(ORIGINAL DRAFT--- UNBROADCAST
VERSION)*
EPISODE SEVEN: Head
of the Game
MUSIC: WILLIAM
TELL OVERTURE - HORSE GALLOPING
LR: "HI HO,
SILVER, AWAY!!"
FX: SHOTS (6)
ANNOUNCER: A
FIERY HORSE WITH THE SPEED OF LIGHT, THE
CLOUD OF DUST AND A : HEARTY "HI HO SILVER"
-- THE LONE RANGER!
FX: WILLIAM TELL
OVERTURE (THE WHOLE THING)
ANNOUNCER: With
his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the
daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law
and
order in the early western
FX: GRADUALLY BRING UP HOOF
BEATS
ANNOUNCER: From
out of the past come the thundering hoof
beats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again! FX: LOUD
HOOFBEATS
LR: (from a
distance) Come on, Silver! Let's go,
big fella! Hi Ho, Silver -- AWAAYY!!
FX: HOOFBEATS
FADE TO MUSIC - BRING MUSIC UP
(KEEP MUSIC UNDER ANNOUNCER)
ANNOUNCER: In
FX: CROWD SOUNDS. ROULETTE WHEEL SPINNING.
ANNOUNCER; We sit in on a high stakes poker game. At the game are the Doctor, three wealthy ranchers, the house dealer and a barbwire manufacturer, Frank Wilson. Silas Jacobs one of the ranchers wins the current hand with a full house.
SILAS JACOBS; Ha! Read them and weep, my friends. Ace high straight. I win again!
FRANK WILSON: You sure are having a run of good luck. Too good a run. If you ask me.
HOUSE DEALER: (OFFENDED) I assure you Mr. Wilson, this is all on the up and up. I am sorry for you bad run of luck. Perhaps you should drop out of the game. I see you have no more chips.
FRANK WILSON: I can’t drop out now! I’ll lose everything if I do.
ANNOUNCER
FRANK WILSON: Here is the deed for my barbwire factory. That will cover my bets.
ANNOUNCER: The game comes down to a showdown between Frank Wilson and Silas Jacobs.
FRANK WILSON (LAUGHING) There you go, Mr. Jacobs. Pay up, that there is a straight flush king high!
SILAS JACOBS: That is a good hand, Frank. Too bad it does not beat a straight flush, ace high!
FRANK WILSON; You thieving skunk.
DEALER; Look out! He’s pulled out a gun.
ANNOUNCER: Two of the Casino’s bouncers grabbed Frank Wilson and wrestled the gun from his hand. (SOUNDS OF SCUFFLE)
DEALER; Mr. Wilson, you have broken one of the house rules, no guns allowed. Please pay your debt and leave and do not come back.
FRANK WILSON; I’ll not sign that deed over to you pack of thieving dogs. You are all in on this. All of you!
DEALER; If you do not pay your debt, Mr. Wilson. The Golden Palomino Club will be forced to take out public advertisements to the effect Frank Wilson is a man who defaults on his debts.
ANNOUNCER : Frank Wilson angrily throws the signed deed down on the table, (FX PAPER RUSTLING) saying
FRANK WILSON: Dadblast you! I hope you choke on that bobwire.
ANNOUNCER: Frank Wilson
stormed out of the game room and out
into the saloon section of the Golden Palomino Club.
FX (SALOON SOUNDS, WHISKY
POURING
INTO
A GLASS)
ANNOUNCER After a few shots of red eye, Wilson went back into the
casino and walked up
to Silas Jacobs.
ANNOUNCER: Silas Jacobs gave Frank Wilson a disgusted look. With a harsh laugh he said,
JACOBS: Get your loan if you wish but I may decide to keep the factory or at least up the price you pay for it.
ANNOUNCER: Frank Wilson’s face flushed red with rage and he stormed out of the Golden Palomino Club (FX BATWING DOORS SWINGING RAPIDLY). Off in the corner of the gambling house two men sat at table watching this whole drama unfold. One of these men was U.S. Marshal Steve Hicks the other man was the man known throughout the West as the Lone Ranger.
HICKS This is the seventh Golden Palomino Club in the Southwest in the last four months. There does not appear to be any illegal activity yet every now and then a person get really lucky… for a short time. Then bad things begin to happen to the big winners.
LR Such as?
HICKS Sometimes robberies shortly after they leave the casino. But mostly crop Failure, cattle rustling or die mysteriously. Horses die of mysterious diseases. Prairie fires. Members of their families hurt or killed in accidents. Eventually these big winners either sell out and leave the area or else their run of bad lucks seems to end. In these cases however… their businesses all gain new management personnel.
LR Are the people or businesses that they sell out to connected to each other or connected to the Golden Palomino Clubs?
HICKS Not that we can discover. Since no one has filed a complaint we cannot really investigate this situation. However I thought that it might be something you would be interested in pursuing.
ANNOUNCER Nodding the Ranger said
LR “I will look into and see if it merits further investigation. I will need a list of the big winners who had troubles, what their troubles were and how they resolved the situation.
HICKS Okay, we can stop by my office and I will get you one.
ANNOUNCER The Ranger and Sheriff Hicks exited the Golden Palomino Club. Sheriff Hicks wrote out a list for the Ranger, who then rode off on his pure white stallion. The Ranger rode out to his secret headquarters near the Reid Silver mine. Tonto was finishing up a day of working in the mine. He and the Ranger shared a meal as the Ranger outlined his plan to Tonto.
The next day the Lone Ranger and his faithful Indian companion rode off in two different directions.
Tonto first rode up the ranch of Cyrus Cornwell, a cattle baron who had won a large amount of cash at one of the Golden Palomino Clubs. Shortly after his win, his cattle had been plague by a mysterious ailment that caused many of them to die.
When Tonto rode towards the main house one of the ranch hands intercepted Tonto
RANCH HAND Hey Chief, where do you think you’re going.
TONTO Me want to talk to big boss.
RANCH HAND We don’t hire Injuns, I can tell you that much myself.
TONTO Not want to be ranch hand. Me hear you have sick cattle, me think I can cure them.
RANCH HAND Well, you are too late for that. They’s all cured. So you can skeddle back to your tipi.
TONTO How you fix them?
TONTO You’re a nosy feller aint you? Well, they just got better by themselves. One minute they was keeling over at the rate of two a day, with not a sickness that the horse doctor could find and then they stopped dying. I guess the new foreman was a good luck charm.
TONTO New foreman?
RANCH HAND Yeah, Mr. Cornwell fired old Eb Crandell and his segundo Frank Enright for no good reason that I could see, ‘cept maybe he blamed them for the dying cattle. Then we got this new fella, Bob Buell. He’s a real chops buster, driving us like we was a buncha slaves. Soon was one of us old hand quits, well, he just up and hires a new fella straight away. All them new fellas is weird too. Don’t talk much, Don’t eat much and aint much for socializing.
The ranch hand looked up and saw a man on a horse galloping towards them.
RANCH HAND Cripes! Its Buell, he his gonna chew me out for jawing with you, ya blasted Injun
FX (HORSE TROTTING AND HORSE WHINNY.)
BUELL What is the problem here, Simms?
SIMMS Well, Mr. Buell this here Injun was looking to cure Mr. Cornwell’s sick cattle. I done told him that they we all cured up and he should mosey on his way.
BUELL Go back to what you were doing Simms. I’ll take care of this gent. As Simms rode off Buell, said, Add an extra hour of mucking out the stables for this unscheduled break.
ANNOUCER Buell turned to Tonto.
BUELL Okay, Chief, Simms told you that we don’t need a medicine man, so run on along.
TONTO Hmm… Maybe me can work as horse breaker.
BUELL Why so you can sneak in and take the horses for your tribe? Naw, I don’t think so.
ANNOUNCER Buell’s voice cracked like a whip
BUELL Chuck and Art! Come here!. Two ranch hands hurried over to him. Tonto noticed that despite the fluidity of their movement their eyes seemed dead and their faces were expressionless.
CHUCK and ART Yes, Mr. Buell. (IN CHORUS.)
BUELL Show this Injun off the property and if he tries to come back.. shoot him down like a rabid dog.
ANNOUNCER The two men pulled their pistols out in one fluid movement and pointed them at Tonto.
FX (HORSES GALLOPING)
ANNOUNCER; Tonto rode off the ranch flanked by the two ranch hands.
ANNOUNCER The two ranch hands stopped short at the boundary of the ranch as if they had run to the end of an invisible leash.
FX (HORSES COMING TO A SUDDEN STOP)(
ANNOUNCER Over the course of the afternoon and the following day, Tonto visited in succession the ranches of Colonel Brewester and Evan McTaggart, the sawmill of Justin Case, the dairy of Luke Tozz, and the tin mine of Art Buckfield. In almost every case he was run off the property by a hard eyed hard case of a foreman. Also in each case, many of the workers, be they ranch hands, lumber men or miners had the same type of dead eyes and expressionless faces.
Tonto began to believe there was witchcraft at work.
Although the Buckfield Tin Mine was run by the same type of hard eyed man the foreman did not immediately run him off.
MINE FOREMAN; You looking for honest work Injun? You look like a strong young buck and we need plenty of those.
ANNOUNCER; Tonto took the job in the mine and worked a long hard day mining tin.
During the course of the day he tried talking to the some of the dead eyed workers loading tin ore into hoppers.
FX (SHOVELS DIGGING INTO DIRT, PICKS HITTING STONE, ROCKS FALLING INTO METAL CART)
TONTO My name Tonto, what yours?
ANNOUNCER: The dead eyed workers continued to work without answering him as if they did not hear him. Tonto tried talking to one of the men who seemed normal.
TONTO; My name Tonto, who you?
MINER. Rory McDermot, that’s me. Look, let me tell you something friend. Don’t waste your time talking to those glassy eyed chuckleheads. They never say anything to anybody, except to answer the foreman in one or two words. You probably won’t get any answer from other miners either they aint too keen on a redskin being down here with them. Too many changes going on at once.
TONTO What changes?
MCDERMOT Well, Mr. Buckfield took on a new partner named Theo Paul who no one has ever seen. Paul is the one that started using these dummies. Shhhh! If the foreman catches you jawing he takes it out of your pay or your grub.
ANNOUNCER: Tonto and his new found friend went back to work. While Tonto toiled away in the mine…..
FX (roulette table being spun, crowd murmur, cards being dealt)
A grizzled old prospector sat at a poker game looking distinctly uncomfortable in his new store bought duds. While playing he kept fidgeting and pulling at his collar and other parts of his clothing.
PROSPECTOR. Yessiree gents, I been working my claim for years and years and never once saw a hint of color. Just the other day, I saw a sight prettier than a gal, a big old lump of gold. I hit the jackpot but it was only a small one. Still, I think it is enough to see me through my old age cause I don’t have no kin.
ANNOUNCER; The prospector lost slowly but steadily but there was no apparent big winner in the game. This changed however when the prospector began to ask questions about the Golden Palomino Club.
PROSPECTOR; Say who owns this fancy place, I kind of have taken a shine to it. I’d like to talk to him about maybe investing in the club.
ANNOUNCER; The dealer was closemouthed but the prospector’s luck began to change.
PROSEPECTOR; Holy smokes, I win!
ANNOUNCER The old prospector soon began to win steadily but surely much to the ire of his fellow players.
FX (SOUNDS OF PLAYING CARDS BEING SLAMMED DOWN ON TABLE)
PLAYER; You know old timer, I think you fidget so much because you got cards hidden on you.
PROSESPECTOR: (LAUGHING) Why shore partner, don’t you know I am just wearing pasteboards.
FX CHAIR BEING PUSHED BACK RAPIDLY ACROSS WOODEN FLOOR
PLAYER: You heard him! He is cheating. Come on outside old man, and my gun will teach you to cheat me.
PROSPECTOR: Why Mister I was only joking. I’ll stand you to a drink if you want but I surely aint gonna get in no shooting match with you.
PLAYER; I don’t drink with cheaters. Watch your back old man, outside this casino you are fair game.
FX (HARD WALKING ACROSS WOODEN FLOOR)
ANNOUNCER After this incident the other players cashed in their chips and broke up the game. The prospector grabbed his chips.
PROSPECTOR; Say young fella, I really would like to talk to the manager about a business opportunity.
DEALER: He is a very busy man sir but if you would wait in the bar, I will tell him that you like to talk to him.
ANNOUNCER While the old prospector waited in the bar, he was offered a complimentary drink. The prospector downed it quickly and asked for another. They gave him two more drinks before informing him that the manager would not be able to meet with him until the morning.
PROSPECTOR; Well, alright then, I guess I will call it an evening. That expensive firewater you got her sure packs a wallop and I feel right giddy. I’ll meander back to my hotel.
ANNOUNCER; As the prospector walked towards his hotel, he passed in front of a dark alley, Two strong arms grabbed him and pulled him into the dark alley.
The prospector struggled but was held fast he felt something heavy and dark swooping down towards the back of his head…..
MUSIC
Meanwhile back at the mine, Tonto had just finished his meal and was being shown to the tent where he would be able sleep by his one friend at the mine. As Tonto bent over to get into the small one man tent, he felt something dark and heavy swooping down towards the back of his head.
MUSIC
ANNOUNCER
The curtain falls on the first act
of our Lone Ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please
permit us to
pause for just a few moments.
Boys and
Girls over the next couple of weeks
the Lone Ranger and Tonto will be facing one of the baddest hombres
ever to
come out of the West. The Lone Ranger will need all his strength,
physical and
mental to meet the challenges posed by this villain. The Lone Ranger
keeps
himself physically and mentally sound by daily exercise and by eating
healthy
and nutritious meals. You too can become physically and mentally strong
by
eating right. Be sure to make certain that your parents give you plenty
of
rich, tasty ovaltine to drink. It is good to drink and also good for
you. It is
chock full of vitamins to give you all the energy you need.
The makers
of Ovaltine want to encourage you
to take an Ovaltine break during this program and so are offering a
special
reward. Over the next week we will be offering a special ovaltine shake
up mug
emblazoned with the picture of the Lone Ranger’s mysterious villain. It
can be
yours for an Ovaltine label and 25 cents to cover shipping and
handling. Be
sure to have these in no later than this Friday, October 24.
FX:
INTERLUDE MUSIC (SHORTEN)
ANNOUNCER: Now to continue our
story
When we last visited the program, Tonto the faithful Indian companion to the Lone Ranger had taken a job at a mine to investigate the strange occurrences that surrounded the Golden Palomino Clubs. As he was about to retire for the night in the tent that the mining company provided for its workers, he became aware that something dark and heavy was swooping down towards the back of his head.
There was an explosion of stars and Tonto slumped to the ground, half conscious.
We also saw a grizzled old prospector parlay his meager fortune into a larger one at the Golden Palomino Club. After he left the casino a pair of strong arms pulled him into a dark alley. The old prospector felt something dark and heavy swooping down towards the back of his head.
The heavy object grazed the top of the prospector’s head. His hat cushioned him from any harm. The old prospector moved faster than his age and he grabbed his attacker’s arm and flipped him over his shoulder to fly up against the wooden wall of a building.
The old prospector quickly grabbed the gun belt of his attacker and pulled out the guns. His stunned attacker froze when confronted with the drawn guns.
PROSPECTOR Tell me who your boss is and I will let you live.
ATTACKER If I tell you, I won’t live long.
PROSPECTOR I can protect you if you cooperate.
ATTACKER; Protection from an old geezer!
PROSPECTOR (CHUCKLES) I am not an old geezer,
ANNOUNCER While still holding the gun on his attacker, the old prospector reached up and pulled off his beard, revealing a smooth youthful chin. The old prospector was none other than the Lone Ranger in disguise. He reached into his gunbelt and showed the man a silver bullet.
ATTACKER A Silver bullet! Then you are the Lone Ranger!
LR If you cooperate I can protect you and possibly smooth things over with the authorities.
ATTACKER; The Lone Ranger, huh. Yeah, I have heard of you… I wonder can even silver bullets stop the invisible hands of…. (MAKES CHOKING SOUNDS)
ANNOUNCER; The hand of the man who had attacked the Lone Ranger clutched at his own throat. Incredibly it seemed as though the throat were being constricted by an invisible rope. The choking man thrashed around wildly, clawing at his throat with one hand and at the ground and air with the other. His hand found something on the alley floor.
His hand swung up at the Lone Ranger who ducked. There was a slight ripping sound and the Long Ranger faced was suddenly covered in sand. The choking man lashed out with a foot and kicked to momentarily blinded Ranger back into the alley.
Clawing sand out of his eyes, the Ranger gave chase only to discover that the man had disappeared into thin air!
MUSIC
ANNOUNCER Tonto was distantly aware of being carried by his arms with his feet dragging in the ground by two men. A third man walked next to him. He was dragged into the mine and carried over to a crevice in the mine. Two of the dead eyed men held Tonto over the crevise. Once Tonto had gotten a good look at the shaft, he was spun around so that his back was to the mine shaft. Rory McDermot, Tonto’s erstwhile friend peered down into Tonto’s face.
MCDERMOT You awake redskin? You got two choices… one you can tell me why you were pestering a lot of folk these past few days and then continue working for the mine… without pay of course. Or you can get flung down this mine shaft like the trash you are. So what’s its gonna be. ?
TONTO “Tonto just looking for work” (PRENTENDING TO BE AFRAID)
ANNOUNCER A sudden thought struck Tonto.
TONTO “How you know Tonto been visiting several people?”
ANNOUNCER; Rory McDermot frowned and realized he had said too much to Tonto.
MCDERMOT Smart Injun, Too smart for your own good. Heave him on in the hole, boys.
ANNOUNCER The dead eyed men did as they were told. Tonto went sailing head first into the crevise. Keeping a cool head, as befits a companion to the Lone Ranger, Tonto thrust his hands against the stone wall. He ignored the pain as his hands scraped against the bare rock until his fingers finally found purchase in the rock wall. Clinging to the wall with this fingers and toes, Tonto let out a horrific scream.
MCDERMOT (LAUGHING -AS IF FROM A GREAT DISTANCE.)
ANNOUNCER Tonto slowly and laboriously climbed down the sheer rock wall of the crevise.
FX TONTO GRUNTING, SOUNDS OF SCRAPING AGAINST ROCK, ROCKS FALLING DOWN A DEEP WELL.
ANNOUNCER While Tonto was climbing down the stone wall of the crevice, the Lone Ranger, still in his old prospector disguise was carefully following the trail of the sandbagger. Although the fellow managed to stay out of sight, he left a trail that the Lone Ranger, due to his intensive training