414 "The Last Gunfighter"

Leap Date:

November 28, 1957

Episode Adopted by: Carol <aka> C_Dean n C_Al
Additional info provided by: Carly Iappini and Brian Greene

Synopsis:

Welcome to the wild, wild west! Well, maybe not so wild as Sam leaps into an old gunfighter who is spending his retirement days acting out scenes from his youth when he supposedly cleaned up the town. But when his ex-partner returns to town claiming that he was the real hero, Sam has to find a way to keep from going to a showdown and keeping the respect of his grandson and daughter.

Audio from this episode

TV Guide Synopsis
Place
Leap Date
Name of the Person Leaped Into
Broadcast Date
Music
Project Trivia
Sam Trivia
Al Trivia
Al's Women
Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode
Miscellaneous Trivia
Guest Stars
Guest Cast Notes
Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes
Say What?
Quotable Quotes
Best Scenes
Synopsis & Review
Production Credits

Production # : 67318

TV Guide Synopsis:
Sam's an ex-gunfighter who could help his grandson by inking a TV deal based on his legend, but his old partner returns to kill the story---and Sam. Pat Knight: John Anderson. Lucy: Susan Isaacs. Stevie: Sean Baca. Ben: Kenneth Tigar. Sam: Scott Bakula.

Place:
Coffin, Arizona

Leap Date:
November 28,1957

Name of the Leapee:
Tyler Means

Broadcast Date:
February 5, 1992 - Wednesday

Promo -  Behind the Scenes:

Music:

"Shoot Out - The Last Gunfighter" a suite by Velton Ray Bunch appears as track #9 on the official soundtrack.

Project Trivia:
Al is seen going into and coming out of the Imaging Chamber Door.

The handlink is the ‘Gummy Bear’. Multi-colored little squares that flash, beep and squawk.

Ziggy is referred to as male in this episode.

Sam Trivia:
Sam can not hold his alcohol.

Al Trivia:
AL says: "Nada - Zip - Zilch"  /  BINGO!  /  BMOC …

Al is a self-taught gunslinger. He learned from a stripper named Fifi Boom-Boom LaRue.

Al’s Outfits:
1) White suit w/ Red, Black & White print shirt and thin Black tie.

2) White shirt w/black cactus design, Red pants, Camel colored long coat, black scarf tie, cream hat w/black band, and a Black leather gun belt w/ one-pistol & black shoes or boots.

Al’s Women:
FiFi "Boom-Boom" LaRue is the topic of conversation, a stripper who taught him how to handle a pistol.

Miscellaneous Trivia:
Al popped in 3 times.

Al smoked 3 cigars.

When Lucy comes out of the saloon to see where Sam went, after Al called him outside, she calls him ‘Steve’.

Regular Cast:
Scott Bakula as Dr Samuel Beckett
Dean Stockwell as Admiral Albert "Al" Calavicci
Deborah Pratt as Narrator/Ziggy (voice)

Guest Cast:
John Anderson as Pat Knight
Sean Baca as Stevie Means
Joseph Burke as Otis
O'Neal Compton as Russ
Susan Isaacs as Lucy Means
Bonnie Morgan as Cindy
Jerry Potter as Sheriff
Kenneth Tigar as Ben Steiner
Paul Bordman as Tyler Means (Mirror Image)
Daniel Osers as Extra (uncredited)

 
Guest Cast Notes:

John Anderson as Pat Knight: A tall, sinewy, austere-looking character actor with silver hair, rugged features and a distinctive voice, John Robert Anderson appeared in hundreds of films and television episodes. Immensely versatile, he was at his best submerging himself in the role of historical figures (he impersonated Abraham Lincoln three times and twice baseball commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, men whom he strongly resembled). He was a familiar presence in westerns and science-fiction serials, usually as upstanding, dignified and generally benign citizens (a rare exception was his Ebonite interrogator in The Outer Limits (1963) episode "Nightmare"). He had a high opinion of Rod Serling and was proud to be featured in four episodes of The Twilight Zone (1959), most memorably as the tuxedo-clad angel Gabriel in "A Passage for Trumpet" (doing for Jack Klugman what Henry Travers did for James Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life (1946)). Known to other youths as 'J.R.', Anderson had a happy childhood, growing up first on a small farm near Clayton, Illinois, and then in the mid-sized town of Quincy where his mother operated a cigar stand. A rangy, outdoorsy type, he excelled at various sports, was a drum major, a member of the track team and the Boy Scouts. During World War II, he served in the Coast Guard, mainly involved in helping protect convoys from U-boat attacks. In 1946, he commenced studies at the University of Iowa, eventually graduating with a Master's degree in Drama. His acting career began on the riverboat 'Goldenrod' (now the oldest surviving Mississippi River Basin showboat in America) and proceeded from there to the Cleveland Playhouse for a year, then the New York stage and summer stock with parts in prestigious plays like "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "Home of the Brave". He also occasionally doubled up as a singer on Broadway ("Paint Your Wagon" (1951), "The Emperor's Clothes" (1953)). Anderson began as a regular television actor during that medium's formative years. In the course of the next four decades, his appearance barely changing, he was consistently excellent wherever he popped up, be it as western lawmen (including a recurring role as Virgil Earp in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955)), as cops, governors, judges and army officers; hard-nosed oil executive Herbert Styles in Dallas (1978), or as kindly patriarch of the Hazard clan in North & South: Book 1, North & South (1985). Though less traveled on the big screen, Anderson was particularly impressive as the furtive second-hand car dealer, 'California Charlie', in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), the ruthless leader of the renegades, Addis, in Day of the Evil Gun (1968) and, reprising his role as Lincoln, in The Lincoln Conspiracy (1977). John played ‘Holbrook’ in I-Man (1986) (TV) with Scott Bakula. One of the best all-rounders in the business, Anderson died of a heart attack at his home in Sherman Oaks in August 1992, aged 69.

Sean Baca as Stevie Means: Sean Baca is known for Radio Flyer (1992), My Life and Times (1991) and Quantum Leap (1989). Sean was in Radio Flyer (1992) as: ‘Fisher’ / *Gas Station Attendant. Sean seems to have started his career in 10 eps of The Wonder Years as ‘Craig Hobson’ from Oct 31,'89 to May 16, '90. Among other sit-coms were Matlock / Sibs / Murphy Brown / Home Improvement.

Joseph Burke as Otis: Born in Philadelphia, PA, son of US Navy doctor. Graduated University of Maryland 1967 with B.A. Drama. Served as Lieutenant in US Navy 1968 -71. Appeared in regional theater in early 70s and on Broadway in1975 in Good News. Guest starred in numerous television series in the 1970s and 80s and appeared in hundreds of television commercials including appearances as Mr. Goodwrench, the Irish Spring Man and Marathon John.

O'Neal Compton as Russ: O'Neal Compton was born on February 5, 1951 in Sumter, South Carolina, USA. He was an actor, known for Deep Impact (1998), Nixon (1995) and Big Eden (2000). He died on February 18, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

Susan Isaacs as Lucy Means: Susan received her MFA in screenwriting at USC. She is an alumna of the Groundlings Sunday Company and founded King Baby, with Tony Hale, Jeannie Gaffigan and Todd Wilkerson. She has contributed essays to radio's "Weekend America." Her memoir, "Angry Conversations With God," was named a Top Ten religion book of 2009 by Publisher's Weekly. was also in another episode of Quantum Leap playing ‘Myra’ in: Heart Of A Champion (ep # 320) and 12 different movies and sit-coms.

Bonnie Morgan as Cindy: In "The Ring Two," she shocked horror fans with her terrifying and now infamous "spider crawl" performance as 'Samara,' chasing Naomi Watt's character out of the well. Bonnie also took the iconic role of 'Samara' in the upcoming "Rings 3," where she returns with a familiar video tape to strike terror once again. "Rings 3," the latest in the $400 million horror franchise, will be released by Paramount on April 1st, 2016. In addition, Bonnie can be seen as 'Tree Witch' in Lionsgate's supernatural action film "The Last Witch Hunter," starring Vin Diesel. In the 2012 hit Paramount thriller "The Devil Inside," Bonnie terrified audiences as the demonically possessed 'Rosa,' showcasing both her acting and contortionist abilities in a role that was both physically and emotionally demanding. Bonnie grew up in a castle on a crest of the Hollywood Hills, raised by third-generation circus performers who also have a fantastic horror lineage. Bonnie's father Gary Morgan is an incredible stuntman/actor who played 'Billy' in the sci-fi classic "Logan's Run" and doubled the dog in "Cujo," and her aunt Robbi Morgan played 'Annie,' Jason's first victim in "Friday the 13th." Before she could walk, Bonnie's dad started teaching her acrobatics, and, as she grew, she showed a remarkable aptitude for trapeze, silks, stilts and tight rope. Expanding on her repertoire, she soon discovered her astounding powers as a contortionist at the tender age of nine. She began her acting career as a child, doing commercials and guest-starring on such family-favorite series as "Blossom," "The Nanny" and "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman." She went on to follow in her father's footsteps, augmenting her acting career with stunts and creature characters in such films as "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," where she marauded through the troll market; and "Men in Black II," where a head-like appliance was placed on her behind - hence the moniker 'Jabba the Butt.' Bonnie's acting and contorting talents have also merged in such features as "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone," marking her third film with Jim Carrey; "National Lampoon's Transylmania"; Steven Spielberg's "Minority Report" with Tom Cruise; and "Piranha 3D" where she was hilariously eaten alive through an inner tube. More recently, she appeared opposite Robert Englund in "Fear Clinic," playing 'Paige,' a patient who perishes during the opening credits, yet haunts Englund's character throughout the story, eventually merging as Evil itself! Fearless and uniquely agile, Bonnie has also contributed her skills to daring stunts in such films as "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," "Fright Night" and "Peter Pan," also showcasing her acting talents in each film with roles as a Who, a vampire and a fairy, respectively. For the small screen, she partied on Showtime's "Shameless," was broken and bent as the Terminator Rosie on "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," and was beaten to a pulp by Michelle Rodriguez in the short "Sorority Pillow Fight." In "Criminal Minds," she had a recurring role as a broken, tortured human marionette doll. She has also appeared on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Castle" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Most recently, she contorted for Patrick Stewart in his Starz original series "Blunt Talk." She is also a regular performer at the historic and uber-exclusive Brookledge Theater in Hollywood, owned by the Magic Castle's Larsen Family. Bonnie and her family also perform annually at the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire, and Bonnie has recently starred in and directed a Commedia del Arte with her family at the Faire, among other venues. Another feather in her cap is a Guinness World Record for her remarkable contortionist abilities! Bonnie is also consistently in demand for commercials, becoming such famous characters as FLO-BOT in the Progressive Insurance commercials, the Kia Sock Monkey, the Comcast Robot, The Silk Soy Milk Cow, the Awkward Robot Butler for WINK, and a menacing creature in the #7000 Chemicals campaign.

Jerry Potter as Sheriff: Jerry Potter is known for Wild Wild West (1999), Misery (1990) and The Greatest American Hero (1981).

Kenneth Tigar as Ben Steiner: Kenneth Tigar was born on September 24, 1942 in Chelsea, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor, known for The Avengers (2012), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) and Creator (1985). Kenneth Tigar has both a B.A and a Ph.D. from Harvard University in German Literature, and he spent a year at the University of Göttingen as a Fulbright scholar. Kenneth acted for a season in Vienna as a member of the Austrian company Die Komödianten; and his translations of Brecht, Wedekind, and Büchner have been performed from Boston to Los Angeles. Speaks German fluently with a perfect accent. Was in Star Trek: Voyager (1995) as: ‘Dammar’ in: Displaced (ep # 3.24) May 7, 1997. IMDb shows he was in 86 guest appearances and 43 movies which 2 of these were Lethal Weapon II & III. Lethal Weapon 1-2-3-4 and Die Hard 1-2-3.

Paul Bordman as Tyler Means (Mirror Image): Paul Bordman is known for Quantum Leap (1989), Younger and Younger (1993) and Hollywood Hot Tubs (1984).

Daniel Osers as Extra (uncredited): Daniel Osers was born on July 25, 1970 in Berlin, Germany. He is an actor, known for Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers (1993), Tales of the City (1993) and Mr. Write (1994).

Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes:
Susan Isaacs also played Myra Sammis in "Heart of a Champion."

Say What?
There is a clock in the bar that remains on the same time for the entire scene.

Sam says he is 50 years younger than Pat. Based on his actual birthdate, Sam would have been only 40 years younger than Pat.

Quotable Quotes:

AL: "What happened? Tonto and Bill Hickcock have a collision?"

AL: "You sure you’re not a walking ad for a fringe company?"

AL: "Ahhh … in the meantime … Hi Ho Silver … Oy Vey!"

AL: "Hey weren’t you in Bonanza? Sam I just saw that guy in Bonanza! He was driving that pair of … pair … pair … now that’s a pair!" [Looking at a woman walking across the street with a low cut dress. Sam has to whistle to get his attention]

AL: "This guy’s killed more men than Clint Eastwood." [Talking about Pat Knight]

Stevie:
"Never waste your breath on anyone dumber than a mule."

Ben Steiner:
"Mr. Means, Mr. Knight has been telling me some very interesting stories."

SAM:
"Wish I could’ve been here."
AL:
"Yah, that way we’d all know what we’re talking about."

SAM:
"Now listen to me. I know this may sound corny to you probably … but … life is precious … you see … once you’re dead … you’re dead."

Best Scenes:

The morning after Sam has been drinking with Pat Knight and he’s got a hangover.

AL: "Are we in the head pounding stage … or in the spinning rising waves of nausea? … Hummm?"

SAM: "What do you think?"

AL: "That’s impressive."

SAM: "Yah … I just … hope that Pat Knight feels … worse than I do. Oh my gosh! Don’t tell me you were a gunslinger in the Navy?"

AL: "Well… back in the old days they were called gunfighters or pistolarlos or ah… shootists and I… had the best quick draw artist in America teach me."

SAM: "Really?"

AL: "Yes Really! Her name was…"

SAM: "HER …name."

AL: "FeFe Boom-Boom La Rue…"

SAM: "Al!"

AL: "She was a stripper in New Orleans. She had the finest matched pair of …"

SAM: "AL! … Oh!"

AL: "Matched pair of 44 pistols! She had ah … little secret holsters. Real cute! It was part of her act. But she could draw. Let me tell ya … I know … Cause I studied her …"

SAM: "Yah … I bet."

AL: "Very closely."

SAM: "I’ll bet you did!" [Sam’s mouth drops open when Al shows him how it’s done]

Another Great Scene:

Sam has sent Stevie upstairs, you hear the IC door open and Al pops in to tell Sam why he’s there.

AL: "Nice hat!" [Looking him up and down] "Nice … really stylish … awesome … fantastic outfit too." [Scott is grinning from ear to ear] "What happened? Did Tonto and Bill Hickcock have a collision?" [Scott gives Dean the squinty eye look]

SAM: "Very Funny! I happen to be a local hero or something like that!"

AL: "You sure you’re not a walking ad for a fringe company? It’s … ahhh … November 28^th nineteen fifty seven and your name … is …"

SAM: "Tyler Means."

AL: "Yah … Tyler … Tyler means … you’re eighty-two years old. You live in … Coffin … Arizona. Isn’t that a nice name. Coffin … this place started out as a robber’s hangout and then it took off …"

SAM: "After they discovered silver in the mid eighteen seventies." [Reading the story from the Readers Digest]

AL: "HEY! You want me to tell you this stuff? Or you wanna read it! All right back then this place was wide open. It was controlled by four vicious gunslingers … by the name of the Cl … Cl … Clagget brothers … anyway … apparently … you … rode in to town with an old gunfighter partner of yours … and the next thing you know …"

SAM: "Got into a shoot out with the Clagget boys."

AL: "Yah! And you saved the town! Then you settled down. You were the BMOC … and all the towns folks … they very amused by your wild stories and your boasting and your bragging and your gambling and your drinking BUT … after a couple of decades of sponging the towns folk kinda get sick of it and your tails get wilder and you become … a local joke … the town drunk … your weaving your tails and mooching drinks.

SAM: "Until I met this … magazine writer."

AL: "Uh-huh" [Puffing on his cigar] … "and Ziggy doesn’t have anything more than that … ‘cause these little towns didn’t keep records … but when something comes up … you’ll be the first to know. Ahhh … in the meantime … Hi Ho Silver … Oy Vey!" [Punching keys on the hand link and steps into the IC door and closes it]

Synopsis & Review:

As Sam leaps in he is holding a gun, standing in the middle of a dirt street. He looks up as he pulls the trigger and the guy on the roof falls off onto a wagon and the horses carry him away. He is left standing there with his mouth wide-open "OH BOY"

Sam is there to keep the family together and to keep Stevie from running away and going to jail.

Al pops in and shows Sam a few pointers on how to handle a gun. He says that standing any more than fifteen to twenty feet apart was normal for gunfighters. Anything further than that was just Hollywood!

Pat Knight accuses Tyler Means of making up or stretching the truth about a gunfight that cleaned up the town. He plans to settle the dispute tomorrow, "at high noon", with one last gunfight.

The town sheriff, Russ doesn’t seem to do too much sheriffing. He just seems to be waiting for something to happen. He says, "Centennial play … kinda curious to see where this is goin’." When Pat Knight shows up and pulls a gun on Sam.

Lucy is the typical mother, trying to raise her son to be somebody. But times are hard and will get a lot harder if Sam doesn’t clinch the TV deal and help Stevie realize that the barrel of a gun doesn’t settle anything.

Stevie tells Sam about himself. He calls him a coward and tries to fix the situation himself.

Personal Review by Carol <aka> C_Dean n C_Al:

I haven’t seen this episode too many times. But every time I watch it I like it better and better. I especially like the beginning where the crowd is standing and watching Sam shoot the guy on the roof. All the kids are dressed for the time period. Really cool, it brings back memories. I can remember going to some ghost town and watching a show something like this. Sam and Al are all decked out in their cowboy duds too.

Production Credits:

Theme by: Mike Post
Music by: Velton Ray Bunch
Co-Executive Producer: Deborah Pratt
Co-Executive Producer: Michael Zinberg
Supervising Producer: Harker Wade
Produced by: Jeff Gourson, Tommy Thompson
Produced by: Chris Ruppenthal, Paul Brown
Created by: Donald P. Bellisario
Teleplay By: Sam Rolfe and Chris Ruppenthal
Story By: Sam Rolfe
Directed By: Joe Napolitano

Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario
Associate Producers: Julie Bellisario, James S. Giritlian
Coordinating Producer: David Bellisario
Director of Photography: Robert McBride
Production Designer: Cameron Birnie
Edited by: M. Edward Salier, A.C.E.
Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow
First Assistant Director: R. John Slosser
Second Assistant Director: Kate Yurka
Casting by: Ellen Lubin Sanitsky
Set Director: Robert L. Zilliox
Costume Designer: Jean-Pierre Dorleac
Costume Supervisor: David Rawley
Art Director: Ellen Dambros-Williams
Sound Mixer: Barry D. Thomas
Stunt Coordinator: Diamond Farnsworth
Sound Editor: Greg Schorer
Music Editor:  Bruce Frazier
Special Visual Effects: Roger Dorney, Denny Kelly

Panaflex ® Camera and Lenses by: Panavision ®

This motion picture is protected under laws of the United States and other countries. Unauthorized duplication, distribution or exhibition may result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.

Copyright © 1992 by Universal City Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The characters and events depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Bellisarius Productions In Association With Universal Television, an MCA Company

Quantum Leap Podcast - The Last Gunfighter

Listen to The Quantum Leap Podcast on this episode here: