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02x03 - Fight or Run

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "The Life & Legend of Wyatt Earp". Aired: September 6, 1955 – June 27, 1961.*
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Series is loosely based on the life of frontier marshal Wyatt Earp.

02x03 - Fight or Run

Post by bunniefuu »

We aim to corner earp

In the alley

And blow that tin star

He wears clean through him.

Yeah,

k*ll the so-and-so.

You mean

Bushwhack him?

Oh, now--!

And you're gonna

Help us.

Or do you want your saloon

Burnt to the ground

And half the town

With it?

No, I'll help you.

♪ Wyatt earp ♪

♪ Wyatt earp ♪

♪ Brave, courageous,

And bold ♪

- ♪ Long live his fame ♪

- [Announcer] the life

And legend of wyatt earp,

- ♪ Long live his glory... ♪

- Starring hugh o'brian.

[Announcer] wyatt earp,

The new marshal of dodge city,

Was trying to civilize

The toughest town on

The western frontier.

The hoodlums of dodge

Knew that earp had tamed

Ellsworth and wichita,

But these were little

Cow towns compared to

Dodge city,

The cowhand capital.

Marshal earp had to

Start all over again,

And in the face

Of opposition

Which had run several

Peace officers out of dodge.

This gomorra of the plains

Offered wyatt earp

A hard choice--

Fight or run.

And if he was

To fight it out,

Wyatt needed the help

Of city councilman jim kelly.

"Mr. Dog" kelly, they called

Him in the history books.

Ex-soldier, gambler,

Saloon keeper,

An odd mixture of

Good and evil.

"This place won't open

Until I feel like it.

Jim kelly."

Jim must be riled

About something.

[All] yeah...

I wanted

To get a drink.

It's like I was bewitched

By this fella earp, deacon.

He comes in here and

Fast-talks me into

Helping him

Against the big-t outfit.

I got no business helping

Him against good customers

Like the big-t ranch boys.

Who's next? What's

The next donation?

The reverend hawkut.

Give him .

Why should I have

Helped wyatt earp?

Who's wyatt earp?

Nothing but a smart alec

Young john law.

He'll be here today

And dead tomorrow.

Who's next?

Mrs. Jenkins and children.

Give 'em the same as

We gave 'em last month.

Like I was saying, deacon,

Earp had no call on me,

None at all.

But I round up some special

Deputies and sticks

Of dynamite

And then what does earp do?

He blows up the cattle pens

And turns all the wild steers

Loose.

So the big-t cowhands

Have to quit sh**ting

At charlie bassett and

Bill tillman in the depot.

They gotta ride half a day

Collecting steers.

Two big-t hands get k*lled

And earp creases their

Foreman's skull.

I need my head cracked

Open for having anything

To do with wyatt earp!

You didn't know how rough

Earp plays it, boss.

How much

For father shevlin?

Father shevlin, is it?

The way that man

Keeps after me.

Not a dime! Not one penny--

--More than .

All right, all right.

That finishes the list.

Ain't you due at

The city council meeting?

No!

Earp wants me to vote to

Close this town up tight!

The gall of him!

Does he think the big

Cattle driving outfits

Are gonna stand

For that without

k*lling him and maybe me?

By joe, I'm in my

Right mind now.

And if you ever see

Jim kelly give wyatt earp

So much as

The back of his hand,

This whole saloon

Is yours deacon!

You got my oath on it.

All right, sparky,

Open her up.

Open her up wide and

Let 'em start drinking.

Maybe they'll punch

Marshal earp in the nose.

Now let's get organized

This time.

We make our play

In real big-t style.

We scatter and take

The back streets to

Gruber's livery barn,

We leave the horses there

And then we get ready

To move on that kelly.

- It wasn't kelly's fault.

- What?

Earp forced him to it.

Quit your jabbering.

It was both their faults.

Two of our men are dead and

Guy sanders will be laid up

For weeks.

And we don't take that

Off of nobody.

[All murmuring agreement]

We're fixing kelly first,

Then the big-t will get

Wyatt earp. Now move!

Back there. Go on.

They're not big-t men,

Just drunks.

Al, the doc will be over to

Patch 'em. Keep 'em locked up.

Yes, sir.

Gentlemen, I'm awful sorry to

Keep the town council waiting.

What happened to you?

Oh, nothing too serious.

One of the big-t

Outfits stuck his

Thumb in my eye.

But I don't think

He'll do it again.

It'll be all right

In a couple of days.

What's more important is

There are drunken cowhands

In the street with g*ns.

Mr. Mayor, that

Oughta convince you

That we need these new

Ordinances that I'm asking for.

I'm convinced, wyatt.

I'm not, and neither

Is mr. Billings.

The town council

Is kinda hung up--

Two votes for

Your new ordinances,

And two against.

Gentlemen, I'll tell ya,

It's useless to even hire

A marshal

If these aren't approved.

What are the objections?

Billings and I think

Two of them are all right,

But we sure don't

Like the others.

Which ones do

You object to?

[Reading sign]

We vote against number

And number .

You think it's all right to ride

A horse into a saloon or a hotel

Lobby or into a store?

It shouldn't be

A misdemeanor.

It's just harmless fun.

Harmless fun?

We've had at least innocent

Bystanders kicked or bitten

By horses.

And being drunk on the street?

That's just harmless fun too?

I'm not a hypocrite!

I've been tipsy

On the street,

And so have you

And so has kelly!

Say, where is mr. Kelly?

He the fifth member

Of the council, isn't he?

Jim ran out on us.

What do you mean?

He's sore because you

Got him involved in

That fight last week.

Says he won't vote

Either way.

But if he did vote,

He'd vote against

You, marshal.

Afraid that's it.

Mr. Mayor,

I'd appreciate it

If you'd call another

Meeting for tonight.

I'll have a little talk

With mr. Kelly.

That won't do any good.

You know that...

Ace is the loser...

Green is a winner...

Mr. Kelly, I'd like

A few words with you.

What happened to you?

Oh, I caught a little

Thumb in the eye.

- Big-t.

- Mm-hmm.

I'm sorry to hear it, but

That's the only word

You'll get from me.

We ain't friends.

Wait a minute.

This is business,

Both mine and yours.

I helped you once.

Never again.

Ain't I made it

Clear enough?

I'm asking you to

Keep away from me.

There must be

Two jim kellys.

Then this one's

In his right mind.

I kinda liked

The first jim kelly.

It's the one that

Helped me put a stop

To that big-t outfit

From tearing this town

Apart about a week ago.

Then you like

Mush-headed idiots!

Now you're talking to

The real jim kelly.

I run a saloon

And a gambling hall.

That's a legal business,

Mr. Kelly.

And I sell liquor

To the big-t outfit.

I didn't mean to

Set 'em up for a k*lling.

Now wait a minute.

Bassett and tillman,

Shot in the line of duty.

It was self-defense.

Stop trying

To argue with me!

You got a slick

Poison tongue, earp,

You and your two kellys.

Well, I'm sick of

Looking at you and I

Ain't gonna talk to you!

And by george, if you

Don't get out of here--

Mr. Kelly--

Well, my duty's

To defend myself.

Settle the chips

And close out.

Gotta change this place

Into a fort like the alamo.

Sparky, get out the g*ns.

Reb, put up the bars.

Start piling tables in front

Of the doors and windows.

All right, there's

Gonna be trouble here.

Anybody's got a sh**ting beef

Against the big-t can stay

And help themselves.

The rest of you clear out.

[Man] think about it,

Mr. Kelly.

You can't stand off

That many men.

Marshal, this

Don't make sense.

You'll get us all shot,

And the place burned

On top of us.

Can't you do something?

I can try.

You sure you got

Your facts straight?

Yes.

And you can leave

By the back door.

This is no place

To make a fight.

Whose fight is it?

- It's more mine

Than it is yours.

- Bah!

Now you'd make a pretty

Good-looking deputy.

I'm defending myself,

Not helping you.

You sure you couldn't

Use a little help?

Not from you.

Now leave by

The back door, I said.

Get moving!

I sure did like

That old jim kelly.

Yes, sir. You know, he used

To be a real tough sergeant

In the cavalry.

Just keep walking.

I kinda depended

On him too.

Like all old army men,

He kinda knew his duty.

I figured he'd back me

In the council and put an

End to all this foolishness.

I'll take what's coming.

You want to fight it out

With that g*ng

Of spoiled-rotten

Hoodlums all by yourself,

Huh?

The door is open.

All right.

I'll ask you just

One more question.

I'll ask it of

The jim kelly that you

Claim to be right now.

What's the sense

In turning your back

On the law

And trying alone to

sh**t out a hoodlum

Grudge?

Because

I am a hoodlum.

Because this

Is a hoodlum town.

And that's the way

Dodge is gonna stay!

The likes of you

Won't change it.

Well, I'm gonna sure

Try to change it.

Good luck to you

Against the big-t

Outfit, mr. Councilman.

"Two jim kellys"!

That young smart alec!

Hey, who put buckshot

In my g*n?

I want slugs!

Buffalo slugs!

Howdy, mr. Mayor.

Haven't you heard

The news?

The big-t outfit is coming

Into town to sh**t up

Kelly's place.

Maybe.

The stage driver saw them,

R g*ns,

About a half an hour

Out of town.

Aren't you gonna

Do something?

No, sir.

What?

Oh, I don't

Think they're gonna

Hurt kelly much.

Why do you say that?

The big-t outfit

Has every reason to

Crack down on kelly.

I think they

Kinda like kelly,

At least the

Hoodlum part of him.

Anyway, they're

Not after him.

They're after bassett,

Tillman, and me.

Bill tillman and

Charlie bassett

Aren't in town.

Yeah, I know.

That leaves me.

I guess I don't

Know you very well--

Yet.

But if a crowd

Was coming after me,

I'd be swearing in

Special deputies

And getting ready

To blast them from every

Building on front street.

I can't do that.

Why not?

Because of public opinion,

Mr. Mayor.

It's my most

Important weapon.

If I'm gonna do any good

Here in dodge,

I can't go around

sh**ting people from ambush.

You think you can afford to

Let kelly get hurt and have

His saloon wrecked?

I think there's

Some kind of a trick.

Trick?

Yes, sir. Studying cowhands

Kept me alive in ellsworth

And wichita.

I don't think that big-t

Outfit's gonna jump me

In an open fight.

They've already lost

Their three best men.

They haven't had time yet

To hire any real fast g*ns.

But they'll jump kelly.

Maybe.

But I don't aim to let

Anything too bad happen.

You're gonna try

And save his life?

Why?

'Cause he's got

The deciding vote

On the council.

And I want his vote

For those ordinances.

That's a mighty cold-blooded

Way to look at it.

Well, I'm in a mighty

Cold-blooded business.

Say, did it ever occur to you

That there are two jim kellys?

Yes, sir, one would

Sell me out in a flash

Of irish temper

And the other would weep and

Plant shamrocks on my grave.

Pretty soon we're gonna

Find out which kelly

Comes out on top.

Could be a pretty

Close fight.

"...i hereby--

I, jim kelly,

Hereby

Bequeath--

Bequest--?

Bequeath--"

Hey, deacon,

Come here.

How does this fella

Earp spell his name?

Well, uh, "wyatt"

Would be w-i-a-t.

And I guess "earp" is

U-r-p.

Why, boss?

Never mind.

Get back on guard.

"To father chevron,

$ , .

Hoping you will pray

Once a week

For wyatt earp."

[Deacon] hey, mr. Kelly.

Two big-t cowmen,

But they're on foot.

Mccomb and deggars.

I wonder why they

Ain't riding with

The rest of them.

Maybe they got fired.

No they didn't. They're

Keeping an eye on me.

And where's my good friend

Wyatt earp?

- He offered to help.

- Shut up!

They'll get me

And let him run out.

I'll have no prayers

For wyatt earp!

Something's wrong.

When the big-t comes

After you, they don't

Stall around.

They come galloping

Down the street.

They come shootin'!

Maybe they're

Scared of earp.

Ah, one marshal

And three deputies.

Might be scared if

Tillman and bassett

Was here.

They're out in the country

Chasing stage robbers.

Drop your g*ns!

Keep the rest

Of them covered.

Take him in

The back room.

What? What's the idea?

- We're giving you

Your last chance--

- You can't bust in on me.

Put g*ns on me,

Slap me around!

Keep your temper.

We want wyatt earp.

Go over to the jail,

Then.

Oh, no. We're gonna get him

Here and you're gonna help us.

You mean bushwhack earp?

If that's what

It has to be.

Oh, no. I hate

His insides, but--

Listen!

You want a couple

Of slugs in your stomach?

- No.

- You want

This place on fire

And half the town

With it?

All right.

The first thing you do

Is open for business

Like nothing ever happened.

What is

Going to happen?

I'll tell you

All about it, kelly.

Now get it open!

[Horse approaching]

Wyatt, there are

Eight t-brand horses

At gruber's livery stable.

Where'd the men go?

Gruber thinks they went

To get something to drink.

It's a false alarm,

I reckon.

That could be a few

Of them over there.

You and pete wait a couple

Of minutes and then tell

Them to get out of town.

Should we pass

The word to mr. Kelly?

Let him sweat.

Hey, deke. Deke!

Let sparky sit in

For you. Come here.

Take it, sparky,

Would you?

I ain't going

Through with it.

Huh?

I don't hate earp

That much.

Oh, now,

Think about this.

You can't double-cross

The big-t.

It's m*rder they plan!

You want m*rder

On your soul?

I ain't got a soul.

All men got souls.

Now don't you never

Say that again.

All right.

All right.

I should let him

Do it to earp.

If he stays in dodge,

He'll be hounding me.

He'll be worse

Than father chevron.

Now you talk like

The real jim kelly.

Now don't you start that.

Some things even

A hoodlum won't do.

You go tell earp

The whole rotten

Scheme.

- That's final?

- Right.

All right.

But the big-t cowhands

Will know you tipped him.

Not if earp

Plays it smart.

And I know earp. He'll

Play it real smart.

He'd better.

He could get us

Both k*lled.

Well, warn him

About that.

There ain't much time.

Find a way to get over

To earp's where they

Won't see you.

...and pete's gonna

Pretend to be dead

In the alley here.

The rest of

The big-t boys

Will be hiding

In the back of

Lukey's store at

The windows here.

They figure you'll come

Busting into the alley

To examine pete.

When you do that,

They'll give it to you.

I see.

Now I think,

Mr. Kelly thinks,

That you could sneak into

The back of the store

And take 'em from behind.

Hmm.

But you and your

Deputies got to get

Them all, mr. Earp.

Otherwise they'll

Be after me and kelly.

Thank you, deacon.

We'll try and handle it.

There won't be

No slip up?

I hope not.

Well, thanks.

So long, deacon.

And thank mr. Kelly for me.

[g*ns blast]

Marshal earp! There's

A man just been shot dead

In the alley!

Ah, good evening,

Mr. Kelly.

Thanks for

The information.

What are you

Doing here?

I was on my way

To the alley.

No. They're

Laying for you.

Deacon said you promised

To take 'em from behind.

k*ll 'em, huh?

They aim

To k*ll you.

- Maybe.

- No maybe.

They'll do it.

Now get out of here,

By the front door.

If I do that

They'll suspect you

Of tipping me off.

I thought you'd

Act sensible!

You scared of

A little k*lling?

Yep.

No.

I get it.

Maybe you want me

And deacon k*lled.

I don't want

Anybody k*lled.

Now will you just

Get out of my way?

With one eye?

Are you daft?

You go out there

And you'll be a corpse

In seconds.

Which mr. Kelly

Are you tonight?

Don't start that.

Get out of here,

By the front door!

Maybe I can convince him

You lost your nerve

Or somebody else talked.

I can't take

Those men from behind.

I can trust myself but

I can't ask my deputies

Not to sh**t to k*ll.

All right, then run!

There's been too much

Running by peace officers

In dodge city already.

You can't fight.

The odds are too heavy.

Just stand back.

They've run.

Let's get 'em.

Keep us covered.

All right, get out there

And tell them to quit.

Don't sh**t! It's me!

Pete! We give up!

[g*n blasts]

Drop it!

I wish you'd

Let me sh**t him.

You go on back

In there. Go on.

Come on out of there!

You tell your boss

Not to bring any more

Cattle into dodge.

The big-t outfit

Isn't welcome here.

And after noon tomorrow

I'm gonna sh**t any on sight,

Do you understand?

All right, now pick up

These two and take them

To doc mccarty's office.

Go on, move!

And you know what?

I'm a ruined man.

Ruined!

You told the big-t

They can't come into dodge.

Do you know

What that means?

They got a drive

Payoff of $ ,

And I used to get

A third of it.

So you lose $ , .

But that ain't

The main thing.

You cornered me,

You shoved me over

To your side.

I'll be known as

"Traitor kelly",

The mean who turned

Against his customers

To help the law.

That's right.

None of the big cattle

Outfits will come into

My place.

I might as well just

Close up and prepare

To leave this world.

Now you're

Exaggerating a bit.

The big-t knows

I double-crossed 'em,

Pulled a g*n

On their boys.

You think they'll let me

Get away with that?

- Why, sure.

- They will not.

I'll be gunned

On the streets.

I don't think so.

You got the sheer gall

To deny that. Why?

Because you'll be known

As a great personal

Friend of mine.

Friend, is it?

Never!

If they g*n you,

I'll g*n them.

Texas won't be big

Enough to hold 'em.

I suppose you'd

Even follow them

Into mexico.

Why sure, if need be.

This is a trick.

You're working on

My irish heart.

Friend? You don't

Even like me.

Why sure I like you.

The jim kelly I saw

Tonight was a brave man.

I'll turn on you.

I'll stab you in the back.

That might be.

The old jim kelly

Might come back again.

Don't bet against it.

Well, I had my say,

Fair and square.

But don't ask me to shake

Hands, 'cause I won't.

We can't never be friends.

And that's the honest truth.

If you say so, mr. Kelly.

And one more thing,

And you get it straight--

Don't you dog me

And hound me.

I won't have any

Sanctimonious john law

Trailing after me

For help.

Of course not.

Before you go,

Mr. Kelly,

How are you going to vote

On those new ordinances?

You know you're

The only holdout.

And I always will be!

Give me a piece

Of chalk.

Right there

In the tray.

"I vote yes.

James kelly."

"I vote yes.

James kelly."

That gives me a majority

Of one vote.

Well, thank you, mr. Kelly!

And good night to you!

♪ He cleaned up

The country ♪

♪ The old wild west country ♪

♪ He made law and order

Prevail ♪

♪ And none can deny it ♪

♪ The legend of watt ♪

♪ Forever will live

On the trail ♪

♪ Oh, wyatt earp ♪

♪ Wyatt earp ♪

♪ Brave, courageous,

And bold ♪

♪ Long live his fame ♪

♪ And long live his glory ♪

♪ And long may

His story be told ♪

♪ Long may his story

Be told. ♪