One more example of how Hollywood TV disposed facts and authenticity. Beauty was more important. This episode fits well the show storytelling. But playing William Bonney aka Billy the Kid as attractive person with manners is a complete fail. Vaughn didn't play any role he every had differently. Every time he just played himself. That doesn't work with historical people. Jim Hardie (Dale Robinson) got much better in his role.
5 Reviews
William Bonney and General Lew Wallace
BrianDanaCamp16 January 2017
"Billy the Kid" is an excellent Season Two episode of "Tales of Wells Fargo" and one of the better filmed treatments of the notorious outlaw I've seen. I've read a lot about Billy the Kid and seen many movies about him, so I wasn't surprised that the episode, written by famed western writer Frank Gruber, presents a somewhat favorable portrait of Mr. Bonney, who was driven to crimes against the state by the murders of his mentor, rancher John Tunstall, and Tunstall's associate Alexander McSween, during the Lincoln County War in New Mexico. Robert Vaughn plays Billy as a fair-minded but defensive young man, bitter over the tactics of Tunstall's opponents, Murphy and Dolan, but not given to reckless violence and willing to listen to an offer of safe passage tendered by Wells Fargo agent Jim Hardie (Dale Robertson) on behalf of the Territorial Governor. Hardie's interactions with Billy, in which the two speak honestly with each other, leave positive impressions on both of them. The episode ends when Hardie has completed his business in New Mexico, but before Billy has agreed to the Governor's terms.
What's most significant here is the presence in the story of Governor Lew Wallace, a Civil War general and author of "Ben-Hur," which is referenced here as a work in progress. Hardie's narration cites the book and mentions Wallace's Civil War record and the fact that he was removed from his command by General Ulysses S. Grant after the Battle of Shiloh. When Billy first meets Governor Wallace, he tells him he's read his novel about Mexico, "The Fair God," and the governor replies by telling him he's working on "a story of the Christ," to be called "Ben-Hur." (This was two years before the 1959 Best Picture Oscar winner of that title was released.) Wallace, played by veteran character actor Addison Richards, has three major scenes in this episode and gets more screen time than the character got in any of the Billy the Kid movies I've seen, including Sam Peckinpah's PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID (1973), where he's played by Jason Robards, and Geoff Murphy's YOUNG GUNS II (1990), in which Scott Wilson plays him. Granted, Wallace appears as a character in many other TV westerns that I have yet to see, so there may be other portrayals that deserve note. Still, anyone interested in these historical figures and the events of that period would do well to consult this episode, which I watched when it aired on the Encore Western Channel on January 16, 2017.
What's most significant here is the presence in the story of Governor Lew Wallace, a Civil War general and author of "Ben-Hur," which is referenced here as a work in progress. Hardie's narration cites the book and mentions Wallace's Civil War record and the fact that he was removed from his command by General Ulysses S. Grant after the Battle of Shiloh. When Billy first meets Governor Wallace, he tells him he's read his novel about Mexico, "The Fair God," and the governor replies by telling him he's working on "a story of the Christ," to be called "Ben-Hur." (This was two years before the 1959 Best Picture Oscar winner of that title was released.) Wallace, played by veteran character actor Addison Richards, has three major scenes in this episode and gets more screen time than the character got in any of the Billy the Kid movies I've seen, including Sam Peckinpah's PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID (1973), where he's played by Jason Robards, and Geoff Murphy's YOUNG GUNS II (1990), in which Scott Wilson plays him. Granted, Wallace appears as a character in many other TV westerns that I have yet to see, so there may be other portrayals that deserve note. Still, anyone interested in these historical figures and the events of that period would do well to consult this episode, which I watched when it aired on the Encore Western Channel on January 16, 2017.
White Men Posing As Indians
StrictlyConfidential18 July 2021
(IMO) "Tales Of Wells Fargo" (1957-1962) was an above average TV Western with competent actors, plenty of action and believable situations.
I really liked Dale Robertson as the no-nonsense special agent, Jim Hardie.
"Billy The Kid" was first aired on television October 21, 1957.
I really liked Dale Robertson as the no-nonsense special agent, Jim Hardie.
"Billy The Kid" was first aired on television October 21, 1957.
Robert Vaughn as Billy the Kid
gordonl5624 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
TALES OF WELLS FARGO "Billy the Kid" 1957
TALES OF WELLS FARGO was a western series than ran for a total of 200 episodes between 1957 and 1962. Dale Robertson plays the lead as Jim Hardee. Hardee is an agent for the stage and cargo hauling outfit. When something goes wrong he is the man they send to fix it. This episode is the 21st of the series.
A Wells Fargo stagecoach travelling through New Mexico Territory is held up and robbed by a group of Indians. The driver, guard and the woman passenger are all gunned down and the gold looted. The Indians though turn out to be whites dressed up in Indian garb. After the bandits ride off, the woman, Aline Towne, turns out to have only been pinked across the forehead.
Now a cowboy rides up and has a look at the scene. The young man, Robert Vaughn, is really Billy the Kid. He is on his way out of the Territory to get away from the local range war. Even though he is wanted in the next town, he takes Miss Towne there. The local prosecutor, Walter Reed is Townes brother. He has a warrant out for Vaughn.
Now Wells Fargo man, Robertson arrives on the scene to look into the murder of the two employees. Also new in the area is the new Territorial Governor, Addison Richards. He has been sent out to put a stop to killing resulting from the range war.
The plot of course now revolves around Vaughn and the other side blaming each other for the deaths. Robertson is dragged into the exchange that goes from words to bullets in no time quick. The bodies pile up and the Kid survives for at least a while longer.
An okay episode, but the series keeps making a habit of putting a positive spin on all the famous outlaw types that pop up. This starts to get a bit silly after a while.
TALES OF WELLS FARGO was a western series than ran for a total of 200 episodes between 1957 and 1962. Dale Robertson plays the lead as Jim Hardee. Hardee is an agent for the stage and cargo hauling outfit. When something goes wrong he is the man they send to fix it. This episode is the 21st of the series.
A Wells Fargo stagecoach travelling through New Mexico Territory is held up and robbed by a group of Indians. The driver, guard and the woman passenger are all gunned down and the gold looted. The Indians though turn out to be whites dressed up in Indian garb. After the bandits ride off, the woman, Aline Towne, turns out to have only been pinked across the forehead.
Now a cowboy rides up and has a look at the scene. The young man, Robert Vaughn, is really Billy the Kid. He is on his way out of the Territory to get away from the local range war. Even though he is wanted in the next town, he takes Miss Towne there. The local prosecutor, Walter Reed is Townes brother. He has a warrant out for Vaughn.
Now Wells Fargo man, Robertson arrives on the scene to look into the murder of the two employees. Also new in the area is the new Territorial Governor, Addison Richards. He has been sent out to put a stop to killing resulting from the range war.
The plot of course now revolves around Vaughn and the other side blaming each other for the deaths. Robertson is dragged into the exchange that goes from words to bullets in no time quick. The bodies pile up and the Kid survives for at least a while longer.
An okay episode, but the series keeps making a habit of putting a positive spin on all the famous outlaw types that pop up. This starts to get a bit silly after a while.
another case against
sandcrab27725 August 2020
Robert vaughn was no actor and could barely recite lines ... this is an example of his capabilities ... duh, i cannot spell actor but i are one ... they put a transmission in it and a motor, who does that ? if you watched tales of wells fargo long enough you would have seen that it was a total load of crap ... i always find it interesting how the writers twist history to fit their script NOT
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