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4x14 "The Last Gunfighter" | |
          
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Adopted by: Carol <aka> C_Dean n C_Al & Jennifer L. Rowland |
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Teaser: Welcome to the wild, wild west! Well, maybe not so wild as Sam leaps into an old gunfighter who is spending his retirement days acting out scenes from his youth when he supposedly cleaned up the town. But when his ex-partner returns to town claiming that he was the real hero, Sam has to find a way to keep from going to a showdown and keeping the respect of his grandson and daughter. |
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| TV Guide Synopsis Place Leap Date Name of the Person Leaped Into Broadcast Date Synopsis & Review Music Project Trivia Sam Trivia Al Trivia Al's Women Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode Miscellaneous Trivia Guest Stars Guest Cast Notes Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes Say What? Quotable Quotes Best Scenes Production Credits Podcasts |
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| Production # 67318 | ||
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| Leap Date: November 28,1957 |
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Broadcast Date: |
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Sam
finds himself standing on a dirt street with a six-shooter in his hand,
aimed at an upward angle. As the Leap fully releases him, he
pulls the trigger. A loud bang and puff of smoke is followed by a
cry from a balcony above. A man in western garb and cowboy hat
breaks through the wooden railing as he falls onto the top of a covered
wagon, which promptly rides off. Two other prone bodies lie on
the dirt ground. Sam stares in disbelief. Panicking, Sam fires off a wild shot as he dives to the ground. The other party of the duel promptly grabs his chest as he lets out a cry and falls face-first to the ground. In shock, Sam rises to his feet, apologizing for killing the man. To his continued surprise, the bartender of the local saloon steps forward urging a round of applause “for the man who singlehandedly cleaned up Coffin, Arizona: Tyler Means! And for those of you who missed it, Mr. Means will be re-enacting his legendary shootout, in which he shot and killed four Claggett brothers, tomorrow at high noon!” Sam now realizes that he was part of a historical re-enactment as he now notices the tourists wearing 1950’s attire on the other side of the street. As he continues trying to get his bearings, while the locals disperse and the tourists spread out to continue visiting the Western town of Coffin, two children approach with their mother, a Reader’s Digest magazine which they present to Sam, asking for his autograph. Sam takes a moment to read the title aloud as he addresses the signature to Cindy and Kyle and signs the article. Moments later, a young boy of 12 emerges from the saloon asking “Grandpa T” if he can carry his gun. A blond woman in saloon-girl costume hurries after him, firmly telling him, “No you may not. Stevie, guns aren’t things to fool around with, even if they’re loaded with blanks.” Stevie protests that his grandfather had a gun when he was twelve, but Mom isn’t backing down on this, chiding T about his many stories he tells and wishing that he would tell the truth. Stevie protests that the stories are true since they were printed in Reader’s Digest. The mother explains that some people can’t tell when T is telling a story or not, and unfortunately that fellow was from Reader’s Digest. The bartender comes out to tell the woman, Lucy, to return to her job waiting tables. Before she does, she urges Sam not to let Stevie play with his gun and to just take it home and put it away. She parts by telling them to clean up and come back for some lunch. Stevie takes Sam’s arm to escort him home as Sam continues observing the Wild West stereotypical photo ops for the tourists the townsfolk are putting on. As they walk, Stevie complains that he doesn’t understand why his grandfather could have a gun when he was a kid but he can’t. Sam offers the explanation that times have changed since he was a kid and people don’t need to carry a gun. He pauses to check his host’s reflection in the mirror and sees an aged man wearing a cowboy hat and red scarf above the fringed leather shirt and pants. Sam rubs a hand against the grizzled jaw as the sheriff approaches, accusing Sam of making up the stories. Stevie argues that he didn’t make it up. Sam dissembles by saying he might have exaggerated a little bit, to which the sheriff pops back, “And the rest he just lied about.” He advises Stevie not to believe everything he hears and says that if the town wasn’t making money “building a hero for this Centennial celebration, why, your granddaddy’d be over at Mr. East’s hotel having drinks, and telling stories, and going to sleep with a glass in his hand, instead of parading around in some dime store outfit, pretending to be a gunslinger for a bunch of tourists.” This enrages Stevie, who informs the sheriff that his grandfather really was a gunslinger and the sheriff is the one who’s a liar. When the sheriff pushes back, asking Stevie if that is how his granddaddy told him to speak to him, the boy responds with a litany of insults. Swiftly (but too late) Sam ushers Stevie away from the frowning lawman. It’s only a few yards to reach Tyler’s house, and Sam follows Stevie inside. Stevie eagerly asks if he can wear the gun belt after lunch if he stays out of his mother’s sight, but Sam suggests that “maybe today we should just do what she says, okay?” Stevie asks if he can take the gun up to his grandfather’s room, and Sam, since he doesn’t know where to go, agrees, cautioning Stevie that the gun is not a toy and to be very careful with it. Al arrives through the Imaging Chamber door as Stevie goes upstairs griping about his mother ruining all the fun. Al sarcastically compliments Sam on his hat and “fantastic outfit,” asking if “Tonto and Bill Hickock [had] a collision” as he gestures with his cigar. The hologram is wearing a red, black, and white patterned shirt beneath a white jacket. Sam says he happens to be a local hero, to which Al challenges, “You sure you’re not a walking ad for a fringe company?” Point to the hologram, who informs Sam that it is November 28, 1957. Sam already knows that he is Tyler Means. Al adds that he is 82 years old and lives in Coffin, Arizona, which started as a robber’s hangout. As Al is reading off the handlink that the town “took off when—“, he’s cut off by Sam, who has picked up the Reader’s Digest article and reads aloud from it “—when they discovered silver in the mid-1870s.” Annoyed, Al riffs, “Hey, you want me to tell you this stuff or you want to read it?” Sam humbly puts the magazine down and Al continues, explaining that back then the place was wide open, controlled by “four vicious gunslingers by the name of the... C-C-Claggett Brothers.” Tyler Means rode into town with an old gunfighter partner and “got into a shootout with the Claggett boys,” Sam enthusiastically interjects. Al agrees, explaining that the town was saved. Tyler settled down and the townsfolk were “very amused by your wild stories and your boasting and your bragging and your gambling and your drinking. But after a couple of decades of sponging, the townsfolk kinda get sick of it, and your tales get wilder, and you become a local joke. The town drunk.” Al goes on to explain that Tyler was “weaving your tales and mooching drinks.” Sam says, “Until I met this magazine writer.” Unfortunately, that is all that Ziggy can find because small towns like this didn’t keep very good records. But Al promises that as soon as something comes up he’ll be back. As he heads back to the Project, he taunts Sam, “In the meantime, Hi-ho Silver, oy vey.” Jaunty music plays in the saloon as Sam and Stevie return for the promised lunch. The bartender announces the “hero of Coffin, Arizona, Mr. Tyler Means!” prompting applause as he pours a drink and offers it to Sam, who turns it down. “Since when?” the befuddled bartender inquires. “Since, uh, now,” replies Sam. Lucy, standing next to a table where a bespectacled man in a grey suit sits, calls him over, commenting, “I swear, I don’t know who’s a bigger handful, Stevie or him.” The suited man is intrigued, proposing that “the boy is something we could incorporate into the series. It could be very interesting.” As Sam arrives at the table, Lucy informs him that Mr. Steiner wants to “write up your life story for the television.” Lucy seats them, reminding Stevie to mind his manners, before heading off to get their lunch. Mr. Steiner explains to Sam that NBC has been looking for a good idea for a new Western since the shows do so well. They read the story in the magazine and they got the idea for a TV series based on him, called THE LAST GUNFIGHTER: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF TYLER MEANS. Stevie’s excited that his grandfather will be on TV, but Sam corrects him that isn’t what Mr. Steiner means. The TV executive explains that someone else would play him when he was younger and tosses out some actor names as suggestions: Randolph Scott, Robert Taylor, or Dana Andrews. He wants to have some of their people at NBC talk with him and work out a contract covering the rights to his life story. After that is settled, Mr. Steiner would have Tyler tell him his stories. Stevie interjects, “Oh, Grandpa T’s got lots of stories.” The sheriff sneers as he interjects, “That’s just what they are, too. Stories.” Mr. Steiner isn’t deterred. “Well, that’s what TV is all about,” he explains. He goes on to say that the stories would need to be fictionalized, and the sheriff again scoffs. “Ain’t no need to do that, Mister. Tyler’s already done it!” Sam quickly agrees as long as the contract is fair and that his family would be taken care of. Pleased, Mr. Steiner declares that he doesn’t think that would be a problem. Stevie is excited that his grandfather is going to be famous, but the sheriff doesn’t think anyone in their right mind would watch it. The bartender asks the sheriff if he’s “gonna make book on that, are you? What kind of odds you giving?” Mr. Steiner laughs uncomfortably, asking if the sheriff is the local bookie. Lucy explains that “the badge doesn’t pay enough for a man to live on” so that’s why he does it and that it’s always been that way in the West. Mr. Steiner agrees, pointing out that Wyatt Earp was a gambler “when he wore the star.” He turns to Sam and asks if they have a deal. Lucy and Stevie intently watch as Sam sticks his right hand out and says “yeah.” He and Mr. Steiner shake on it. Excited, Mr. Steiner tells him that the pilot episode will be the story “about how you cleaned up this town.” At that moment, Al pops in repeating Sam’s name to get his attention, telling him he needs to get out of town. Sam asks “What?” but Mr. Steiner thinks he’s the one being address and explains that it’s a “great way to start the series.” Urgently, Al tells Sam they need to talk and to meet him outside. He pops out while Mr. Steiner enthusiastically pulls up a large briefcase so they “can get started right away.” Sam hedges for a delay because he needs to go take a nap. This confuses and concerns Stevie and Lucy who fuss over him as Sam makes his way out of the saloon. Stevie tries to follow him, but is deterred by his mother who insists he finish his lunch. Outside, Al waits in the street, excited as a horse-drawn wagon passes through him, convinced that he has just seen “Hoss” from BONANZA. Star struck, Al tells Sam he just saw “that guy from BONANZA driving that pair of... pair... pair... pair...” A beautiful saloon woman passes and Al has gotten distracted by her. Behind her, an older man dressed all in black approaches, but Al is still carrying on about her appearance and Sam whistles to try to get the Observer’s attention. His focus back, Al tells Sam that he’s been talking to Tyler in the Waiting Room, and that Ziggy rates the odds of him “telling a straight story at 16% or less.” Al explains that he doesn’t think the man knows what really happened and he likes to “spin yarns” where he comes off as the hero. Sam wants to know what that has to do with him leaving town. Al tells him that the next day “at high noon you get killed in a shootout.” Disbelieving, Sam wants to know who’d want to shoot him. “Me,” resounds a gravelly voice from behind him. Sam turns to see the rider in black, smoking a cigarette which he tosses to the ground before staring Sam down. All Sam can manage to say is “Oh boy.” The man, whose dark coat and hat are covered in dust since he’s apparently had a long ride, dismounts and heads to the trough to tie his horse off. Lucy comes out, followed by Stevie and the executive, chiding him for abandoning his discussion with Mr. Steiner. Sam explains that he just needed to get some air. The stranger angrily says, “I’ll give you some air” as he draws his gun and pulls back the hammer. Al immediately urges, “Be cool, Sam. Nothing happens until tomorrow.” Lucy wants the sheriff to arrest him, but he defers. “It’s the Centennial Play. I kinda want to see where this is going.” The newcomer apologizes to Lucy for distressing her. He says his “business is with this lying, double-faced card sharp.” Al says, “I think he’s talking about you, Sam.” The man whips a copy of the Reader’s Digest out of his pocket and tosses it at Sam as he demands, “So you killed the Claggett boys, didja?” Sam stammers, “I-I think so, yeah.” Narrowing his eyes, the man informs him, “The mistake you made, Mister, was in assuming I was dead. I’m alive, Tyler. Outliving you is gonna be easy.” Mr. Steiner steps down. “I’m not quite getting what’s going on here,” he says. He introduces himself to the man. “I’m Ben Steiner, and you are....?” Instead of answering the man directs Sam to answer. Frantically, Al punches the handlink, telling Sam there’s “a 96% chance this is your old partner, uh, Pat Knight.” Sam hesitantly introduces him, undoubtedly thinking of the 4% chance of being wrong. In response, Pat answers, “Kinda like seeing Lazarus, isn’t it?” A crowd of townsfolk and tourists have gathered as Al editorializes, “This guy’s killed more men than Clint Eastwood.” Lucy politely says, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Knight, but I would appreciate it if you would just put your gun away and-and leave.” Pat doesn’t back down, informing her, “I didn’t come here to leave.” The bartender says, “Of course not, you come for the Centennial.” His eyes never leaving Sam, Pat intones, “He knows why I’m here.” Slowly, he releases the hammer and returns his gun to his holster as he ominously says, “Tomorrow there’s going to be a reckoning.” He holds the stare before finally turning to enter the saloon, declaring that he needs a room and a bath. Pat dusts himself off, tips a finger against his hat to Lucy, and strides inside. Everyone, including Al, watches him go. Sheriff Russ is eating this moment up, smirking as he says, “looks like our local hero has been called out for real.” The man who had re-enacted the shootout with Sam earlier stands next to the sheriff and wonders what it’s all about. Sam hedges, “Uh, it’s just a kind of a little misunderstanding is all.” Ben Steiner tugs on Sam’s sleeve as he leans in to say that he has a network and an awful lot of money riding on him and worries that this has something to do with his story in the Reader’s Digest. Al fills Sam in that in the original history Tyler was killed before he made the deal, which left Lucy and Stevie “in a big jam.” He advises Sam to get into the saloon and talk about it with Pat. Sam boldly tells Mr. Steiner to have the contracts drawn up and that he will take care of “any little misunderstandings.” Stevie mimics firing a pair of guns as his view of how his grandfather will take care of the situation, which doesn’t please Lucy. The sheriff lays three-to-one odds that “Tyler either crawfishes, or Pat Knight shoots him deader’n a dog.” The bartender eagerly wants to take a bet, so the actor raises it four-to-one. Sam proclaims that there isn’t going to be any shooting. “Guns don’t solve anything,” he says. “Unless you’re the last man standing,” quips Al, swiftly apologizing when Sam isn’t amused. Sam announces he’s going home to get some rest and advises the sheriff not to bet on any fight happening as he tosses the Reader’s Digest at him. At Tyler’s home, Sam asks Al what Tyler is saying in the Waiting Room. Al says he’s asking for another drink and another physical—because he likes the nurses—but nothing else. Sam next wants to know what information Al has on Stevie and Lucy. Al explains he doesn’t have anything further beyond tough times. He goes on to detail that Lucy is having trouble making ends meet now, and that when Tyler gets killed, the TV deal is cancelled, Stevie runs away from home and becomes “a hood,” spending the rest of his life in and out of jail. Sam asks about his father and Al learns that Peter Means was killed in action in World War II. Sam realizes that he is Stevie’s only father image and that when he doesn’t live up to be the hero Stevie has always believed him to be that’s what sends him down the negative path. Sam wonders if he’s supposed to kill Pat Knight. Lucy and Stevie arrive home and Stevie excitedly asks if he can have Pat’s gun after he does. A disapproving Lucy sends him upstairs to wash up for dinner. She sits at the table with Sam and asks what’s going on. Sam makes the excuse that he was talking to himself. He once again reiterates that no one is going to get killed and explains that he was remembering when he used to ride with Pat, that someone offered him money to kill Pat but he turned them down. Al approves of this fictional explanation, although Lucy is skeptical since Tyler has never told her that story or ever even mentioned Pat Knight before. Sam defers that there are a lot of things he hasn’t told her about. Lucy remains concerned because “this man wasn’t kidding around.” Sam assures her that he’ll be okay and won’t do anything foolish, which somewhat eases her mind. She tells him she couldn’t stand it if something happened to him and Sam promises not to let her or Stevie down. Once again, Lucy shakes her head, lamenting that T always says that but it never happens. She explains that she thought they would be able to send Stevie to college when Mr. Steiner offered to pay for Tyler’s stories, but Pat’s arrival has changed that and she’s got a bad feeling about the whole thing. She finally asks Sam if he’s going to change before dinner and then heads upstairs to change out of her saloon-girl costume. Al watches her go, distracted for a moment as Sam heads for the door. Sam tells him that he’s “going to settle this once and for all” and leaves. Al makes one more futile glance up the stairs after Lucy. In the saloon, the sheriff drinks at the bar while Pat and Mr. Steiner talk at a card table. Sam walks in and the bartender greets him by sliding a drink across the bar to him. Sam slides it back telling him that he still isn’t drinking. Pat asks if he’s running out of spending money. Sam walks over to the table to join Pat, Mr. Steiner, and Al who is now standing behind the seated men. Pat offers to buy him a drink as long as he’s paid back before noon. The TV exec informs Sam that “Mr. Knight has been telling me some very interesting stories.” Sam says he wishes he would have been there as Al quips, “Then we’d all know what we’re talking about.” Mr. Steiner is called away for a long-distance phone call from Hollywood, so he goes up to his room to take the call. Sam sits at the table with Pat, who states, “I don’t recall asking you to join me.” Trying to smooth the situation over, Sam leans forward and explains that his mind isn’t as good as it used to be. “I don’t remember why you’re here,” says Sam. This makes Pat laugh, but he abruptly stops and says, “Not this time.” He claims that Sam knows exactly why he’s there and that they’ll settle it at noon. Sam tries apologizing for this unnamed slight. Pat asks if he’s going to give up the TV deal. Perplexed, Sam asks why he would do that. Pat laughs again, declaring, “You haven’t changed a bit!” Sam explains that the TV deal is to take care of his family, so Stevie can go to college. Shifting gears, Pat leans back in his chair and asks if Sam remembers “that night in Abilene.” Sam looks hopefully at Al as he claims haziness. Although Al quickly punches the request into the handlink he comes up with nothing to help. Pat goes on to reminisce about a woman named Patience “[who] was anything but.” He says that he and Tyler almost drew on each other then but settled it another way. Happy for a potential out, Sam eagerly says he’s very glad they did. Pat leans forward for the bottle of whisky on the table in front of him and pours shots for each of them, declaring, “Once partners, always partners.” Sam repeats the toast, thinking all is resolved. Pat then announces, “Last man standing is the winner,” as he raises his glass. Sam’s face falls as he realizes he’s now in a drinking contest. Al encourages him to do it since “it’s better than swapping lead.” Sam proposes a toast “To Patience” and they clink glasses before each taking a shot. Pat promptly pours a second round as Sam feels the burn from the first one. Al watches, concerned and reacting sympathetically. Several bottles later, Pat and Sam are drunkenly laughing over old stories about escapades. Al smokes his cigar as he remains in support of Sam who laughs and “reminisces” about stealing horses from “that guy with the cute daughters” and makes a dirty joke. Al can’t believe this and asks Sam what he’s talking about. Pat says he doesn’t remember any daughters, and Sam dissembles by claiming maybe he saw it in a movie. Pat laughs and then sobers as he tells Sam, “I sure am gonna hate having to kill you.” He looks sadly at his old friend. Sam asks if they can just have another drink and forget the whole thing. Pat tells him he can’t do that because he has to uphold his honor. He adds, “Besides, I got a side bet with the sheriff on which way you’re gonna fall.” Sam lightheartedly says Pat will have to hit him first. Pat draws and rapidly shoots glasses out of two patrons’ hands as well as a third shot into the bottle the bartender is pouring from. As Sam stares at him, both stunned and scared, Pat declares, “I reckon I can do that.” Laughing and sputtering nonsense, Sam staggers up the walk to Tyler’s house, falling onto the ground and rolling onto his back. His neckerchief is now around his forehead like Rambo. “Sam, you are going to be a mess in the morning,” scolds Al, adding, “And probably a dead mess.” Sam shushes him as Stevie comes out onto the porch. After Sam declares that no one is going to get killed, Stevie asks, “But you’re going to shoot him, though, aren’t ya?” Sam struggles to his feet and staggers to the porch, telling Stevie that they aren’t talking about a game. “Guns kill people.” Stevie worries that his grandfather is afraid to face Pat Knight. Sam tells the boy that he is afraid. “Anybody who says they’re not afraid to stand in front of a loaded gun is either crazy or stupid or suicidal or nuts or out—” Stevie interrupts him to say, “But we can’t back down! Everybody’ll make fun of us.... and the kids’ll go back to teasing me all over again.” Sam urges Stevie to sit on the porch with him and offers him the advice that “life is precious, and you see, once you’re dead, you’re dead.” When Stevie once again protests that everyone will laugh at them and say that Tyler is just a drunk, Sam meets Al’s eyes, clears his throat, and responds, “It doesn’t really matter what other people do or say. What matter is what you know in here,” he taps his chest and continues, “about yourself and about others. Because the most important person you have to listen to, is you.” Stevie slowly concedes the point and kisses Sam goodnight before heading off to bed. Al watches him go and comments, “Phew, a lot of pride in that boy.” Sam acknowledges that there’s also a lot of pride in Pat Knight. Al advises that he should learn how to use Tyler’s gun. Sam protests that there aren’t going to be any gunfights because he’s going to get Pat thrown in jail. Humoring him, Al inputs the scenario into Ziggy and informs Sam that he will still get killed tomorrow. He tells Sam it only takes one guy to decide to have a gunfight and explains that there were ambushes in the Old West. “In the back kind of stuff.” Sam drunkenly repeats “Ambushes” and decides to see if there are bullets in the house. The next morning, a very hungover Sam is placing bottles on a fence rail, his cowboy hat drawn down over his eyes against the light, when Al arrives, asking him, “Now are we in the head-pounding stage or in the spinning, rising waves of nausea, hm?” “Take your pick,” responds Sam. He gripes that he hopes Pat Knight feels worse than he does. Turning, Sam sees that Al is wearing a cowboy-styled ensemble today, complete with a holster and a shiny six-shooter. “Oh, my gosh,” exclaims Sam, “don’t tell me you were a gunslinger in the Navy.” Al corrects his terminology, saying that they were called “gunfighters or pistoleros or shootists” before continuing to explain that he was taught by the best quickdraw artist in America—a stripper in New Orleans named Fifi “Boom Boom” LaRue who had the best pair of matched .44 pistols that she used in her act. After detailing that he used to study her “very closely” Al quick-draws his gun, impressing the heck out of Sam as he spins it back into his holster. Sam protests as Al swaggers closer to the fence rail of targets, but Al explains that 15 to 20 feet was normal for gunfighters. “Anything farther than that, that’s just Hollywood.” Al proceeds to teach Sam how to quickdraw and shoot, having to direct Sam to face the target. He slowly demonstrates to Sam how to keep his hand loose, slide it down to the gun and cock the hammer as he pulls it up and aims, firing when he reaches the top of the arc. Sam tries but gets the gun hung up in the holster the first time. Al encourages him, “Yeah, you almost got it. Now try it again.” Sam manages to get the gun out the second time, but it’s sloppy. “Not bad,” cheers on Al. He urges Sam not to rush it and to try again. Al recites the process to Sam again as Sam tries and this time he succeeds in a clean draw. He doesn’t fire until Al tells him to pull the trigger. The shot hits the far left side of the fence below the bottles and Sam moans as his headache worsens. Al congratulates him on a pretty good shot and Sam confesses he was aiming for the one on the right. Miserably, Sam makes a shushing noise. Al jokes that at least he was in the neighborhood. Sam starts to lament that this is impossible when three rapid gunshots take out each bottle in sequence. Sam staggers around to see Pat Knight standing off behind him, his smoking gun in his hand. Pat removes his glasses as he chides his old friend not to talk to himself while shooting because it breaks concentration. “So much for him having a hangover, too,” grumbles Al. Sam remarks that it’s good of Pat to give his opposition shooting tips, and Pat replies, “What kind of opposition is that?” He claims he was just out taking some air when he heard the noise. He derides, “You are pitiful, T.” Sam sees an opportunity to stop all this and says, “Look. Pat. You’re better at this than I am. We both know that, but doesn’t it seem that two reasonable men should be able to figure out a solution to all this without having to—” Pat interrupts, “Only one of us is reasonable. The other’s a liar.” “Look, I know you don’t believe me, but I don’t know what you’re talking about,” tries Sam again, who honestly does not know. Angrily but calmly, Pat closes the distance between them and informs Sam that he, Pat, was the one who walked out into the street and faced off with the Claggett boys and killed them. “Well, I guess Tyler omitted that from his article,” comments Al. Sam follows Pat, who is walking off, explaining that now he understands why Pat is so angry with him. “Angry doesn’t begin to describe it. No man likes to have his reputation bushwhacked by his partner,” seethes Pat. Al suggests maybe Pat ambushed the Claggetts, so Sam tries accusing him of that. Pat concedes that he shot Elwyn coming off his horse, but Wendell was armed when he came out the outhouse and Pat faced Jonah and Jamie fair and square. Sam protests that he had a little help from him. Pat laughs and scoffs that all he did was make them duck. Sam argues, “Yeah, but the point is, you didn’t do it alone or face to face. You bent your story, same way I did.” Pat declares that he didn’t bend his story and that Tyler outright lied. He turns to leave again and Sam asks why he didn’t stick around if he wanted to be such a big hero. Pat explains that he had to break the news to Ruthie Claggett, the sister, and comfort her. Sam says it must have been some comforting since Pat never came back. Grinning, Pat says, “Let’s just say it took longer than I expected.” This piques Al’s curiosity and he eagerly says, “Oh that sounds like an interesting story.” Sam explains that if he changes his story now he’ll lose everything. Pat firmly says that he made the problem and he’ll need to make it right. Sam protests, “Yeah, but the only thing that’s at stake here is your pride. Now you can’t believe that it’s worth killing somebody over a matter of pride. ” Pat angrily retorts, “What the hell else did we ever have?” He shoves his cigar back into his mouth and stalks away. Al urges Sam to get some more bottles and work on his fast draw. Back at Tyler’s home, Sam sits at the kitchen table rubbing his forehead as he states that he won’t play Pat’s “stupid game.” Al reminds Sam that he has to do something as they are running out of time. Stevie worries that his grandpa is going to run away. Sam explains that in the Old West when there were “few laws and even fewer lawmen, people wore guns as part of their wardrobe,” and used them to defend themselves, but those days are gone. Stevie challenges that Tyler didn’t say such things before Pat Knight came to town. Sam asks if he remembers what they talked about last night but Stevie argues that a man doesn’t quit and run away. He complains that his grandfather always told him that, but now he plans on running away, “and the whole town’s gonna know you’re just a coward.” Disgusted, Stevie stomps upstairs as Sam helplessly watches. Sam sighs and tells Al that if Knight wants to kill him he will have to do it in cold blood because Sam doesn’t intend on showing up. He looks up at the loudly ticking clock whose hands point to 11:50 AM. Three minutes later, Al consults the handlink and informs his friend, “Sam, sitting there isn’t gonna do it. Ziggy says you still get killed.” Sam gets up to pace and offers that maybe he should do what Stevie said and just run away. Excitedly, Al reads off the handlink, “Bingo! Sam that’s it! You run away. You live to be 95, and you die of natural causes, in your sleep, peacefully.” But there’s a trade-off to this outcome. Stevie grows up, runs away, still does jail time, “but it gets worse. He picks a fight in some bar and gets killed.” Sam can’t allow Stevie to ruin his life. Al argues that it’s better than the suicidal outcome of facing off Pat Knight, because “He could shoot your eyes out before you blink.” Al continues poking at the handlink as Sam wonders if Pat could really outdraw him since he is 82 years old and that even though he may be more accurate, Sam has faster reflexes. Al shuts this line of thought down by saying that Ziggy only gives a 17% chance of Sam outdrawing him. He emphasizes, “He’s old, but he’s still good.” Sam resumes his slow pace, regarding the clock which now points to 11:55 AM. Coming to a decision, Sam announces he’s going to get his gun and heads upstairs. A grandfather clock’s pendulum steadily rocks back and forth as this clock also shows the same time and the sheriff and other townspeople wait in the saloon, along with Mr. Steiner. Pat Knight calmly walks downstairs, his steps in time with the clock’s ticking, and looks at the face. It is now 11:57. He announces he has some time to kill and asks if anyone is interested in a hand of cards. Pat sits at the card table and begins shuffling the deck. Stevie, wearing his grandfather’s gun belt, slips along the side of his house and hurries towards the town, stepping up onto the wooden walkway that leads to the saloon. In the saloon, Mr. Steiner asks the sheriff is he’s going to do something while Pat continues to shuffle the deck and deal. The sheriff shrugs and says there isn’t a law against playing poker, “even if you are playing by yourself.” Pat continues to play with the cards until he hears footsteps approaching and he looks up to see Stevie enter the saloon, one hand holding up the gun belt. “Morning, Stevie,” greets Pat, leaning back in his chair. “My grandpa’s not a liar,” declares Stevie. He fidgets with the gun belt with both hands now. “Kinda heavy the way it hangs there, isn’t it?” comments Pat. Stevie adjusts it back to his waist as he responds, “It’s not that heavy.” Mr. Steiner is getting beyond nervous by this. When the sheriff doesn’t move to do anything, he steps forward. “Mr. Knight,” he protests. The sheriff starts to move but Pat holds up a hand and the sheriff halts. Pat asks Stevie how old he is. When Stevie respond, “12,” Pat remarks that he was 15 “before I killed my first man, but I guess, uh, today you grow up faster.” Stevie continues to stare the old gunfighter down. Sam rushes downstairs asking Al if he’s seen his gun. “What do you mean have I seen you gun?” asks Al. As Sam explains that he can’t find it, Lucy calls down looking for Stevie. When she asks Sam if he’s seen Stevie, Al realizes what’s going on. A moment later Sam does as well, and throws his hat on as he insists he has to go to the saloon. Lucy protests that he can’t go to the fight. Al reads off the handlink that Stevie has gone to quickdraw against Pat Knight and is going to get killed. Sam tells Lucy that if he doesn’t go, “Stevie’s gonna do it for me.” Lucy gasps and follows Sam out of the house as Al pops away, reappearing a moment later in the saloon where Stevie and Pat Knight continue to stare each other down. “Stevie, don’t do anything stupid,” comments Al. The sound of Pat Knight rising from his chair and standing on creaky floorboards fills the otherwise silent, but for the ticking clock, saloon. He strides to stand across from Stevie and asks if his grandfather sent him or if he decided to come on his own. “I came on my own,” insists Stevie. Pat nods and tells Stevie he doesn’t have any quarrel with him. Stevie protests, “You said you cleaned up the town, but you didn’t. He did.” Pat sadly shakes his head and tells Stevie that he didn’t. Stevie insists that he did. At that moment, Sam bursts through the saloon doors, followed by Lucy as the grandfather clock begins bonging out the hour. It’s noon. “You’re on time,” remarks Pat. “Underdressed, as usual.” Sam orders Stevie to give him the gun. After arguing that Tyler will just run away again, Sam declares he won’t and demands the gun again. Stevie slowly removes the gun belt and hands it over. Sam holds it in his hand and asks Pat, “Now, don’t you think there’s been enough killing already?” Pat counters, “Easy to say when you’re living on another man’s reputation.” Realizing he has no other choice, Sam starts to put on the gun belt. Al argues, “Sam, this is completely loony.” “I guess sometimes you can’t run away from your fate, can you?” Sam says, looking at Pat but speaking to his friend. “Sometimes I guess you can’t. I’ll be waiting,” Pat answers as he heads outside. Lucy protests that she won’t let Tyler get himself killed as the bartender approaches with a key, telling him, “I guess you’ll be wanting this.” He nods towards a locked display case with photographs of Tyler in his heyday, a fancy Western suit, and a high quality gun belt and six shooter. Everyone has gathered outside as Sam steps out of the saloon, now wearing Tyler’s preserved outfit. Pat Knight waits in the street, wearing his glasses and smoking a cigarette. Sam slowly walks to face off against him. Al nervously paces, assuring Sam “Don’t worry, ‘cause I’m gonna think of something clever to get you out of this.” Sam says, “Sometimes there isn’t a clever way out.” The onlookers assume he is praying, since they can’t see Al. Al tells Sam he’s too close. “Anything closer than 20 yards and he can’t miss.” Sam responds, “Anything over 20 feet and I don’t stand a chance.” Pat stares at Sam and Sam and Al stare back. Sam finally draws his coat back to give access to his holster. Pat lowers his cigarette and does the same. Each man loosely holds his hand at his side, fingers moving. They draw and Sam clears his holster first. Pat stares in disbelief as Sam points his gun at him. Moments later the celebrating townsfolk usher Sam into the saloon to the accompaniment of joyous music. The bartender declares a round on the house and calls for “a big round of applause for our hero, Mr. Tyler Means!” Everyone applauds as Al updates him that he did it. “You sign the deal and everything turns out great for Lucy and Stevie.” Pat Knight enters and Sam excuses himself as he approaches Tyler’s old partner. “You know that didn’t mean anything,” Sam assures him. Pat replies, “It did to them.” He turns to go and Sam asks for a chance to make it up to him. He calls Mr. Steiner over and asks if they can find a consulting job for Pat on the TV show, explaining, “’cause he would really help me keep my memory fresh.” Ben Steiner is astounded since, “Mr. Means, he just tried to kill you.” “I know that,” Sam says, “but once partners, always partners.” Mr. Steiner agrees as Al tells Sam to get ready to Leap. Sam has an idea, though, and asks Mr. Steiner to give Pat a part in the show. Pat asks, “You got a problem with that?” and winks at Sam, who winks back and Leaps. Sam
arrives at the tail end of a girl group performance, bonking his head
on a stage light as he’s pulled off stage by his two friends. He
realizes he is dressed in a sequined spaghetti strap dress just as they
are. The girls are called back for an encore as Sam sees his
reflection—a lovely black girl with a sixties bouffant hairdo. His
protests are overridden and he looks at his reflection as he groans,
“Oh boy.” Synopsis by Jennifer L. Rowland |
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Personal Review by Carol <aka> C_Dean n C_Al: I haven’t seen this episode too many times. But every time I watch it I like it better and better. I especially like the beginning where the crowd is standing and watching Sam shoot the guy on the roof. All the kids are dressed for the time period. Really cool, it brings back memories. I can remember going to some ghost town and watching a show something like this. Sam and Al are all decked out in their cowboy duds too. |
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"Shoot Out - The Last Gunfighter" a suite by Velton Ray Bunch appears as track #9 on the official soundtrack. |
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Project
Trivia: The handlink is the ‘Gummy Bear’. Multi-colored little squares that flash, beep and squawk. Ziggy is referred to as male in this episode. |
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Al Trivia: Al is a self-taught gunslinger. He learned from a stripper named Fifi Boom-Boom LaRue. |
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Al’s
Outfits: 2) White shirt w/black cactus design, Red pants, Camel colored long coat, black scarf tie, cream hat w/black band, and a Black leather gun belt w/ one-pistol & black shoes or boots. |
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Al’s Women: |
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Miscellaneous
Trivia: Al smoked 3 cigars. When Lucy comes out of the saloon to see where Sam went, after Al called him outside, she calls him ‘Steve’. |
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Regular
Cast: |
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Guest Cast: |
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John
Anderson as Pat Knight:
A tall, sinewy, austere-looking character actor with silver hair,
rugged features and a distinctive voice, John Robert Anderson appeared
in hundreds of films and television episodes. Immensely versatile, he
was at his best submerging himself in the role of historical figures
(he impersonated Abraham Lincoln three times and twice baseball
commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, men whom he strongly
resembled). He was a familiar presence in westerns and science-fiction
serials, usually as upstanding, dignified and generally benign citizens
(a rare exception was his Ebonite interrogator in The Outer Limits
(1963) episode "Nightmare"). He had a high opinion of Rod Serling and
was proud to be featured in four episodes of The Twilight Zone (1959),
most memorably as the tuxedo-clad angel Gabriel in "A Passage for
Trumpet" (doing for Jack Klugman what Henry Travers did for James
Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life (1946)). Known to other youths as
'J.R.', Anderson had a happy childhood, growing up first on a small
farm near Clayton, Illinois, and then in the mid-sized town of Quincy
where his mother operated a cigar stand. A rangy, outdoorsy type, he
excelled at various sports, was a drum major, a member of the track
team and the Boy Scouts. During World War II, he served in the Coast
Guard, mainly involved in helping protect convoys from U-boat attacks.
In 1946, he commenced studies at the University of Iowa, eventually
graduating with a Master's degree in Drama. His acting career began on
the riverboat 'Goldenrod' (now the oldest surviving Mississippi River
Basin showboat in America) and proceeded from there to the Cleveland
Playhouse for a year, then the New York stage and summer stock with
parts in prestigious plays like "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "Home of
the Brave". He also occasionally doubled up as a singer on Broadway
("Paint Your Wagon" (1951), "The Emperor's Clothes" (1953)). Anderson
began as a regular television actor during that medium's formative
years. In the course of the next four decades, his appearance barely
changing, he was consistently excellent wherever he popped up, be it as
western lawmen (including a recurring role as Virgil Earp in The Life
and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955)), as cops, governors, judges and army
officers; hard-nosed oil executive Herbert Styles in Dallas (1978), or
as kindly patriarch of the Hazard clan in North & South: Book 1,
North & South (1985). Though less traveled on the big screen,
Anderson was particularly impressive as the furtive second-hand car
dealer, 'California Charlie', in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), the
ruthless leader of the renegades, Addis, in Day of the Evil Gun (1968)
and, reprising his role as Lincoln, in The Lincoln Conspiracy (1977). John
played ‘Holbrook’ in I-Man
(1986) (TV) with Scott Bakula. One
of the best all-rounders in the business, Anderson died of a heart
attack at his home in Sherman Oaks in August 1992, aged 69. Sean
Baca as Stevie Means: Sean
Baca is known for Radio Flyer (1992), My Life and Times (1991) and
Quantum Leap (1989). Sean was in Radio Flyer (1992) as: ‘Fisher’ / *Gas
Station Attendant. Sean seems to have started his career in 10 eps of
The Wonder Years as ‘Craig Hobson’ from Oct 31,'89 to May 16, '90.
Among other sit-coms were Matlock / Sibs / Murphy Brown / Home
Improvement.
Jerry
Potter as Sheriff: Jerry Potter is
known for Wild Wild West (1999), Misery (1990) and The Greatest
American Hero (1981). |
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Guests who appeared in
other Quantum Leap episodes: |
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Say What? |
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Quotable
Quotes: AL: "You sure you’re not a walking ad for a fringe company?" AL: "Ahhh … in the meantime … Hi Ho Silver … Oy Vey!"../med/lastgunfighter.mp3 AL: "Hey weren’t you in Bonanza? Sam I just saw that guy in Bonanza! He was driving that pair of … pair … pair … now that’s a pair!" [Looking at a woman walking across the street with a low cut dress. Sam has to whistle to get his attention] AL: "This guy’s killed more men than Clint Eastwood." [Talking about Pat Knight] Stevie: Ben Steiner: SAM: SAM: |
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The morning after Sam has been drinking with Pat Knight and he’s got a hangover. AL: "Are we in the head pounding stage … or in the spinning rising waves of nausea? … Hummm?" SAM: "What do you think?" AL: "That’s impressive." SAM: "Yah … I just … hope that Pat Knight feels … worse than I do. Oh my gosh! Don’t tell me you were a gunslinger in the Navy?" AL: "Well… back in the old days they were called gunfighters or pistolarlos or ah… shootists and I… had the best quick draw artist in America teach me." SAM: "Really?" AL: "Yes Really! Her name was…" SAM: "HER …name." AL: "FeFe Boom-Boom La Rue…" SAM: "Al!" AL: "She was a stripper in New Orleans. She had the finest matched pair of …" SAM: "AL! … Oh!" AL: "Matched pair of 44 pistols! She had ah … little secret holsters. Real cute! It was part of her act. But she could draw. Let me tell ya … I know … Cause I studied her …" SAM: "Yah … I bet." AL: "Very closely." SAM: "I’ll bet you did!" [Sam’s mouth drops open when Al shows him how it’s done]
Another Great Scene: AL: "Nice hat!" [Looking him up and down] "Nice … really stylish … awesome … fantastic outfit too." [Scott is grinning from ear to ear] "What happened? Did Tonto and Bill Hickcock have a collision?" [Scott gives Dean the squinty eye look] SAM: "Very Funny! I happen to be a local hero or something like that!" AL: "You sure you’re not a walking ad for a fringe company? It’s … ahhh … November 28th nineteen fifty seven and your name … is …" SAM: "Tyler Means." AL: "Yah … Tyler … Tyler means … you’re eighty-two years old. You live in … Coffin … Arizona. Isn’t that a nice name. Coffin … this place started out as a robber’s hangout and then it took off …" SAM: "After they discovered silver in the mid eighteen seventies." [Reading the story from the Readers Digest] AL: "HEY! You want me to tell you this stuff? Or you wanna read it! All right back then this place was wide open. It was controlled by four vicious gunslingers … by the name of the Cl … Cl … Clagget brothers … anyway … apparently … you … rode in to town with an old gunfighter partner of yours … and the next thing you know …" SAM: "Got into a shoot out with the Clagget boys." AL: "Yah! And you saved the town! Then you settled down. You were the BMOC … and all the towns folks … they very amused by your wild stories and your boasting and your bragging and your gambling and your drinking BUT … after a couple of decades of sponging the towns folk kinda get sick of it and your tails get wilder and you become … a local joke … the town drunk … your weaving your tails and mooching drinks. SAM: "Until I met this … magazine writer." AL: "Uh-huh" [Puffing on his cigar] … "and Ziggy doesn’t have anything more than that … ‘cause these little towns didn’t keep records … but when something comes up … you’ll be the first to know. Ahhh … in the meantime … Hi Ho Silver … Oy Vey!" [Punching keys on the hand link and steps into the IC door and closes it] |
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Theme by: Mike Post Panaflex ® Camera and Lenses by: Panavision ® |
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Listen to The Quantum Leap Podcast
on this episode here: We also have an interview with actress Susan Isaacs, who plays Lucy Means in the episode. She chats with QLP Executive Producer Albie Burdge about her time working with on set with Scott and Dean. It’s more fun than a shootout at high noon! Let us know what you think! Leave us a voicemail by calling (707) 847-6682. Send in your thoughts, theories, and feedback, voice memos, MP3s & email to quantumleappodcast@gmail.com. Also, join us on Facebook.com/QuantumLeapPodcast and Twitter.com/QuantumLeapPod and as a patron receive bonus and exclusive content by signing up here… www.patreon.com/QuantumLeapPodcast |
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