It is difficult now to watch Leslie Nielsen's early work and keep a straight face. So used are we now to his deadpan persona being lampooned mercilessly in films such as 'Airplane!' and 'The Naked Gun' series that it is impossible to see him as anything other than funny ( how of us have howled with laughter at his 'Poseidon Adventure' role as a captain? ). This 'Wild Wild West' episode - written by Stephen Kandel - casts him as 'Major-General Ball', an embittered officer ( he was relieved of command due to his losing a hand ) who conceives a clever way to get his hands on a fortune - by staging fake Cheyenne attacks on a newly-built railroad, terrorising workers, and demanding a ransom of $5,000. In the course of his investigations, Jim meets 'Sheila Parnell' ( Katherine Ross, later to grace the classic Western 'Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid' ), daughter of a murdered railroad worker. Elisha Cook Junior ( later to play 'Gideon McCoy' in 'The Night Of The Bars Of Hell' ) is 'Mike McGreavey'. Jim infiltrates the gang just as they plan on robbing a gold-carrying train...
One of the more conventional episodes of Season 1, it is enjoyable on its own terms. Nielsen makes a decent villain. Kandel went on to write two episodes of Conrad's later spy show 'A Man Called Sloane' - 'The Seduction Squad' and 'Collision Course'. The story was adapted into novel form ( the only one to receive this treatment ) by Richard Wormser.
One of the more conventional episodes of Season 1, it is enjoyable on its own terms. Nielsen makes a decent villain. Kandel went on to write two episodes of Conrad's later spy show 'A Man Called Sloane' - 'The Seduction Squad' and 'Collision Course'. The story was adapted into novel form ( the only one to receive this treatment ) by Richard Wormser.
