WILD WILD WEST, THE: THE NIGHT OF THE BIG BLAST (TV)
Summary
One in this drama series about the adventures of Jim West and Artemus Gordon, two undercover government agents working in the old American West on secret assignments for President Ulysses S. Grant.
The story begins as the sinister scientist Dr. Faustina uses her machinery to bring a man that is apparently Jim West to life in her laboratory. The suggestible, zombie-like Jim West obeys Faustina’s command to infiltrate a meeting between top officials of the United States cabinet in New Orleans. Jim West does so, skulking through the city during Mardi Gras and incapacitating those who stand in his way. Once in the meeting, he explodes, killing the cabinet members.
Meanwhile, Artemus Gordon is not far away, taking a vacation. He runs into Lily Fortune, his high school girlfriend, and her mother. He shows Lily the inside of his and Jim’s train, and accompanies her to New Orleans to see her in a play she’s performing in. En route, Artemus receives a message from the president ordering him to investigate the explosion at the cabinet meeting. He, Lily, and her mother meet with Lyle Peters, a fellow agent, in the midst of the Mardi Gras celebration.
Artemus learns from Lyle that Jim West was responsible for the explosion. He refuses to believe it and tries to retrace Jim’s steps, attending a dance with Lily, both in costume. Lily is accosted by three men dressed as musketeers; a swordfight breaks out between them and Artemus. Artemus learns that the men were sent there to attack him and is directed to their boss. He takes Lily to find the boss, Faustina’s assistant disguised as a coachman, and gets in his carriage. Inside, Lily holds him at gunpoint and removes her mask, revealing that it is actually Dr. Faustina in disguise.
Faustina takes Artemus back to her lair and makes a mold of his face so as to create a duplicate of him, just as she did with West. She receives a telegram from the president mocking her research, and swears vengeance by using her Artemus duplicate to blow up the president just as she did with the cabinet. While Artemus is being held in Faustina’s jail, a familiar face breaks in to rescue him, that of Jim West.
Jim explains that he was drugged and brought to Faustina’s castle. He and Artemus find Faustina just as the Artemus duplicate comes to life. After giving the duplicate instructions, Jim and Artemus try to stop them and a fight breaks out. In the ensuing confusion, the duplicate escapes and Faustina’s lab bursts into flames. The duplicate tries to carry out its mission, but Jim and Artemus stop it. Later, after Lily’s play, Jim and Artemus visit her backstage, where they learn that Lily’s mother has eloped with agent Peters. Artemus asks Lily to marry him, but she refuses. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: October 7, 1966 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:50:04
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:56639
- GENRE: Drama, police/private detective; Drama, western
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/private detective; Drama, western
- SERIES RUN: CBS- TV series, 1965-1969
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ida Lupino … Cast, Dr. Faustina
- Michael Garrison … Producer, Created by
- Leonard Katzman … Associate Producer
- Ralph Senensky … Director
- Ken Kolb … Writer
- Richard Markowitz … Music by, Conductor
- Robert Conrad … Cast, Jim West
- Ross Martin … Cast, Artemus Gordon
- Ida Lupino … Cast, Dr. Faustina
- Mala Powers … Cast, Lily Fortune
- Robert Miller Driscoll … Cast, Lyle Peters
- Rita D'Amico … Cast, Carmen
- Melville Ruick … Cast, Attorney-General
- Bruce Manning … Cast, Miklos
- Patsy Kelly … Cast, Prudence Fortune