"THE ESCAPE"
Season 1 Episode 12
Directed by: William Hale
Written by: Anthony Spinner
Guest stars:
Dan Travanty as Dan Cassidy
Lynda Day George as Sarah Cassidy
Wayne Rogers as Jed Lewis
Robert Biheller as Ric Hardy
Joe DiSantis as Doc Hilldenbrand
NOTATIONS IN ITALICS ARE BASED UPON THE EPISODE SCRIPT DATED JULY 18, 1968
Scene 1
It's night time, we see silhouettes of three men on horseback. They seem to be looking at the Lancer hacienda, which is pretty well lit up.
Inside, Teresa, dressed in a long robe, enters the Great Room carrying a tray.
Teresa: Coffee's brewing, it'll be ready in a minute.
Scott is sitting on one of the sofas, we are behind him, can see some papers resting on the back of the couch. He is wearing one of his beige shirts. He asks her: What time is it?
Teresa sets the tray down on a table behind him. Nodding towards it, she says: Well, you can consider that your breakfast.
SL: That late, huh?
T: Uh hmmm
SL smiles and gestures with a pencil in his hand: All right, all right, I'm gonna knock off in a few minutes.
T: Oh, I'm not gonna give you the satisfaction of bawling you out again. I'm gonna let your father do it when he gets back tomorrow with Johnny. But I should tell you though that----
SL interrupts her: Now you've already told me, uh (pause, then finishes in an ironic tone) I'm working too hard.
She gives him a big smile, and then turns to leave the room.
SL: Teresa (he pronounces it Te-RAY-sa)-----don't worry about that coffee; if I still want it, I'll get it myself. Now you go to bed. I'm gonna turn in in a few minutes, I promise you.
(Several minor changes in the dialogue from the script. Most notable, the script has Scott call Teresa "Terry".)
She leaves the room. He gets up and reaches over the back of the couch towards the tray and plate. Sleeves of the famous beige checked shirt are partially rolled up. Shirt is rather form fitting. Sandwich plate in the right hand, book in the left, he walks over to a blue easy chair, sets the plate down on a side table. There is a nice lamp on the table too, with crystal pendants hanging from the shade. He leans back, resting his head on the back of the chair (neck stretch?), smiles to himself and shakes his head a little, then opens the book, pencil in hand.
Scott is seated with his back to the door, we see a stranger enter behind him! The man has a gun.
Stranger: Scott Lancer?
SL reacts, turns his head, sees the man, rises from the chair with a concerned expression.
SL: Jed Lewis, isn't it?
We can see that Lewis is wearing a cavalry type hat.
Lewis: That's right. You remembered. It's been a long time since Vicksburg.
SL: What the devil are you doing here? What's that gun for?
Scott has a serious expression, he's calm, not scared, but clearly is perplexed as to why this man is here and is pointing a gun at him.
Lewis: Take you to see an old friend, he's waitin' just outside of town. His name is . . . Cassidy.
SL reacts at this, very slightly. Lewis continues: That's right, Lieutenant Cassidy. Shall we go?
(The script refers to Cassidy as a "Captain".)
Instead of answering, Scott tries to make a move, and another man rushes in through the glass doors, gun drawn.
Lewis: You remember Ric Hardy, dontcha? Now come on, nice and easy, no fightin', no shoutin'. Let's go.
Scott holds the ledger book in both hands, looks at it, thinking for a moment. Then he tosses the book onto the seat of the blue chair and walks off camera towards the glass doors. Lewis holsters his gun, looks around the room. He's impressed with what he sees. He reaches over and picks up Scott's sandwich and walks out the door while taking a big bite out of it. The glass door doesn't close completely behind them.
A moment later, Teresa walks in, carrying a coffee pot. She looks around, doesn't see Scott. She sets the silver coffee pot down on the table near the blue chair, closes the door tight.
Scene 2
Scott is on horseback, not his usual horse, this one has a solid brown face. Rick Hardy is beside him, holding the reins of the horse Scott is riding. Camera pulls back and we can see that Jed Lewis is on the other side, riding to Scott's left. At first it appears that Scott's hands might be tied, but evidently not, since in the next moment he makes his escape . . . .
Next shot, we can see all three riders at a distance, the pace is picking up. Scott goes for Hardy first, knocks him off of his horse with a strong uppercut. Hardy lands hard on the ground. Then SL immediately goes for Lewis-tackles him. Lewis and his horse go down, with Scott right after him. Lewis is on the ground with Scott on top of him. Then SL gets up and jumps onto a horse that is on the ground-Lewis'? The horse rises to its feet with Scott on board.
Lewis rolls over, Hardy is also getting up, both are drawing their guns and Scott rides away. Hardy and Lewis fire at him, Hardy is a bit in front of Lewis. We can see Scott from the back-he reacts as if he's been shot!!! He leans to the right, but stays on the horse and keeps riding.
Hardy and Lewis mount up.
Lewis tells Hardy: You follow Scott, I'm gonna go back and get Cassidy.
Scene 3 In Town
We see a man looking at a watch. He is wearing a white shirt and vest, has dark hair and a mustache. He walks over to an armoire, removes a gun belt.
A door opens, a blonde woman wearing a white nightgown comes out of the next room saying: Dan? Dan? Dan, where are you going?
Dan Cassidy: Just out to Jed Lewis' place, he's got a farm nearby he wants to show me.
Dan is buckling on his gun belt as he says this.
Then he adds: People may want to sell out and move on.
Sarah Cassidy: Dan, do you know what time it is?
DC: Uh hmmm. It'll be dawn before I can get there. (He kisses her cheek.)
You get some sleep, honey, I'll---
The door opens and its Lewis. Dan looks angry.
DC: Are you crazy or drunk or what . . .(No reply from Lewis) Told ya I'd meet ya.
Lewis: I couldn't wait, ya understand? He got away . . .
Sarah Cassidy reacts to this announcement. Dan looks grim.
SC: Who got away? What's going on? Dan?
It is obvious that neither man wants to clue her in.
SC, with realization in her voice: Dan? (she shakes her head a bit) Oh no.
Sarah turns and goes to the other room.
DC to Lewis: You idiot.
Lewis: Aww . . she was bound to find out sooner or later anyway.
DC: Get out of here, wait for me downstairs.
He opens the door, but Lewis does not obey instantly, he's still looking in the direction of Sarah's exit.
DC: I said, get out!
Lewis leaves and Dan shuts the door.
In the next room, Sarah is sitting on the bed, hand on the bed post, pained expression on her face.
(Dialogue cut from the 7/18/68 script:
DC, softly, sincerely: It had to be this way, Sarah. It had to be.
SC: All your promises. . . and for this. (shaking her head in disbelief) To come three thousand miles to kill a man.
DC: He's not a man. . . Scott Lancer hasn't got the right to becalled a--
SC, cutting him off: It's no good Dan, I won't listen . . I've heard it all . . for five long years, I watched you in that military hospital . . I watched you and I told myself, made myself believe that when you finally got out, you'd be so grateful just to be able to walk, you'd forget all of this. . that it wouldn't be hard for us to start over. . . build a new life. . . .(the script description of Dan Cassidy mentions that he walks with a noticeable limp)
DC: What kind of life can we have, Sarah, if we build it on the graves of sixteen men . . .
SC: Give it up, Dan. For my sake . . because you love me and I love you. . give it up, because we both deserve better. . . please!!!)
DC: Sarah, listen to me, try to understand. When I said we'd come out here, buy a farm, settle down, forget the past, I meant it.
Close up of Sarah, big blue eyes.
DC: We will. We will. Just as soon as I clean the slate. The only time I ever lied to you Sarah was the day I told you why we were coming to Morro Coyo. (close ups of each of them) Can't you trust me this one last time?
SC: I don't want you killing Scott Lancer. Is that clear, Dan? I want you to give this thing up, here, tonight, now. Do it for us, Dan, for us!
DC: Not for us, Sarah, for you. I gotta do what I believe is right. And until it's done, we don't even exist.
She looks very sad to hear this. Sad music plays. Sarah gets up and walks away from him. Turning back to face him, she says: Dan . . . when you kill Scott Lancer, you'll be killing us with the same bullet.
Close up of Dan Cassidy as he thinks about what she has just said.
Scene 4
Two riders on horseback pass beneath the Lancer arch, we watch them move on to the front of the house.
Teresa comes out the front door and under the arches there, she is running, calling "Murdoch!" She is wearing a blouse and form fitting pants.
Murdoch rides up on his large white-faced horse and stops in front of the hacienda. He asks: What happened? Johnny is somewhat behind him on Barranca. Another man on horseback rides towards Johnny, they stop to exchange a word. A man in a wide-brimmed sombrero-type hat comes up to hold Murdoch's horse as he dismounts.
Teresa: Scott's gone! He disappeared, his bed hasn't been slept in, his horse is still here, but nobody's seen him, nobody!
Johnny rides up and dismounts while ML stands facing Teresa. Johnny is wearing his usual pink embroidered shirt.
Teresa: He was working late last night and I . .I brought him something to eat, and then, well, I'd thought he'd gone to bed, but, well, when he didn't come down for breakfast . . . .
Johnny: Scott's missing?
Teresa nods her head, she is still very upset. She says: Uh hmm
JL: Take it easy.
T: Well, I sent Miguel and some of the other men out to look for him about an hour ago.
Reaction shot of ML and JL side by side. The resemblance is striking!
ML: Where is Miguel now?
T: On Oak Ridge. They'll fan out south from there.
ML to JL: You'd better take the rest of them and meet us up there.
Johnny turns to leave.
ML to Teresa: You go back in the house. He walks over to his horse, the man in the hat is still holding it. Murdoch keeps talking: And don't worry about Scott. He's a big boy, he can take care of himself.
Murdoch rides away, Teresa stands watching him, her hands at her extremely slender waist.
Scene 5
We see a horse, riderless, standing near a pool of water in a rocky area. As the camera lowers, we see Scott lying on the ground, arms crossed holding onto his injured shoulder.
In the distance, there are three men on horseback-at the sound of a horse, Scott stirs a bit, looks up and sees the three men-it's Lewis, Hardy and Cassidy! Scott gets up and, while trying to stay low to the ground, goes over to his horse. He leads the animal behinds some rocks, still trying to hold his injured shoulder. He stands there, leaning against the horse and waits.
The three riders look around. We catch glimpses of Scott peering around the edge of the large boulder, but they don't see him.
One of them says: Just falling rocks, let's go.
They ride away. Scott gets on the horse and heads off in the opposite direction.
Scene 6
In the Lancer Great Room. Teresa is sitting in the blue chair, Johnny is standing behind her with his hands resting on the back of the chair. Mrs. Cassidy, in a white blouse and dark skirt, is talking to Murdoch.
Sarah Cassidy, speaking forcefully: . .he's dead, don't you understand that? If you don't find him . . .
ML: You've made that very clear, Mrs. Cassidy. I want to know why. What's your husband got against him?
SC: Scott never mentioned him, the name Cassidy?
ML: Means nothing to me,--of course . . . my son, there's a lot of things about him I don't know.
SC: Well, how much do you have to know to go out there and find him?
JL: Ma'am, we're lookin' for im. Just tell us why . . .
SC: My husband and your son spent a year together in a Confederate prison camp. My husband planned an escape; Scott was to be second in command. The night before they were to go, my husband fell sick, and . . Scott led the escape. (close up of ML with a grim expression) My husband could hear the shots from his bed in the hospital. (camera on JL and Teresa as they take this all in)
SC continues with the story: An hour later, the camp commandant brought him the report. Sixteen men, every last man, except your son, had been killed before they even reached the wall. It wasn't until months later, on the day the War ended, that Dan knew for sure that your son had survived. He was still in the hospital, more dead than alive, and he saw Scott, and he warned him then that he'd come after him.
ML: And he believed Scott sold out the escape.
SC: He's believed that every minute of his life for the last five years. I think that's the only thing that kept him alive during those first few months, when the doctors said he wouldn't make it. He means it when he says that he's going to make Scott pay for every one of those lives.
JL: He's got help?
SC: There's one man that I know of, Jed Lewis. He was in my husband's company before they were captured. And then after the war, he looked Dan up again. His brother was one of the men who was killed in the escape. I don't know, there may be others. I know Dan wrote some letters before we came out here.
During this last speech, she paces a bit. She is holding a purse in both hands in front of her. There are also repeated shots of ML looking grim, with a furrowed brow.
SC: Don't you see, you've got to find him, you've got to find him before they do. Get him out of here, anywhere!
ML: Assuming he's all right, where would you suggest I send him where your husband won't find him?
SC: I don't care what you do with him. I came here for Dan. I didn't come here to save him.
Camera goes to Teresa and Johnny, JL looks down at this.
SC: I don't want to see Dan end up at the end of a rope.
JL: Or facing our guns?
SC: Or facing your guns. No, I don't know where Dan is, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you. I'm not trading his life for anybody's. . . . . I'm going now.
She starts towards the door. JL moves ahead of her, apparently to open it for her. She turns back to face Murdoch.
SC: Mr. Lancer. Take my advice, you've got money, use it. Use it to send your son away from here, across the world if you have to. I don't care. Maybe someday Dan will forget.
She reaches the door, Johnny opens it.
ML finally speaks: Some day's a long time, Mrs. Cassidy. Too long. If you want to do something for your husband, tell him to get out of this territory before its too late for all of us. She leaves and JL shuts the door.
Camera shifts to the sunshine filtering through the treetops. Camera lowers to a rider in silhouette. We see Scott on horseback, he's clearly having difficulty staying upright. Ominous music plays and we go to commercial.
Scene 7
Scott is riding into town, he isn't doing very well, leaning in the saddle. There are people in the street looking at him, but no one does anything. We see a close up of a sign, "Veterinary Doctor". Evidently there are no "real" doctors in Morro Coyo.
Scott dismounts with difficulty. He puts his right hand inside his shirt, it's his left shoulder that is hurting. He falls over, taking a barrel with him.
Inside, the vet, Doc Hilldenbrand, hears a noise. He's an older man with a beard, wearing a hat, white shirt and black string tie, suspenders. He goes outside, sees Scott on the ground, bends down next to him.
SL: Sorry, Doc, but . . .
Doc: You can talk later. It is a bullet, isn't it?
Scott makes affirmative sounds. He keeps trying to put his hand to the wound, the Doc moves his hand so that he can see it. There is a 'bloodstain" on Scott's shirt, but no noticeable bullet hole.
Doc: Well, you know, I'm no doctor, Scott, but I'll do what I can.
SL, with effort: Maybe you'd better hide my horse first, some men are after me.
Doc: Sorry, your horse is gonna have to wait. (He helps Scott to his feet and half carries him inside. Scott's shirt and pants are noticeably dirty.) I hope it wasn't over nothing trivial.
(In the script, Doc H adds: I hope you didn't earn it.)
Scene 8
(Script: Murdoch has a cigar clamped in his mouth, fumbles for a match, doesn't find one, then flings the cigar away and stares into the dead fireplace. )
Back at the ranch, the Lancer Great Room. Murdoch is standing and looking out the glass paned doors. He turns and walks over to a table with a decanter on it, pours himself a drink. Teresa speaks to him.
T: Somebody had to stay here, in case Scott showed up.
ML says nothing. He doesn't even look at her.
T: Well, he couldn't have done it, not what that woman said.
ML takes a drink.
T: Well, we both know that, I mean, they'll find him, everything will be all right.
ML stares at his drink, grim faced, doesn't look at her.
T: Everything's gonna work out.
She stops talking, and he drains his glass.
ML speaks without looking at Teresa: I'm going back out. (He reaches for his gun belt) If Scott shows, tell him to stay out of sight. I'll send a hand back. You can use him to get in touch with me.
Murdoch starts to move past Teresa and she reaches out, clasps his arm.
T: Whatever you believe, Scott didn't do it.
ML: Do you think I'd be out of my mind trying to find him if I thought he did? No, Teresa. No son of mine could do a thing like that, that's one thing I'm still sure of in this life.
He heads for the door, taking his hat off of a dining table chair as he moves past it. ML exits.
(What the script says here: His words are strong, but the haunted expression is still in his eyes. A split second as their gazes remain locked. Then, fearing Teresa can see through the bravado of his words, can see that he hasn't quite sold it to himself, he pulls away, hurries to the door. Hold on Teresa staring after him)
Scene 9
Back at the hotel, the Cassidys' room. Sarah Cassidy is seated at a table, writing. She is wearing a dark colored blouse. Dan Cassidy comes through the door, removing his hat. She turns to look at him.
DC: No, we didn't find him yet. Yes, Jed Lewis is still lookin'. I'm beat, I'm gonna lie down for a little while.
He goes towards the bedroom, ominous music plays. He sees her trunk, it's packed. DC turns to Sarah and starts to ask a question
DC: What do you think you're----?
SC: I'm leaving on the four o'clock stage-I'm going home Dan.
He looks stunned.
SC: I---I was just writing you.
DC: You were writing me . . .After ten years, you were writing me. You're my wife, Sarah, you're my wife!
She walks into the bedroom. For much of the following conversation, she is behind a screen with see through fabric.
SC: I'm sorry, Dan, uh, I--- I, just can't stay here and watch you do this.
DC, chuckling: Oh no, no, you can't use my love for you to twist my arm. You're a strong woman, Sarah, but not that strong.
SC: I don't understand you, Dan. Maybe I never did, but if I'd been you, I'd of---
DC: You what, you'd have walked away?
SC: I'd have had enough of killing, enough of hate.
DC, angrily: do you think I enjoy this? Scott was like my own brother. There are nights I pray I'll wake up and find he's been struck down, that the burden's no longer mine. How can I run away, Sarah, when I know I can't forget?
(References to God in the script have been removed here: There are nights when I pray to God I'll wake up and find that He's struck Scott down . .)
SC: What if Scott Lancer wasn't responsible? What if it was someone---
DC: Someone else? There wasn't anyone else.
Sarah Cassidy now comes around the screen to look at Dan more closely.
SC: Dan. Come with me. It won't be like running away, it's going to something better. Please come with me.
He glares at her. She starts to speak again: Dan-and he comes up behind her, puts his arm around her.
DC: No. No. Nobody's going anywhere, not until this thing is done.
SC: You're wrong, Dan. I'm leaving on the four o'clock stage and there's nothing in the world you can do to stop me.
She leaves his embrace, he looks stricken.
DC: All right, then go. Go. And be damned.
Scene 10
Scott is lying in a bed. We hear the sound of horses. SL sits up, looks around. He rolls out of bed, clearly trying not to move his left arm. He looks out the window.
Out in the street, we see Lewis and Hardy galloping up. They stop in front of the vet's office and dismount. Inside, downstairs, Doc H looks out the window. Lewis and Hardy enter.
Lewis: How ya doin', they tell us you do the doctorin' around here.
Doc doesn't answer-shift to shot of Scott upstairs, sitting on a bed and listening.
We hear Lewis asking the doctor a question: You, ah, you wouldn't by any chance be treatin' a wounded man would ya?
Back downstairs, we see the Doc standing and facing Lewis, holding his hat in his hand. Hardy is in the foreground, looking around.
Doc: Mister, I treat dogs, cats and horses. Now if you'll excuse me--- (He walks away from Lewis)
Lewis: You don't mind if we take a look around, do ya?
Another shot of Scott upstairs listening. We can hear the Doc answering, loudly: I told ya, there's nobody here. Scott gets up and goes over to the dresser.
We hear Lewis' voice off camera: I said, we'll check! Hardy---Evidently he is telling Hardy to look around. Then Lewis continues speaking to the doctor: Ya know, if you're lucky, we'll be out of here in no time.
Scott finds a gun, then he moves to the window and tries to open it. He appears to be having a hard time. When he turns, we can see that he has been bandaged up.
Back downstairs: the Doc tries to leave the office and Lewis stops him.
Lewis: Hey, where do you think you're going?
Doc: Look. I don't know who you think you are, mister, pushing your way in here, if you're looking for somebody -
Lewis: Aw, shut up.
Upstairs again, we see Rick Hardy enter the bedroom, gun drawn. He takes a good look at the rumpled bedclothes. Scott is outside the window with a gun of his own. Off camera, Lewis is calling Hardy's name. Hardy exits the bedroom.
Back downstairs, Lewis is talking to the doctor who is standing with his arms folded across his chest.
Lewis: Maybe you're tellin' the truth, if ya are, ya got my apologies.
Hardy: Save 'em Jed! He was here all right. Bed all messed up, blood on the spread. He was here.
Lewis: How long ago? Where'd he go?
The Doc just looks at him without speaking.
Lewis: Come on, old man, talk, if you wanna come out of this in one piece.
Hardy, drawing is gun: One second, Mister-
Doc: I don't know! I swear, I don't know!
Lewis: All right, he couldn't have gotten far in his shape, come on, let's go.
Lewis and Hardy go to the door, Lewis turns back to speak to the Doc once more: Not a word about this to anybody, or we'll be back ta finish the job.
They leave, we see them outside mounting up and riding out. Scott is still near the window.
Scene 11
We see a town street, a covered wagon goes by. Johnny Lancer is standing talking to a cluster of men. He's wearing his pink shirt. He looks down the street, Dan Cassidy has just exited a building. Johnny taps the arm of one of the men he was speaking with and then walks over towards his horse. A distance away, Cassidy approaches his own animal and mounts up. JL gets on board Barranca. Cassidy is riding down the street, Johnny wheels Barranca and is riding ahead of him. Then Johnny turns so that he is blocking Cassidy's path.
JL, soft drawl: Mr. Cassidy
Dan Cassidy reacts-very slightly-to his name being known.
JL: My names Johnny . . . . Johnny Lancer.
At this, Cassidy's right hand edges towards his gun.
JL: I wouldn't do that.
DC puts his hand back on the pommel of his saddle.
DC, with a slight smile: My business isn't with you, boy.
JL: Well, that must mean you haven't found Scott yet.
DC, eyes narrowing: Not yet.
JL, still in a quiet, calm and menacing voice: Well, you never will, Mr. Cassidy cause you and me are gonna take a little trip to the railroad depot at Cross Creek, we're gonna stop the train, put you on it, and ship you back East.
DC: You're foolin' yourself boy, cause even if you do get me on that train . . .
JL: You can come back? If you do, it'll be the last trip you'll ever make. Let's go.
They ride slowly down the street, DC is in the lead. They come around a corner, JL has to duck under some tree branches. The two of them look down the street, there is Ric Hardy, he sees them and draws his gun. Jed Lewis gallops up behind DC and JL. JL keeps his face expressionless. DC reaches over and snatches Johnny's gun out of his holster. During this scene, we can see that there are people who are in the background
watching!
DC: Where's Scott?
Lewis: That's how come we came back to get you.
Hardy, off camera: We almost had him. Some fool vet lied his head off long enough for him to get away.
Johnny is carefully listening to this and then he suddenly backhands DC and tries to ride away-he's heading directly at Lewis, whose horse rears up on his hind legs, dumping Lewis onto the ground. DC rides up behind JL and hits him on the back of the head, sending JL to the ground, where he lands face down.
Lewis gets up, gun in hand, points it at Johnny who is still lying on the ground, motionless.
DC is on horseback, gestures to Jed, saying: He'll keep. Just as he is. All right, let's get back.
Lewis: No, you go back, Take Hardy with you. I'm gonna keep lookin' for Scott.
DC: How long, til you fall over with exhaustion? Now come on, we gotta-
Lewis: No, you gotta!! But not me! I don't quit til I pay him back for what he did to my brother!
(Interesting notation in the script that has Wayne Rogers name on it--he played Jed Lewis. Handwritten question: So why not kill Johnny?)
Lewis walks off. He mounts up and rides off in one direction while Cassidy and Hardy go in another. JL starts stirring around on the ground, picks up his head a little, just enough to let us know he will be okay.
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