26min | Adventure, Western, TV Series | Episode aired 29 October 1955
An elderly prospector searching for gold finally strikes paydirt, but before he can file a claim, he is killed by a pair of drifters who stampede a wild horse herd over the man's body to hide evidence of their crime. The sheriff believes that Champion is a wild killer and tries to have him shot. Meanwhile Ricky and Sandy try to find the real killers.
Director: George Archainbaud
Writer: Maurice Geraghty
Stars: Champion, Barry Curtis, Jim Bannon
An elderly prospector searching for gold finally strikes paydirt, but before he can file a claim, he is killed by a pair of drifters who stampede a wild horse herd over the man's body to hide evidence of their crime. The sheriff believes that Champion is a wild killer and tries to have him shot. Meanwhile Ricky and Sandy try to find the real killers.
Director: George Archainbaud
Writer: Maurice Geraghty
Stars: Champion, Barry Curtis, Jim Bannon
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Champion the Wonder Horse! Champion the Wonder Horse!
00:10Like a streak of lightning flashing across the sky.
00:13Like a swiftest arrow whizzing from a bow.
00:17Like a mighty cannonball he seems to fly.
00:21You'll hear about him everywhere you go.
00:24The time will come when everyone will know the name of
00:28Champion the Wonder Horse!
00:52The wild horse heard thunders across the mountain.
00:55Led by the king of them all, Champion!
00:59It's Champ!
01:27Hello Champ!
01:48Hi fella.
01:50Did you miss me?
01:55What's the matter Rebel? You're not jealous of Champ are you?
02:02Now what's the matter with you Champ?
02:04Oh I know, you're looking for your treat.
02:11Alright, I've got something for you too Rebel.
02:20What's wrong Champ?
02:40Hi Grumpsy!
02:42Well bless my sure eyes if it ain't Ricky Norris.
02:46You had any luck?
02:48Not worth mentioning. Not till you come along.
02:51Brought you a letter.
02:52Letter? For me?
02:57Must be from my daughter back east.
03:00My, how time flies.
03:03You know I ain't got around to answering her last one yet.
03:06Well that was over a year ago.
03:08Well I never was much of a hand at writing.
03:11But I never stopped thinking about her.
03:14That's what keeps me going.
03:16Just hoping that someday I make a strike and can provide for her.
03:21Well, now you sit down Rick and I'll get a fire started.
03:24And I'll cook you that doggone mess of fried beans that you ever tasted.
03:27Well thanks Grumpsteak, but I gotta be going.
03:30I promised I'd come right back to the ranch.
03:33Well, promise is a promise.
03:36Don't you ever bust one.
03:38Thanks just the same for bringing the mail Rick.
03:40Let's do it Grumpsteak.
04:10Something's joshin'.
04:32Right here in my old camp.
04:37Whoopee! We struck it in the ass!
04:42Hold it, hold it.
04:44Wait a minute.
04:46See if there's any more.
04:57There she is.
04:59There she is.
05:00There she is.
05:02Oh!
05:03You see that Clementine?
05:05We finally hit it!
05:09We finally hit it Clementine!
05:13My little girl's gonna be rich!
05:15My little girl's gonna be rich!
05:18We finally hit it!
05:22We got gold! Gold! Gold!
05:26What's eatin' him?
05:30My little girl's gonna be rich!
05:33My little girl's gonna be rich!
05:36What's the trouble old-timer?
05:37Trouble? There ain't no such thing no more.
05:39Step down off that Cayuse and shake hands with Grumpsteak Smith,
05:42who just struck it rich!
05:44Well, good for you.
05:45And they laughed at old Grumpsteak.
05:47I reckon I showed him this time.
05:49What makes you certain it's real gold?
05:51Man, boy, I've been prospecting these hills for more than 30 years.
05:54I ought to know color when I see it.
05:56Now you'll file your claim, huh?
05:58You're darn tootin' I will, just as soon as I get her staked out.
06:01Hey, could you spare us some grub?
06:03Oh, there's plenty of hardtack and beans.
06:05Help yourself to the whole caboodle.
06:07I'm now on it. Steak and champagne for me.
06:10Good, thanks a lot.
06:11Oh, don't mention it. So long!
06:13So long!
06:25Just a few hours sooner and we might have been the ones that struck it rich.
06:28But no, not us. We're always too late.
06:30No, maybe we're not as late as you think.
06:32See, we got here just in time.
06:36I think I'm gonna take myself a little ride.
06:38What about the grub?
06:39Forget it.
07:00Dude.
07:12Dude, Codger put up a fight.
07:14What are you gonna do about the body?
07:15We can't claim the gold if they find out he's been killed.
07:18Well, that depends on who gets blamed for it.
07:27Who gets blamed for it?
07:29A wild stallion is hurt.
07:59A wild stallion is hurt.
08:29That ought to do it.
09:00Hey, Ricky.
09:06Hello, Uncle Sandy.
09:07I got a bone to pick with you.
09:09Boy, I came right back from school, didn't I?
09:11And I got good marks, too.
09:13I'm glad to hear it, but I mean about the barn.
09:15The barn?
09:16The barn.
09:17The barn.
09:18The barn.
09:19The barn.
09:20The barn.
09:21The barn.
09:22The barn.
09:23The barn.
09:24The barn.
09:25The barn.
09:26The barn.
09:27The barn.
09:28But I mean about the barn.
09:29What about it?
09:31Come inside.
09:34I don't suppose you know anything about all this.
09:37Oh, this.
09:39You've made a circus out of the barn again.
09:41Well, it won't be in the way.
09:43And look.
09:50Go on, Rebel.
09:51Jump, Rebel.
09:53Good boy, Rebel.
09:55Now watch, Uncle Sandy.
10:07Ricky, you know how I feel about this and why.
10:10But Uncle Sandy, just because my dad got killed in the circus
10:13trapeze act doesn't mean I'm going to.
10:16And you know I'm going to be a rancher.
10:18Well, then why do you do that?
10:20I guess it's because my dad did it when he was my age.
10:23That's all.
10:25I understand, Ricky.
10:26But you know, I've got a greater responsibility
10:28bringing you up than if you were my own boy instead
10:30of my brother's.
10:31So be a little careful, will you?
10:32Sure, I will, Uncle Sandy.
10:34Bark, bark.
10:35Bark.
10:36Bark, bark.
10:41Bark, bark.
10:42Here, Rebel.
10:43Bark, bark.
10:44Bark, bark.
10:45Here, Rebel.
10:46Bark, bark.
10:52You the owner of this spread?
10:54That's right.
10:55Why don't we get some water?
10:57Help yourselves.
10:58I'll prime the puff for you.
11:11Did you get shot, mister?
11:12No, we ran into that herd of wild horses.
11:14That killer that leads them like the slash into death.
11:17You mean Champion?
11:18He's got a white blaze on his face and white stockings.
11:20That's him.
11:21A champion killer, you ask me.
11:23She wouldn't hurt anybody.
11:25He's as gentle as a lamb.
11:29If you can get near him.
11:30My trouble was getting away from him.
11:39There he is.
11:40That's him.
11:42If he comes any closer, I'll drop him.
11:43Don't shoot him.
11:44Look, I'll show you how friendly he is.
11:56Come on, champ.
11:57It's all right.
12:04That's funny.
12:05He never did that before.
12:07I told you that stallion wasn't tame.
12:09He's a killer.
12:10You should have let me put a bullet in him.
12:13Thanks for the water.
12:14Glad to oblige.
12:27I can't understand it.
12:29Something must be wrong with Champ.
12:32Well, now he's coming back.
12:38Come on, Champ.
12:40Come on, Champ.
12:46Maybe somebody scared him.
12:47That's why he's so skittish.
12:48I better go see what's wrong with him.
12:59Gosh.
13:00It's crab steak.
13:02Poor old fella.
13:04Better go back to the ranch and get Uncle Sandy.
13:06Go on, Rebel.
13:07Go get Uncle Sandy.
13:09Go on.
13:33If you want to file a claim, I have to know the location.
13:35Where is it?
13:36Well, that's pretty hard to say.
13:38We're strangers around here.
13:39We could lead you right to the spot.
13:41I won't do.
13:44Here's a contour map of the section.
13:45Pick it out.
13:47Oh, there it is.
13:48It's that creek right up ahead at the canyon.
13:50Oh, that's Latigo Canyon.
13:52Old Grub Steak Smith's prospecting up there.
13:54How is he awfully bagged?
13:55Search us.
13:56We didn't see no one.
13:58I guess he's going on off the line.
14:00Poor old Grub Steak.
14:01Wonder how he'll feel when he finds out he almost struck it rich.
14:04That is, if he did strike it rich.
14:06Oh, I guess rich enough.
14:11Well, it's Milky Quartz, all right.
14:13That's a good sign.
14:14How do you know it's real gold?
14:16Real gold.
14:17Say, man and boy, I've been prospecting now on to 30 years.
14:20I should know a color when I see it.
14:23I don't know how you prospectors do it.
14:25Me, I'm just the official assayer.
14:27I can't tell until I make all the tests.
14:37One side, folks.
14:40All right, folks, break it up. Come on.
14:41Where'd you find him?
14:42Ricky found him up by Indian Springs.
14:45Looks like he had a bad fall.
14:47That's what I figure, Sheriff.
14:49Indian Springs.
14:50Ain't that, uh, ain't that up in the mountains
14:52where that herd of wild horses hangs out?
14:54Yeah, why?
14:55Well, we just came by there.
14:57That bunch of mustangs chased us out.
14:59Came after us like a tornado.
15:01That wild stallion that leads that bunch
15:03almost trampled my partner to death.
15:05Sure, look what they've done to me.
15:07You ask me, they came after this poor devil, too.
15:09Only he wasn't so lucky.
15:11Sheriff, Champ's not a killer.
15:14He's the one who led me to where Grub Steak was.
15:16Legend?
15:17Oh, that's rich.
15:19Look, boy, all you done was follow him back
15:21to where he done the trampling.
15:23He's been trampled, all right.
15:24There's no doubt about it.
15:25There's hoof marks all over him.
15:27Sheriff, you've got to listen to me.
15:29Champ's gentle, I can prove it.
15:31Well, maybe he can.
15:32But he ain't gonna do it.
15:34Listen, Sheriff, what the boy says don't make sense.
15:36That stallion attacked me,
15:38and more than likely killed the old man.
15:40Now, we feel strong enough about it to help you get him.
15:44I ought to have a look at least.
15:45Come on, we'll show you where we saw him and his herd.
15:50Uncle Sandy, we've got to stop them.
15:53We can't interfere with the law, Ricky.
15:55But they're gonna shoot Champ.
15:56And you know he wouldn't trample anybody.
15:59I know he wouldn't trample you.
16:01I'm not so sure how he'd behave around strangers.
16:03Those men are just trying to put the blame on Champ.
16:06They want him killed for some reason.
16:08Ricky, you're letting your imagination run away with you again.
16:34Ricky, wait!
16:37Look, Bill.
16:38Yeah?
16:39Ricky's got some kind of a crazy idea
16:41those two newcomers have a reason for wanting Champ killed.
16:43Well, I don't blame them.
16:45They just filed a claim up a lot of Gold Canyon.
16:47I don't think they could do much coal mining up there
16:49with a killer stallion running around loose.
16:51Filed a claim, huh?
16:53Maybe Ricky was right.
16:54Maybe they did jump Grub Steak's claim after all.
16:57Who's getting crazy ideas now?
16:59Well, sometimes children can see things a lot clearer than us older folks.
17:02Oh, Grub Steak hasn't panned out $10 worth of gold in 30 years.
17:06Hey, what's this?
17:08Well, that's Milky Quart.
17:10Same strata Brock was fellas brought in.
17:12You sure?
17:13Sure, I'm sure.
17:15Let's go in your office.
17:26There's the herd.
17:29The leader must be around here somewhere.
17:34There he is.
17:35There's that killer stallion.
17:39Seems like a crime to kill a magnificent animal like that.
17:43You wouldn't think so if you'd ever tangled with him.
17:58Let's head him off.
18:28Jim!
18:52Jim, wait!
18:55Please!
18:56Don't let them kill him, please!
19:00Wait, he's getting away!
19:12We got him trapped.
19:13He can't get out of that buff stallion.
19:22Don't!
19:24Get out of the way!
19:30Get up!
19:31Go away, go away!
19:33Get off me!
19:39Get, get!
19:42Let go!
19:44Let go!
19:48Pull up your dog.
19:49Ribble, stop it!
19:54Ribble!
19:59Get that mud out of here.
20:00Go on, son, take your dog home with you.
20:02But Jim's not a killer, Sheriff.
20:04I can prove it to you.
20:05How?
20:06Just let me call him.
20:07I'll show you how tame he is.
20:09He's just stalling to let that killer get away again.
20:11Please, Sheriff!
20:12Shut up and get out of here!
20:13Just a minute.
20:14There's no harm in letting the boy try.
20:16Why, he claimed that stallion would come to enter his ranch.
20:19All he did was run away.
20:20That's what he'll do again.
20:23Go ahead, son.
20:24Thank you, Sheriff.
20:34It's me, Jim!
20:35Come on!
20:40We're just wasting time.
20:42I'll be the judge of that.
20:45Go ahead, son.
20:54Keep going, Jim!
20:55Good boy!
20:57Well, I'll be dagnabbit.
20:59It looks like he's coming to the boy.
21:10Get the rope.
21:11What's the use?
21:12I said get the rope.
21:13It's too late now.
21:14Just like it's always too late with us.
21:16I'll get it.
21:17I'll get it.
21:18I'll get it.
21:19I'll get it.
21:20I'll get it.
21:21I'll get it.
21:22It's too late with us.
21:23It's going to be too late if that kid shows him the horse is friendly,
21:26or he'll let leave us with our story about a killer stallion.
21:35Atta boy, champ!
21:41See, Sheriff?
21:42Yes, Jay.
21:43Yeah, he sure is.
21:52Look out, Sheriff!
22:08Look out, Sheriff!
22:13I told you he was a killer.
22:23He gets loose, you may be the next victim.
22:25You'd better finish him now while you have the chance.
22:27Don't shoot him, Sheriff!
22:29Sorry, son.
22:30There's no other way out.
22:33Go on, Sheriff.
22:34Shoot!
22:35I don't want him to suffer.
22:36I want to be sure of my shot.
22:46I told you he was a killer.
22:48You'd better finish him now while you have the chance.
22:50Don't shoot him, Sheriff!
22:52I missed him.
23:00Quick, he's getting away!
23:05Jump, Rebel!
23:12Jump, Rebel!
23:22Look out!
23:23You'll hit the man.
23:26That's your Uncle Sandy, Ricky.
23:28Now you'll have to answer to him for what you've done.
23:32Who's with him?
23:33Collie Clark.
23:40Sheriff, arrest those two men.
23:41They brought him gold or identical to grub stake.
23:43That's right, Sheriff.
23:44They must have jumped his climb right after they murdered him.
23:46Come back here!
23:51Stop or I'll shoot!
24:22Get moving, you two.
24:28Good work, Uncle Sandy.
24:30But how did you find out about them stealing grub stake's gold?
24:33We didn't.
24:34You really can't prove anything for our samples.
24:36I was only able to find out that the grub stake was stolen
24:39by a group of men who were on the run.
24:41You're lying.
24:42You're lying.
24:43You're lying.
24:44You're lying.
24:45You're lying.
24:46You're lying.
24:47You're lying.
24:48You're lying.
24:49You're lying.
24:50So I was only backing up your Uncle Sandy's hunch.
24:53It was really Ricky's hunch first.
24:55We were just running a bluff.
24:56But don't let that give you any ideas, Ricky.
24:59Well, anyway, Grub stake got what he always wanted,
25:02the gold mine for his daughter back east
25:04he was always talking about.
25:06Like a string of lights that's flashing across the sky.
25:27like a mighty cannon ball he seems to fly you'll hear about him everywhere you go
25:40the time will come when everyone will know the name of