Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958–1961): Season 1, Episode 30 - The Kovack Affair - full transcript

Your boots, sir?

If you clean them on the scraper,
I'll be glad to brush them.

If you think so.

Right up here, sir.

It's the carpets.
Miss Meghan

runs the cleanest hotel
west of the Mississippi.

- Your boots, sir.
- What about them?

It's muddy out today.

- I'd be glad to...
- Nonsense!

It'll only take a minute, sir.

- Excuse me.
- What?



Let him clean your boots.
You don't want him to lose his job.

- And think of the carpets.
- Who are you?

A man who wouldn't tread mud
into a hotel lobby.

Much obliged
for cleaning my boots.

KOVACK AFFAIR

- Yes, sir?
- A room.

- How long will you be staying?
- Make it day-to-day.

Room 21.
Head of the stairs, take a left.

Much obliged.

Don't you find that position
a little uncomfortable?

Yes, ma'am,
but I sorta like the view!

Are you staying here at the hotel?

Yes.

Change that room arrangement.
Make it week-to-week!



Yes, Mr. Randall.

Well, you're Josh Randall?

If it's gonna help our relationship,
I sure am.

Meghan Francis.
Jesse's told me about you.

He didn't tell me about you or
I'd have been here a long time ago.

Howard, take Mr. Randall's luggage up.
Jesse's waiting in the office.

Much obliged.

- Would you mind leaving us alone?
- Of course not.

- You own all this, Jesse?
- Meghan owns it. I run it.

- Who owns Meghan?
- Well, I like to think I do.

A girl like that wouldn't walk around
for long unclaimed.

Wondering why you're here?

You said you had a job
and could use my help.

That's why I'm here.

You haven't changed much
since the last time.

There's a lot of money in it
if we get the job done.

I didn't come
just because of the money.

- I know that.
- What's the problem?

When Meghan moved here,
she had to borrow money.

From a man named Peter Kovack.

In return she gave him
the gambling concession for a year.

That year is almost up.
Kovack's a greedy man.

He wants it permanently,
along with the hotel.

I wanna get rid of him.

Sorry, Jesse, I'm a bounty hunter,
not an assassin.

I don't want him killed,
I want him destroyed.

There's a difference.

- Where do I fit in?
- Sit down.

Meghan runs an honest game.

Kovack's been sending in
card mechanics. You're a gambler.

I need a pit boss
who can spot a crooked dealer.

If I catch enough,
I can have Kovack run out of town.

Wouldn't it be easier
to have him shot?

Meghan doesn't like violence.

She doesn't like violence?
In this business!

You want the job?

Ever hear of a custom
called knocking?

Hello, Jesse.

This is Mr. Kovack.
Josh Randall.

We've met.

Never did get those boots clean!

- A friend?
- Business associate.

What business?

Outrider.

- I hear you're selling out.
- You're talking to the wrong people.

I've made my last offer.
I'm trying to be fair.

Take it or take nothing. I'll see
this place is closed so tight

you'll need a crowbar to get inside.
- Excuse me.

What good would that do?

As mayor
I could open it up on my terms.

Talks big.

I don't talk any bigger than I am.
The offer's still open.

I'm waiting for your answer.

Why wait?
Get out of here, Pete.

Suit yourself.

And don't come back!

He's the mayor?

He's not. Legally.

- What other kind is there?
- You just met one.

It's a trailer town.
Never had any formal law.

Kovack's a smart man.
He's proclaimed himself mayor.

Nobody's bothered to dispute it.

- What about the Marshal?
- Kovack owns him.

So why don't you get out?

It's not me, it's Meghan.
The Outrider is part of her life.

She started it at Wichita.

Reformers cleaned up the city.
Business left.

She tore the hotel down,
board by board, shipped it here,

put it back together again.

Now if she wants to keep
this place open,

I intend to see it stays that way.

You love her, don't you?

- Do you blame me?
- No, I can't say as I do.

I'm going upstairs...

- Come on, let's go!
- Stay out of it.

- But look at 'em!
- I said stay out of it.

- How much?
- There's no charge.

You're Miss Meghan's guest.
She'd like you to stop by the office.

Much obliged.

Come in.

Good evening.

Good evening, Josh.
Jesse said to give you this.

- What's this?
- Your salary.

Haven't done nothing.

Not your fault there was no job.
You should be paid for your time.

I came here because Jesse said
he needed help. And he does.

But not the kind I can give.

Sorry about what happened
to your place.

I was expecting it.
Please, keep the money.

Alright. Where's Jesse?

He went to talk to Pete Kovack.

Your luggage!

I'll pick it up later.

Josh?

How're you feeling?

Thought you'd gone.

I got paid for a job I didn't do.
I'll hang around and earn the money.

Stay out of it, Josh.

See what Kovack and his playmates
did to me.

Yeah.

I've got sense, even if you haven't.
I'm not gonna brace Kovack

by myself.

You won't get any help in this town.

I found this notebook in your pocket.

Johnny Ringo,
Clay Allison, Luke Short,

John Wesley Hardin, Tom Horn...

I'm handy with a gun but I wouldn't
care to go up against any of these.

53 names. All friends of yours.

I've been able to throw a few jobs
their way from time to time.

If they knew you were in trouble,
they'd come a-running.

At one time,

you wouldn't have backed out
of a situation like this, Jesse.

You changed
and I figure I know why.

That's your business.

I'm going after Kovack
but I'm gonna have a little help.

See, I've hired some of these fellas.

- Who's footing the bill?
- Kovack.

I'll see you later, you hear?

Josh!

Come in here, please.

I'll come right to the point.

I heard you and Jesse talking,
I heard what you proposed doing.

- I won't permit it.
- I'm not asking your permission.

It's my hotel, I'd rather close it
than see any bloodshed.

There's already been some.

I'll see to it there's no more of it.

I'll sell out to Kovack
if have to.

That's up to you
but I still plan to skin Kovack.

- Why?
- Because Jesse's a friend of mine.

There's no point in talking further.

I understand the way you feel about
violence. I don't like it myself.

But if anything's worth having,
it's worth fighting for.

Josh.... I was married once.

Very happily.

To a man who felt
just the same way you do.

He was killed in a gunfight.

I'm sorry.

Then you understand
why I feel that way.

Listen to me.

If you want a man to do a job,
don't take away his tools.

If it was up to Jesse,
this wouldn't be happening.

But he's handicapped, he's in love
with you. That's why he's in bed.

I've got the advantage over Jesse.

I'm not handicapped at all.

- Howdy.
- Howdy. What'll it be?

- I'd like to see Mr. Kovack.
- Why?

Let's just say
it's something personal.

Let's just say I don't think
he wants to see you.

Look, mister,
don't cause me any trouble.

- Now do what I told you.
- Who will I say wants to see him?

Tell him a man came by to find out
if he cleaned his boots yet.

You fellas got business
somewhere else.

Let's go.

Mr. Kovack will see you now.

Stay put right there.

Come in.

Hands on the desk.

You're either a very brave man
or you're a fool.

I believe you're the latter.
What do you want?

Take a quick look.

What does this mean?

It means we talk business or those
fellas are gonna be looking for you.

- On Jesse's behalf.
- Why tell me this?

I don't want to see this town
turned into a shooting gallery.

- But only you can stop it.
- What am I supposed to do?

Sign these for one.

An agreement to give up my gambling
interests. And the other one?

Your life story to make you
stick to the first agreement.

If you step out the line,
it goes to the US marshal.

You don't expect me to sign these.

- Yes, I do.
- This is my town.

I run it the way I like
and I don't like you around.

I'll give you 30 minutes
to get out of town!

I'll give you 10 secs to sign these.

Your 10 seconds are up.

What about it?

Take your time. After what you had
done to Jesse, I'm gonna enjoy this.

I must have fallen asleep again.

It's good for you.
I brought you some soup.

The waitresses are getting prettier
every day!

And more expensive too.

Maybe I'd save money
if I married one.

Maybe you would.

The offer's been open
for a long time now.

I don't like to make snap judgements.

I can always ask again tomorrow.

I'd be disappointed if you didn't.

What's wrong with you?
Feeling sorry for me?

Among other things.
Here, have some soup.

I'd rather have a drink.

Maybe we can reach a compromise.

I'll get you a drink and you can
use your soup for a chaser.

Sounds fair enough.

Where's Josh?

I don't know.
He stopped by the office

about an hour ago.
- Did he say where was he going?

No.

Meghan!

Josh is a big boy.
He doesn't need your help right now.

Not with all the men he's hired.

No. It'll take them
a couple of weeks to get here.

Josh can't go against Kovack alone,
he'll get chewed to pieces.

Get me my boots!

You're not going anywhere.
Now lie down!

- Here, eat your soup.
- What about the drink?

Alright, I'll get it.

And don't worry about Josh.
He'll be alright.

What d'you expect to get out of this?

A little satisfaction for one.

Enjoy it because
that's all you're gonna get!

I'm no fool.

I got several waiting for you.
You'll never get out of here alive.

Yeah, well, they're not gonna
get in here alive.

So maybe we'll sit here
and watch each other starve.

- Miss Francis...
- Yes?

- Something I can do?
- No, thanks. I wanna see Mr. Kovack.

About selling The Outrider.

Mr. Kovack?

This is Meghan Francis.

Tell her to come in
but don't say anything else

or I'll unload this
right where it'll hurt you most!

- Mr. Kovack?
- Come in.

Josh!

- How many out there?
- Three. Waiting for you.

- Take these.
- What are they?

A bill of sale
and Kovack's confessions.

- Why are you giving them to me?
- Listen...

Have someone you trust
give these to the US marshal.

Now if those men try to stop
or hurt you, just yell real loud.

D'you understand?

- What about you?
- Don't worry 'bout me.

Just do what I tell you, y'hear?
Now go on...

Thank you, Mr. Kovack.

My attorney will call on you
tomorrow.

I don't think you oughta leave.

Not until Mr. Kovack
says it's alright.

Get out of my way.

You ain't going anywhere, lady.

Get out of my way!

You take your hands off her!

- You shouldn't be here.
- Where's Josh?

- He's in there.
- And Kovack?

- In there too.
- Get outta here.

- Oh, Jesse...
- Don't argue. Get out!

You can leave one of two ways,
I'll let you decide.

I'd like to stay for the wedding

but I've got four pigeons staked out
in a poker game in Arizona.

- What wedding?
- I thought you two...

I've thought about it
from time to time myself

but nothing ever seems to come of it.

Thank you, Josh, for more things
than you know.

- Will you answer one question?
- If it isn't personal.

What would you have done
if Jesse hadn't shown up?

Well, I'd be hungry

right about now.

See you now, hear?

So long.

Subtitles by Teletota