The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961): Season 3, Episode 12 - The Good and Perfect Gift - full transcript

The life and legend of Wyatt Earp

♪ Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp ♪

♪ Brave, courageous and bold ♪

♪ Long live his fame and long live his glory ♪

♪ And long may his story be told ♪

Dr. John H. Holliday, gambler, gunfighter,

and by the oddity of circumstance,

a friend of Wyatt Earp

was living on borrowed time.

Long ill, Doc's idea of taking care of himself

was to drink a quart of whiskey a day.



That a small boy named Benny Burkett

could exercise a good influence on Doc Holliday

was one of those improbable happenings

on which no one in Dodge City

would have bet a nickel.

Pay the 10. Pay the 10.

Okay, here goes.

Pay the four. Pay the four.

- Go in.
- All right.

All right, place your bets, boys.

Benny!

I just wanted to look, Dr. Holliday.

See?

My lucky agate.



I spit on it--

a marble and you spit on it?

Now get out of here.

But it'll bring you good luck, Dr. Holliday.

You've been losing for two days straight.

Benny, a saloon is no place for a kid.

I'm giving strict orders for you to be kept out of here.

You've got a bad cold, Benny.

I want you to go over to the hotel,

see Mrs. Holliday,

and have her give you one tablespoon full

of that pink cough...

Medicine.

But Mrs. Holliday will make me

take a bath, and well, i--

you can use a bath.

Aw, come on. I don't know.

Wait a minute.

Benny.

Why aren't you in school?

I'm just about dying of pneumonia,

that's why.

Benny, if you're gonna tell a lie,

tell a good one, not a whopper.

All he's got is a simple case

of the snuffles.

He should be in school.

Well, maybe I oughta arrest him for truancy, huh?

Dr. Holliday says I gotta have some cough medicine.

Isn't that the gospel truth?

- Didn't you say--
- Yes, yes. I said it.

Wyatt, I don't want him around the Long Banch.

Yes, sir.

I'll go see Mrs. Holliday for the medical treatment.

Right away.

I'll go have a little talk with his father.

You warn old man Burkett not to spank that boy too hard.

It'll only make him a lot meaner.

And he's bad enough right now.

How's your luck running?

You tell Benny to stop hanging on my neck.

That kid's a jinx.

Oh, that's too hot for me.

Come on. Open up now.

If I take it, do I have to take the bath too?

Yes, you smell like your father's livery stable.

Come on now. Open up wide.

Oh.

None of that now.

Start taking your clothes off.

Take my clothes off?

No, not in front of you and her.

We'll shut our eyes.

Go on. Start peeling.

Morning, Mr. Burkett.

Oh.

What's Benny done now?

Well, he's been skipping school again.

Oh, he's got a new hero.

Doc Holliday.

All he thinks about is Doc Holliday

and gunfighting.

Well sir, out west it's only natural

for a kid to take to guns.

I never could manage Benny, Mr. Earp.

He always blamed me 'cause his mama died.

I'll give him another larruping.

Doc doesn't think you oughta know that.

Oh, what's he know about raising kids?

See, you're Benny's father,

but the law says he's got to go to school.

We haven't been as strict about that as we should.

Thanks for telling me, Mr. Earp.

No, thank you.

He'll go to school.

Look, Mr. Burkett, will you do me a favor?

Maybe if you'd talk to the kid first,

maybe you won't have to spank him.

Oh sure sure, Mr. Earp.

I always try reasoning with Benny first.

Yeah.

Hi, pop.

We got anything to eat?

Ahh.

Uh-oh.

You sore at me?

Sit down, son.

Yes, sir.

Mrs. Holliday gave me a new shirt. See?

Marshal Earp was here.

Says you've been ditching school.

Yes, sir.

Not only that, but that you've been

sneaking into the Long Branch.

I went to see Dr. Holliday.

The cards have been running bad for him,

so I aimed to turn my magic aggie eye on the other man.

It'll put a hex on their cards.

So you want to be like Doc Holliday.

He's a heap sight more of a man

than Marshal Earp.

Oh, he is, is he?

Marshal Earp is fast,

but he gets chicken hearted

and aims to cripple a gunfighter.

Dr. Holliday shoots them right between the eyes.

It's no use arguing with you, son.

Any boy who wants to grow up to be like Doc Holliday

has got to learn better.

Bend over that desk.

You're gonna spank me or larrup me?

I'm gonna larrup you.

I'll take a spanking,

but you ain't gonna larrup me.

Not when you're half drunk.

Ease off now, pop.

I'm warning you.

Help.

Help. Get Doc McCarty!

Help, my pop's hurt!

I shot him!

All you see is true, Wyatt.

But a boy that'd try to shoot his own father.

Pop ain't dead?

No, he isn't, but it's--

well, it was-- - now that's enough, young man.

Only one answer.

House of correction in Topeka.

Reform school?

Now just a minute, Benny.

Judge, you know Mr. Burkett could have

seriously hurt this kid.

He-- well, he'd been drinking quite heavily.

Besides, he promised me he'd talk to him first,

and then maybe he wouldn't have to spank him.

I'm not going to reform school.

Benny, wait a minute.

Wyatt, for pity's sake.

They ain't gonna send me to reform school.

Reform school?

For this peaked little kid?

Go tell Dr. Holliday.

- He'll help.
- Hush, Benny.

I've just come from seeing Mr. Burkett.

He tells me he's willing to let me have this boy.

You?

Miss Kate, you can't adopt him.

He's a ward of the court. But wouldn't it be better

to parole Benny to Miss Kate?

Anything would be better than that reform school.

Oh, look at him, Judge.

He rarely gets enough to eat,

and he's been on the verge of pneumonia.

How long could he last in that place?

Well, you want to recommend parole?

Yes, sir.

Well, what about Doc Holliday?

He'd have to agree, you know.

He'll agree. You just ask him.

Well, Judge, I'll explain it to Doc.

In the meantime I think

that Benny ought to go over and see Doc McCarty.

Looks a little feverish to me.

Fever?

Oh, I got a 110.

At least.

That sounds like common sense.

You stay here with Benny, madam.

I'll go and arrange with the doctor.

Wyatt?

You will be careful in talking to John, won't you?

He's on a losing streak,

and I've never seen him in worse temper.

Don't you worry, Miss Kate.

He likes Benny.

Was that a joke?

Or does Dr. Holliday really like me?

I hope so, Benny.

I hope so.

No, Wyatt.

You talked Katie and me

into taking care of that girl brat little pistol.

And what happens?

Her parents show up out of nowhere

and poor Katie cried for a week.

The answer's still no.

Look, the Judge is gonna send him to a reform school.

Good.

Any boy who tries to imitate me

belongs in a reform school.

Now you get out of here.

I've got work to do at the faro game.

This is all your fault, you know.

Nonsense.

It's not nonsense.

Now look.

The old man belongs to himself.

All of a sudden you influence a kid like Benny.

He makes you his hero, now what do you expect?

Miss Kate, what's wrong?

That kid.

Dr. McCarty says he has lung trouble.

Are you sure?

Yes, I'm sure.

Where's Benny now?

I gave him his supper

and put him to bed at the hotel.

Does he know about it?

Doc McCarty said to tell him.

We'll take up a collection.

Don't worry about Benny.

I'd like-- I'd like to send him

to Colorado or someplace.

Yes, naturally.

John, are--

are we broke?

Just about.

But with a decent run of cards...

You pray, Katie,

and curse the devil.

15.

Well, not too mucH. How'd you do?

There it is.

I'll put some more to it.

Any idea how much a hospital would cost?

No.

But consumption's a long haul.

Two or three years at least.

Say, is--

is Luke Short still in town?

He was last night.

Well, I'd sure like to talk to him.

Ask him to come on over, will you?

- Yeah.
- Thank you.

- Dr. Holliday.
- Yes?

- Dr. Holliday!
- Yes!

Did Mrs. Holliday tell you?

I'm gonna be sick. Just like you.

Congratulations.

Dr. McCarty tried to spare me,

but I ain't scared.

You're young.

You'll grow out of it.

Oh no, I won't.

I'll be a gambler and a gunfighter too.

Ambitious lad.

All you have to worry about now

is getting a big breakfast.

Drink a whole quart of milk,

and get back to bed, you understand?

But Dr. Holliday--

no back talk.

You're under parole to Mrs. Holliday and myself.

Yes, sir.

You do exactly as I tell you,

or I'll report you to Marshal Earp.

Oh no, Dr. Holliday.

You just give me orders and I'll do them.

Good.

The cards break better for us last night?

Some better.

You see? I'm gonna bring us good luck.

Morning, Wyatt.

Hello, Mr. Short.

Hal said you wanted to see me?

Yes sir, I sure do.

- Won't you sit down?
- Thank you.

Now I understand you--

you want to buy the long branch, huh?

Yep, that's right.

Chuck beason will sell, but Doc won't.

I'll put 60,000 casH.

That makes Doc's share about half, huh?

Yep, about 30.

But Doc's like the rest of us gamblers.

He won't quit a loser.

Is that his only reason for not selling?

Katie says it is.

Some cattlemen with big money

are due in today.

I think Doc figures his luck will change.

But I can't wait any longer, Wyatt.

I can buy the alamo.

Mr. Short,

I wish you could hold off a couple of days.

Well...

You see, Doc has got--

well, he's got personal reasons

why he ought to sell.

I think I could--

well, I think I could persuade him to take your offer.

All right. Three days.

Well, thank you, sir.

Charge it up to what I owe Bat Masterson.

He saved my scalp at the Adobe Wells fight.

Well, Bat didn't tell me that.

I'll tell you what, we'll all get together

and celebrate the new ownership

of the long branch, huh?

I hope so, Wyatt.

But Doc Holliday is a mighty tough man

to persuade.

Yeah, he is.

Thank you for coming over, sir.

Not at all.

- Good day.
- Bye.

Hey, Mrs. Holliday?

Yes, Benny?

Can't Dr. Holliday have some liquor?

He don't like milk, and well, I thought--

- silence.
- Yes, sir.

Excuse me.

I love milk.

That took pure nerve.

Dr. Holliday's just about the bravest man

who was ever born.

Yes, isn't he though?

Shut up. Eat your breakfast.

Yes, sir.

Sick or healthy,

good food is necessary for all children.

Katie?

Those beef millionaires will be here soon.

I don't want you to hold dinner or lunch for me.

And you, young man,

you go to bed.

John, you were up all night.

Now Katie, let's not argue about it please?

Let's not argue about it. The boy will get upset.

Doc, I want to talk to you.

All right, Wyatt. But downstairs.

Hey, Mr. Earp.

Did you hear the news?

I'm sick too!

Benny.

Yes, sir.

Mrs. Holliday?

They want to make man talk.

Oh...

Sure.

Chuck beason wants to sell the long branch

to Luke Short.

But Dr. Holliday's against it.

Oh, why?

We don't close down our big faro game

with rich chumps in town.

See this?

It's got the evil eye.

I put the ethos on those monkeys.

AH.

Now there's a good breakfast.

You haven't answered my question.

Deacon Earp,

you and Katie have wished a sick child on me.

For him and to stay in business,

I need $100,000.

It's always aggravating for me

to talk to you.

I must be about my petty affairs.

Good morning, Deacon.

All right, gentlemen, the chips are blue.

$100 eacH.

- Get your bets down.
- There we are, sir.

Thank you very mucH. Next?

Thank you, sir.

The most beautiful blue in the world, gentlemen.

The most beautiful blue.

As blue as the ocean. As blue as the sky.

But be careful of the blue in a woman's eye.

Get your bets down.

Thank you very much, sir.

These are the things that help, gentlemen.

All right. Let it go.

Wyatt! Wyatt!

Please! It's John.

He's trying-- he's going to kill a man.

What for?

I said Benny was hiding in the saloon,

and John said he wasn't.

This poor man said John was a liar.

And-- oh, hurry!

I'll give you the first shot.

Try again, sir.

Doc, no!

I gave him the first shot.

He missed. I offered him a second.

Where's my halo?

Now you know Jack high Simpson's

no match for you.

He called me a liar, sir.

I don't care what he called you.

Benny's hiding in there.

Not to my knowledge, madam.

John doesn't know it,

but Benny is someplace in there.

All right, but I don't want to rile Doc over it.

Wyatt, listen to me.

John's winning,

but he's been without sleep for 36 hours.

You've got to make him quit.

Break up the game.

- How?
- Get Benny.

He's got to eat sometime.

It's against the law for a child

to be in the saloon.

All right.

But you stay here.

We can't afford any "I told you so" s.

Anybody behind there?

Oh no, Mr. Earp.

Nobody but me.

Well, I'll just put a little bullet

in there to make sure.

But Mr. Earp-- - don't worry about the bar.

I'll just hit the knothole.

But but--

Benny?

Benny, come out of there.

Come on out of there.

You owe Jack high an apology.

Leave us alone. You'll jinx us.

Troy, your pay.

You're througH.

We're winning, ain't we?

I changed your luck, didn't I?

I'm afraid not, Benny.

All right, gentlemen, that's it for today.

Place is closed.

A minor on the premises.

Mr. Earp is technically correct.

I happen to be one of young master Burkett's

legal guardians.

I should have known he was behind the bar.

You're not quitting winner, are you, Doc?

Gentlemen,

when I'm losing, I never stop until I'm broke.

And when I'm winning, I never stop until you're broke.

We shall continue this game

in my suite at the dodge house

in half an hour. Wrap it up.

Come on, Benny.

You can't lick us, Mr. Marshal.

Nothing will ever whip Dr. Holliday and me.

How's Doc doing upstairs?

Not good.

He's lost almost everything he'd won.

He's been up dreadfully long.

His color's bad.

I could have arrested him this afternoon,

but that would have gotten you folks in bad

with Judge Tobin.

Maybe those cattlemen will get tired

and quit before morning.

John won't last that long.

Please Wyatt, go up and make him quit.

I'll give it a try.

Now Miss Kate, Doc's trying to play this right

for the kid.

Yes, I know.

But what about John's life?

Well, the bank loses again, gentlemen.

- Yeah, tough luck.
- That's the way it goes.

It's getting monotonous.

How about raising the limit to $200?

All right.

Get your bets down.

Mine's down.

Let's see some money from the bank, doctor.

That's right.

Haven't you had enough?

Deacon Earp,

what brings you to this den of iniquity?

Doc, I think you ought to quit.

He's got to quit, marshal. He's busted.

I beg your parson, sir.

My interest in the Long Branch.

It's worth 30,000.

Doc look, what's the sense of this?

You're risking Benny's last chance

and your own.

Deacon Earp,

I'd rather be a beggar

and spend my last dollar like a prince

than be a prince and spend my last money

like a beggar.

I'll get Doc McCarty.

Take him in the room.

Take him easy.

Take this to the drugstore and be back as soon as you can.

Here is my interest in the Long Branch.

Here you are, Wyatt.

This is for John and Benny.

It's for Benny.

All of it.

Take it easy, Doc.

Send in Benny, wiil ya?

Benny.

Dr. Holliday. Please, sir.

Dr. Holliday!

Oh, it's you.

You get yourself ready.

You and Mrs. Hollday are going to Colorado.

Not unless you come, too.

He means it, John.

There's money enough for everything, Doc.

It's a put-up job.

I'll teach you not to listen to these sentimental idiots.

We'll be back soon, Mister Earp.

I'll write you, Wyatt.

Thank you.

Come on, hop up in there.

That's it.

Watch your step.

There we go.

Watch your dress? That's it.

So long, Doc.

I'll never forgive you for this.

That's good riddance to bad rubbish.

Ow!

♪ Well, 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 ♪