When Bronson's motorcycle is inadvertently
badly damaged by a careless gasoline attendant a
grizzled oldster Alex lets Bronson use his ranch
to make the needed repairs. Alex shows Bronson
his old cycle, an antique 1937 Rudge Ulster,
that had been in storage for years. Soon, both
are riding again and, since Alex had promised
his wife Nora to abandon cycling, it leads to
complications in his marriage and more.
First aired:
10/1/1969
Writer:
Frank Paris
Director:
Jud Taylor
Guest stars:
Carol Rossen (Monica Balin),
Charlotte Stewart (Lori Balin),
Jerry Randall
(Peter),
Paul Gleason (Deputy)
Bronson is hired by lonely widower Monica
to work on her ranch. Her teen-age daughter Lori
soon becomes smitten with Bronson and Monica
finds Bronson captivating as well. Bronson's
dilemma:- how to deal with the attention of both
women without causing problems.
First aired:
10/8/1969
Writer:
Robert Malcolm Young
Director:
Jud Taylor
Guest stars:
Elsa Lanchester (Hattie
Calder),
Woodrow Chambliss (Abner
Hotchman),
Dabney Coleman (Doc)
Bronson ends up in a ghost town whose sole
resident is the venerable Hattie Calder. She
fascinates Bronson with her tales of surviving
the Titanic disaster and her vitality. Hattie
has an ongoing quarrel with old timer, Abner
Hotchman who is secretly looking for a silver
vein. Her one remaining wish in life: to be
buried next to her husband in a nearby plot.
First aired:
10/15/1969
Writer:
Robert Sabaroff
Director:
Jud Taylor
Guest stars:
Fernando Lamas (Miguel),
Jessica Walter
(Morgana),
Janette Lane Bradbury (Bella)
Miguel approaches motorcycle riding using
the same aggressive methods that he uses to
fight bulls in the bullring. Bronson is
reluctant when Miguel tries to teach Bronson in
the same way. In the meantime Bella and
Morgana, two beautiful sisters, compete for the
attention of both men.
First aired:
10/22/1969
Writer:
Don Ingalls
Director:
Marvin Chomsky
Guest stars:
Bruce Dern (Bucky O'Neill),
Zohra Lampert
(Mary Draper),
James Doohan (Dr. John Wilson,
M.D.)
Bronson travels to Colorado to find an old
friend named Bucky O'Neill--a priest with a
crisis of conscience. Bucky has fallen in love
with Mary Draper and yet leaving the priesthood
torments his conscience. Mary is tortured as
well and blames herself for Bucky's dilemma.
Moreover, she also believes she's destined to
die giving childbirth. When she refuses medical
help Bronson is forced to make a decision.
First aired:
10/29/1969
Writer:
Lionel E. Siegel
Director:
Michael O'Herlihy
Guest stars:
Bob Steele (Clay Turner),
Larry Gates (Ed Hemmings),
Garry Walberg (Earl Braeden),
Gloria Grahame (Charlene
Braeden),
Royal Dano (Sheriff Binns),
John Hubbard (Walt)
Clay Turner is a bank robber and former
local hero who has been imprisoned for years. He
is about to be paroled to return to his hometown
and it is causing three people much anxiety. It
seems Turner had made revenge threats to Ed
Hemmings for turning him in many years ago. And,
Earl Braeden is nervous because he married
Turner's former girlfriend Charlene Braeden.
Bronson finds Turner return affects him as well
in this modern age Western confrontation.
First aired:
11/5/1969
Writer:
Ed Adamson
Director:
Robert L. Friend
Guest stars:
Gabriel Dell (Russ Faber),
Diane Ladd (Valerie Faber),
Will Geer (Oliver),
Jean Marie (Lorene),
Iron Eyes Cody (John Carbona)
Bronson stays at the home of Oliver, a
retired pressman who loves talk. Russ Faber
learns that Bronson plans to enter a local
motorcycle race and becomes obsessed with
defeating Bronson in the race. Valerie, his
wife, complicates the situation.
First aired:
11/19/1969
Writer:
Thomas Y. Drake
Director:
Jud Taylor
Guest stars:
Flora Plumb (Leona),
Tim McIntire (Darryl),
Alan Vint (Billy),
David Huddleston (Bear),
Jordan Rhodes (Red),
Bill Vini (Foley)
When Bronson arrives in town he meets and
asks Leona out on a date. Her brother, Darryl is
excessively protective and causes her
aggravation.. Bronson helps Leona enter a
demolition derby that inevitably puts Bronson in
a difficult predicament with her brother.
First aired:
11/26/1969
Writer:
D.C. Fontana
Director:
Allen H. Miner
Guest stars:
Steve Ihnat (Royce MacLeod),
Patricia Quinn
(II) (Pat),
Percy Rodriguez (Mac Keller),
Zalman King (Warren)
Bronson accepts two percent of a potential
oil well, that is possibly ready to blow, in
lieu of cash for work done for Royce MacLeod.
Unfortunately, MacLeod faces foreclosure on the
land if he can't beat the target date specified
on a promissory note owned by Mac Keller
First aired:
12/3/1969
Writer:
Gustave Field
Director:
Jud Taylor
Guest stars:
Lois Nettleton (Barbara
Timmons),
Rex Holman (Lambeth Lansing),
Lynn Hamilton (Maybelle Giles),
Lincoln Kilpatrick
(Leuty Giles),
Josephine Hutchinson (Miss
Lucy),
Charles Seel (Oliver Ryan),
Walker Edmiston (Brother Paul)
Bronson befriends an attractive nurse,
Barbara Timmons, who mourns the death of a
doctor she worked with. Timmons worries about
her patients and their future care. Bronson, in
awe of Timmons' work as a nurturing caregiver,
finds helping her a challenge.
First aired:
12/10/1969
Writer:
Robert L. Goodwin
Director:
Paul Stanley
Guest stars:
Robert Hooks (Henry Tate),
Slim Gaillard (Bollie Wallace),
Florence St. Peter (Johnnie
Tate),
Lee Duncan (Arthur Tate),
Stuart Nisbel (Garage Owner),
James McEachim (Spud),
Noah Beery (Buster Bucklind),
Leonard Stone (Cafe Owner),
Paulene Myers (Mrs. Taylor),
Pepe Brown (Timmy)
Bronson helps biker Henry Tate, with a
loan when his bike breaks down on the road. In
order to repay him Tate takes Bronson to his
family's home where he has not visited since he
left many, many, years ago. He is hesitantly
returning in order to attend his mother's
funeral. Tate's arrival causes resentment for
all.
First aired:
12/17/1969
Writer:
Lionel E. Siegel,
Alfred Brenner
Director:
Jud Taylor
Guest stars:
Kurt Russell (William P.
Lovering),
Don Drysdale (Art Gilroy),
David Sheiner (Eddie Mickel),
Stephanie Mann (Viola),
Robert Stiles (Vito),
Joseph Perry (Mr. Rivers),
James Beach (Rudy Slade),
Bill LeSeuer (Jimmie Reed)
Hot shot William Lovering is regarded as a
great pitcher in a local bush league baseball
team. When Bronson rides into town and takes a
job as a ball player he soon finds he's able to
hit the ball off Lovering at will. Bronson tries
to prepare Lovering for a try out with major
league scout Art Gilroy.
First aired:
12/24/1969
Writer:
Hendrik Vollaerts
Director:
Lou Antonio
Guest stars:
Robert Loggia (Tony Wade),
Pilar Seurat (Linda Wade),
Manuel Padilla, Jr.
(Mike Wade),
Logan Ramsey (Prospector)
Native American Tony Wade has taken his
family into bleak country to perform his Vision
Quest in order to reclaim his spirit. Bronson,
an old friend of Tony, locates him and the
family and finds them in dire straits. Even
though Tony, his wife Linda, and son, are
underfed and malnourished, Tony still demands
that Bronson leave. Linda urges Bronson to stay
and reveals a secret she has not told Tony.
First aired:
12/31/1969
Writer:
Sidney Ellis,
Thomas Y. Drake
Director:
Ralph Senensky
Guest stars:
Renne Jarrett (Sibyl),
Michael Lipton (Hermes),
Joseph Raymond (Father Al),
Marjorie Eaton (Madame Vanya),
Warren Parker (Fred),
Amzie Strickland (Mary),
Rosanna Huffman (Betty)
Bronson is charmed by Sibyl who fancies
herself a witch and is part of a band of
occultists lead by cult-leader Hermes. Bronson
at first is entertained by her beliefs but later
recoils at her lifestyle. Ultimately, Sibyl has
to determine the greater meaning of the
supernatural, and in the process--life.
First aired:
1/14/1970
Writer:
Charles McDaniel
Director:
Paul Stanley
Guest stars:
Michael Burns (Billy Mulavey),
Skip Homeier (Johnny Dell),
Jana Taylor (Betty),
John Wheeler (Herb Perry),
Mark Allen (Deputy),
Frank Corsentino (Bar Owner),
Martin Speer (Mickey Rand)
Bronson becomes part of a singing duo with
Billy Mulavey in order to compete in a song
contest and land a job at a highway honky-tonk.
Johnny Dell, a local disk jockey, signs
songwriter Billy to a restrictive contract, but
Billy has running on his mind. Betty, the
waitress who loves Billy, and Bronson wonder
about Billy's veracity when Mickey Rand claims
ownership of the songs written by Billy.
First aired:
1/21/1970
Writer:
Don Ingalls
Director:
Paul Stanley
Guest stars:
Jay Novello (Juan Longorio),
John Dehner (Sid Casper),
Jan Shepard (Helen),
Richard Webb (Hud McCarver),
Sam Edwards (Will Hudson),
Lou Cutell (Mr. Willoughby)
When eccentric painter Juan Longorio
paints a mural of a naked woman on the side of a
barn it places him and Bronson in trouble with
the owner, Sid Casper, and the city locals.
Still, more problematic, the painting causes
emotional anguish to Sid, the deputy sheriff Hud
McCarver, and Will Hudson, because they all
think the painting is a picture perfect
representation of their respective wives. Art
dealer Mr. Willoughby enters the scene and sheds
new light on the dilemma.
First aired:
1/28/1970
Writer:
Benjamin Masselink
Director:
Robert Totten
Guest stars:
Mark Jenkins (Harold Mueller),
Heidi Vaughn (Dorothy Hofer),
Rance Howard (Mr. Mueller),
June Dayton (Mrs. Mueller),
Bebe Kelly (Jan)
When Bronson arrives in an Amish community
his tales of the "outside world" captivate a
young man and woman, Harold Mueller and Dorothy
Hofer, who are betrothed. Soon, Harold becomes
jealous of Dorothy's attraction towards Bronson
and heads out to see the world he has been
missing. In the city, Harold meets the model Jan
and, in the meantime, Dorothy, back in the Amish
community, ponders about love and the future.
First aired:
2/4/1970
Writer:
Lionel E. Siegel,
Arthur H. Singer
Director:
Jud Taylor
Guest stars:
Lynne Marta (Eve Bronson),
Barry Brown (Len)
Bronson travels to see his cousin Eve
Bronson in Reno, Nevada. Eve is engaged to marry
Len and both decide to marry while Jim Bronson
is in town. Jim gives his cousin money to buy a
wedding dress but Eve impetuously chooses to
gamble with the money at a nearby casino and
catches "the fever." Eve's absence delays the
wedding plans and Len confides to Bronson about
his upcoming marriage and life.
First aired:
2/11/1970
Writer:
Jack Morse
Director:
Russ Mayberry
Guest stars:
Eddie Little Sky (Boise Idaho),
Buffy Sainte-Marie (Tender
Grass),
Ivan Naranjo
(Spare Parts One),
Kahana (Spare Parts Two)
Bronson and Native American Boise Idaho
both vie for the attention of beautiful Tender
Grass by entering a cross-country motorcycle
race. At first, Bronson is against the idea, but
after constant provoking by Boise Idaho and his
nefarious accomplices, Spare Parts One and Spare
Parts Two, he decides to prove his courage and
impress Tender Grass in the process.
First aired:
2/18/1970
Writer:
Meyer Dolinsky
Director:
Roger Kay
Guest stars:
James Whitmore (Wilson Ford),
Melendy Britt (Marcia Ford)
Like Ernest Hemingway, and like the
character out of his novel The Sun Also Rises,
the elder Wilson Ford is a renowned novelist
with a "secret" that motivates him to act with
abandon. In order to hone his writing skills,
and to prove his mettle, Ford constantly puts
his courage to trial by performing daring, bold,
and often foolish deeds. Against his wife's
wishes, Ford cajoles Bronson into a mountain
hike that pits the older Ford against a youthful
Bronson in a dangerous trek.
First aired:
2/25/1970
Writer:
Benjamin Masselink,
Teddi Sherman,
Robert Malcolm Young
Director:
Corey Allen
Guest stars:
Veronica Cartwright (Petey
Traine),
John Colicos
(Harve Traine),
Jean Allison (June Thomas),
Phillip Pine (Adams Ambridge),
Karl Lukas (Billy),
Don Dubbins (Al),
Ray Galvin (George),
Ed Barthas (Foreman)
Harve Traine, publisher of the "The
Pacific Grove Press," warns the community in a
series of editorials about industrial pollution
is causing the local bay and surrounding ocean.
Advertisers, however, cause Harve potential
financial disaster. Harve's daughter, Petey
Traine, a writer for the paper, and Jim Bronson,
both believe in the cause of the paper's
editorials. Harve's choice is to stick to his
editorial guns and face monetary ruin or
acquiesce to the wishes of his advertisers.
First aired:
3/4/1970
Writer:
Thomas Y. Drake,
Jon Edward Manson
Director:
Earl Bellamy
Guest stars:
Gary Clarke (Ranger),
Lee De Broux (Pump Jockey)
In this environmental narrative Bronson
takes a bike trip in the "Los Padres National
Forest" and runs into trouble after his
motorcycle falls down an embankment. Bronson
decides to ride out of the forest by following
the contour of the terrain. In the process, the
trip imbues Bronson with a deep respect for
nature and the environment.
First aired:
3/11/1970
Writer:
Susan Harris,
Lisabeth Hush
Director:
Jud Taylor
Guest stars:
David Burns
(I) (Isadore Katz),
Paula Victor (Flora Gold),
Geoffrey Lewis (Gus),
Barbara Dodd (Mama),
Gwynne Gilford (Lila),
Ralph Montgomery (Fred)
Much like the vagabond Bronson, widower
Isadore Katz left his business in New York City
and took to the road in a camper to experience
new realities and meet new people. Bronson helps
Isadore when he runs out of gas but later its
Isadore who helps Bronson after his bike needs
repairs. In the process they share the beauty of
the terrain and a friendship develops.
First aired:
3/25/1970
Writer:
Marvin Walkenstein
Director:
Paul Stanley
Guest stars:
Gerald S. O'Loughlin (Herman),
Robert Random (Carl),
Beverly Garland (Beth)
In this family story, Bronson helps uncle
Herman and cousin Carl repair and restore an old
fishing boat. Carl is passionate about restoring
the boat because it reminds him of his late
mother. On the other hand, Uncle Herman would
prefer to sell the boat. When Beth, Herman's
fiancée, demands that Herman choose between the
boat or her, it forces Herman to make a vital
decision.
First aired:
4/1/1970
Writer:
Nancy Skiba
Director:
Robert Butler
Guest stars:
Morgan Woodward (Gus Samos),
Anjanette Comer (Vhea Samos),
Akira Akamine (Buddhist)
In the series final episode Gus Samos
hires Bronson to work on his yacht. Samos and
his daughter Vhea are not communicating well
because of their conflicting lifestyles and
values. When Vhea leaves to see friends, Bronson
goes after her but finds himself being accused
of wrong motives by both father and daughter.
