WALT DISNEY PRESENTS: ELFEGO BACA: THE NINE LIVES OF ELFEGO BACA (TV)
Summary
One in this series of family programs, presented under the umbrella title of "Walt Disney Presents," hosted by Walt Disney. This "Frontierland" episode begins the story of Elfego Baca, kicking off a ten-part series focusing on the real-life New Mexico lawman. Disney tells about the Mexican-American's life, and how Elfego became known as "the man who could not be killed."
The story begins in the 1884 as Elfego rides his horse into Frisco, N.M. He immediately finds the citizens being terrorized by a drunken cowboy, Macarty. When no one will act against the cowboy, Elfego deputizes himself and takes over. After he arrests Macarty, the man's cronies menace Elfego. He refuses to release Macarty and organizes a trial. After Macarty is found guilty, Elfego is chased by a mob through the town. He takes refuge in a small hacienda, barricading himself inside. The men fire thousands of bullets into the house as townspeople watch helplessly. The gunmen are mystified when, hours later, Elfego is continuing to shoot back. Taking faith from a statue of Saint Ana, Elfego survives until the morning, with Anita Chavez, the hacienda's owner, cheering him on from a nearby hill. The men try to trick Elfego into coming out, while secretly plotting to murder him. Finally, help arrives for Elfego in the form of the deputy from neighboring Socorro. The deputy dispels the mob and takes Elfego to Socorro to stand trial for murdering four Americans and wounding thirteen others. After long deliberation, the jury finds Elfego innocent of the charges. An overjoyed Elfego goes to see Anita, saying that he'll pay for her destroyed home. He tells her that he plans to become a lawyer. Soon, he hears that Dice Smith, the man who organized the mob, is at the bar and threatening to shoot him. Elfego tries to confront Dice, but Dice hides. As Elfego rides away, Dice shoots at him and Elfego then wounds Dice's arm. The townspeople declare that Elfego has nine lives, like a cat. Elfego's cousin, Arturo, comes to him for help when drunken locals take over his store. When Elfego reasons with the men, he finds that Arturo has been cheating his customers via overpricing. The next day, Elfego gives away all of Arturo's goods to the poor, much to Arturo's dismay. When Elfego returns to Frisco, he witnesses a gunfight between the deputy and killer Lee Bartlett. Elfego is officially sworn in as a lawman on the spot, after which he makes his way to Lee's lair and overpowers him. Elfego subsequently runs for, and wins, the post of county sheriff. He immediately finds some of his friends in jail, charged with not having paid their debts. Carter Wingate from the governor's office comes to see Elfego, at which point Elfego tells him that the prisoners were released since the charges weren't constitutionally based. In seeking the arrest of the county's most-wanted criminals, Elfego sends letters to the men. The missives ask that each man turn himself in, saving Elfego from having to come after them. Elfego then goes to see Anita, acknowledging his attraction to her. Commercials deleted.
(Series title varies: From 1954 to 1958 this series was telecast under the title "Disneyland"; from 1958 to 1961 this series was telecast under the title "Walt Disney Presents"; from 1961 to 1969 this series was telecast under the title "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color"; from 1969 to 1979 this series was telecast under the title "The Wonderful World of Walt Disney"; from 1979 to 1981 this series was telecast under the title, "Disney's Wonderful World"; and from 1997-2005 this series was telecast under the title "The Wonderful World of Disney.")
(Network varies; this series was telecast on ABC from 1954-1961, on NBC from 1961 to 1981; on CBS from 1981 to 1983; and on ABC from 1997-2005.)
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: October 3, 1958 Friday 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:48:48
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:00387_1
- GENRE: Drama, western
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, western
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1958-1961
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- James Pratt … Producer
- Norman Foster … Director, Writer, Theme Music by
- Franklyn Marks … Music by
- Rich Dehr … Theme Music by
- Frank Miller … Theme Music by
- William Lava … Theme Music by
- Walt Disney … Host
- Robert Loggia … Cast, Elfego Baca
- Robert F. Simon … Cast, Ed Morgan
- Lisa Montell … Cast, Anita Chavez
- Leonard Strong … Cast, Zangana Martinez
- Rodolfo Hoyas Jr. … Cast, Arturo Baca
- Charles Maxwell … Cast, Dice Smith
- Charles Horvath … Cast, Lee Bartlett
- Linc Foster (See also: Robert Hover) … Cast, Jim Spears
- Tom London … Cast, Deputy Carson
- Rico Alaniz … Cast, El Sinverguenza
- Joe Dominguez … Cast, Du Lucia
- Nestor Paiva … Cast, Justice of the Peace
- Robert Contreras … Cast, Miner