lonely.

She needs to be around people.

In fact, sometimes
she gets so friendly

that it backfires

and men get the wrong idea.

I understand, Mr. Savano.

You tell your sister it
was nice meeting her.

Oh, Benson,

I uh, hope you don't
mind the big brother act.

No, not at all. Good.

You just made me the easiest
guy in the world to get along with.

Deal?

Deal.

Good night, Benson.

Good night.

Hey, Chris.

Come on, let's take a break.

I've got a couple of
homemade doughnuts here.

Now, wait'll you taste these.

My wife made 'em.

You ought to see my
kid go after these things.

He gets his mouth and
both hands full, like a squirrel.

Well, I don't blame
him. They're good.

Have any trouble yesterday,
about, uh, changing that tire?

No, no trouble with
the tire, but, uh...

Stell?

I know she's engaged.

Engaged?

She tell you that?

No, he did.

He told me to
stay away from her.

You better stay away from her.

Look, Chris, this
is a warehouse,

not a lonely hearts club.
Stell don't come down here,

and you don't go out
there, not anymore.

Somebody else
changes the flats, all right?

You got it?

Yeah, I got it.

The wife told me to invite
the new man home for dinner.

You interested?

You sure that's what she said?

What difference does it make?

All I gotta do is
give her a call,

she'll throw another
potato in a pot.

I'll call right now.

Just look at that, huh?

Look at that action,
will you, Chris?

Isn't it a honey? Oh,
you ought to see it

with a 3 or 4-pound
trout on the end of it, boy.

Ah, I made this from a blank.

Every guide hand-wrapped.

Here. Feel it.

It's a beautiful rod, Jesse.

Hey, one of these days
I'll take you fishing, huh?

All right.

Between the attention he
gives fishing and Johnny,

I'm lucky to get an occasional
nod around this place.

Oh, yeah?

Oh, and speaking of pests,

would you mind watching your son

while I finish the dishes?

Oh, sure, send him in.

We'll give him a cigar
and a slug of whiskey.

Hey, you ought to find
yourself a woman like that.

The best! Look out!

Here he comes, the
fastest tackle in the east.

Hey, that's no way
to treat a guest!

That's all right.
But I like him.

Hey, he likes me.

Do you wanna hear a secret?

A secret? Yeah, sure.

I got a friend that
gives me things. Free.

What's his name?

Mr. Straw.

He sounds like a
good friend to have.

He lives high up on a hill and
nobody knows he's there but me.

And he gives you things?

Uh-huh. Sometimes
candy and sometimes toys.

Yesterday he
gave me a fire truck

with a hose that
squirts real water.

Oh, that's enough
wild stories, Johnny.

Mr. Benson isn't interested.

But is isn't a story... Johnny!

Oh, Ginny, I think it's time
for Johnny to go to bed.

Now, you, uh, say good
night to Mister Benson, Johnny,

and go brush your teeth, huh?

Good night, John.

Johnny?

Good night, son.

Off to bed, young man.

Well, who is Mr. Straw?

A beat-up old scarecrow.

The kid's got an imagination
that just won't stop.

Hey, how about some
cards or something, huh?

Oh, I'll take a
rain check, Jesse.

I ought to get home.
I'm a little tired.

Okay, I'll let you off the hook.

I think your wife stole my coat.

I haven't seen it all...

Oh, yeah, it's out in
the closet. I'll get it.

She loses them sometimes,
but she doesn't steal them.

Oh, here it is, right here.

Well, uh, thanks, huh?

Tell your wife thanks
for the nice dinner.

Yeah, I'll tell her.

I'll tell her you
said it was great.

I'll see you in the
morning. Okay.

Good night.

Good evening.

Chris, you got my note.

Well, I thought it
came from your brother.

Well, of course,
that's why I typed it,

instead of using my
delicate, feminine hand.

How do you know I wouldn't
have answered either way?

But intrigue's much more fun.

Do sit down and make
my day worthwhile,

or what's left of it.

And what would you like, sir?

Nothing, thank you.

Please, I need a
sympathetic ear.

At least you could pretend
you're a willing victim

and drink with me.

Whatever she's having.

You said you needed
a sympathetic ear.

You know, you're not like
the others at the warehouse.

You're easy to talk to.

About what?

Nothing really, just to talk.

Well, that's not true.

There is something.

My brother asked you
not to see me, didn't he?

Yes, he did.

You see, that's why I
left the note on your door,

to make you think it
was he and not me.

I knew you wouldn't come
if you thought it was me,

am I right?

Hmm.

My brother is, uh...

Very protective, he doesn't
even like anyone looking at me.

Stella, I don't think we
should talk about your brother.

After all, I work for him.

Chris, are you happy?

Yeah, I guess so.

I'm glad. Everybody
should be happy.

I think I better be going.

Oh, please, don't spoil things.

It's been so wonderful.
Let's just not go back,

not for a few more days.

I'm sorry.

That's all right.

I think you better come with me.

I was hoping you'd say that.

Waiter.

Well, thanks
for the lift, Stella.

A gentleman might invite
a lady in for a cup of coffee,

or even a nightcap.

Well, it's late.

It's not that late.

Uh, Stella, I don't want
to cause any trouble

for either one of us, okay?

There won't be any trouble.

You see, I'll protect you.

Good night, Stella.

Good night, Chris.

My wife's shopping.

I gotta baby-sit for
a couple of hours.

Here we go.

Stick 'em up.

See? It plays music.

Where'd you get that thing?

I found it.

All right, let's have it.

Come on, give me the gun!

Here, go get
yourself some candy.

There's a machine
right over there.

You better get
that truck unloaded.

Bring these invoices
up to the office.

I saw Stella last night
after I left your house.

What does it take, a
mountain to fall on you

before you get the message?
You stay away from her!

Did she give him that gun?

Yeah, she gave him the gun,

the fire truck you
saw in the closet,

and a lot of other things
you didn't see. All right?

She is Mr. Straw
himself in person!

Now you know it! Now
back off, keep out of it!

I told you to get
that truck unloaded,

those papers up to the office.

Now get that stuff
unloaded and up to the office!

Look, we both agreed

you would stay away
from this place, right?

Five years now and
there's no trouble.

And why today?

And don't give me any of
that surprise visit routine!

I'm tired of sitting around all
day long with no one to talk to.

What about Max?

Max is a trained
animal. A watchdog.

Maybe that's what you need.

You had Jesse beaten
up, didn't you? Why?

Out of spite?

Jesse who?

All right. All right, let's
level with each other.

You came down here
to see Chris Benson.

I want to tell you
something, Stell.

He doesn't want to see you.

So forget it!

Is that all?

No, I'll make sure

that you get to
your car all right.

Never mind.

Hi.

Hi.

Your name is Johnny, isn't it?

Come on in and let's see you.

Now, let's have a look at you.

Johnny, do you know who I am?

Stell.

Do you?

You're a pretty lady.

You got a hug for a pretty lady?

Huh?

Stell, that's enough!

Enough of what?

Let the boy go. Hey, don't.

I'm sorry. Really, I'm sorry.

I don't like you.

Well, sure you do.

I don't.

Now don't say that.

I don't like you.

Johnny!

Mr. Savano?

Get him out of here.

And tell Jesse this is a
warehouse, not a nursery.

Hold me for a while.

What's wrong? What
happened, Stell?

Don't talk, just hold me.

Look, Stella... Please.

Now, tell me, what's wrong?

You've got to help me.

All right, I will if I can.

I've got to get him back.

Who?

Johnny.

He belongs with me.

Are you trying to tell me that
a son belongs with his mother?

Why are you
pretending? You know.

I'm beginning to.

Of course you know.
I... I sent you everything.

Postcards, letters, pictures.

All right, Stella, I'll
help you, I promise.

Will you promise me something?

Anything you want.

I want you to go home and wait.

Wait? Wait? I've already waited.

You see, I've got to have time.

You just go home and wait.

I promise I'll call tomorrow.

All right?

Go on.

All right.

All right.

Hi, Mr. Straw, you got
any presents today?

Hi, Johnny.

Come on.

Come on.

Come on.

Yeah. MICKEY:
Mr. Benson to see you.

All right, send him in.

I'm busy, Benson,
and you ought to be.

Your, uh...

sister. I ran into
her last night.

What do you mean
you ran into her?

Well, I mean she...
She came to see me.

Where?

My place.

No calls, Mickey.

All right, let's lay it
on the line, Benson.

You've been seeing
Stell behind my back.

That doesn't jibe with
our understanding, does it?

Nobody has been doing
anything behind your back.

Your sister came to me because
she thought I could... help her.

Help her? Now put
down your tambourine.

She doesn't need your help.

Your sister is a very sick girl.

Now, whether you want to
believe it or not, she does need help.

You listen to me.

There are a few
personal problems

I don't plan to put in
the morning papers,

do you understand that?

I understand.

I wouldn't have bothered
you except for the boy.

She wants him back. I
thought you ought to know.

How deep do you
have to bury garbage?

Five years and it still...

Did she tell you
about Owen Porter?

A bum I had working down
there in the warehouse?

A bum. She picks
him to fall in love with.

Well, I ran him out of town.

Well, that didn't
solve anything, did it?

Don't you worry
about my problems.

What I can't handle
my money can.

Bought me privacy.
It bought Jesse.

He wanted a kid.
There was one available.

I see.

Well, I guess you've
taken care of everything.

Almost.

Mickey, what time is it?
- Ten o'clock.

At exactly 11:00

I want you to call the police
and tell them that Chris Benson

has stolen some car
radios from the warehouse.

Tell them we also believe he's
wanted elsewhere for something.

Give them anything we
have in the personnel file.

Descriptions, addresses,
etc. Is that clear?

Yes, sir. Get Max on the phone.

You're lucky, Benson.

You have a lot more
time than Porter did.

Tick... tick...
tick... tick... tick...

tick...

Max,

get over to Benson's place and
let me know when he leaves town.

Yeah, he's on his way there now.

Who is it?

Stell. Let me in.

Darling, everything is
all set. Are you packed?

Oh, good, you're almost ready.

Uh, Stella... George
won't suspect a thing.

All we have to do
is pick up the baby...

Now look, Stella, I
can't take you with me.

We are not going
to pick up any baby.

But he's waiting.

You're not talking
about Johnny, are you?

Yeah. Oh, don't worry.

He's all right. I
locked the door.

Yes, sir, she's been up
there about ten minutes.

All right. Go back home.

I'll take care of it.

Mickey, that call to the police.

Don't wait until 11.

Make it now.

Operator, give me the
police department, please.

Stella, I'm in trouble. I
have to get out of here.

Mm-mm. You have to come with me.

Stella.

Stella, what have
you done with Johnny?

Now, you have to
take him back to Jesse.

You're hurting my arm.

Let me show you
what I bought him.

I'll say it came
from both of us.

All right, Stella.

I'll go with you.

We'll both go and get Johnny.

The three of us.

You'll see, it'll be wonderful.

We'd better hurry.

You should have
listened to me, Benson.

I was leaving, Mr. Savano.

With a little bonus? My sister.

Her car, her checkbook.

Anything else you might
want before you dumped her?

She came here because she
thinks I'm this Owen Porter.

And she has the boy. Shut up!

Back home where you belong.

Stella.

What are you going
to do about him?

The police will be
here in a few minutes.

You know, you
shouldn't lie to my brother.

I only came here
because you asked me to,

and because I thought
I had some sort of...

childish crush on you.

Stella.

Ask her where the boy is.

What are you talking about?

She's got him
locked up somewhere.

What about that, Stell?

He's lying.

I know she sounds
rational, but she's not.

The point is, she's got Johnny.

Now, if you let her
walk out that door,

who knows where she'll take him.

I told you to get home!

Stella.

Ask her who I am.

She can pretend
all she wants to,

but she can't change
what she thinks is real,

or who she thinks I am.

Tell him, Stell.

My brother already
knows who you are.

But my name, Stella,
what's my name?

Chris Benson.

No, my name, Stella.

I said Chris Benson.

Well, then Johnny's not ours.

Stop it. He couldn't be.

Stop it.

He belongs to Jesse.

No. He's Jesse's son.

No, no, he's mine, Owen.

He's mine. You know he's mine.

Stella, where...
Where is Johnny?

You can't have him. You can't.

I've got him back.
Where is Johnny?

Stella, tell me where
he is. He's my baby!

Where is he?

Oh, oh, please. No,
that's not going to help.

Please.

Stella, where are
you hiding Johnny?

Stella, we just want to
make sure he's all right.

Where's Johnny?

Where's Johnny?

He's in... The playroom.

She means the basement.

He's... The house.
He's all right.

The police?

Yes.

We made it pretty
tough for you, didn't we?

How bad is the
trouble you're in?

Bad.

Go cover the back door.

Right.

Get in the closet.

Hurry up, get in the closet.

What about her?

I don't know.

Come on.

Oh, sergeant.

We just got a call
from your secretary.

Oh, yes, I had her make it,

but I'm afraid
we're both too late.

You see, uh, Benson
has gone. He's...

She's my sister.

I found her this way
a few minutes ago

when I... When I came
looking for Benson.

Well, see, she was
in love with him and...

He walked out on her.

Owen?

Owen's gone?

Where's Owen?

Who's she talking about?

I don't know.

George, please!

I've got to talk
to Owen, please!

I want to see him!

No, no, no,
Stella. It's all right.

Please, let me go!

Sergeant, she's pretty sick.

We, uh... We better get
her to a hospital, I think.

I'll have one of my
men call an ambulance.

Owen, please. No, no, no.

Let me go! No,
no, no, it's all right.

Everything's gonna
be all right. Chuck!

Sergeant.

Maybe if you could help
me get her downstairs,

we can take her in my car.

I think an ambulance
would frighten her. Stella...

Sure.

Never mind, I'll be right down.

No, no, no.

No, no, you're
going to be all right.

Just come with us.
We'll take care of you.

Everything's
going to be all right.

Open up that door, will you?

Mommy. My mommy.

Mommy! Mommy!

Jesse, Stell's in the hospital

where she belongs,
where she'll...

get the right kind of care.

I don't know how you
feel about things by now,

but it's taken me
a long time to...

Look, what I'm trying to say is

maybe one of these days
down at the warehouse,

we can sit down and talk,

and if it's all right
with you and Ginny,

I'd... I'd like to come
and see the boy

You know, get to know him.

We'll sit down and
talk, Mr. Savano,

but I want you to
know one thing.

Johnny's got us.

He doesn't need
any more straw men.

For each of us

there is an occasional
moment of fantasy,

a search for a straw
man of our own.

But Richard Kimble can only
hope that the memory of a face,

caught once in the
glare of headlights,

is made of something
other than straw.