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Fresh from his nine-year stint on The Beverly Hillbillies, Buddy Ebsen is cast as Ponderosa hired hand Cactus Murphy, fired for incompetence by Ben Cartwright. His dander up, the old hand challenges Ben to do all the work Cactus does in a week-and without using the Cartwright money or power to his advantage. Taking up the cudgel, Ben signs on to his own spread as a wrangler named "Ben Brown"-and does he learn a painful lesson! Richard Farnsworth appears in the supporting role of Tate. First broadcast on January 16, 1972, "The Saddle Stiff" was written by Samuel A. Peeples and John Hawkins.