- SUBSTITUTE GUN
Original Airdate: April 2, 1961
Synopsis. When the sheriff of Spearhead, Kansas asks him to impersonate a slain gunman named Smiley Drake, Bart finds himself embroiled in the professional and personal animosities between rival gambling house owners Tom Blauvelt and Clete Spain.
“Substitute Gun” was originally filmed in 1957 as “Hired Gun,” one of nine episodes of Cheyenne written by Berne Giler. In 1959, Warner Bros. adapted Giler’s Western novel Westbound into a feature film directed by Budd Boetticher. Guest stars in “Substitute Gun” include Robert Rockwell, the actor who played Eve Arden’s love interest on both the radio and TV versions of Our Miss Brooks.
LEARN MORE about this episode in the revised third edition of Maverick: Legend of the West, featuring more than 100 pages of new information about the show that made James Garner a star. 25 percent of the net proceeds from the sales of the third edition will be donated to The James Garner Animal Rescue Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds to help rescue organizations, shelters, individuals, fosters, and veterans with emergencies, evacuations, medical care, adoptions, training, pet supplies, shelter, rehabilitation, boarding, transportation, food, and other pressing needs. JGARF is one way for Garner fans to honor Jim’s memory and extend his legacy. The revised third edition of Maverick: Legend of the West is available both in softcover and, very soon, as an eBook through Black Pawn Press, Amazon.com, and wherever books are sold online.