Breckinridge Long

Breckinridge Long was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1881.  He graduated from Princeton University in 1904 and then studied at the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.  Long practiced law from 1906 until 1917.  Shortly after President Woodrow Wilson, whom Long supported, won re-election in 1916, he joined the State Department as the Third Assistant Secretary of State.  In both 1920 and 1922, Long lost bids to become a US Senator from his home state.

While working in the State Department under Wilson, Long befriended Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), then the Assistant Secretary of the Navy.  He contributed to FDR’s successful presidential election campaign in 1932.  As a result, FDR appointed Long to be the US Ambassador to Italy from 1933 to 1936.  In 1940, FDR appointed him to be an Assistant Secretary of State.

According to Doris Kearns Goodwin in her book, No Ordinary Time: Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt, The Home Front in World War II, “A deliberate policy of obstruction was under way, directed from the top of the State Department, from the man in charge of refugee matters, Breckinridge Long.”  The obstruction she was referring to related to the hope of Eleanor Roosevelt that more and more Jewish refugees from war-torn Europe could be brought to the USA.  “Long had successfully devised a series of tactics that walled out any applicant the State Department wished to exclude.  Long spelled out his plans:  We can delay and effectively stop ... the number of immigrants into the United States.  We could do this by simply advising our consuls to put every obstacle in the way and require additional evidence and to resort to various administrative advices which would postpone and postpone and postpone the granting of the visas.” 

Eleanor Roosevelt believed that Jewish refugees were particularly obstructed because of Long’s anti-Semitism.  When Long met with FDR, he carried with him “fearsome stories purporting to prove that many of the (Jewish) refugees Eleanor wanted to bring into the country were not refugees at all, but German agents trying to use America’s hospitality for their own dark purposes.  By playing on the president’s fears that spies had infiltrated the refugee stream, Long managed to persuade (FDR) that the State Department’s cautious policy was the only way to go.”  Many of the Jewish refugees prevented from entering the United States because of Beckinridge Long died needlessly in Nazi concentration camps.

Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat its mistakes.  Just change the words Jewish and spies for Muslim and terrorists and you quickly move from cerca 1940 to 2016.  Perhaps terrorists could infiltrate the USA masquerading as refugees.  As a result of this fear, more than two dozen US governors decided to bar federally approved Syrian refugees from settling in their states.  However, recently federal Judge Tanya Walton Pratt blocked Indiana Governor Mike Pence’s attempt to cut off federal resettlement funds in his state for Syrian refugees who had passed a two-year federal vetting process.  Too bad there wasn’t a Judge Pratt to help Jewish refugees long ago.      

 

Two Westerns

I love western movies.  I grew up at a time when they were very popular and Hollywood churned them out on a regular basis.  I not only got to see many while I was a child, but now, on my computer, I can watch those same films again plus the ones I missed. 

When you see a lot of westerns, you notice similar themes being replayed again and again.  For instance, there is the struggle between the homesteaders (farmers or sodbusters) and the cattle ranchers who are fighting over land.  Farmers need to fence off their cultivated land to protect their crops from wandering cattle.  Cattle ranchers don’t want anything, like a fence, especially a barbed-wire fence, to interfere with their cattle’s constant search for food. 

One classic example of this theme is the 1953 movie, Shane (nominated for Academy Award for Best Picture, but lost to From Here to Eternity), directed by George Stevens (nominated for Best Director, but lost to Fred Zinnemann, From Here to Eternity), and which starred Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon De Wilde (nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Frank Sinatra, From Here to Eternity), Ben Johnson, and Jack Palance (nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Frank Sinatra, From Here to Eternity).  It won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Color. 

Shane (Ladd), a man with one name like Have Gun Will Travel’s Paladin, is a drifting gunfighter, who accidentally finds himself in the middle of such a land dispute, while stopping for a drink of water on the Starrett farm.  One reason for his decision to throw in his lot in with the Starrett family against the Ryker brothers, cattle ranchers, is his attraction to Marian Starrett (Arthur).  Shane gives up his gun to help Marian’s husband, Joe (Heflin), with his farming chores.  It’s a step down for him, but at least he can be near Marian. 

Later, Shane refuses Rufus Ryker’s attempt to recruit him to his side.  When Ryker then correctly guesses the true reason for Shane’s decision to work for Joe Starrett, Shane flies into a rage.  However, as long as Joe is alive, Shane can never fulfill his desire for Marian. 

In the clímax of the movie, the Ryker brothers convince Joe to come to them for a final decisive parlay over their land conflict.  Shane knows that Joe will have to face Wilson (Palance), the Ryker’s hired gunfighter, whom Joe is no match for.  If Shane lets Joe go to the Rykers, he will be killed and Shane will be free to have Marian.  However, Shane knows Marian is in love with Joe.  For his love of Marian, Shane is willing to sacrifice himself to save Joe. 

Shane physically prevents Joe from leaving the farm and goes in his stead to face Wilson, whom he is a match for.  Shane kills Wilson and the Rykers, ending all the Starrett’s problems.  However, Shane knows there is now no place for him on their farm and leaves forever.

There is a similar theme (sacrifice for love) in the 1962 John Ford film, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, which starred John Wayne, James Stewart, Vera Miles, and Lee Marvin.  It received one Academy Award nomination (Best Costume Design, Black-and-White), but did not win.  Tom (Wayne), a rancher, is in love with Hallie (Miles), a restaurant employee, and wants to marry her.  Unfortunately for Tom, she is not in love with him.  Ransom (Stewart), a lawyer, has just arrived from the east.  He was severely beaten by Valance (Marvin) while a passenger on a stagecoach during a robbery committed by Valance and his gang.  Tom finds Ransom along the road and bring him to Hallie for mending.  She falls in love with Ransom. 

After he recovers, Ransom encourages the townspeople to fight for law and justice.  This puts him at odds with Valance who intimidates everyone in town with his skill with a gun except for Tom.  Valance challenges Ransom to a gunfight, knowing he is no match for him.  Believing he must stand up to Valance, Ransom accepts the challenge.  Hallie is very worried her boyfriend will be killed. 

At the gunfight, Valance begins by toying with Ransom, first shooting a pottery vase near his head and then his arm knocking his gun out of his hand.  Valance then condescendingly encourages Ransom to pick his gun up again.  After he does, Valence tells him that his next bullet will be “right between the eyes.” 

Unknown to Ransom and Valance, Tom is standing nearby out of sight with a rifle.  If Valance kills Ransom, Tom will have another chance with Hallie.  However, knowing that Hallie is in love with Ransom, Tom sacrifices his own interests by killing Valance, thus saving the life of his rival.  He times his shot for exactly when Ransom fires his gun.  Nobody realized that it was Tom, and not Ransom, who killed Valance.  As a result of having seemingly killed a notorious gunfighter, Ransom becomes a successful politician and marries Hallie.  Tom, forlorn, burns down the ranch house he had built for Hallie.

Thus, both Shane and Tom saved the lives of their rivals, Joe and Ransom respectively.  They did it out of their love for Marian and Hallie.  After all, as Paladin said, “Love is giving, not taking.”           

Fourth Lake, Chapter 14

On Tuesday  morning, August 6, 1974, Judy and Phil were sharing a breakfast of cold cereal and hot coffee.  The cottage was very still as Phil was intently listening to the news on the radio, while Judy was deep in thought about her plans for visiting Dollar Island.  A CBS journalist reported that after a morning Cabinet meeting at the White House, Undersecretary of the Treasury, William Simon, was quoted as saying, “The President sincerely believes he has not committed any impeachable offense.  He intends to stay.” 

“After yesterday’s admission (the smoking gun), I’m not sure Nixon has enough political support in Congress to stick it out,” said Phil.

Judy said nothing, just staring at the other side of the cottage, what ever was directly in front of her.

“Judy, the fate of the nation is at stake and you are not paying attention.”

“Oh, the fate of the nation will take care of itself.  Later, I want us to get into our canoe and go for a ride.  Ok?”

“Ok.  We’ll go.  Whatever you want.”

So, some hours later, they shoved off and headed directly for Dollar Island.  It was Judy’s idea to circle the island to check it out, to see it as up close as possible before the actual landing she planned for the following day.  After their first time around, Judy said they should do it again.  She especially noted the area just by the mansion, but also the rest of the island as well.  Judy was looking for the best landing area, preferably on the far side, away from prying eyes.  She thought she found what she was looking for.

Finally, Judy consented to heading back to dry land.  Phil suggested going to the Laughing Loon for a well-earned drink and Judy agreed.  After tying up the canoe by a nearby dock, they entered the bar.  It was quiet inside.  Only one other couple was there, sitting at the far end of the bar.  Once again, Mitch Riley was on duty.  Before sitting down on the stools by the bar, Phil headed to the men’s room (in the opposite direction from the bar) and asked Judy to order him an ice cold Genesee beer.     

“Welcome back, Judy.  What would you like to drink?”  Mitch was still thinking of what he saw of Judy late Saturday night.  He hadn’t been disappointed.

Again, Judy was deep in thought and this time not about Dollar Island nor about their drink order.  She felt an irresistable impulse and had to react to it.  She looked at Mitch.

“Can you see the door to the men’s room from here?”  (Judy couldn’t.)

“Sure!  Why?”

“Has anybody entered since my husband did?”

“No!”

Looking at the other couple to her left, she replied, “Tell me when either my husband or someone else comes in or out of the men’s room.  In the mean time, a Genesee for my husband and a cosmopolitan for me.”

An eerie feeling had came over Judy, a kind of a premonition which she didn’t quite understand.  When Mitch delivered the drinks, he mentioned that a man he didn’t know had just entered the Laughing Loon from the same door as Judy had and had gone directly into the men’s room.  Judy got off her stool and also headed for the men’s room.  She wasn’t sure why, but she had to find something out that was nagging at her.  After a moment’s hesitation, she entered the men’s room.  There were six urinals and two stalls.  The door to one of the stalls was ajar indicating it was empty.  Judy saw nobody.  This was not good.  According to Mitch, there were two men in there and it seemed as if they were both in the same stall. 

After waiting for some seconds, Judy called out her husband’s name, but got no response.  She called out again.

“Judy, what are you doing?” came Phil’s voice from behind the closed door of the toilet.  “Get out of here!”

“Who’s in there with you, Phil?”

“Nobody!  Now, get out of here.”

“I know there’s somebody else in there with you.  Who’s with you and what are you doing?”

Phil screamed, “Get out of here...now!”

Judy finally walked out of the men’s room and headed straight for the bar.  The other couple in the bar and Mitch had obviously heard Phil screaming and were starring at her.  Judy stepped up on the stool as far as she could and leaned over towards Mitch.  She grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her.  Judy gave him a hard kiss on the mouth before walking out of the bar.  Mitch was stunned, but very pleased. 

Judy walked all the way back to the cottage.  She was in shock at her discovery and was trying to make sense of it.  She was angry and was looking for a way to deal with her anger.  Instead of entering her cottage, she went to Joe’s.  When Judy entered the cottage, Joe was sitting on the sofa watching television and drinking beer.

“Judy, what do you...”

Before he could get the words out of his mouth, Judy grabbed him and pushed him down.  She got on top of him and they started having sex in an almost violent way.  Joe responded with no any questions asked.  Some minutes later, after they were finished, Judy left and went to her cottage, entered and locked the door.  Phil was nowhere to be seen.   

Judy sat there stunned.  She was trying to make sense of her discovery.  She felt almost numb, almost as if someone had died.  Had her marriage died?  Was it a sham?  How long had he been unfaithful?  Who was this other man?  She was waiting for Phil.  She knew he would come there eventually.  What would he say?  What could he say?  How should she react?  She was full of anger.  She had gotten some revenge, but was it enough?

Judy looked in the refrigerator and grabbed a couple of cans of beer.  She chugged them down quickly hoping they would bring her some relief from the pain she was feeling.  They didn’t.  Finally, sleep consumed her.  Maybe it was all a bad dream that she would wake up from.  Could her trip to Fourth Lake, which started so hopefully, end like this?  She thought of the words of her heroine, “Tomorrow is another day.”     

   

Abraham Lincoln

First, Happy Valentine's Day.
Second, I will be on vacation next Sunday.  See you in two weeks.
Third, I give you Abraham Lincoln.

I have always been fascinated with the image and story of Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States of America.  When I was seven years-old, my family was passing through Washington, D.C. on our way to visit my grandparents in Miami Beach, Florida.  I was looking forward to walking up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to pay my respects.  Unfortunately, as a result of an infection in my right knee, I could not climb the steps of the Memorial on this particular trip.  Since then, I have made several trips to Washington and I remain in awe of the Lincoln Memorial and what it stands for, the man who preserved the United States of America.

Abraham Lincoln was born 207 years ago this month, in 1809.  As a direct result of his election as president (Republican candidate) in November 1860, seven southern states (South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas) seceded from the Union and formed a separate country, the Confederate States of America.  Lincoln was opposed to slavery, an integral part of the economy and culture of the above seven states.  However, he clearly stated that if elected president he could do nothing to end slavery since it was an issue of state law, not federal law.  Many southern slave-owners distrusted Lincoln and feared his position opposing slavery's expansion westward into the new territories.  The sitting president, James Buchanon, while waiting for Lincoln to be inaugurated in March 1861, declared that, while the so-called secession was illegal, there was nothing he could do to force the seven states to return to the fold.

When Lincoln was finally inaugurated, he faced the worst crisis in the history of the USA, an existential threat to its very existence.  I believe that, had he followed the advice of his predecessor and allowed the secession to proceed unabated, we would today be, like Europe, fifty independent nations in North America.  After all, if these seven states could leave whenever they chose, what was to prevent the remaining states from doing the same thing at some future date when so disposed.  Try to imagine Twentieth Century history with no USA, only a large number of mostly small, independent nations in its place.

However, Lincoln decided to initiate an armed struggle to bring an end to the rebellion, as he referred to it.  In the four years that followed, over 600,000 Americans were killed as a result of his decision and the decision of those to sever the southern states from the Union.  Hundreds of thousands more were injured.  Plus, there was a great amount of property devastation.

In the summer of 1864, when the number of casualties was rising and the war seemed to be at a stalemate, there was significant pressure on Lincoln from peace advocates within the Democratic Party (called Copperheads), including its presidential candidate, former Union General George McClellan, to end the bloodshed by ending the war at any price.  Lincoln resisted, won re-election in November, and the following April the rebellion collapsed, preserving the Union.  Unfortunately, he was assassinated by a southern sympathizer shortly thereafter.

I'm glad Lincoln did what he did and, with the support of millions of Americans who agreed with his desire to keep the Union together, was able to achieve such a noble goal.  As he stated in his remarks at the commemoration of the military cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on November 19, 1863, "It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead (victims of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863) we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."   

I

The Best Years of Our Lives

World War II is over and three US servicemen are returning to their hometown, Boone City (really Cincinnati, Ohio).  They meet for the first time on the military aircraft that will take them there.  Instead of feeling joy at the prospect of seeing their wives, girlfriends, and families for the first time in years, the three are filled with trepidation.  They fear that readapting to civilian life won’t be so easy.  Such is the theme of the acclaimed 1946 film, The Best Years of Our Lives, produced by Samuel Goldwyn, directed by William Wyler, and which starred Frederick March, Dana Andrews, Harold Russell, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, and Virginia Mayo.

The film won the following seven Academy Awards:  Best Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (March), Best Writing (Screenplay), Best Supporting Actor (Russell), Best Film Editing, and Best Music (Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture). 

Al Stephenson (March) was an infantry platoon sergeant in the Pacific.  A banker before the war, he is returning to his wife, Milly (Loy), of twenty years, a daughter, Peggy (Wright), and a son in high school.  His boss at the bank can’t wait for him to get back to work.  Al would prefer resting and getting reacquainted with his wife and children.  However, when he does eventually return to the bank, he runs into conflicts with his boss over loans he has approved to returning servicemen like himself.

Fred Derry (Andrews) was a bombardier in the Army Air Corp in Europe.  Before the war, he worked In a drug store, including time spent as a soda jerk.  During basic training, he met and married his wife, Marie (Mayo), less than twenty days before shipping out.  Fred doesn’t want to return to the drug store, but there is not much call for a bombardier in civilian life.  He just wants a good job.  There is a powerful scene when, while looking for such a job, Fred climbs into one of the thousands of Army Air Corps bombers about to be turned into junk.  He sits in the nose of the plane where he used to work during the war.  However, he then begins to relive the horror he experienced in this position while droping bombs and being a target for anti-aircraft fire.    

Homer Parrish (Russell) was a seaman on an aircraft carrier also in the Pacific, who lost his hands in a fire when his ship was sunk.  He basically joined the Navy right out of high school.  He left behind his sweetheart, Wilma, the girl who lives next door.  The US government will provide a disability income to Homer for the rest of his life.  Wyler chose Russell, a non-actor, for the part after he had seen him in a US Army film about rehabilitating war veterans.  Russell, a US Army Instructor, lost his hands in an accident while making a training film for the Army.

After first going there separate ways upon arriving in their hometown, the three ex-GIs accidentally reunite that same evening at the bar of Homer’s Uncle Butch.  Al is with his wife, Milly, and daughter, Peggy, for a night on the town.  Fred has gotten drunk after being unable to find his wife who works at an unknown nightclub.  Homer is simply visiting his uncle.  A new factor is introduced: Fred meets Peggy, and the two eventually fall in love.

After he and his relatively unknown wife get reacquainted, Fred and Marie both realize they are not a good match.  As a matter of fact, they don’t like each other.  In the mean time, Peggy, who is falling for the married Fred, also realizes that Fred and his wife are not a happy couple.  Peggy tells her parents that she will try and break Fred and Marie up.  Al, a protective father, tells the former bombadier to stop seeing his daughter.  Fred, who is having a great deal of difficulty finding work, agrees to stop seeing Peggy. 

However, after Fred and Marie divorce, Fred and Peggy reunite.  Fred then tells Peggy his dim view of their future, “You know what it’ll be, don’t you, Peggy?  It may take us years to get anywhere.  We’ll have no money, no decent place to live.  We’ll have to work, get kicked around.”  Peggy greets this unhappy news with a big smile, for she has all that she wants, her man.

Homer suffers from being super sensitive about how his family and his girlfriend treat him.  He gets upset when they look at his hooks (hands) and when they look away from them as well.  They can’t win. 

Homer tries to frighten Wilma away as he fears she only pities him because of his disability.  He wants her to see that living with him as his wife will be too difficult for her to deal with.  However, one night after helping him prepare for bed without his hooks/hands, Wilma proves to herself and to Homer that what she feels for him is love, not pity. 

One of the many reasons I adore this movie is that it ends happily, with the marriage of Homer and Wilma and the reuniting of Fred and Peggy.  I hope you will enjoy it, too.

 

Fourth Lake, Chapter 13

On Monday morning, August 5. 1974, Judy sat alone on their deck looking out over Fourth Lake.  Phil had driven into Inlet to put gas in their car.  He had sheepishly promised her that he would stay clear of the grocery store.     

During breakfast, Judy had heard the following report on the radio:  After attending a meeting of the Senate Rules Committee discussing rules for an impeachment trial, Senator Robert Griffin, the number two Republican in the Senate, issued a statement to the media, which read in part, “I think we’ve arrived at a point where both the national interest and his (President Nixon’s) own interest would best be served by resigning.  It’s not just his enemies who feel that way.  Many of his friends, and I count myself one of them, believe now that this would be the most appropriate course.”

Judy was wearing one of her brightly-colored bikinis to show off her body and a sun visor to protect her face.  She was starring intently at Dollar Island as if she was waiting for some type of an answer from it.  Suddenly, Joe Williams was standing beside her.

“Good morning, Judy.  How are you?”

“Oh!  Good morning, Joe.  I’m fine.”

“What are you looking at with such intensity?”

“Dollar Island.  I’m so fascinated with it.  It’s so mysterious.  The privacy it must offer intrigues me.  It must be wonderful for the owners to spend time there.  Do you know them?”

“I know who they are, but I’ve never met them.  I’ve never been too curious about the place.”

“Wouldn’t you like to go there, say with your girlfriend, and have all that privacy?  How romantic?”

“That depends on the girlfriend.  I wouldn’t take just any woman.  It would have to be the right one.”

After that last remark, Judy studied the expression on Joe’s face to see if he meant what she thought he meant.  Finally, she said, “If you wanted to go there, with the right woman, how would you go about it?”

“First, I’d rent a canoe for a couple of days.  Then, I’d pack everything I wanted to take with me.  Finally, late one night, after this town fell asleep, I’d shove off to Dollar Island for an experience of a lifetime.  You’d have the whole place to yourselves.  I’m sure there would be no problem getting into the mansion.  If you need any more advice, knock on my door.  Anything you need, I can make it happen.  See you later, Judy.”

Joe walked away from her with that big smile on his face.  Judy was not quite sure about what he really meant. 

After a lunch of baked beans and potato salad with cold beer, Judy and Phil saw a report on television in which General Haig read a statement to waiting reporters that was written by President Nixon regarding the transcript of the tape of June 23, 1972:  “This was a serious act of omission (transcript was at variance with earlier statements) for which I take full responsibility and which I deeply regret.  I recognize that this additional material I am now furnishing may further damage my case, especially because attention will be drawn separately to it rather than to the evidence in its entirety.  Whatever mistakes I made in the handling of Watergate, the basic truth remains that when all the facts were brought to my attention, I insisted on a full investigation and prosecution of those guilty.  I am firmly convinced that the record, in its entirety, does not justify the extreme step of impeachment and removal of a president.  I trust that as the Constitutional process goes forward, this perspective will prevail.” 

Was this the smoking gun that Nixon’s critics were looking for?  Judy and Phil weren’t sure.  But the statement by the president was shocking.    

While Judy was cleaning up after lunch, she again remembered the man that she twice thought she saw.  It was driving her crazy.  But, now she had more important things to do.

“Phil, I want to rent a canoe for the rest of the week.  We can go out on the lake whenever we want.  We can get it today and tie it up by the dock.  It’ll be fun.  Don’t say no.”

He didn’t.  The canoe with paddles and life jackets was delivered before dinner.  Judy and Phil placed the canoe in the lake right next to their deck and tied it up.  Judy was very excited.  Phil, less so.  He was getting anxious for their trip to Fourth Lake to finally end so they could head back to New York City and resume their normal life.  On the other hand, Judy was not ready to leave Fourth Lake just yet.  She started planning in her head for their voyage to Dollar Island. 

Have Gun Will Travel

In the mid 1950s, two radio writers, Sam Rolfe and Herb Meadow, pitched an idea they had for a television series to the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS).  The protagonist was a modern-day New York City private detective who combed through out of town newspapers looking for problems other people couldn’t solve.  The name of the show was Have Gun Will Travel.  CBS didn’t want a detective series.  However, they said westerns were hot.

So, Rolfe and Meadow re-worked their idea into a western.  Now their protagonist was a post-Civil War, sophisticated, well-educated (West Point) gentleman, who resided at the sumptuous Hotel Carlton in San Francisco, and who looked through out of town newspapers for problems other people couldn’t solve.  (Different time, different place, but still a detective.)  Proficient with a gun, he usually charged $1,000 for his services as a troubleshooter, pardon the pun.  CBS bought their idea.

The protagonist’s name was Paladin.  Ironically, he was named by an adversary named Smoke (Season 6, Episode 1, Genesis):

“In the books, there’s a name for a man like you.  Yes!  Paladin.  Paladin.  That’s a gentleman knight in shiny armor, all armed with a cause, righteousness, and a fine pointed lance.  And yet a mercenary.  A man who hires out for gold.”   

The books Smoke was referring to were those regarding the foremost warriors of Charlemagne’s court which began in the Eighth Century, A. D.

The first choice for an actor to portray Paladin was the veteran movie star, Randolph Scott.  At the time, he was in his late 50s and rich.  He was not interested in a long-term committment to a TV series.  However, Scott passed the proposal on to a younger actor, Richard Boone, with whom he had made two western movies (Ten Wanted Men in 1955 and The Tall T in 1957).  Boone actually had been the star of an earlier successful TV series called Medic (1954-1956), which showed a realistic portrayal of the work of doctors.

Richard Boone became Paladin and Have Gun Will Travel became one of the most successful TV series, lasting six years, from September 14, 1957 (9:30 PM Saturdays) until April 20, 1963, with a total of 225 half-hour, black and white episodes.  In the 1986 movie, Stand By Me, a coming of age film cerca 1959, the four boys on a mission aptly sing the Ballad of Paladin (theme song of the show), giving testimony to the popularity of Have Gun Will Travel during that period.

Because of the acclaim and quality of the show, Have Gun Will Travel was able to attract some very good actors as guest stars such as future Academy Award winners George Kennedy (1967 Best Supporting Actor, Cool Hand Luke), Ben Johnson (1971 Best Supporting Actor, The Last Picture Show), and James Coburn (1997 Best Supporting Actor, Affliction).  Among others featured were Charles Bronson, Vincent Price, Robert Blake, Victor McLaglen, and Sydney Pollack.    

Who was Paladin and what was Have Gun Will Travel all about?  After recently watching all 225 episodes (available on Youtube), I can offer some insights. 

At some point after leaving the US Army and settling in San Francisco, Paladin had an epiphany about what he would do with his life.  He saw himself as a kind of a dragon slayer, someone who courageously stood up for justice, a principle he highly regarded.  The west was a savage land, controlled too often by those who used their guns to take advantage of a lawless state.   At the same time, he could finance his expensive life style by charging a high fee to those who could afford his services.  As Paladin once said, “I like to eat and I like to eat well.”   

However, Paladin frequently offered his services pro bono to those without money in order to pursue a just cause.  Paladin didn’t always accept a client.  They had to measure up to his sense of right and wrong.  Sometimes, because of his strong sense of ethics, he preferred the enemies of those who wanted to hire him. 

In San Francisco, Paladin wore the clothes of gentleman of leisure.  He was a connoisseur of fine food and wine.  However, outside the city by the bay, he wore all black travel clothes and ate what was available.  Strapped to his right leg was a hand crafted .45 caliber Colt single action Army Cavalry model revolver, built to his specifications, resting in a black holster which showed off his personal iconic figure, a chess knight which he once described as the most dangerous player on the board of a game he knew well.  Paladin also carried, hidden in his belt, a two-shot derringer for emergencies.  Strapped to his saddle was a lever-action Marlin rifle.    

Paladin carried a business card which read, “Have Gun Will Travel, Wire Paladin, San Francisco.”  Many who read his card assumed he was a hired assassin, or at least a gunfighter who would hire himself to anyone for money.  Not true! 

Paladin only used his gun as a last resort, usually to defend himself or others.  Unfortunately, working in a land where the law was sparse, a proficiency in the use of a gun was a necessity and, in the case of Paladin, an advantage. 

Because of the nature of his dangerous work, Paladin refrained from marriage.  However, he loved the company of women, especially beautiful women.  Paladin once said that “Women are the heavenly roses of our earthly existence.”  He also admired courageous and intelligent women.  He could always be counted on to be of service to a lady.  There were a few women who were special to him, but most of his romantic relationships were of a short term duration.

Paladin appreciated how perilous his work was.  He once said, “I chose my own life and my own probable way of losing it.”  Another time, “The taste of death has always been in my mouth.”  Finally, “Do you think I hold my life in so little regard that I am not afraid to lose it?”

Paladin was a man of culture.  He quoted poetry.  He loved the opera.  He went to the ballet.  He appreciated various forms of art, including painting and sculpture.  Paladin read Dostoyevsky, in what language I am not sure because he knew many.  He respected nature.  In one episode, he watered a plant, apropriate for a man with an interest in horticulture.  He was a world traveler, including visits to Paris and Hawaii.

Paladin treated everyone with respect, regardless of their race,   ancestry, or religion, except those who disrespected him.  He always said “thank you” and always tried to be helpful to others.  He was especially kind to children and those who were handicapped, either physically, mentally, or emotionally. 

Paladin was a philosopher.  In regard to fear, he said that “Fear is the beginning of wisdom” and “A man is valient only when his fear of cowardice exceeds his fear of death.”  Regarding love, he said that “Love itself is neither beautiful nor ugly, (but judged by) how we use it” and “Love is giving, not taking.”  After watching a father admit to his son that he had lied about his past, Paladin said, “Men like me tend to forget how many ways there are to show courage.  I have no idea how I’d stand up to a ten year-old boy.”    

Richard Boone passed away in 1981 (18 years after Have Gun Will Travel ended) at the age of 63 from throat cancer.  His son, Peter (who appeared in two episodes), was born in 1953.  In a 1998 interview he stated that, “I always felt (that there was an awful lot of Paladin in my dad-or my dad in Paladin).  When I see those shows (Have Gun Will Travel), I’m seeing my dad up there.”  Richard Boone himself once said that “If you have to pick a character to live with for six years, that (Paladin) was a good one.”

Some time after Have Gun Will Travel became a success, Richard Boone started exerting more control over it.  After all, without Boone, there was no Paladin, no Have Gun Will Travel.  With such control, Boone was able to include episodes with African American actors and actresses.  Television during that period was virtually all white.  There were also episodes that dealt with issues related to other groups within American society, such as Chinese, Japanese, Native Americans, Mexicans, women, the elderly, etc.

From looking at all 225 episodes, I got a sense of who Paladin was.  To boil him down to his essense, I would say he stood for at least three things:  justice (Season 2, Episode 31, “The Man Who Lost”), loyalty (Season 1, Episode 31, “Hey Boy’s Revenge”), and a respect for human life (Season 3, Episode 22, “The Ledge”).

Paladin had a strong belief in our system of justice.  If a man is accused of a crime, he must be brought in for a fair trial.  If convicted, a judge needs to sentence him to be punished under the law.  Individuals or a mob cannot take the law into their own hands, no matter what the provocation nor the guilt of the accused.  Sometimes Paladin had to risk his own life to defend the accused and this principle.

In the first above episode, Joe Gage hires Paladin for $1,000 to find and bring in Ben Coey, the man accused of murdering his brother-in-law, James Bryson, and raping his sister, Bryson’s wife.  It’s interesting that in this 1959 episode they did not use the word rape, but simply said she was a victim of the murderer.  Sexual references were taboo back then. 

Paladin captures Coey, who pleads he is innocent.  They head back to the county seat for a fair trial, as Paladin promises.  Because of a storm, they have to stop at the way station where Gage brings his sister to identify Coey as the guilty party.  When she arrives, Coey admits his guilt.  Outraged, Paladin gives him a hard slap across the face. 

Gage offers to double his fee if Paladin will hand over Coey to him.  He wants to kill Coey with his own hands.  Paladin says, “He’s not for sale.”  In a dramatic confrontation, Paladin is forced to kill Gage in self defense and in defense of the accused.  A witness said to him, “This thing you talk about, this justice, you think it was worth it, worth all this (the death of Gage and the risking of his own life)?”  Paladin replied, “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have done it.”     

Paladin was very loyal to his friends.  His closest friend in the series is a man he calls “Hey Boy,” a porter at the hotel where Paladin lives.  He is a Chinese immigrant whose real name is Kim Chang.  Paladin depends on Hey Boy to help him in various ways in which he is very efficient. 

In the second above episode, Paladin, upon returning to the hotel from a business trip, discovers that Hey Boy no longer works there.  Upon investigation, Paladin finds a letter from Hey Boy’s brother to Hey Boy reporting the very poor conditions that he and his fellow workers on a railroad construction gang are suffering at the hands of the foreman, a man named Travis.  He also stated that Travis had beaten him for complaining.  There is a second letter from Travis himself reporting the death of the brother as a result of an accident.

Hey Boy, believing it was no accident, has left San Francisco to seek the murderer of his brother, Travis.  In order to help his friend, Paladin follows.  When he arrives at the railroad, he discovers that Hey boy is in jail on a charge of assaulting Travis with a knife.  Hey Boy tells Paladin that two of the railroad workers saw Travis murder his brother, but being Chinese they are afraid to tell what they know for fear of retribution. 

Paladin goes to the camp of the workers and tries to goad them into telling the sheriff what they know.  At first they do nothing.  However, later the Chinese workers form a mob and break Hey Boy out of jail.  Then they head to where Travis is, probably to beat him to death.  However, Paladin intercedes.  He again tries to convince the witnesses to step forward and say what they know, this time in front of the sheriff.  They do and Travis is arrested.  Paladin and Hey Boy happily return to San Francisco.      

Paladin has great respect for human life.  He holds to this, even if it means at the risk of his own life.  It might sound strange for a man who, in so many episodes, killed so many people.  But, he did. 

In the final above episode, Paladin is riding his horse through a mountainous area and meets up with five other travellers.  As a result of a rock slide, one of them is knocked down the side of a cliff and lands on a ledge.  He doesn’t move.  Is he dead or only unconscious? 

To reach the victim of the rock slide is very dangerous as the ledge is well below where Paladin and the four others, including a doctor, are.  Paladin and the doctor try to reach him by way of a rope, but the rope is ten feet too short.

The doctor’s professional opinion is that the man is dead, but Paladin questions his judgement since he could not actually examine the man.  Paladin asks, “Are you sure enough he’s dead to ride off and leave him?” 

Should the group abandon this man on the ledge?  Paladin says, “I’ve got doubts (about whether the man is dead) and I’m not going to carry them around with me for the rest of my life.”      

Finally, all five work together using the rope and with Paladin’s help the doctor is able to reach the man and determine that he is indeed dead.  They “nearly got (themselves) killed for a dead man.”  But Paladin believed it was a risk that needed to be taken out of respect for human life.       

In the end, I believe the reason I am so fascinated with Paladin is that he is the perfect hero.  He has no flaws.  He is whom you would want to be.  Unfortunately, today we have no heroes like Paladin.  Maybe we need some.