HIGH CHAPARRAL THE HOSTAGE SERIES

Melanie Cawthorne Patricia Barry, a widow of the owner of the adjacent Red Rock ranch, manipulates the love-struck Buck into a conflict with John over water rights and over her dealings with Romero Carlos Romero, a comanchero who was betrayed by her late husband.ĭeputy Marshal Virgil Shanks enlists the High Chaparral's ranch hands as a posse to ride into Montoya's land to capture bandit leader El Lobo and his band, a mission which could break the treaty between the Cannons and Montoyas. With the help of gunslinger Tracy Conlin ( Ralph_Meeker), who is an old friend of Buck's, she determines to drive out the Cannons and reclaim the ranch - whatever the cost. Mrs Layton ( Geraldine Brooks), the widow of the previous owner of the High Chaparral, blames the Montoyas for her situation. Buck and Manolito bargain with Cochise ( Paul Fix) for the Indian girl to testify on Blue's behalf.

The General is determined to see Blue hang, and orders a military court martial. The three form a pact, and kidnap Blue to hold for $10,000 ransom.īuck, Manolito and Blue help a naive bank clerk and his wife, who have bought a neighboring ranch, come to terms with the harsh realities of the Apache, cheating cattle sellers, and disease and end his unrealistic dream of becoming a rancher.īlue accidentally kills a cavalry Lieutenant, the son of a General ( Denver Pyle), who was attacking an Apache girl belonging to Cochise. Blue's value to John interests Holliday and two outlaws, Kid Curry and Jacques Dubois. The Cannons meet a travelling Dentist, Doc Holliday (played by Jack Kelly), who is as skilled with a firearm as with a tooth extractor. Still haunted by memories of Annalee, John does not appreciate Victoria's interference on behalf of the Mexican ranchers.īuck accompanies Victoria and Manolito to Don Sebestian's ranchero, but finds it under new ownership, having been seized by a force of ex-Confederate soldiers led by Buck's former commanding officer, Jake Lanier ( Dan O'Herlihy), who, having lost the Civil War, is intent on carving out a new country on the Mexican side of the border, while the Government there is in chaos following the war of the French intervention. Big John finds himself at a disadvantage even though he controls the water, as Tanner has allies among the Apache who he is arming with the latest Spencer repeating rifles. When Buck breaks his leg, John entrusts Blue and Manolito - despite their youth and inexperience - to negotiate the purchase of a bull and cows from Don Sebastian Montoya.Ī range war comes to the Chaparral when the local ranchers are terrorised by a ruthless cattleman named Tanner ( Kevin Hagen), who is forcing them to sell him their stock for next to nothing. When the Army arrive at the ranch with Apache prisoners, John fears his treaty with Cochise will be broken unless they are released and Blue becomes the best man to keep the peace.īuck ( Cameron Mitchell), Manolito ( Henry Darrow) and Blue, disarmed by a Scottish woman neighbour, arrive in Tucson to buy supplies - and chaos rapidly ensues, as they take to fighting, gambling, and womanizing. Blue-boy ( Mark Slade) is also haunted by memories of his dead mother, and swears that Victoria will never take her place. The marriage of convenience gets off to a shaky start when Big John is haunted by memories of his dead wife, which prevent him becoming close to Victoria. This arrangement is sealed by the marriage of Big John to Montoya's daughter, Victoria ( Linda Cristal). In part two, Big John forms an alliance with his Mexican neighbour, Don Sebastian Montoya ( Frank Silvera), to combine their resources against the Apaches.

But he underestimates the danger from the Apaches, and Annalee is killed in an Indian attack.

With his family, he builds a cattle ranch, which is renamed 'The High Chaparral' by his wife Annalee. In part one, Big John Cannon ( Leif Erickson) buys Rancho Rivera in Apache country outside the town of Tucson.

HIGH CHAPARRAL THE HOSTAGE SERIES

The series premiere originally aired as a two-hour TV movie, and was set in the Arizona Territory of America in the 1870s. Story by : David Dortort & Denne Bart Petitclerc

High chaparral the hostage