The Daily Dose/March 14, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
CAPSULE OLD TV WESTERN REVIEW: Tales of Wells Fargo, starring Dale Robertson: We keep some pretty odd hours here, and there have been times over the past few years when we find ourselves with some idle hours to kill. Sometimes these hours are killed by binge-watching old TV shows, a practice that has varied between old favorites and new-to-us stuff. Tales of Wells Fargo was new to us.
Dry, Technical Matter: It interested us because we used to drive an armored truck, so we can relate to transporting valuables, though we have zero experience in gun fights. Or in fist fights, for that matter.
Back On Message: The main character is Jim Hardie, a special investigator for Wells Fargo at the time around the Civil War, who investigates robberies, murders, and other protocol violations against Wells Fargo stages, way stations, and offices. He is brilliantly played by Dale Robertson: Hardie is brave, honest, stalwart, and true, exactly the person we’d like to be if we were in the same situation. Like all Westerns of the era, there are many gun and fist fights, the hero is seldom shot, and he always gets his man.
Lights…Camera…Action: There is no shortage of actors who latter become famous making guest appearances, too. James Coburn, Jim Davis, Jack Nicholson, and Michael Landon, among others, are all seen when they are very young. Our favorote guest star was Edward Platt, the future chief of CONTROL in Get Smart, who makes three appearances, all as Doc Bell.
LOL: There was one really funny line: Hardie and someone else are staking out a cabin they know has outlaws in it. The guy asks if Hardie knows they did it:
Well, I don’t have a signed confession, but they did it.
Get Your Official Daily Dose Rating Scale Right Here: A – The very best; B- Very good; C – Good; D – OK; F – A steaming pile.
Final Rating: B – Tales of Wells Fargo ran for six seasons, from 1957-62. The first four seasons were brilliant. In season 5 they start running out of ideas and there are more show tunes than were useful. This problem was mitigated somewhat in the final season, when the show was colorized, extended to an hour, and Hardie was given a base of operations in a small town, probably in California, though this is never specified.
The Bottom Line: Had seasons five and six been as good as the first four, it would’ve been entitled to a higher rating but it hung on a couple of seasons too long. We’re not complaining about that, however, because Jim Hardie is a memorable character.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow screws up the weight on the final set of the bench press. Today’s Diary.
…at first, we thought we were stronger than usual…Long about the eighth rep we started strongly suspecting something was up and when we blew thru the tenth rep we were sure of it.
———
Would you like 4Ever & Ever access to Gaylon’s crap?
Of course you would.
Click here. It’s only $24.99.
Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device.
———
On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it.
In 1964 – Jack Ruby is found guilty of murdering Lee Harvey Oswald while Oswald was in custody following his arrest for assassinating President John F Kennedy. Ruby had pleaded insanity and would later be sentenced to death. The conviction was overturned by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeal for, among other things, an oral confession that should not have been admitted despite the fact there were photographs and video coverage of Ruby shooting Oswald. Ruby died in custody before his second trial could begin and legally died unconvicted. His real name was Jacob Rubenstein.
In 1962 – Wilt Chamberlain concludes one of the greatest regular seasons in NBA history in a 119-115 win over the Chicago Packers. Chamberlain played 53 minutes and had 34 points, giving him averages of 50.4 points and 48.5 minutes per game, both NBA records that still stand. The Warriors defeated the Syracuse Nationals in the first round of the playoffs, before losing to the Boston Celtics in the conference finals. The Packers became the Baltimore Bullets, now the Washington Wizards, in 1963.
In 1981 – Elvis Presley is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the only week with Guitar Man. It was a rerecording of the song Elvis had first released in 1967 and that had been written, and also released as a single, by Jerry Reed. It was the eleventh and final #1 country hit for Elvis, the song also peaked at #28 on the Hot 100, and remains Elvis’ last appearance at #1 on a Billboard singles chart.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
He preferred the comfort of a familiar hearth to the solitude of the innovator.
Morris West
The Clowns of God
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The Chicago/St Louis/Arizona Cardinals have won two NFL titles, in 1925 and 1947.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What was the first #1 song on a Billboard country chart for Elvis? – Answer next time!
