The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961): Season 2, Episode 3 - Fight or Run - full transcript

We aim to corner Earp in the alley

and blow that tin star he wears clean through him.

Yeah,

kill the so-and-so.

You mean bushwhack him?

Oh, now--!

And you're gonna help us.

Or do you want your saloon burnt to the ground

and half the town with it?

No, I'll help you.

♪ Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp ♪



♪ Brave, courageous, and bold ♪

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
♪ Long live his fame ♪

starring Hugh O'Brian.
♪And long live his glory... ♪

Wyatt Earp, the new Marshal of Dodge City,

was trying to civilize the toughest town on the western frontier.

The hoodlums of Dodge knew that Earp had

tamed Ellsworth and Wichita,

but these were little cow towns compared to Dodge City,

the cowhand capital.

Marshal Earp had to start all over again,

and in the face of opposition

which had run several peace officers out of Dodge.

This Gomorrah of the Plains

offered Wyatt Earp a hard choice--



fight or run.

And if he was to fight it out,

Wyatt needed the help of City Councilman Jim Kelly.

"Mr. Dog" Kelly, they called him in the history books.

Ex-soldier, gambler, saloon keeper,

an odd mixture of good and evil.

"This place won't open until I feel like it. Jim Kelly."

Jim must be riled about something.

Yeah...

Well, I wanna get a drink.

It's like I was bewitched by this fella Earp, Deacon.

He comes in here and fast-talks me into helping him

against the Big-T outfit.

I got no business helping him against good customers like the Big-T Ranch boys.

Who's next? What's the next donation?

The Reverend Hawkut.

Give him 50.

Why should I have helped Wyatt Earp?

Who's Wyatt Earp?

Nothing but a smart Alec young John Law.

He'll be here today and dead tomorrow.

Who's next?

Mrs. Jenkins and children.

Give 'em the same as we gave 'em last month.

Like I was saying, Deacon,

Earp had no call on me, none at all.

But I round up some special deputies and 50 sticks of dynamite

and then what does Earp do?

He blows up the cattle pens and turns all the wild steers loose.

So the Big-T cowhands have to quit shooting

at Charlie Bassett and Bill Tillman in the depot.

They gotta ride half a day collecting steers.

Two Big-T hands get killed and Earp creases their foreman's skull.

I need my head cracked open for having anything to do with Wyatt Earp!

You didn't know how rough Earp plays it, Boss.

How much for Father Shevlin?

Father Shevlin, is it?

The way that man keeps after me.

Not a dime! Not one penny...

more than 200.

All right, all right. That finishes the list.

Ain't you due at the City Council meeting?

No!

Earp wants me to vote to close this town up tight!

The gall of him!

Does he think the big cattle driving outfits

are gonna stand for that without killing him...and maybe me?

By Joe, I'm in my right mind now.

And if you ever see Jim Kelly give Wyatt Earp

so much as the back of his hand,

this whole saloon is yours, Deacon!

You got my oath on it.

All right, Sparky, open up.

Open her up wide and let 'em start drinking.

Maybe they'll punch Marshal Earp in the nose.

Now let's get organized this time.

We make our play in real Big-T style.

We scatter and take the back streets to Gruber's Livery Barn,

we leave the horses there and then we get ready to move on that Kelly.

It wasn't Kelly's fault.

What?

Earp forced him to it.

Ah, quit your jabbering. It was both their faults.

Two of our men are dead and Gus Sanders will be laid up for weeks.

And we don't take that off of nobody.

We're fixing Kelly first, then the Big-T will get Wyatt Earp. Now move!

Back there. Go on.

They're not Big-T men, just drunks.

Al...Al, the doc will be over to patch 'em. Keep 'em locked up.

Yes, sir.

Gentlemen, I'm awful sorry to keep the Town Council waiting.

What happened to you?

Oh, nothing too serious.

One of the Big-T outfits stuck his thumb in my eye.

But I don't think he'll do it again.

It'll be all right in a couple of days.

What's more important is there are drunken cowhands in the street with guns.

Mr. Mayor, that oughta convince you

that we need these new ordinances that I'm asking for.

I'm convinced, Wyatt.

I'm not, and neither is Mr. Billings.

The Town Council is kinda hung up...

two votes for your new ordinances, and two against.

Gentlemen, I'll tell ya, it's useless to even hire a Marshal

if these aren't approved.

Now, what are the objections, Mr. Clements?

Well, Billings and I think two of them are all right,

but we sure don't like the others.

Which ones do you object to?

We vote against number 2 and number 4.

Oh, in other words, you think it's all right to ride a
horse into a saloon or a hotel lobby or into a store, hmm?

Well, it shouldn't be a misdemeanor. It's just harmless fun.

Harmless fun?

We've had at least 20 innocent bystanders kicked or bitten by horses.

And being drunk on the street? That's just harmless fun, too?

I'm not a hypocrite! I've been tipsy on the street,

and so have you and so has Kelly!

Say, speaking of Kelly, where is Mr. Kelly?

He the fifth member of the Council, isn't he?

Jim ran out on us.

What do you mean, he ran out?

Well, he's sore because you got him involved in that fight last week.

Says he won't vote either way.

But if he did vote, he'd vote against you, Marshal.

Afraid that's it.

Mr. Mayor, I'd appreciate it if you'd call another meeting for tonight.

I'll have a little talk with Mr. Kelly.

That won't do any good. You know that...

Ace is the loser...

Green is a winner...

Hi, Mr. Kelly. I'd like a few words with you.

What happened to you?

Oh, I caught a little thumb in the eye.

Big-T.

Mm, hmm.

I'm sorry to hear it, but that's the only word you'll get from me.

We ain't friends.

Wait a minute. This is business,

both mine and yours.

I helped you once. Never again.

Ain't I made it clear enough?

I'm asking you to keep away from me.

There must be two Jim Kellys.

Then this one's in his right mind.

I kinda liked the first Jim Kelly.

It's the one that helped me put a stop to that Big-T outfit

from tearing this town apart about a week ago.

Then you like mush-headed idiots!

Now you're talking to the real Jim Kelly.

I run a saloon and a gambling hall.

That's a legal business, Mr. Kelly.

And I sell liquor to the Big-T outfit.

I didn't mean to set 'em up for a killing.

Now, wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Bassett and Tillman, shot in the line of duty. It was self-defense.

Stop trying to argue with me!

You got a slick poison tongue, Earp,

you and your two Kellys.

Well, I'm sick of looking at you and I ain't gonna talk to you!

And, by George, if you don't get out of here...

Mr. Kelly...

well, my duty's to defend myself.

Settle the chips and close out.

Gotta change this place into a fort like the Alamo.

Sparky, get out the guns.

Reb, put up the bars.

Start piling tables in front of the doors and windows.

All right, there's gonna be trouble here.

Anybody's got a shooting beef against the Big-T can stay and help themselves.

The rest of you clear out.

Aw, now, think about it, Mr. Kelly.

You can't stand off that many men.

Marshal, this don't make sense.

You'll get us all shot, and the place burned on top of us.

Can't you do something?

I can try.

You, uh...sure you got your facts straight?

Yes.

And you can leave by the back door.

This is, uh...no place to make a fight, Mr. Kelly.

Whose fight is it?

It's more mine than it is yours.

Bah.

Now you'd make a pretty good-looking deputy.

I'm defending myself, not helping you.

You, uh...sure you couldn't use a little help, hm?

Not from you.

Now leave by the back door, I said.

Get moving!

I sure did like that old Jim Kelly.

Yes, sir. You know, he used to be a real tough sergeant in the cavalry.

Just keep walking.

I, uh...kinda depended on him, too.

Like all old army men, he kinda knew his duty.

I figured he'd back me in the council and put an end to all this foolishness.

I'll take what's coming.

You want to fight it out with that gang

of spoiled-rotten hoodlums all by yourself, huh?

The door is open.

All right.

I'll ask you just one more question.

I'll ask it of the, uh...Jim Kelly that you claim to be right now.

What's the sense in turning your back on the law

and trying alone to shoot out a hoodlum grudge?

Because I am a hoodlum.

Because this is a hoodlum town.

And that's the way Dodge is gonna stay!

The likes of you won't change it.

Well, I'm gonna sure try to change it.

Good luck to you against the Big-T outfit, Mr. Councilman.

"Two Jim Kellys"!

That young smart Alec!

Hey, who put buckshot in my gun?

I want slugs! Buffalo slugs!

Oh, howdy, Mr. Mayor.

Haven't you heard the news?

The Big-T outfit is coming into town to shoot up Kelly's place.

Maybe.

Well, the stage driver saw them, 10 or 15 guns,

about a half an hour out of town.

Well, aren't you gonna do something?

No, sir.

What?

Oh, I don't think they're gonna hurt Kelly much.

Why do you say that?

The Big-T outfit has every reason to crack down on Kelly.

I think they kinda like Kelly,

at least the hoodlum part of him.

Anyway, they're not after him.

They're after Bassett, Tillman, and me.

Well, Bill Tillman and Charlie Bassett aren't in town.

Yeah, I know. That leaves me.

I guess I don't know you very well-- yet.

But if a crowd of range toughs was coming after me,

I'd be swearing in special deputies and getting ready to

to blast them from every building on front street.

I can't do that.

Why not?

Well, because of public opinion, Mr. Mayor.

It's my most important weapon.

If I'm gonna do any good here in Dodge,

I can't go around shooting people from ambush.

Look, you think you can afford to let Kelly get hurt and have his saloon wrecked?

I think there's some kind of a trick.

Trick?

Yes, sir. Studying cowhands kept me alive in Ellsworth and Wichita.

I don't think that Big-T outfit's gonna jump me in an open fight.

They've already lost their three best men.

They haven't had time yet to hire any real fast guns.

But they'll jump Kelly.

Maybe.

But I don't aim to let anything too bad happen.

You're gonna try and save his life?

Hmm.

Why?

'Cause he's got the deciding vote on the Council.

I want his vote for those ordinances.

That's a mighty cold-blooded way to look at it.

Well, I'm in a mighty cold-blooded business.

Say, did it ever occur to you that there are two Jim Kellys?

Yes, sir, one would sell me out in a flash of Irish temper

and the other would weep and plant shamrocks on my grave.

Pretty soon we're gonna find out which Kelly comes out on top.

Could be a pretty close fight.

"...I hereby--

I, Jim Kelly,

hereby

bequeath--

bequest--?

Bequeath--"

Hey, Deacon, come here.

How does this fella Earp spell his name?

Well, uh, "Wyatt"

would be W-I-A-T.

And I guess "Earp" is U-R-P.

Why, Boss?

Never mind.

Get back on guard.

"To Father Chevron,

$5,000.

Hoping you will pray once a week

for Wyatt Earp."

Hey, Mr. Kelly.

Two Big-T cowmen, but they're on foot.

McComb and Deggars.

I wonder why they ain't riding with the rest of them.

Maybe they got fired.

No, they didn't. They're keeping an eye on me.

And where's my good friend Wyatt Earp?

He offered to help.

Shut up!

They'll get me and let him run out.

I'll have no prayers for Wyatt Earp!

Something's wrong.

When the Big-T comes after you, they don't stall around.

They come galloping down the street.

They come shootin'!

Maybe they're scared of Earp.

Ah, one marshal and three deputies.

Might be scared if Tillman and Bassett was here.

They're out in the country chasing stage robbers.

Drop your guns!

Keep the rest of them covered.

Take him in the back room.

All right.

What? What's the idea?

You can't...

We're giving you your last chance.

You can't bust in on me.

Put guns on me, slap me around!

Keep your temper. We want Wyatt Earp.

Go over to the jail, then.

Oh, no. We're gonna get him here and you're gonna help us.

You mean bushwhack Earp?

If that's what it has to be.

Oh, no. I hate his insides, but--

Listen!

You want a couple of slugs in your stomach?

No.

You want this place on fire

and half the town with it?

All right.

The first thing you do is open for business like nothing ever happened.

What is going to happen?

I'll tell you all about it, Kelly.

Now get it open!

Wyatt.

There are eight T-brand horses at Gruber's Livery Stable.

Where'd the men go?

Gruber thinks they went to get something to drink.

It's a false alarm, I reckon.

That could be a few of them over there.

You and Pete wait a couple of minutes and then tell them to get out of town.

Should we pass the word to Mr. Kelly?

Let him sweat.

Hey, Deke. Deke!

Let Sparky sit in for you. Come here.

Take it, Sparky.

I ain't going through with it.

Huh?

I don't hate Earp that much.

Oh, now, think about this.

You can't double-cross the Big-T.

It's murder they plan!

You want murder on your soul?

I ain't got a soul.

All men got souls.

Now don't you never say that again.

All right. All right.

I should let him do it to Earp.

If he stays in Dodge, he'll be hounding me.

He'll be worse than Father Chevron.

Now you talk like the real Jim Kelly.

Now don't you start that.

Some things even a hoodlum won't do.

You go tell Earp the whole rotten scheme.

That's final?

Right.

All right.

But the Big-T cowhands will know you tipped him.

Not if Earp plays it smart.

And I know Earp. He'll play it real smart.

He'd better.

He could get us both killed.

Well, warn him about that.

Well, there ain't much time.

Find a way to get over to Earp's where they won't see you.

...and Pete's gonna pretend to be dead...in the alley here.

The rest of the Big-T boys

will be hiding in the back of Lukey's store...at the windows here.

They figure you'll come busting into the alley to examine Pete.

When you do that, they'll give it to you.

I see.

Now I think,

Mr. Kelly thinks,

that you could sneak into the back of the store

and take 'em from behind.

Hmm.

But you and your deputies got to get them all, Mr. Earp.

Otherwise they'll be after me...and Kelly.

Well, thank you, Deacon. We-we'll try and handle it.

There won't be no slip up.

Oh, I hope not.

Well, thanks.

So long, Deacon. And thank Mr. Kelly for me.

Marshal Earp! There's a man just been shot dead in the alley!

Ah, good evening, Mr. Kelly.

Thanks for the information.

What are you doing here?

I was on my way to the alley.

No. They're laying for you.

Deacon said you promised to take 'em from behind.

Kill 'em, huh?

They aim to kill you.

Maybe.

No "maybe." They'll do it.

Now get out of here, by the front door.

If I do that. Mr. Kelly, why, they'll suspect you of tipping me off.

I thought you'd act sensible!

You scared of a little killing?

Yep.

"Yep?"

No.

I get it.

Maybe you want me and Deacon killed.

Look, I don't want anybody killed.

Now will you just get out of my way?

With one eye? You daft?

You go out there and you'll be a corpse in 10 seconds.

Which Mr. Kelly are you tonight?

Don't start that.

Get out of here, by the front door!

Maybe I can convince him you lost your nerve

or somebody else talked.

Look, Mr. Kelly, I can't take those men from behind.

I can trust myself but I can't ask my deputies not to shoot to kill.

All right, then run!

There's been too much running by peace officers in Dodge City already.

You can't fight. The odds are too heavy.

Just stand back.

They've run. Let's get 'em.

Keep us covered.

All right, get out there and tell them to quit.

Don't shoot! It's me, Pete! We give up!

Drop it!

I wish you'd let me shoot him.

You go on back in there. Go on.

Come on out of there!

You tell your boss not to bring any more cattle into Dodge.

The Big-T outfit isn't welcome here.

And after noon tomorrow I'm gonna shoot any on sight, do you understand?

All right, now pick up these two and take them to Doc McCarty's office.

Go on, move!

And you know what?

I'm a ruined man. Ruined!

You told the Big-T they can't come into Dodge.

Do you know what that means?

They got a drive payoff of $30,000.

and I used to get a third of it.

So you lose $10,000.

But that ain't the main thing.

You cornered me, you shoved me over to your side.

I'll be known as "Traitor Kelly",

the mean who turned against his customers to help the law.

That's right.

None of the big cattle outfits will come into my place.

I might as well just close up and prepare to leave this world.

Now you're exaggerating a bit.

The Big-T knows I double-crossed 'em,

pulled a gun on their boys.

You think they'll let me get away with that?

Why, sure.

They will not.

I'll be gunned on the streets.

I don't think so.

You got the sheer gall to deny that. Why?

Why?

I'll tell you. Because you'll be known as a great personal friend of mine.

Friend, is it? Never!

If they gun you, I'll gun them.

Texas won't be big enough to hold 'em.

I suppose you'd even follow them into Mexico.

Why sure, if need be.

This is a trick.

You're working on my Irish heart.

Friend? You don't even like me.

Why sure I like you.

The Jim Kelly I saw tonight was a brave man.

I'll turn on you.

I'll stab you in the back.

That might be.

The old Jim Kelly might come back again.

Don't bet against it.

Well, I had my say, fair and square.

But don't ask me to shake hands, 'cause I won't.

We can't never be friends. And that's the honest truth.

Well, if you say so, Mr. Kelly.

And one more thing, and you get it straight...

don't you dog me and hound me.

I won't have any sanctimonious John Law

trailing after me for help.

Of course not.

Before you go, Mr. Kelly, uhh...

how are you going to vote on those new ordinances?

You know you're the only holdout.

And I always will be!

Give me a piece of chalk.

Right there in the tray.

"I vote yes.

James Kelly."

"I vote yes. James Kelly."

That gives me a majority of one vote.

Well, thank you, Mr. Kelly! And good night to you!

♪ He cleaned up the country ♪

♪ The old Wild West country ♪

♪ He made law and order prevail ♪

♪ And none can deny it ♪

♪ The legend of Wyatt ♪

♪ Forever will live on the trail ♪

♪ Oh, Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp ♪

♪ Brave, courageous and bold ♪

♪ Long live his fame and long live his glory ♪

♪ And long may his story be told ♪

♪ Long may his story ♪

♪ Be told ♪