Author ● Journalist ● Radio Host ● Collaborative Writer
Synopsis. Bart Maverick finds himself pursued by unsavory characters who think he’s a member of the gang that robbed the Elm City Bank of $80,000.
“The Third Rider” is the second of three episodes featuring Michael Dante, the future star of Winterhawk, Kid Galahad, and Westbound who was also one of several actors originally considered to play the role of Bart Maverick that eventually went to Jack Kelly.
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, shelters, individual, 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.
Synopsis. Bret and the widow Linda Harris are held hostage by rancher Mart Fallon and his two sons. Fallon murdered Linda’s husband, a miner who has found gold near Indian territory. Unfortunately for Fallon, only Bret knows where the mine is located. Maverick takes advantage of the situation—and of Fallon’s greedy nature—by selling a map indicating the mine’s location. What Bret doesn’t tell Fallon is that the mine is worthless.
Based on a short story by Louis L’Amour, this episode features Edd Byrnes (a few months away from his breakout role as Kookie on 77 Sunset Strip) and Michael Dante (Winterhawk, Kid Galahad, The Legend of Custer, Michael Dante: From Hollywood to Michael Dante Way). Michael Dante was one of the actors considered for the role of Bart Maverick on Maverick.
Synopsis. After his horse breaks down in the Arizona heat, Bart seeks shelter at Fort Distress, operated by his friend Major Reidinger. A greedy peddler named Luther Cannonbaugh suckers Bart into buying a wagon containing illegal whiskey—and the Indian squaw Tawny, whom Cannonbaugh kidnapped to sell into slavery. An angry Bob Tallhorse, the Apache warrior to whom Tawny is betrothed, threatens to attack the fort unless she is released. Maverick tries to return Tawny to her tribe, but Tallhorse captures him. Meanwhile, Cannonbaugh (whom the Apaches had also imprisoned) bargains his way out of trouble by offering Tallhorse “strong medicine”—a bear tooth necklace that supposedly makes its wearer impervious to bullets. The conniving Cannonbaugh demonstrates the neckpiece’s “power” by testing it himself (using blank cartridges). Bart warns Tallhorse of the fraud, but Cannonbaugh shoots him with a real bullet that grazes him in the temple.