The Fugitive (1963–1967): Season 3, Episode 20 - Stroke of Genius - full transcript

A young man accidentally kills the driver of a Jeep Kimble is riding in. Kimble gets away, but is later captured by Gerard in a remote cabin. But the real danger is from the boy's father who is determined to protect his son, no matter what.

You're in a lot of
hot water, friend.

Half this county's
out looking for you.

What's your name, anyway?

Frank Whistler.

Frank, I had a
hunch you'd be here

and I'm right.

What do you want with me?

That's a good one.

The murder of the
Reverend Barlow.

That's what.

The guy who works in the diner



where you met
Barlow this morning,

well, he described you to a T.

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:



Telly Savalas, Beau Bridges.

Also starring Barry Morse
as Lieutenant Philip Gerard.

What's this all about?

What's what, Pa?
"What's what, Pa?"

This letter from the university,
that's "what's what, Pa."

"Dear Mr. Keller,

"I have been informed
by the Admissions Office

"that, as yet, there's
no record of your son

Gary's applying for
admission to the university..."

Are you listening?

"Desirous as we are

"to have young men of
Gary's remarkable academic

"achievement as members
of our student body,

"we cannot, in
fairness to others,

"continue to hold a place

"for him among our
incoming students.

It is, of course, with a
great deal of regret..."

I filled this
application out myself

and you said you mailed it.

I don't want it,
Pa. You know that.

You know you can't afford it.

I kept trying to
tell you that I...

"I kept trying to
tell you that I..."

Now, you're not smart
enough to tell anybody anything,

least of all the straight truth.

I'm gonna tell you something,

I'm sick and tired of
listening to this nonsense.

I've been too lenient with you

just because you think
you know what's right.

Well, I don't...

All right, Gary, you
get inside the house.

Go ahead.

Gary. No, get in...

For many men, life
is a ceaseless flight.

Each moment of each day must
be escaped by fleeing, somehow,

somewhere, without rest,

until one day all hope dies

even the hope of further flight.

Perhaps, for such men,

death comes as a final
and all-obliterating kindness

after a lifetime of
nightmarish flight,

an eternity of dreamless rest.

But for Richard
Kimble, there is no rest.

Not free to live,
he is also denied

the freedom of death.

I told you to stay back.

Hey, wait. Hold it.

Pa, he looks hurt.

Hey! Hey!

Don't touch anything.

Right, get back to the truck.

It's Reverend Barlow.

Get back to the truck
and get off the highway.

Pa, I've killed Reverend Barlow.

Now, snap out of it.

Now, go back and do what I said.

There's a man been shot.

There's a man been
shot on the highway.

No English.

Highway.

Telephone.

Gary?

Did you know that
gun was loaded?

Did you? Yes.

Then why did you fire it?

I thought the
safety lock was on.

Oh, come on, you
know better than that.

I've taught you about guns.

You're very good with
them and very careful.

I didn't mean to shoot.

I didn't mean to hurt anybody.

He was the best
friend I ever had.

I loved him.

And he felt the same
way about you, Gary.

Maybe even more
than he told you.

All right, come on.
Now, let's get packing.

Packing? What for?

Well, we're gonna
go into the mountains

and if anybody asks,

we've been there
for at least three days.

Let's call the sheriff.

What's the matter with you?

You wanna get put in jail?

It was an accident.

And who's gonna believe that?

That far away, a moving
car? That's a million to one.

And that guy who saw us,

he might have recognized us

and called the sheriff.

So come on.

Let's get packing.

Harry said when he finished
at the scene of the accident

he'd go over and break
the news to Mrs. Barlow.

I'm just as glad it's not me.

All right, ma'am, where is he?

He?

George. Um...

- What's she saying?
- After she phoned us,

she came out here and
he was gone already.

Wouldn't you say that
was a little strange?

Oh, I don't know.

After all, he did have her call.

Well, we're nearly a mile away.

Anybody else would
have stayed around.

Tried to flag down a car.

I guess you're right.

You think he did it?

Uh, he's running like it.

Look, uh... Wait a
minute. Wait a minute.

Ask her where he was
when she saw him first.

He was coming
from that direction

and he came down here.

He had blood all over his face.

Si.

He was tall and
he had dark hair.

She has to feed the chickens.

All right, well, come
along with us now.

She says she has done nothing.

Look, will you tell her that
a man's been murdered

a few miles up the road

and we need her
to fill out a report?

Hackles worse
than those chickens.

Get in the truck.

I said, get in the truck.

Gary... Gary!

Hello.

Yes, it is.

It's for you.

Sheriff's office.

I'm sorry, Pa.

Hello.

Hello, Harry.

Why, sure what about?

Okay, I'll be right over.

They want to see me right away

about the Barlow killing.

I'm coming with you.

No.

I'll walk there if I have to.

The waste.

The lousy stupid waste.

Where do you think you're going?

I'm sorry.

I thought you were
one of my men.

What are you doing out here?

I got some friends...

I'm looking for High Peak Road.

Thought we'd do some fishing.

Where's your fishing gear?

They've got all the gear.

Well, you're pointed
in the right direction.

It's at least five
miles down the road.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

All right, you men, on
your feet. Back to work.

Gary, there's something
I want you to say in there.

What, Pa?

That I fired the rifle.

That I was cleaning
it and it went off.

A freak accident.

Don't ask me to do that.

I'm not asking
you. I'm telling you.

Well... I wouldn't
be any great loss.

The retired chief petty officer,

who never could make
it back in civilian life.

Please, don't talk like that.

Why? It's true, isn't it?

Everything I ever touched
never panned out quite right.

Boy, the one thing that
turned out right, is you.

Don't you... Don't
you spoil it now, huh?

Pa.

Come on, you, uh...

You just remember
what I told you.

Hello, Keller. Hi, sheriff.

Hi, Gary.

Sit down.

Sit down, Keller.

Thanks, sheriff.

I'll tell you why I
called you over, Keller.

I was wondering if maybe
you could give us a hand

with this thing.

I've called in a
lot of the fellows,

Harris, Gurney and
Brook, the usual gang,

but we're going to
need a lot of help.

Why, sure, sheriff,
I'll be glad to.

Well, you can go
on the night duty

and, uh, maybe Gary
can help with the phones.

Sure.

You know, Keller,

this accident happened
pretty near your place.

I've been thinking
about it and I wondered,

did you hear a crash?

Or maybe a shot?

Well, uh... Sheriff.

It's Chet Carter.

You know, he works
at the diner up the road.

He says he saw who
shot the reverend.

Yeah, sheriff, a little
before 9:00 this morning,

Reverend Barlow come
in to pick up my jeep.

I used to loan it to him every
once in a while, you know,

when he wanted to go fishing.

And then a little while later,
this other feller, comes in.

Did you recognize him?

Nope.

Not from around
here. I'd swear to it.

What did he look like?

Oh, dark trousers
and dark jacket.

About six feet,
maybe 170-75 pounds.

This fellow, Chet, did
he have black hair?

Straight black hair?

Yup, that's right.

Brown eyes?

Uh, I think so.

I didn't notice that
too much in particular.

Sounds like that circular we
were looking at this morning.

Wanted killer
could be in the area.

That's the one.
It's on your desk.

Bring it to me.

I'll get it.

Chet, you said that this
fellow came in a little later.

How much later was it?

How much later was
it than what, sheriff?

Than Barlow.

Oh. Oh, about ten minutes.

We may be off the hook, Gary.

Did they know each other?

No. No, they met for the first
time right in front of me there.

Well, what did they talk about?

Um, fishing mostly.

Oh, and then this
other feller said

that he had been hitching a ride

with a truck but he was
going on through town,

so Reverend Barlow said,
well, he'd give him a lift

on down the highway
for a ways, anyway.

That the fellow you saw, Chet?

That's him, sheriff.

That hair is a little different,
but that's him all right.

Get me the Chief of Police
up in Marysburg on the phone.

There's a detective from
back east up there too,

name of Gerard, Philip
Gerard. Lieutenant.

I want him in on the call too.

Who is this guy, sheriff?

Read for yourself.

He was spotted just
outside Marysburg

three or four days ago.

He's wanted for
murdering his wife.

Looks like you got
yourself a lot of trouble.

Flat tire and a bunch of kids.

Come on.

What for?

There's a gas station
about three miles down.

I can give you a lift.

The other fellow, my
buddy he went for help.

We'll be all right, thanks.

Right.

I don't believe it.

Whatever Kimble might be,

he wouldn't do
a thing like this.

What reason would he have?

Best reason in the
world, lieutenant.

Reverend Barlow must
have recognized him.

No, Kimble's been
recognized before

by people who were a far
greater threat to his safety

and he's never killed
anyone trying to escape,

nor even tried to.

Except this time.

After we catch Kimble,
you're gonna have a tough time

getting him extradited,

if that's what's
you had in mind.

Yeah, but if he didn't
kill that old preacher,

you've got no right to hold him.

That you've got to prove.

This report,

the Mexican woman who called in.

Her description of the
man who came to her place

fits Kimble exactly.

Now, would Kimble kill somebody

and then ask a woman
to call the police?

Look, all I know is that nobody
from around here would kill him.

Now, you figure it out.

Sheriff, Barlow's
personal effects.

George says the lieutenant
might wanna take a look at them.

Oh, thanks.

Why don't you go on home,
Keller, and get some rest.

We're going to
need you all night.

Right.

This all he had on him?

That's it.

Prayer book, wallet, uh...

Sheriff, do your men
have orders to shoot?

If they're shot at, of course.

Kimble won't shoot.

I promise you that.

Why do you ask?

There's a good chance he
might have seen something

and he knows something.

He might even
have seen the killer.

All right. I'll send
out the word.

We'll bring him
back in one piece.

Oh, and, uh, sheriff,

can you tell me where
the Barlow house is?

Pa,

Mrs. Barlow called
a little while ago.

She wants to see me.

Don't bother her, son.

Not now.

What about that man?

Kimble?

Well, all they know is that
him and Reverend Barlow

were talking about going
fishing or something.

They drove off in the jeep.

Nothing else.

I guess he was
going up to the cabin.

What cabin?

Well, last month he, uh...

He bought this cabin
up in the mountains.

Said he wanted
to get away from it

for a while, be by himself.

Pa, what happens if
they catch this man?

We'll worry about
that when we get to it.

You know where the cabin is?

Yeah, he-he took a
bunch of us up there last...

Last week to, uh,
help him with the roof.

Where is it?

The end of High
Peak Road. There's a...

dirt road that branches off
to the right a... A couple miles

and then, uh,
there's a... A trail.

You'll be all right.

I'll see you later.

Pa.

Where are you
going with that rifle?

Taking it to town.

Have that Swede at
the gun shop look at it.

Check the safety.

Loaded?

You're going after him
yourself, aren't you, huh?

You know where he is.

How would I know?

If you kill him, I'll tell.

"If you kill him, I'll tell."

What's the matter with you?

I don't wanna kill anybody.

I just wanna find this guy,

talk to him, but I don't
know what he's like.

He's a wife-killer
and a murderer.

He may be dangerous. I
just don't wanna get into

something like that
without protection.

Promise me, if you don't
have to, you won't use it.

Please, now, just promise me.

I promise. If he
doesn't try anything.

It isn't that important.

Nothing is that important.

And I'll decide
what's important.

You put those scissors down.

Over there on the table.

Now, get your hands up.

And the other one.

And one false move
out of you mister,

and you're dead.

I can't raise my right arm.

Turn around.

All right, sit down over there.

You're in a lot of
hot water, friend.

Half this county's
out looking for you.

What's your name, anyway?

Frank Whistler.

Frank, I had a hunch
you'd be here and I'm right.

What do you want with me?

That's a good one.

The murder of the
Reverend Barlow,

that's what.

The guy who works in the diner

where you met
Barlow this morning,

well, he described you to a T.

I didn't kill him.

We were driving along
and there was a shot.

The jeep turned over
and I was thrown clear.

When I came to there
was a man and a boy.

Maybe they had
something to do with it or...

Or what?

I don't know.

Well, if you didn't kill
him, why did you take off?

Reasons of my own.

What did this man and
boy... What did they look like?

I couldn't tell. They
were too far away.

It could have been anybody.

Well, I happen to know
this boy and his father.

They're good friends
and they're good people.

Did they kill him?

It was an accident.

It was a freak accident.

The boy didn't mean to shoot.

These mountains,

they stretch all the
way out of the state.

Are you letting me go?

I don't want anything
to happen to that boy.

Must be quite a boy
for you to take this risk.

He's got more
brains and goodness

in his little finger

than this whole
town's got put together.

Well, go on.

I'll close this place
up after you're gone.

I'm not gonna shoot
you in the back.

What's he doing here?

You know who I am, don't you?

What difference does that make?

Now, you let me
take care of this.

You walk out in front of
me as if you're my prisoner.

Oh, boy, am I glad
to see you, lieutenant.

This guy's full of
all kinds of tricks.

Kimble.

Am I convicted of this one too?

No, not this one.

I saw your car back there,
checked the registration.

How come you're here?

Wild hunch.

My boy, Gary, he, uh...

He told me about this place.

You know, he knew
Barlow pretty well.

I figured he told him about it

and, uh, gave him some
ideas about where to hide out.

How'd you think
about it, lieutenant?

Mrs. Barlow said her husband
had just rented this place

and was on his way up here.

When a man goes up to his cabin,

he usually takes a key along

and it wasn't with
his personal effects.

Did you take it, Kimble?

I told him I was out of work.

He offered me a job
doing some repairs here.

He gave me the key.

All right. Back inside.

What for?

A few things I
wanna know from you

before we see the sheriff.

Come on.

It was your son, wasn't it?

You say one word about
seeing a man and a boy

and you won't even get
off this mountain alive

and neither will he.

Sit down over there.

What's the matter with your arm?

I tore the muscle when
the jeep turned over.

What happened?

I know you hitched
a ride with him.

We were driving along

and all of a sudden
the old man slumped.

I could see he'd been shot.

The bullet came from somewhere.

Any idea where?

No.

What about after the crash?

Did you see anything, anyone?

No, no one.

You had anything to eat?

I was gonna open that.

Well, let's start back
when you've eaten.

Why don't you start closing up?

Oh, Gary, it's you.

Mrs. Barlow.

Well, come in, come in.

I thought there'd
be a lot of people.

Well, there have been,

and there will be again
this evening, but, uh...

Well, I asked to be left
alone for the afternoon.

Come.

Well, as you can see, I'm...

I'm not only sentimental,
I'm also, uh, messy.

I had no idea that in 35 years

two people could take so
many photographs of, uh...

Mrs. Barlow, I'm
sorry it happened.

Oh, how he admired you, Gary.

And how proud he was of you.

Come here.

Remember when
you were a little boy

and he gave you
your first watercolors?

Yes, ma'am.

And you went home and
painted and painted and painted

and then gave them all
to him on his birthday?

Yes.

Funny scrawls and blotches
from a funny little boy.

He loved them.

And even then he'd say,

"That boy is a genius."

Well, it seems he was right.

I want you to have those funny
scrawls and blotches back, Gary.

They were, uh,
very precious to him.

He, uh...

He did something behind
your back, I'm afraid,

as a surprise.

But, uh, we've got an
answer back before, uh...

Oh, it's all so strange.

This morning, just five
minutes after he drove away,

the mail came and in it
was this letter about you.

The surprise that
he'd hoped for.

And, uh... A little
over an hour later,

the phone rang and
they said he was...

He was, um... That some
man had murdered him.

I had the letter in my
hand when I took the phone.

I didn't know what to think a...

A voice talking about
death on the phone

and, in my hand, news that
would have brought him such...

Such joy.

Have...? Have you ever heard

of the J. Edward
Newton Fund, Gary?

Well, they award an
annual grant of $5000

to study art in Europe.

My husband wrote to them,

sent them some of
your pictures and, uh...

Here it is, for you,

and for the beautiful gift
God gave you, my dear boy.

Oh, God, forgive me.

Gary.

Please, forgive me.

Gary, what is it?

I didn't mean to do
it. It was an accident.

Gary.

Gary, what is it, dear.

Gary.

Forgive you for what, dear?

Gary.

You say there was an
interval of about 10 seconds

between where
Mr. Barlow was shot

and, uh, where you crashed.

And you were going
about 50 miles an hour.

That's right.

So the shooting
probably happened

a little better than
200 yards back

from the scene of the crash.

Uh, did you see
anything back there?

A house or anything?

No, nothing.

Because everybody's
been so eager

to throw this whole
thing in your lap,

nobody's even checked
that far up the highway.

Uh, Keller, when
we get to the cars,

remind me to call in.

I'll have the sheriff
send someone up there

and see if anybody lives there.

All right. Let's go.

I'll see you get to a doctor

as soon as we get in.

Okay, hold it, Kimble.

I'm gonna call in.

Keep an eye on him.

Don't be a fool, Keller.

Go on, beat it.

I got nothing to fear
from you anyway.

Lieutenant Gerard
to headquarters.

Lieutenant Gerard to Santa Elena
Headquarters, come in, please.

Gerard!

Lieutenant Gerard.

Lieutenant Gerard,
come in, please.

Hold it there, Keller.

Come in, Lieutenant
Gerard, come in.

Lieutenant Gerard,

we've got a dispatch for you.

Lieutenant Gerard,
can you hear us?

We've got a dispatch for you.

We've got a confession
in the Barlow Case.

Do you hear me, lieutenant?
We've got a confession

on the Barlow case.

Gary Keller has
confessed to the shooting.

His father, Deputy Keller,

may be somewhere
near the Barlow Cabin.

He may be dangerous.
Do you hear us, lieutenant?

Gary Keller has confessed
to shooting Reverend Barlow.

Lieutenant Gerard.

Lieutenant Gerard,
come in, please.

Pa.

I'm sorry.

I had to.

I... I had to.

I know.

I know, Gary.

What's gonna happen
to him now, sheriff?

He'll get off a lot easier
than you will, believe me.

And after that?

Don't worry about that.

He's a good kid.

He's got lots of friends here.

Then maybe I didn't
do so bad after all.

Even for the guilty,

there is relief when
the truth is known,

but for Richard Kimble,

the truth that will free him

lies somewhere ahead,

over the next horizon,

beyond the next
town at another place,

at another time.