Bonanza: Death at Dawn on AllMovie

The first season of Bonanza came to an end on April 30, 1960, with the episode titled "Death at Dawn." Laurence Mascott's teleplay would seem to have been influenced by the like-vintage TV series The Untouchables, as a gang of 19th century gangsters holds Virginia City in thrall, forcing the citizens to buy protection lest "accidents" befall them. When a store owner is murdered by gang member Perkins (Gregory Walcott), the only witness, the victim's wife Beth (Nancy Deale), is terrorized into silence. Determined to bring Perkins to justice, Ben Cartwright offers Beth safe harbor at the Ponderosa-whereupon gang leader Sam Bryant (Robert Middleton) kidnaps Ben and offers to release him in exchange for Perkins. Featured in the cast are Morgan Woodward (Sheriff Biggs), Wendell Holmes (Judge Scribner), Paul Carr (McNeil), Peter Leeds (Norton), Hugh Sanders (Dr. Brahm), Anthony Joachim (The Hangman) and Jess Kirkpatrick (Kelly).