Teleplay by ROY HUGGINS Based on a screenplay by HOWARD BROWNE Based on a story by ROY  HUGGINS Directed by BUDD BOETTICHER Cast JAMES GARNER as Bret Maverick KAREN STEELE as Molly Gleason MICHAEL CONNORS as Ralph Jordan RICHARD GARLAND as Wes Corwin BENNY BAKER as Mike Brill ROBERT FOULK as Moose PETER BROWN as Chris Semple ZON MURRAY as Fletcher MITCHELL KOWAL as Callahan

Peter Brown in Maverick Starring James Garner

This episode of Maverick has a convoluted and interesting history.  [For the full, entertaining account see Ed Robertson's excellent book Maverick - Legend of the West.]  Briefly, Point Blank was created by Roy Huggins as the pilot episode of Maverick. However, a Writer's Guild contract clause granted "created by" royalties on every episode of a series based on a writer's characters and original story.  Warner Bros, known as an extremely parsimonious company at the time, never paid such royalties.  Huggins was forced to produce a second pilot very loosely based on an incident in a non-fiction book owned by Warners so they could claim Huggins did not create the series. Point Blank was shown as the 2nd episode.  During the later Hollywood writers strike, Point Blank was rewritten as an episode of 77 Sunset Strip, "Perfect Setup" starring Roger Smith.  [Robertson points out in his book that when Warners Maverick movie was released, Roy Huggins was prominently listed as the original creator of the Maverick series, showing that Warners is a different company than it was in the 1950's.]

Peter Brown's part in this episode is very small; he had only two scenes as the deputy sheriff.  His main function was to react to what was to become a standard Maverick ploy -- Maverick pinning a thousand dollar bill inside his jacket.
 

Peter Brown as Deputy Chris

Molly brings Maverick dinner

Paperwork

Point Blank establishes the character of Maverick "the gentle grafter".  It starts with a broke Maverick using an ancient bar trick to win $5 from a gullible but beefy cowboy.  He uses the $5 to get a good meal and gain entrance to a poker game with some unsophisticated cowhands.  In the meantime, he  flirts with Molly, a waitress who is also the object of the sheriff's admiration.  Maverick is locked up for running a confidence game but bailed out by Molly's boss who wants Maverick to ferret out poker cheats when the town is flooded with cowhands.

Maverick cons Moose

Maverick meets Molly

Maverick & Sheriff admire Molly

Unknown to both her admirers, Molly is in cahoots with Ralph, a bank teller (Mike Connors of Mannix while he was still Michael).  She is looking for a man the size and coloring of Ralph whose death will cover up a planned embezzlement.  Maverick ultimately ruins their plot and recovers the money.  Before returning the money to the bank, Maverick makes sure they offer a $3000 reward.  He pins $1000 inside his jacket, gives the remainder to Molly in jail while urging her to give the sheriff a chance to give her a respectable life.

Molly & Ralph

Maverick romances Molly

Maverick collects the reward

 

Maverick borrows a pin

to pin a thousand dollar bill to his shirt

Chris looks after him in amazement

NiteOwl Review:  We have to admit, we rarely saw a James Garner episode of Maverick we didn't like.  And we liked this one.  Peter Brown was just window dressing here, but attractive window dressing.

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