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The Wild Wild West: The Night of the Puppeteer
Jim and Artie investigate a series of murders commited by puppets, and find themselves in a vast underground kingdom occupied by man-sized puppets and ruled by the maniacal Zachariah Skull.
| 10/10 (1 Vote cast) |
Episode Info
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Episode number: 1x21 Production Number: 6521 Airdate: Friday February 25th, 1966 |
Co-Guest Stars
Uncredited
Recap
Jim comes to visit Supreme Court Judge Vincent Chayne, who is in his parlor while his wife holds a party for their grandson. The agent notes that two of Chayne's colleagues have died recently under mysterious circumstances, but Chayne dismisses them as accidents. Jim notes that both men died precisely at 2 p.m., and both received small model caskets delivered through the mail. The judge dismisses it as melodramatic nonsense, but admits that he received a casket as well. However, he refuses to have a bodyguard. The clock chimes 2 p.m. and Chayne insists that he's fine...Read the full recap
Episode Notes
Corner Slides
Lower Left: Jim’s eardrums start to lacerate as the trick elevator descends into the bowels of the Earth.
Lower Right: Zachariah Skull holding his puppet duplicate.
Upper Left: A squad of puppet toy soldiers arrive to execute Jim.
Upper Right: The Vivid puppet looking at Jim and Vivid kissing backstage.
Lower Left: Jim’s eardrums start to lacerate as the trick elevator descends into the bowels of the Earth.
Lower Right: Zachariah Skull holding his puppet duplicate.
Upper Left: A squad of puppet toy soldiers arrive to execute Jim.
Upper Right: The Vivid puppet looking at Jim and Vivid kissing backstage.
Episode Quotes
Dr. Lake: Artemus.
Artemus: Yes?
Dr. Lake: He's still groggy, but he'll live.
Artemus: I told you, Doc.
Dr. Lake: Well, I can't guarantee for how long, or you either, if you stay in this line of work.
Artemus: You know, that's what I love about you, your cheerful bedside manner.
Artemus: Yes?
Dr. Lake: He's still groggy, but he'll live.
Artemus: I told you, Doc.
Dr. Lake: Well, I can't guarantee for how long, or you either, if you stay in this line of work.
Artemus: You know, that's what I love about you, your cheerful bedside manner.
Artemus: Listen, I came in late. Would you mind filling me in on what happened.
James: To tell the truth, it's a little embarrassing. I was shot by a puppet.
Artemus: Sorry I asked.
James: To tell the truth, it's a little embarrassing. I was shot by a puppet.
Artemus: Sorry I asked.
Dr. Lake: This was embedded in you.
Artemus: Propelled by a small powder charge. You note how the shock of impact activates the injector mechanism. That's beautiful, isn't it?
James: You make me feel privileged to have gotten in the way.
Artemus: Propelled by a small powder charge. You note how the shock of impact activates the injector mechanism. That's beautiful, isn't it?
James: You make me feel privileged to have gotten in the way.
Waitress: What's your pleasure?
James: A drink for now, I'll decide later.
Waitress: I was talking about the drinks.
James: Oh. Let me see your wine list.
Waitress: Sure. Soon as it comes back from the laundry.
James: Til then, how's your beer?
Waitress: Make you bark like a fox and leap like a tuna.
James: In my run-down condition, I'd better have whiskey.
Waitress: Whiskey. Chaser?
James: Just a few kind words.
James: A drink for now, I'll decide later.
Waitress: I was talking about the drinks.
James: Oh. Let me see your wine list.
Waitress: Sure. Soon as it comes back from the laundry.
James: Til then, how's your beer?
Waitress: Make you bark like a fox and leap like a tuna.
James: In my run-down condition, I'd better have whiskey.
Waitress: Whiskey. Chaser?
James: Just a few kind words.
James: But I couldn't help noticing the eyepatch that Pitney wears.
Zachariah Skull: He had an unfortunate accident.
James: Another I notice was minus a finger. A hand. A nose and an ear. Are all your puppets accident prone?
Zachariah Skull: Very well, sir, if you want it unadorned, they're mutilated. Well, why not? Art should imitate life.
James: And do you believe that life is...?
Zachariah Skull: Yes. Look closely enough, you'll find everything in life is mutilated, flawed, corrupt.
Zachariah Skull: He had an unfortunate accident.
James: Another I notice was minus a finger. A hand. A nose and an ear. Are all your puppets accident prone?
Zachariah Skull: Very well, sir, if you want it unadorned, they're mutilated. Well, why not? Art should imitate life.
James: And do you believe that life is...?
Zachariah Skull: Yes. Look closely enough, you'll find everything in life is mutilated, flawed, corrupt.
James: How does one compliment a puppet on her dancing? Or should I simply say, you dance divinely, Mr. Skull?
Zachariah Skull: You're too kind, sir. And speaking for Vivid, you dance very well, too.
Zachariah Skull: You're too kind, sir. And speaking for Vivid, you dance very well, too.
James: It's an amusing parlor game, but I'm bored with it now.
Zachariah Skull: Don't you believe him, my dear. He's not bored. He's shaken. Aren't you, sir?
James: Am I? I hadn't noticed.
Zachariah Skull: You're shaken and affronted. You see, my dear, for one brief moment, Mr. West allowed himself to be caught up in the magic of your loveliness, puppet though you are. Oh, take that tribute with you and go.
James: "And on the seventh day, He rested."
Zachariah Skull: Oh, I'm playing God, is it?
James: Aren't you? The world of people offends you. So you create your own world. Of puppets.
Zachariah Skull: In short, you think I'm quite mad.
Zachariah Skull: Don't you believe him, my dear. He's not bored. He's shaken. Aren't you, sir?
James: Am I? I hadn't noticed.
Zachariah Skull: You're shaken and affronted. You see, my dear, for one brief moment, Mr. West allowed himself to be caught up in the magic of your loveliness, puppet though you are. Oh, take that tribute with you and go.
James: "And on the seventh day, He rested."
Zachariah Skull: Oh, I'm playing God, is it?
James: Aren't you? The world of people offends you. So you create your own world. Of puppets.
Zachariah Skull: In short, you think I'm quite mad.
James: I was unfortunately absent at my own trial. I'm not complaining, of course. But surely I have the right to address the jury.
Zachariah Skull: Mr. West, a suspicious mind might almost be tempted to conclude that you're just trying to stall.
James: Your Honor...
Zachariah Skull: The court apologizes for its wholly unwarranted suspicions. You may proceed.
Zachariah Skull: Mr. West, a suspicious mind might almost be tempted to conclude that you're just trying to stall.
James: Your Honor...
Zachariah Skull: The court apologizes for its wholly unwarranted suspicions. You may proceed.
Artemus: (pretending he's drunk) I'm a citizen, ain't I? I owe my taxes, so, uh, hey, wait a minute. It's a free country, ain't it? Right of, excuse me, right of people peaceably to assemble. Well, I want to assemble peacefully, even if I have to fight everyone in this place for it.
Artemus: Great jumping balls of St. Elmo's Fire! What were those things back there?
James: Just what they look like. Puppets, with the brute force of a steam locomotive.
James: Just what they look like. Puppets, with the brute force of a steam locomotive.
James: Artemus, what are you doing?
Artemus: I'm going to blow it up.
James: It's the ocean up there. Let's keep it there, huh?
Artemus: I'm going to blow it up.
James: It's the ocean up there. Let's keep it there, huh?
Zachariah Skull: So we play out the final scene here.
James: You're Zachariah Skull.
Zachariah Skull: Not as personable as my surrogate below, perhaps.
Artemus: But twice as talented. You actually manipulated the puppet that manipulated all the others. Very impressive.
Zachariah Skull: Thank you, Mr. Gordon. No comment from you, Mr. West?
James: I've always been impressed by you, Mr. Skull. Sculptor, engineer, ventriloquist, puppeteer. And murderer.
Zachariah Skull: Yes, I'm a murderer. Why not, I was murdered myself, once?
James: You're Zachariah Skull.
Zachariah Skull: Not as personable as my surrogate below, perhaps.
Artemus: But twice as talented. You actually manipulated the puppet that manipulated all the others. Very impressive.
Zachariah Skull: Thank you, Mr. Gordon. No comment from you, Mr. West?
James: I've always been impressed by you, Mr. Skull. Sculptor, engineer, ventriloquist, puppeteer. And murderer.
Zachariah Skull: Yes, I'm a murderer. Why not, I was murdered myself, once?
Other Episode Crew
| • Creator | Michael Garrison |
| • Executive Producer | Philip Leacock (1) |
| • Producer | John Mantley |
| • Associate Producer | Leonard Katzman |
| • Casting | James Lister (2) |
| • Unit Production Manager | Cy Brooskin |
| • Music | Dave Grusin |
| • Set Decorator | Raymond Molyneaux |
| • Director of Photography | Ted Voigtlander |
| • Art Director | Albert Heschong |
| • Film Editor | Alan Jaggs |
| • Assistant Director | Rowe Wallerstein |
| • Assistant To The Producer | Herbert Dufine |
| • Story Consultant | Preston Wood |
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