Not Rated | 26min | Adventure, Western, TV Series | Episode aired 26 January 1956
Ricky and Sandy persuade a railroad line to bypass the range where Champion and his remuda live, but removing prospectors who try to claim the same valley after stumbling onto what they think is gold-bearing rock proves a tougher nut to crack.
Director: George Archainbaud
Writer: Polly James
Stars: Champion, Barry Curtis, Jim Bannon
Ricky and Sandy persuade a railroad line to bypass the range where Champion and his remuda live, but removing prospectors who try to claim the same valley after stumbling onto what they think is gold-bearing rock proves a tougher nut to crack.
Director: George Archainbaud
Writer: Polly James
Stars: Champion, Barry Curtis, Jim Bannon
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Champion the Wonder Horse! Champion the Wonder Horse!
00:11Like a streak of lightning flashing across the sky.
00:14Like a swiftest arrow whizzing from a bow.
00:17Like a mighty cannon ball he seems to fly.
00:21You'll hear about him everywhere you go.
00:25The time will come when everyone will know the name of
00:28Champion the Wonder Horse!
00:58What's that lame Mustang trying to do to us, Landers?
01:10Run us out of here, I guess.
01:12I'll get rid of him.
01:14Oh, wait a minute. We can't afford that.
01:16Might attract some attention.
01:19Get out of here!
01:28That's Champ. Something's bothering him.
01:31Let's see what it is.
01:43Hey, cut it out!
01:50What's going on here?
01:51Well, what's it to you?
01:52Well, in case you two don't know it, prospecting isn't allowed here.
01:55This is government land.
01:56Not anymore, it isn't.
01:57What do you mean?
01:58Mister, for a stranger, you ask too many questions.
02:01I'm no stranger. I'm Sandy North. I've got a ranch over there.
02:03Then you'd better get back to it.
02:33All right, Rebel, let him go.
02:47Bert, Landers, what's going on here?
02:49That's this North fella. He started it.
02:51I only got tough because they did.
02:53Maybe you can explain to me why they're prospecting on government land.
02:56Prospecting? Why, we're railroaders.
02:59These men are testing rock formations for the roadbed.
03:02Railroad through Wild Horse Canyon?
03:04That's right. The McNab Railroad Company.
03:07I'm Mark Jessup, superintendent of construction.
03:10We've got a federal permit.
03:11That's strange. I should think this route would cost you people more money than...
03:14Look, Mister North, I'm a railroad man and you're a rancher.
03:18I don't tell you how to raise cattle, so suppose you don't try to tell me how to build a railroad.
03:22Well, I didn't mean it that way.
03:24Mister McNab, the president, made the decision.
03:27He'll be here tomorrow, and if we haven't made some headway, he's not going to like it.
03:31All right, you two, get back to work.
03:40Uncle Sandy, if the railroad comes through here, what'll happen to Champ and the herd?
03:45This valley's their home.
03:46Well, we'll just have to find them another home somewhere else.
03:49Then I'd never see Champ at all.
03:51We've got to get Mister McNab to pick some other route.
03:54Mister McNab's a big businessman, Ricky.
03:56He's not going to change his plans because of a horse.
03:58But Champ isn't just any horse.
04:00He's the king of this valley.
04:02He belongs here.
04:04Well, you can see Mister McNab tomorrow if you want to,
04:06but you'll just be wasting your breath and his time.
04:13Now, don't worry, Champ.
04:14I'll get Mister McNab to change that route.
04:17I've got to.
04:26I've juggled the figures in the surveyor's report,
04:28so it looks like Wild Horse Valley is the cheapest route.
04:31Good.
04:32We can start digging for what we're really after as soon as we-
04:34Mister McNab?
04:36Yeah?
04:37I'm Ricky North.
04:38I've got to talk to you, sir.
04:40It's about Champ.
04:41Champ who?
04:42Well, Champ's the stallion that leads the wild herd.
04:45Ricky and I are sort of friends.
04:47What's this got to do with us?
04:49Everything.
04:50If you put the railroad through Wild Horse Valley,
04:52the herd will have to be moved, and I'll lose him.
04:54Just a minute, son.
04:57How about starting at the beginning?
04:58I didn't hear the first of this.
05:00Well, I was just trying to tell President McNab-
05:02Well, I'm the president, son.
05:04This gentleman here is my cousin George.
05:06He's the vice president.
05:07Oh.
05:08Then you're the one that can change the route, aren't you?
05:11You don't seriously think we'd change our plans for a fool horse?
05:14Champ isn't a fool horse.
05:15He's smarter and stronger-
05:17Well, it just so happens I'm quite a fancy of horses, too.
05:20And if this Champ is so remarkable,
05:22then maybe I ought to acquire him.
05:24You couldn't, Mister McNab.
05:26He won't let anybody ride him except me.
05:28But come on out to the valley and see how wonderful and handsome he is.
05:32Matthew, this is an absurd waste of time.
05:34We've got reports to go over here.
05:36Well, George, Rome wasn't built in a day, nor is a railroad.
05:39As a matter of fact, I'd like to see Wild Horse Valley before I make any decisions.
05:43Let's go right now, Mister McNab.
05:45But, Matthew-
05:46We'll be back soon.
05:47Come on, son.
05:52Matthew goes scouting around Wild Horse Valley.
05:55He wouldn't be fool enough to re-route the line on account of that kid and a horse, would he?
05:58No.
05:59But he might find out it's not the cheapest route.
06:02If we'd lose our chance to sew up the mineral rights to the gold we found there.
06:07Wait a minute.
06:08With that wild herd out there,
06:10it shouldn't be hard to discourage Matthew from spending too much time snooping around the valley.
06:15Come on.
06:25There's the herd.
06:35That's a great sight to a horseman.
06:41There's Champ.
06:47Fine looking horse.
06:49Just watch.
06:51Now, bottom of the ricknab, Champ.
07:00And now, rear, Champ.
07:04He's magnificent, Ricky.
07:06Just wait a minute.
07:07He's magnificent, Ricky.
07:09Just wait till you see him in action.
07:33Look!
07:34Matthew!
07:36Right where Burke and Landers are going to stampede the wild herd.
07:50Stampede!
07:51Take cover, Mr. McNabb!
07:58Matthew doesn't get out of there quick.
08:06Matthew!
08:32Well, cousin Matthew got out of that one.
08:34Maybe so.
08:35I'll bet he isn't going to spend much time exploring Wild Horse Valley after this.
08:42Mr. McNabb, now that you've seen Champ,
08:45won't you let him stay here and put your railroad through somewhere else?
08:50Ricky, uh...
08:52You see all these plans here?
08:56We worked a long time preparing them,
08:58and we can't change them without losing a lot of money, even if we wanted to.
09:01Gosh, Mr. McNabb, there's plenty of places where railroads can go,
09:05besides Wild Horse Valley.
09:07Ricky...
09:08We heard how that crazy bunch of mustangs stampeded.
09:11You all right, Matthew?
09:12Yes, but I've had enough of Wild Horse Valley.
09:14But, Mr. McNabb...
09:15Ricky...
09:17Ricky, you run along. I want to talk to Mr. McNabb a minute.
09:22Yes, sir.
09:26Those horses usually don't behave like that, Mr. McNabb.
09:29Somebody spooked them.
09:30I heard men yelling to get them started running.
09:32What's the difference how they got started?
09:34The point is, they're dangerous.
09:36And just to keep them in the valley is no reason to reroute the railroad.
09:39I agree to that, of course.
09:41Well, there is one more point.
09:43When you surveyed this area, why'd you decide against Red Rock Canyon?
09:46It's the most direct route, the one the stage line uses.
09:49Red Rock Canyon? I didn't get a report on it.
09:51Oh, it was useless, Matthew.
09:53We didn't want to trouble you.
09:54The survey reports are all here. Check the figures yourself.
09:57Well, I don't want to argue with the figures,
09:59but I'd sure like to have you ride out there with me and look it over.
10:01All right.
10:04I can't promise anything, but I'll bring the surveyor's reports on Red Rock Canyon
10:08to your place so we can go over them together.
10:10If he gets Matthew out to Red Rock...
10:12Well, he won't if we can keep him busy enough.
10:14So long.
10:15So long.
10:16North and the kid think so much of that horse
10:19that if he got lost, they wouldn't have time for anything except looking for him.
10:23Fine chance of Champ getting lost.
10:25Oh, I can fix that.
10:27I'll get some of the boys and we'll stalk him.
10:29Look, you keep after a horse.
10:31Drive him away from his home range.
10:33Never give him a chance to eat or drink or sleep.
10:36Then what?
10:37Nature takes care of the rest, with a little help.
10:55Ain't that beast gonna ever get tired, Mr. Jessup?
11:07We've got more out to set. The horse is chasing him already.
11:10Landers is bringing up some fresh mounds.
11:12Let's keep after him.
11:17My scheme is working all right.
11:25I didn't think it was possible for any horse to go that far without food or water.
11:55He's just about ready to give up.
12:25Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:26Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:27Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:28Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:29Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:30Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:31Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:32Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:33Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:34Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:35Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:36Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:37Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:38Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:39Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:40Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:41Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:42Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:43Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:44Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:45Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:46Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:47Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:48Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:49Hello, Mr. Jessup?
12:55This has taken quite a while, but he's as good as lost now.
12:56Yeah, and he's got to stay lost.
12:59We want the north kept busy looking for him a long time.
13:01When they find him it'll be too late.
13:03Yeah, we'd better put up a barricade here, then.
13:11Uncle Sandy, I went all over the western valley today.
13:16The Champ just isn't anywhere.
13:18Well, he's got to be around somewhere.
13:20You better wash up now and get ready for supper.
13:22It'll be ready in a minute.
13:23I don't want any, Uncle Sandy.
13:25Just not hungry.
13:27Sandy, why don't you give Ricky a hand tomorrow,
13:30and I'll scout Red Rock Canyon alone.
13:32Thank you, Mr. McNabb.
13:34Please come, Uncle Sandy.
13:36I got a feeling Champ's in terrible trouble.
13:39We'll find him, Ricky.
13:40There's lots of ground we haven't covered yet.
13:44Ruff!
13:45Ruff!
13:55Well, here are some prints, but the horses were shod.
13:58There's an unshod one.
14:00And it's Champ's.
14:01Are you sure?
14:02See that crack?
14:03Yeah.
14:04Champ has one in his right forehoof.
14:07Rebel, find Champ.
14:09Go find Champ, Rebel.
14:14Well, now that he's got a fresher sense,
14:16maybe we'll have better luck.
14:21George, here's the essay report.
14:23Take a look.
14:27Boy, our gold mine is worth three times what we thought.
14:31Well, when do we start mining?
14:33Just as soon as Matthew O'Keeffe's construction
14:36in Wild Horse Valley.
14:37I've almost gotten convinced that Red Rock Canyon won't do.
14:41And the Norths aren't around to unconvince us.
14:43I took care of that.
14:50Ruff!
14:52Ruff!
14:53It looks like Rebel's really on the track now.
14:54Come on!
15:04Ruff!
15:04Ruff!
15:05Ruff!
15:06Ruff!
15:07Ruff!
15:07Ruff!
15:08Ruff!
15:10Ruff!
15:11Ruff!
15:12Ruff!
15:13Ruff!
15:14Ruff!
15:14Ruff!
15:18Look, Uncle Sandy!
15:19It's Champ!
15:33I heard Rebel.
15:33Did you find Champ?
15:44Champ, it's me, Ricky.
15:48He's hardly moving, Uncle Sandy.
15:51You don't think he's going to?
15:53Champ isn't king of the herd for nothing, Ricky.
15:55He's as rugged as they come, and he's got a great heart.
15:57He'll make it.
16:00You'll be all right now, Champ.
16:02We're going to make you strong again.
16:05How could Champ get trapped like this?
16:07Why, all of this stuff was dragged across here.
16:09It's all right.
16:10It's all right.
16:11Why, all of this stuff was dragged across here
16:12to block the entrance, you can tell by the marks in the dirt.
16:15Somebody wanted to make sure that Ricky and I had
16:17our hands full finding Champ.
16:19Well, I've got an idea it's the same somebody who
16:21docked the reports on Red Rock Canyon.
16:23What?
16:25You were right.
16:26I made a thorough check of every section of that area,
16:28and I found George's figures had been juggled.
16:31Well, we still don't know what he stands to gain
16:33by the Wild Horse Valley route.
16:34We'll find out, and when we do, there's every prospect that you
16:37just said it, Matthew, prospect.
16:40When Champ is back on his feet, you and I
16:41are going prospecting.
16:43Hey, this doesn't look much like building equipment.
16:50Looks more like mining equipment.
16:52Gold pans, I think.
17:00Hey, this is quartz.
17:01I wonder where it came from.
17:06Let's try that ledge up there.
17:09Let's try that ledge up there.
17:21There's a lot of traffic here.
17:22No sign of quartz.
17:25Sandy, look.
17:27This could be our answer.
17:34You're right, Sandy.
17:35This could be the answer.
17:40We're in trouble, McNabb.
17:42That cousin of yours and North found the mine shaft,
17:44and they're in it right now.
17:46They're inside?
17:47That's right.
17:49And I heard enough to know they're suspicious
17:50of what you're up to.
17:52If they're inside, they might not get out.
17:54But we've got to hurry.
17:55Come on.
18:02There.
18:03This is our hope, Wally.
18:05Those who are back there, some of them
18:06are going to get us out of here.
18:08Those who are back there, so they're still in the mine.
18:11Let's go.
18:23What's your idea, George?
18:25Cousin Matthew's going to have an accident.
18:27It could happen to anybody exploring an old mine shaft.
18:34Here.
18:35Set this in the shaft mouth.
18:39Be quick about it.
18:53This horse should actually have very rich.
18:56It accounts for George's whole scheme.
18:59He's using the railroad as a cover-up
19:01while digging for gold in Wild Horse Valley.
19:09Get back to camp.
19:10I'll ride into town a little while
19:12and report Cousin Matthew missing.
19:28Somebody's coming.
19:29Step behind cover.
19:38He's got a chip.
19:40He's got a shot.
19:42He may see the trouble in reporting the accident.
19:44Better for us.
19:47It sounded like the explosion was right down there.
19:52But there's Uncle Sandy's horse.
19:54And Mr. McNabb's.
19:57Uncle Sandy!
19:59But there's Uncle Sandy's horse and Mr. McNabb's.
20:05Uncle Sandy!
20:11Go ahead, champ.
20:23What is it, Rebel?
20:25You're inside?
20:56Pull, champ. Pull!
21:02Good boy, champ.
21:05Stay here.
21:10You and Landers get down there, quick.
21:15Uncle Sandy!
21:16I guess I'm all right, but Matthew...
21:18What happened?
21:19Well, I know it wasn't an accident.
21:26I'll go see what's bothering Rebel.
21:40I think it's broken.
21:45Mr. Jacobs is there, and Landers!
21:48If you only had a gun, Matthew.
21:50I got one.
21:52Can you hold it in your left hand?
21:54Indeed, I can.
21:56As long as it's pointed at George or Jessup.
21:59If I can get those two in here, you hold them off long enough for me to go get George.
22:03Ricky, take cover behind those rocks.
22:18Jessup, it's a good thing you're here.
22:20Matthew's in there and he's hurt bad.
22:22Is he still alive?
22:23I think so, but I don't know how long he'll last.
22:26Go see for yourselves.
22:29It's all right, Rebel.
22:38Hold him there, champ.
22:40It's a trick.
22:42Matthew's alive down there.
22:44They're trapping Jessup and Landers.
22:52Let's go.
23:22Let's go.
23:24Let's go.
23:49Load him up now, Rebel.
23:55I wish Sandy'd hurry up.
23:57But I don't care how long it takes as long as he catches up with George.
24:01All right, Matthew, let him pull out.
24:04Looks like he's done it.
24:06Keep your hands up and march.
24:10Can you make it, Mr. McCabe?
24:13I wouldn't miss having a few words with George even if it killed me.
24:25Here he comes.
24:36Champ, the valley's all yours.
24:39It most certainly is.
24:41What do you got there?
24:42This is a government permit to run the railroad through here.
24:45Thought I'd let champ see me tear it up, but I can't do much tearing with my left hand.
24:50Well, Rebel will take care of that for you.
24:52Just give it to him.
24:53Oh, think so?
24:56Here you are, Rebel.
25:04Go on back to the herd and tell them not to worry.
25:07So long now, champ.
25:23Champion the Wonder Horse
25:28Champion the Wonder Horse
25:35Like a streak of lightning flashing across the sky
25:38Like the swiftest arrow whizzing from a bow
25:41Like a mighty cannonball he seems to fly
25:45You'll hear about him everywhere you go
25:49The time will come when everyone will know the name of
25:53Champion the Wonder Horse
25:56Champion the Wonder Horse