Frontier Gentleman: The Honkeytonkers

There are places west of the Missouri where gambling stakes are rather high This is particularly true when the wager depends on a man's life Frontier gentlemen here with an Englishman's account of life and death in the West as A reporter for the London Times he writes his colorful and unusual stories But as a man with a gun he lives and becomes a part of the violent years in the new territories

Now, starring John Dainer, this is the story of J.B. Kendall, frontier gentleman. I had stayed in Montana territory hoping for an interview with Sitting Bull, or even Crazy Horse.

The General Crooks attacked across the Tung River but an end of that hole by at least for the time being. And so, with a full-fledged Indian war exploding around me, I had no choice but to remain where I was.

The settlement with a normal population of perhaps a hundred had swollen to four times that number. The saloonkeeper, gambler and others were doing a thriving business, and the most popular spot in town was undoubtedly a place bearing the rather...

Oh, Sanguinary legend, jug of blood. It was what is known as a hunky-tongue. I was passing outside when the trouble began. The doors flew open and half a dozen sprawling men erupted in the street, and sheer self-defense I became a competent...

My game fellow, I have a nice idea! Yeah! It's only good! Yeah! Oh, just some no good son of a gun was cheap to poke her. And no good son of a gun. Really? Yeah.

One of those? How should I know I wasn't playing? I just heard it all. You know if there's anything I hate it, no good cheating. Son of a gun. Yes. Bad form. I don't blame you.

Hey, what's your problem? If you'll pardon me. Hey, come on in and have a drink. No, I don't think so. Thank you. Oh, come on. There's mighty per-little gals in there. You know, Jake hider hired them all the way out from back east.

He's on the way up to Virginia City. There's two records in the hell in the mood. And I'm sorry to hear it, but now, really, I must be going. Oh, Mr. You ain't seen such dancing, such carrying on it.

I'll be here. I'll let you move on without seeing a nice bit of female woman of flesh inside of St. Louis. I'll tell you what I'm going to go on. You won't be sorry. Well, it's kind of early.

Still a little quiet. You warm up by and by. JB Kendall I'll take a beer if you don't mind Make no never mind to me Jake From a pound whiskey for me tell I need to bring him over JB Kendall JB You're any kid in Arizona kennels down at Goonsco? No What's your business, Mr.. I'm inside from fight. I'm a newspaper called a sponge

I'm a cowpuncher myself. Got paid off last week. This here is a good place to pay your money. Hey, I like that there picture over the bar. Ain't she something? It's quite a bit of her, isn't it?

What would you say? I say there's quite a bit of her. Isn't there? A little out of proportion here in there. Ample. Oh, son of a gun! I like you, Kendall! I like you! Son of a gun! Hey, what paper are you writing? London Times. Well Son of a Gun! Hey Annie! Hi, Mr. Smith! Hey, sweetheart, this year is J.V. Kettle. Hi! He writes for a newspaper London Times! He's an important man. Now you go call Crystal. I drink her on me. He's here with his man. Hi, Grandpa!

Yeah, me I go for the nice fatness, something you can grab a whole lot. I never did like dancing with him skin and bone gals. I gather Annie as your choice, huh? Yeah, yeah. She's some looker, huh?

Oh, no doubt of it, Mr. Smith. Of course not, there ain't nothing wrong with Crystal. She's the one close her to that son of a gun bill bastard. See? I don't think he's taking kindly to your friend Annie's suggestion.

Hey, you're a raunchy buzzer, ain't he? He drunk her now. I say, look here, boy. We don't want to cause any more trouble. You and your young lady have a nice evening. I'll be running along.

Oh, shit, ah! Oh, you for that fight. I always pay my debts. Well, here they come. Ladies, meet J.B. Kent. Oh, this here is Crystal J.B. Crystal, how do you do? Go on, sit and laugh, sweetheart.

Poor fellow ain't feeling as Ocean. Well, well, no. I'm sure Miss Crystal will be much more comfortable than a chair. Come here, Eddie. Would you, erm, be careful, drink? No thanks. Gentlemen, you were dancing with, he seems rather upset.

Help! Help! Help! Oh. You sure I can't get you something? What's the matter? You don't like me? Ain't I good enough to set me a lap? Hm, not at all. I'd be delighted but to...

I look here! I'm wild Bill Baskham, and ain't no man nor dog who takes my gal away from me. You're riding herd on Krista, Bill? I'm riding herd on no one! But I paid good heart, Cass, and I'm going to have my dance out!

You're going to rattle hocks out of here. And I said, Goose, how could you all act? Gentlemen, I think the language is getting a trifle right. After all, there are ladies present. Well, who are you, your son again?

The name is Kendall. Well, who's hacking to you, Kendall? You have your ride, Mr. Einstein. Dancing no more with you. We'd like to stop my speed off, Mr. Kendall. I'd rather think it's up to the lady.

Don't you chum. Lady? He ain't no lady. Bill. Son of a girl. I'm giving you one second rattle hocks out and then I'm gonna blow your ears off. No, no, no, no. No need of that, Mr. Smith.

You'll go along quietly, won't you, Mr. Baskin? You think you're a pretty big son of a gun, don't you? Well, you don't stampede me, Mr. Now, come on, go on! Not at all for life.

No. He's your breaker, my eye! Then, then, be a good chap, and as Mr. Sniff puts it, go lather your hucks. Eat your son of a gun, killing me what to do. I'm wild Bill Baskerman!

C'mon, he's killing me! Son of a gun. You killed me. What's he mean? You killed him. He shot himself. You didn't even draw on him. What the hell are you doing? I don't allow no gun shooting in here.

Oh Jake, it's Bill Baskin. He aimed to salivate Mr. Kennel here and he killed himself instead. Oh, this silly son of a gun. How you boys, you get him up out of there. That rug cost me $300.

Will somebody get a doctor? He's not dead. I bet he is. How much you bet, my sir? He ain't dead. I seen a move. Look. Why don't you shut your mouth? Get him off my rug.

Take him in back. You can put him on the pharaoh table. Give me a hand. Yeah, sure. Somebody find a doctor, please. Ain't no doctor stepping on me, surgeon. He's getting his self-scaled by the soul.

Boy, that's true, ain't no doctor around here. Yeah, never know what you're saying. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. Hey, what are you doing? Oh, and break up the game, boys. There's a gun, and he needs a table.

Yeah. Come on, buddy. All right, tell you, all right, all right, boys. Put him down. All right. I'm dying, boy. Get me a drink. I'll get it. Put him down, I said. Put him down.

Alright, he's there. My old Markie. See me now. Annie, see if you can find some banditers. Team Rag, hot water. Sure. And don't you fret Bill. You're gonna be just fine. Well, I gotta get back to the bar.

Anything you boys need you let me know. Whiskey's on the house, Baston. You're a good man, Jay. I'll put in a word for you when I get what I'm called. Yeah, well you do that.

So long. Alright, now. Let's get that jacket off, Baston. mister you treat me like I don't deserve don't talk now Smith get the other arm I'm sure no one now wait a minute I look I ain't kidding these are my dying words I try to kill you in my drink I tried to win it's heavy on my kindness

well I sure wish I had me a preacher to make my piece man well will you shut your son of a gun mouth and let us get this shit jacket off of you. I ain't giving up.

There we are. Now I have to tear the shirt. No. No boy. This is my my best shirt. I want to be buried in it. There's a whiskey bill. He popped his head up. Presley you. Angel of mercy. That's what what you are, please don't you..

crystal girl I'm asking you for giving me a sweetheart I acted purely like a boom table with you forget it Bill Then you should drink it that'll look mean don't it Mr. Smith Smith from over here I'm giving up right there get hold of someone I reckon he ain't got long if you don't bleed to death it's gang ring for sure

Now we can stop the bleeding, I think. But we've got to get that bullet out. Oh, ain't nobody around here crazy enough to try that. Ain't no sense carving up the poor son of a girl.

Let him die comfortable like he is. You doesn't have to die. There might be a chance. What do you have? Well, why? Operate on him. You're local. There's nothing to lose. How about another drink, boy?

I'm going fast. Give Molly once, Crystal. Keep pouring it into him. You think it's fitting for a man to die drunk? I think it's fitting for a man not to feel any more pain to feeling more pain than he has to.

What you doing with that knife? I told you I'm going to take that bullet out of him. You want to help me good? If not, you'll oblige me by rattling your hocks out of here.

In a moment, we return to Frontier Gentlemen. Poor Jack Benny, the gang arranges a surprise party for him on his birthday. But there's surprise backfires in a hilarious way today on CBS Radio's Jack Benny program.

Never mind the greeting cards. Forget about buying him a present. Just be sure to join us on most of these same stations later on today when everybody has a good time at Jack Benny's birthday party, except Jack himself.

And now we return you to Anthony Ellis's production of Frontier Gentlemen. There are some men who possess a rather odd sentimentality about pain and death. They don't hesitate to empty a gun into a living body with clear and shining conscience they do this deed.

But for those same men to retrieve a life, to cut into flesh to do so, that is a different matter. Walleye Smith was of this type, the thought of operating on Bill Baskam offended his sense of delicacy.

Oh, you ain't no doc, you can't do that. I can bloody well try. I couldn't find no vanishes, saw a torchied up, and here's your water. The girl, put it down on the table. Now which one of you ladies will help?

I will. I'll show them, me too. All right, we'll try to stop the bleeding first. How do you feel Bill? I'm dying, partner. How about another break? Annie. Crystal, take some sheeting, press it over the wound, keep holding it there.

Son of a gun, candle I say you can't do it. My dear fellow, will you step over here for a moment? Oh, right is not right. Now, Smith, look here. The fact that Baskin might die is partially my fault.

Oh, come, he shot himself. Circumstances, chismets. Or you ain't no doc. And so you said. You'll kill him. If we're lucky, I won't. Well, man's luck runs out. That's the end. Don't pay to go again, nature.

At a less pressing moment, I should be delighted to enter into a philosophical discussion with you, Smith. But not just now. Now, be a good chap, and don't argue. But I ain't arguing, you son of a gun. I'm telling you, you ain't gonna cut Bill up!

Bill up! Smith, I took you for something more than a thick-headed clonpper. I see I was mistaken. Oh, mister, you go on talking like that, there's going to be another dying man in here. Oh dear.

Awfully, sorry. What's the matter with you boys? You stop, you hear? Now, Smith, clear out and stay out. Oh son of a gun! Now, how's our patient?

He's finished half the bomb! There's enough rot-gotten him to melt that bullet. Wishful thinking my dear, Bill. Ah! I'm going to take the bullet out. I don't know. He'll do. Alright, Crystal. Take a handful of rags.

And when I tell you, wipe the blood away. What do you want me to do? Hold his hand. Try to keep him still. Ready? Yes. Here we go. I didn't know how deeply their bullet had penetrated.

I could only guess that it's approximate direction. I made an incision. Wipe. Hey. Wipe.

There you see, son of a gun carving him up like a piece of buffalo meat. You can't do that, mister. I'm doing it. Get out. A hundred cent basket makes it. Who said that? Me?

You're on. Wipe. He ain't breathing so good. I know. Thank you. Will you get out? No, no, not me. I got money on Bill. Anybody else want to make a little bet? Fifty still learn to hurt.

Odds on that to get you out. Wipe. Oh, why don't you go on out? We're trying to save him. You go right on and try, any? Anybody else? Well, I like me real. Kettle. What do you think?

Has you got a chance? How the devil should I know? Sure is a mess, ain't he? Yeah, poor old Billy, he was a good man. Yeah, sure could top a horse. Jake, 200, he's still alive come four o'clock.

Uh, it's midnight now, I'll take it. Alright, now I'll candle you son of a gun, you pull him through. You want a chance to win? Well sure do. Get these people out. Alright, come on Jake.

Oh, no, no, I'm staying. I got a big investment in that boy. Very well. I'm finished. You stay here. I won't go on. Let him die. I will die. Come on! All right, all right, we'll wait outside.

A wall I, you stay. You give us a word every five minutes. Well sure. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I got you Billy Boy. Rest easy. Easy. Uh-huh. Easy. No. I can't find it.

God, God find it. Give me a rag crystal. Here. Look at the color of him. He's gone. Annie, give him whiskey quickly. Yes. That's better. I can feel it. Yes. It's there. There's a gun.

Wipe Crystal. Yeah, right! Eh. No, I ain't that something. I never did see a piece of that dugout before. Soon I'll be good. I'm gonna steal a l- We bound up the wound.

Made him as comfortable as we could. He lost a great deal of blood and was terribly weak. There was nothing to do now, but wait. The two girls stayed in the room with me, and there was something very different about them. Both were far from being beautiful, but there was a softness, a quantity of loveliness

which made their garish costumes seem completely out of place. Howdy! How's she coming? About the same. You know, there's better than 10,000 being bet outside. It's 3.30 now. You think he lived He might. I got 200 says he got to. And obviously he's got to. Kind of funny if he does pull through though huh?

It'll be a miracle. He ain't a bad son of a gun. Sure looks white. Why? Almost like a kid don't he? Anything I can do, can't we? You say a prayer if you feel like it?

I ain't a praying man, but I hope it makes you not on count of my 200 I just hope it makes you for you. That's a prayer, isn't it? You don't have drink. No, no thinking. Well I'll go out and keep my quiet. Yes, that's a good idea Mr. Yes, Kristin. I know a prayer

You think it helped? I don't know it might The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makeeth me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake. Day though I walk through the of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil. For thou with me. Vyron and Vastam. Bascom. Bascom.

Bill. Have you feel? Bill? Can you hear me, Bascom? I'm dying, boy. Give me a drink. Wild Bill, Bascom. He didn't die. A number of people won money because of it, and a number of others lost.

Mr. Smith insisted on dividing his winnings with me. During his presentation speech he was so overcome, but not once did he refer to me as a son of a gun. An omission I was happy to overlook.

Frontier Gentleman was written, produced, and directed by Anthony Ellis and stars John Dana as J.B. Kendall, featured in the cast were Jack Crucian, Stacey Harris, Virginia Gregg, Eve McVay, Barney Phillips, and Charles Seale. Music was composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith.

Pearl Bailey, Nat King Cole, and Eartha Kit may not tell all to Mitch Miller tonight, but knowing Mitch as we do, we're sure his talented visitors will feel free to talk about anything and everything of interest. Or an informal get-together with some of the brightest names and show business. Here the Mitch Miller show every Sunday night on most of these same stations.

Now stay tuned for the Ford Road Show which follows immediately over most of these same stations. Join us again next week for another report from the Frontier Gentlemen. John Wall speaking, this is the CBS Radio Network.