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Claude Akins guest-stars as the titular Sam Hill, a blacksmith of extraordinary strength. Pressured to give up the land on which his mother is buried, Sam discovers that he has been sold out by his own father, an irresponsible drunkard-and that the new owner of the property is a self-styled dictator with a private army. Ford Rainey, Edgar Buchanan and ubiquitous voiceover specialist Robert Ridgely also appear in this episode, one of several directed by Robert Altman. Written by series producer David Dortort, "Sam Hill" originally aired June 3, 1961, as the final episode of Bonanza's second season.