 Family Theater presents Peter Loford and Walter Brennan. From Hollywood, the Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theater presents West of the Pecos, souring Peter Loford. And now here is your host, Walter Brennan. Thank you, Tony LaFranco. Family Theater's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives if we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families and peace for the world. Family Theater urges you to pray. Pray together as a family. And now to our transcribed drama, West of the Pecos, starring Peter Loford as Mr. Smythe. In September of 1949, Edgar McRede gave his foreman instructions on caring for the ranch in his absence, hopped into his Jeep with a Geiger counter and drove off in the direction of the hills to look for uranium in the hope of increasing an already considerable fortune. By September of 1956, Edgar McRede had not returned. There was only one conclusion. He has indubitably passed beyond this veil of tears. Dead? In a word, dead. Yes. But I say, how does all this concern me, Mr. Tuppens? I'm coming to that, old chap. I have here before me this letter from Marcus and Shea, attorney's at law in a place called Flagstaff Arizona. They inform me that the said Edgar McRede, having been declared legally dead, a careful search was made for any heirs he might have had. It seems that you, Mr. Smythe, are the sole heir. I? You. But a cattle ranch? More, much more than just a cattle ranch, Mr. Smythe. According to this, you should be quite a celebrity. It seems that you will be one of the few men in America who actually owns a village. Did you say a village? Mm, some error in property recording, something to do with an old Spanish grant, I believe. But it seems a village known as Bitter Wells is located on the ranch. At any rate, it considerably increases the value of the property, should you decide to sell. Of course I'd like to sell. I suppose I'll have to go out there and do that. To the colonies, I mean. I'm afraid so. This letter says if you should manage to arrive in the first week in October, it would be to your advantage. It appears that it's frontier week or something like that. Well, I hate to waste all that time. I don't suppose you could handle the sale, Mr. Tubbins. Oh, I'm afraid not. No, the law, you know. Yeah, I suppose I shall have to go then. One other thing, Mr. Smythe. I don't believe they call them the colonies anymore. No, I think it's the United States now. Hey, wish I could tell you, Murray. Well, if you can't, who can? Now, as far as I can see, they just didn't any way out. Most of this land was originally homesteaded. Now, we find out that nobody had any right to homestead it. Legally, it belongs to this fellow Leslie Smythe. Smythe. But if a man paid cash, it would be just his hard luck. Apparently, there just aren't any clear titles. Well, this is a fine time to find out about it. It just naturally wouldn't come out unless somebody looked into the matter. And Edgar McReady, being declared legally dead, the courts just had to look into his titles and such. Oh, Mr. Maude. Well, it sure doesn't seem right. Well, possession's nine points of the law, but it's pretty hard to make it stick. Murray, that radio is yours. It didn't work. Hello, Maude. Turn it on. Oh, hello, Frank. Hello, Maude. What's so important about the radio? You see, you see. Frank, anything new? No way out. That's what you mean. He owns us Locke Stockton Barrel. Oh, dear. What's so important about the radio? There. You see, I was listening to the news over at my dress shop, you know. And you'll see. Not a matter of the address being there. The interest is there. And the gate receipts for the PCL are evidence of that. The idea of the majors moving west is at least no longer thought out as a crazy idea. And now, as I promised earlier in the program, an exclusive interview recorded at the boat with a man whose name is making news both in this country and in the British Isles, Mr. Leslie Smythe, the new Baron of Bitterwell. This is it. Mr. Smythe, most Americans have heard of the late Edgar McGready and of his fabulous ranch. Would you mind telling us your relationship with the late Mr. McGready? Not at all. I'm the son of his half-brother, a nephew, you might say, though I wasn't even aware of it till recently. No, he wasn't even aware of it. Some big mouth alone. No, no, no, no, Murray. Now, I suppose you've heard that in addition to inheriting one of the wealthiest cattle ranches in America, you've also fallen heir to a town of some 6,000 people, in a manner of speaking. I suppose you've done little research to sort of familiarize yourself with the Western United States since you came into your inheritance? As a matter of fact, I haven't. No. My work, you see, I'm Professor of European History. Oh, yes. It's kept me pretty much involved with the history of another part of the world. But I think I know what to expect. I used to go to the cinema quite often, up until the war, you know. The war? The Nazis, you know. I believe you people were in it. We were. I haven't been to the cinema much since then, but I remember a couple of pictures about the West, one with Walter Brennan and some chap, let's see, Cooper or Dooper, something like that. Well, you might be in for some surprises, Mr. Smite. Can you give us a general idea of your plans? There's only to say that I have made them. I intend disposing of the city in a manner I expect in the long run will be tremendously profitable to me. But then perhaps this isn't the time or the place in which to discuss it. Well, thank you very much, Professor Leslie Smite. Ah, shut that up. What'd you do that for? I've heard enough. That stuff, sure. Tremendously profitable to me. Huh? You heard what he said. You were mean at business about disposing of the city? Yes. Oh, that sounds bad. Real bad, doesn't it? Ten years I spent building up this drug store, thinking it was mine. I tell you, it's not fair. It's just not fair for some dude to come in and sell it right out from under me. Well, what about me? Yes, what about Maude? She spent a good deal of time building up her dress shop clientele, too, you know. Matter of fact, who in his town hasn't? You haven't? A lawyer just about carries his office around in his hat. And all my clients? Oh, well, that's true, yes. When we go bust, you go bust, too. And pray tell me, will you, what am I going to be the mayor of when smith? And I quote, disposer to this town. That's true. You know, I'm just going to leave you boys to muddle things over. I'm going to try to drum up a little last minute business for myself. Yes, I am. And let me know if you come up with anything. You know, we're sort of a legal out, I'm frank. Not likely, Maude. Yeah, well, yes. I halfway wish he hadn't come in and told us about the radio interview. I think maybe we'd have been happier not knowing. Oh, I don't know. Just because we got no ideas doesn't mean we won't get one, or that maybe somebody else in town hasn't got one. Well, if anybody's got a plan, we should come forward before the owner shows. Well, I think I'll just mosey around a little bit, talk with a few people. I'll see you later, Maude. I'm not trying. That's enough. That's enough. Hold it. Hold it. Sometimes it goes, and sometimes it doesn't. Well, sounds like generate a trouble to me. Yeah, to me too. Look, Jeannie, if you can leave it for a few hours. Yeah, I guess I'll have to. Can't push it to work and back, you know. And you'll have to have it in good running condition for the exodus. You mean when McCready's heir gets here? Oh, you heard the broadcast? Yeah. We heard it. He said he was going to dispose of bitter welds. I wish I knew what he meant by that. He owns the real estate. He's going to sell it. What else could he mean? It's cut and dried. Jeannie, a new generator will run you about $9, OK? OK. Sounds like a wholesale price. It is. You know, I wish I hadn't spent all that money for my frontier week costumes. I guess there won't be much sense in holding it this year. Nope, just not. Remember that interview? The only thing the guy knows about the West is what he's seen in the movies. He probably thinks that was real. Now, what picture was it he said he remembered? Oh, the one with Gary Coop and Walter Brennan. Ah, yeah. That one would be the Western one. Weren't about Judge Roy Bean, the law west of the Pickers. Well, if that's all. Well, what's up, Mayor? Say, Eric, how many people would you say we could get into the high school auditorium? Well, five or 600, maybe. Why? Well, maybe with a few loud speakers outside. Maybe it did work. What would work? I'm going to make speech tonight. And I'm going to set up a special committee for frontier week. For this year? Right on schedule. Yeah, but I thought you were going to call it off. Changed my mind. In fact, I think Bitter Wells will have a frontier week this year like we've never had before. So you, the fellow, wanted to get off here? The Bitter Wells? This is it. Got your hat up in the rack? I'll reach it down for you. Oh, thank you. It's not a very large town, is it? No, not very. Ordinarily, we don't even stop here. Right this way. Understand from the papers that some fellow inherited the town. Turned out when they looked up the papers in some ranch, the town happened to be right in the middle of it. Yes, I know. Here, I'll get that door open for you. Things seem a little lively here today. It's your first trip west? Yes, that's right. The shooting. I thought so. You don't sound like you come from this part of the country. The shooting, you don't suppose some bandit. Probably celebrating Whiskerino Week. Whiskerino? Friend, we got a schedule to keep. I beg your pardon? You're holding up the train, if you don't mind. Of course, I'm sorry. Thank you. Oh, my luggage. Be at the station here. Good luck. Thank you. I think I may need it. Well? It's about far enough, stranger. What's that? I said, that's about far enough. You, uh, you don't have to point that gun at me, you know. I don't reckon I've seen you all around Bitterwells before, I don't reckon. Well, as a matter of fact, I, uh, well, I just this moment got off the train. Got off the train? Yeah, just a moment ago. Well, now that's right, interesting. Train usually goes through here like 60. Stop today. If you'd been just a second earlier, you'd have seen me. The really? The Tex. You call me Slim? Yeah, Mosey over here. Hanker to take a look at something fancy? I might be. Lucky this dude here. Now look here, I will not be held up for ridicule. The Tex. No, no, you're Tex. I'm Slim. Oh, I'm Tex. Well, what I was going to say was, this fella's got no whiskers. Whiskers? Yeah, that's right. I didn't even notice. Now, what about whiskers? Well, of course not. He wouldn't even be looking for it. A kaiyus would have to be just plain maverick to show up in bitter wells without a beard. Kaiyus, maverick. Now, here, here now. Looks kind of like a plucked chicken, don't he? Look, I don't see what's so important about having whiskers. Maybe you will, stranger. After a talk with the judge. Now, look here. Look, just call me your honor. You call this saloon a court of law? Well, good enough for my grandpa. Good enough for me. Have me here. Head out that racket. But you have no right to bring me into, well, court. I haven't done anything. That's for the law to decide. Law, what law? Me, I'm the law. You. Ever hear of Judge Bean, stranger? Have I ever heard of... Did you say Bean? Leroy Bean, the law west of the peacock. Roy, Roy, not Leroy. And it's the law west of the peacock. Leroy, Bean, law west of the peacock for crying out loud. Well, you're... You're not Judge Bean. Of course not. My grandfather. And I've dedicated my life to upholding everything he stood for. Abner, will you quit fooling with that piano? Look, look. My name is Leslie Smythe. I inherited the McCreedy ranch. In fact, well, I own this town. Yeah, I know. I know. Sure you do. Abner, I warned you. Something wrong? Well, you shot the piano player. Oh, no, no. He was just pumping it. It's a player piano. Now, you're charged with being seen on the streets of bitter wells in an unseemly condition, namely with no whiskers. Now, how do you plead? I, uh... I don't feel too well. Oh, maybe you need a shot of red eye. Frank, er, Tex, I mean... I'm slim. Oh, yeah, I mean slim. Come over here. What is it? We figure out anything to use for a red eye. I told Maury... Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right there under the counter in the brown bottle. Maury makes some leftover coffee with medical alcohol. It's safe. All right, right. All right, here, stranger. Never strung up a sick man in my life. Have a shot of this. It'll fix you right up. Strung up? Did you say strung up? No, figure of speech. Oh, yes, yes. I get it now. I'm a little bit unstrung at the moment. He didn't say he was going to restring you. He said he was going to string you up. No, that ain't true, either. Because there ain't been no due process law yet, at least not speak of. Oh, then I get a trial. Of course you get a trial. Before a jury of my peers? Did you hear that? I heard it. What did you mean by that, stranger? Sounded like a crack to me. No, no, heavens know. I only meant that I should be judged by 12 men whose station in life is, well, equal to mine. Oh, well, that's not too much ask. Uh, take. Slim. Oh, yeah, slim, yeah. Go out and see if you can find 12 men whose station in life is just like the strangers here. Ah. You heard me? Find 12 men with no beards who are likely to get hung. That would be your station, wouldn't it, stranger? But you said a trial. You're getting it. This here's your trial. Now, drink up, before we have to hang you twice, once for criminal waste. You mean this stuff? Yeah, that's right. Take it down the hatch, bottoms up. Well, a little sherry. You ain't gonna compound a felony by making me drink alone. Oh, indeed not. Well, here goes. Here, wait a minute. I wouldn't let that touch my teeth if I was you. Here goes. Poor fellow. Must have a weak constitution. They don't make him as strong as they used to. Well, that was quite strong enough. Thank you. I meant the men, not the red eye. You, uh... You don't seem to be drinking yours, John. Oh, I don't. Well, it's a little early in the morning for me. Now, how do you plead? Well, Judge... Judge Beane, your honor, I appeal to your sense of decency. After all, I am a stranger in town. Is that true, Tex? Slim. Oh, that's true, your honor. And I assure you that I'll grow a beard just as soon as I can. Far be it from me to go against the Morris of your community. And I assure you that I meant no harm. I don't suppose you did. I know your sense of fair play. Are you trying to say that you throw yourself on the mercy of this here-now court? Yes, your honor. All right, fair enough. 60 days on bread and water. Slim, take the prisoner to the stockade. I throw myself on the mercy of the court and you give me 60 days on bread and water. It's inhuman. 60 days, stranger. And if you haven't got a beard down to your collar when you get out of there, we'll hang you. Sorry, but the boys just can't ride up and down the streets all day. They're tired and the horses are tired. They just can't take it. Besides, there's not a blank cartridge left in town. Well, it doesn't look good. Looks like the town's got tame all at once. Guess we'd better execute part two of the plan, Jeannie. Yeah, well, I'm ready. If you don't mind my saying, so it's about time. Oh, that poor man. That poor man was going to dispose of just about everything we own. Remember that. It's not right for a man to inherit the life work of all the people in the town. Yeah, wait a minute. Now we've been through all that. Get the canteen, Jeannie. That's right here. Get going. Wish me luck. And remember, Eric, my name is Lily. Yeah, yeah. Howdy, stranger. Huh? Oh, hello, miss. You look a little warm. I'm going to get a good deal warmer, I'm afraid. You'd think a town this size would have an indoor jail, wouldn't you? I brought you some water. Water? Mm-hmm. I think we can get the canteen through the stakes. I think so, yes. Oh, that does it. Oh, that's good. You know, this is the first nice thing that's happened to me in Bitterwells. Have they been a little rough on you? Well, I thought they were going to hang me for a while. They still may. And the irony of the whole thing is, I own the town. It's part of the McCready Ranch, you know. Do you want this canteen back? Oh, no, you can keep it. I'm afraid I don't know your name. I'm Leslie Smythe. My name's Jean... I mean, Lily. Lily? Uh-huh. I, uh, I sing over the last chance. Oh, yes, yes. The, uh, courtroom. Tell me, what were you going to do with Bitterwells? Oh, that. I don't suppose it makes much difference now, anyway. Why not? Well, in 60 days, they're going to hang me. Look, supposing... well, just supposing they weren't. Well, I was going to sell the town back to the people who have it now. Hmm. I thought so. And a dollar a-holding, just to make it legal. Did you say a dollar? Well, certainly. I thought it might be wise for Rancher to have the good will of his neighbors. Look, Mr. Smythe, this all isn't real. Huh? Well, doesn't it strike you as being a little, um... well, a little too wild and wooly? Wooly? Uh-huh. Well, about that, I don't know, but I had imagined the West would have been tamed a little since... Oh, trying to make up with my girl, huh? Oh, Eric. Keep out of this, Lily. But, look, Mr. Smythe... Lily, I'll deal with you later. Better play it straight, Lily. Better, Lil. All right, all right. But you'll just make matters worse. What's this all about? How could matters possibly be worse? I'm gonna drill this garment here and now. Stand aside. Put on our slim. If there's any shooting to be done here, I'll do it. But you see him, Judge. Make an eyes at my girl. Oh, your gu... I was not making eyes. She merely gave me a tin of water. Aha! And given him keepsakes. Oh, will you two listen to me for just a minute? Yeah, later on. Now, will you please keep out of this? Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. Like I said, I'm gonna drill this garment here and now. Fronto. Yeah, but the... Well, the coat of the west. But not armed, you know. And like I said, I'll do all the shooting. Besides, he's right. Can't shoot a man who's unarmed. But Lily was making eyes at him. I thought better of you than this, Lily. Nuts. She wasn't making eyes at me. All she did was... You keep quiet, you. Lily, one back to work. Claim you go somewhere and cool off. I want to talk to this here low-down barman. But he was... But he was... It's my ruling. All right. I reckon... You too, Lily. For your honor, I was not making eyes at Miss Lily. And all she was doing for me was to give me a little water. I assured... Yeah, I know, I know, I know. Now, listen to me. If Tex shoots you... Slim. Oh, yeah. Excuse me, I meant slim. If he shoots you, I'll have to hang him. And I don't want to do that because he's the best sheriff I ever had. Do you understand? No. The only way out that I can see is to turn you loose. Turn me loose? That's what I said. But if you ever come within 100 miles of Bitterwells again, well, you'll be at your own risk. Do you understand that? Yes, I understand. Now, I'm unlocking this here stockade gate. There'll be a train through here in about an hour. Station master will flag it for you. And I'll keep what she gave away from the depot when you're gone. Well, come on. Oh, wait. What about Miss Lily? Won't this be a, well, a blot on her escutcheon? How's that again? Her reputation. Oh. If I run, isn't it an admission of guilt? Don't you worry about her. Now, come on. No. No? I mean, I don't think I can. I would leave her, as you say, holding the bag. I'm sorry, judge. I just can't do it. The honor of a lady is at stake. I just can't go. Oh, not you, Lily. Here, you mean... I mean Jeannie. I heard what he said, and it was the most beautiful thing I ever heard. As far as I'm concerned, it's all off. See, what's all off? What are you talking about? What happened? What's wrong? Oh, you're wrong. That's what's wrong. Somebody give me a hanky. You got a clean hanky, Eric? Eric? Who's Eric? Oh, no. Me neither. You're the lady you're a hanky of, so we can understand what you're talking about. Of course. Here you are, Miss Lily. Jeannie. Who talked? She did. Who talked about what? Oh, it was all a hoax, Mr. Smythe. You mean, you mean all this, that everybody into the horses, the shooting, or the piano playing? Yeah, we found it. Everybody was. We heard your interview on the radio, and we were just trying to protect the property. We heard you was going to dispose of it. And you know how, Mr. Mayor, he was going to sell it back to us. Well, who else? And it would have cost us just a dollar each, just enough to make it a legal transaction. You mean, you weren't really going to hang me. This thing was all staged. That was Frontier Week anyway. Oh, yes. Yes, my solicitor did mention something about that. Well, I guess maybe you've got a right to be one now. No, I don't think so. After all, we will be neighbors, you know. Shall we retire to the courtroom for a lemonade? Oh, you know something. You're really quite a gentleman, Mr. Smythe. Yes, sir, and I'll say so, too. Well, thank you. But in the future... Of course, it doesn't really bother me now that I know it wasn't real. But in the future, would you people try to protect our property? Well, I guess maybe you've got a right to be one now. No, I don't think so. After all, we will be neighbors, you know. But in the future, would you people mind telling me before you go jumping to any more conclusions? This is Walter Brennan again. We might all ask ourselves from time to time the question, who am I? Oh, I don't mean American or French or Dutch or even narrowing it down to a doctor or a banker or a housewife. I mean more basically, who am I to the one who made me? Am I the one who was born blind but who recognizes the voice of God in every sound that I hear? Am I the one who couldn't finish high school but who has labored long hours to support my wife and children? Am I the one whose name never appeared in the public registry but whose charity is known to everyone in the community? Who am I? I am the product of God's hand, the perfect reproduction of what He wanted me to be. I might not be just what I would want myself to be, perfect in every respect, but physically I am exactly as God wanted me to be. And once I have received this gift of life from God's hand, then I must use it and develop it so that I can give myself back to Him just the way He wants me back. My work is cut out for me by my state in life and my field of employment. What kind of work I do is incidental but how I do it is the main thing. If my best and an honest day's work, whether it be at a desk, at a lathe or at the bedside of the sick, then I am living part of my life as I should. The other part, my state in life, will usually be determined by the position I hold in the family, whether father, mother or child. And if I cooperate to make my family the perfect family, full of understanding, kindness and cooperation, then I will be developing the other part of my life. Now, whether I am working to support a family or working to unite a family, I must always remember that I am not alone in this. The God who made me knows who I am and cares who I am and He will help me if I ask through prayer and especially through family prayer. Remembering that the family that prays together stays together. More things are lot by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood Family Theater has brought you transcribed West of the Pekas, starring Peter Lofford. Walter Brennan was your host. Others in our cast were Ralph Moody, Howard Culver, Gigi Pearson, Ben Wright, Howard McNeer and Jason Johnson. The script was written and directed for Family Theater by Robert Hugh O'Sullivan with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman. This series of Family Theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program by the mutual network which has responded to this need and by the hundreds of stars of state, screen and radio who give so unselfishly of their time and talent to appear on our Family Theater stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony Lofrano expressing the wish of Family Theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to join us next week when Family Theater will present No comments, starring Patty Lynn. Join us, won't you? Family Theater is broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is Mutual, the radio network for all America.