Harry Tyler

Approximately 18 months before launching his own sitcom, Dick Van Dyke appears in this episode as Thomas Craig, who finds out that his millionaire uncle intends to leave all his money to his pet dog Casper. As disappointed as Thomas is by this news, Thomas' gold-digging girlfriend Judy (Stella Stevens) is even more so. Upon learning that Thomas will get all the money upon the death of Casper, Judy begins cooking up schemes to bump off the dog, all of which fail miserably -- and worst of all, the unwitting Casper has taken quite a liking to the mercenary Judy! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When someone takes a shot at wealthy Diana Dangerfield (Diana Millay), Bart (Jack Kelly) gallantly comes to her rescue. Alas, Diana is convinced that Bart himself faked the shooting merely to meet her--and now he finds himself accused of robbery and murder. Cast as the ineffectual sheriff of Dangerfield is Howard McNear, who had originated the role of Doc Adams on the radio version of Gunsmoke, and who later entered the Valhalla of TV-sitcom icons with his portrayal of Floyd the Barber on The Andy Griffith Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jo Ann Blanchard (Patricia Hardy) seeks the help of Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) in reclaimed her ranch and her prize stallion, both of which have been claimed in a foreclosure by neighboring rancher John Brant (Trevor Bardette). Subsequently, Brant is killed, and at first it appears as though the horse kicked him to death. But murder will out, and Jo Ann is charged with the crime--whereupon Perry really begins to earn his retainer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bob Hope plays a 19th-century insurance agent whose miserable sales record prompts his boss to send him out West, where he can (supposedly) do little harm. Hope manages to sell a $100,000 life insurance policy--to outlaw Jesse James (Wendell Corey), one of the worst "risks" in history! In his efforts to get the policy back, Hope finds himself being mistaken for Jesse, which is all part of the outlaw's plan to get Hope killed and thereby collect the policy money himself. But with the help of beauteous Rhonda Fleming (the essentially honest beneficiary to Jesse's policy), Hope gains a reputation as a lightning-fast gunslinger. In the inevitable shoot-out with the James gang, Hope is helped out by several famous Westerners, including Gary Cooper, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, James "Maverick" Garner, and even Tonto (Jay Silverheels). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Eccentric Sadie Grimes (Jeanette Nolan) demands an exorbitant price (fifty thousand dollars!) for her dilapidated house. The reason? Sadie's criminal son, Michael (James Drury), was killed in the house after hiding 200,000 dollars in stolen money somewhere on the premises. When prosperous-looking Mr. Waterbury (Robert Emhardt) expresses a desire to purchase the house -- even at the outrageous price -- Sadie's suspicions are aroused. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Spencer Tracy stars in John Ford's sentimental adaptation of Edwin O'Connor's novel about the final campaign of a big city mayor, loosely based upon the life of Boston politician James Curley. Tracy is Frank Skeffington, the political boss of an Eastern city dominated by Irish-Americans. Skeffington tries to assist the people of the city and avoids cutting political deals with the power elite. But despite his concern for the people, Skeffington has no friends, just flunkies. The Mayor is greatly admired by his idealistic nephew Adam Caulfield (Jeffrey Hunter), who writes for an opposition newspaper run by Amos Force (John Carradine). When Skeffington needs money for a loan, he asks the powerful banker Norman Cass (Basil Rathbone), but Cass steadfastly refuses. In retaliation, Skeffington appoints Cass's retarded son as an interim fire commissioner. To prevent his son from disgracing the family, Cass agrees to the bank loan. But Cass uses his deep pockets to finance the opposition's candidate for mayor. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

"Wild Bill" Elliot once again plays diligent police lieutenant Boyle in Footsteps in the Night. This time, Doyle investigates the murder of a friend, who was killed shortly after a high-stakes card game. The principal suspect is Henry Johnson (Douglas Dick), who was heavily in debt to the dead man. But Doyle finally deduces not only the identity of the actual killer (it's a real surprise!) but the misguided motivations that led to the crime. Much of the film was lensed just outside the studios of Allied Artists, fomerly Monogram and currently the home of Los Angeles' PBS outlet. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lonely old Emma Paisley (Dorothy Stickney) adopts a stray cat, which insists upon roaming outside Emma's apartment and annoying her next-door neighbor, a bookie named Rinditch (Fred Graham). Finally, Rinditch tells Emma to keep the cat locked up, else he'll kill the wandering feline. As it turns out, however, it is Rinditch who ends up dead -- and he doesn't have eight spare lives like Miss Paisley's cat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While waiting at a train station, Mr. Jones (Albert Salmi) becomes convinced that another traveler, Mr. Bellfontaine (Robert H. Harris), is an escaped psycho killer -- and Bellfontaine arrives at the same conclusion about Jones. Their paranoia is fed by a policeman (Ken Clarke), who evidently thinks that either one of the men could be the killer. Sure enough, there's a criminal at large at the train station -- but his identity comes as quite a surprise. This was the final episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents' second season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A Day Of Fury stars Jock Mahoney as town marshal Alan Burnett, whose life is saved by a stranger he meets on the trail. His rescuer turns out to be Jagade (Dale Robertson), a gunslinger just returned after years away, who finds when he gets into town that he can't abide the peace that has been settled between "his" people (i.e. the saloon-keepers, gamblers, etc.) and the righteous, "respectable" folk. Jagade stirs up trouble by persuading the saloon owners to open on Sunday, which they'd voluntarily stopped doing years ago. Suddenly, the peace that had settled over the town is broken, and gambling and other vices that had been in check rise anew, drawing in many of the respectable townsmen and women in the process -- some of the men can't resist the lure of a good high-stakes poker game or a pretty woman, and even the spinster schoolteacher finds herself drawn to Jagade's dark charisma. An escalating cycle of vice and violence unfolds in barely 24 hours; Burnett won't back Jagade down, partly because the man has broken no laws and also partly due to his gratitude to the gunman for saving his life. None of the townspeople can comprehend his inaction, however, and this soon jeopardizes not only his job as marshal and his safety, but also the well-being of his fiancée, Sharmon Fulton (Mara Corday), who was a saloon girl before she was brought out of that life and given a home with a respectable family. Soon Jagade loses control of what he's started, and the town begins to destroy itself in a cycle of guilt, anger, betrayal, murder, suicide, and lynch law.
~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

Hoping to murder the man who has swindled him, Ray Clements (Mark Damon) worms his way into the remote monastery where his intended victim is convalescing after a serious car accident. Father Vincent (Everett Sloane), head of the monastery, senses that Ray is up to no good, and tries to persuade him to forget about his murder scheme -- and to forgive his enemy. Ultimately, Ray sees the error of his ways -- and, incidentally, discovers that a murder is entirely unnecessary. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having remarried since the mysterious disappearance of his first wife Jocelyn four years ago, Mark Halliday (Philip Abbott) is understandably astonished when he sees a painting of a woman who is the spitting image of his missing wife. Halliday locates the artist, Arthur Clymer (John Baragrey), who insists that Jocelyn has been posing for him during the past several months. But Halliday declares that this is impossible -- and if anyone should know beyond doubt that this is impossible, it is Halliday. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When he takes a voluntary pay cut to help out his financially strapped boss, Dick Paine (Skip Homeier) must face the wrath of his nagging wife Beth (played by no less than Joanne Woodward). Demanding that Dick stand up for his rights, Beth tells him to go back to the office and confront his pinchpenny boss. Alas, Dick returns empty-handed, leading to a tragic denouement. This final episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents' first season was previously heard on the radio anthology Suspense under the title "Too Little to Live On," starring Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide