Route 66 S02E15 A Long Piece of Mischief

Tod and Buz, in Mesquite, Texas "finishing up a 30 day job at a brick factory", meet performers at the town's rodeo. Two of the contestants hate the rodeo's clown and torment him with nasty pranks. Buz is drawn into the latest gag unknowingly and helps both the rodeo clown and a female stunt rider to find peace with themselves.

[@justthink5854]

THIS is ACTING. a great wonderful timeless series that ironically catches time and holds it.

[@squitzy]

Wow! Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens and Albert Salmi together in a show! This was such a great series. One of the best ever on TV.

[@spactick]

what an incredibly ambitious series for them to shoot entirely on 'location'. imagine writing each script for that specific location. I totally respect the creators of Route 66 one of the great series of the 1960's

[@tessaducek5601]

Once a bully always a bully. Never heard of this series. But glad it popped up. I love the plethora of fantastic actors and actresses. Takes me back. 😁

[@justthink5854]

really. it's probably the best series ever. lotta utubes are available. fantastic writing, acting, locations, golden age movie stars mixed with soon to be super stars.

[@tessaducek5601]

@@justthink5854 I definitely enjoy watching this. Love to see some of our veteran actors/actresses. The Richard Diamond series popped up and that tickled me . Only thought David Jansson was in the Fugitive... I'm old but missed so much!

[@justthink5854]

@@tessaducek5601 Harry O. hope you've discovered many more episodes of Rt 66.

[@louisholman1199]

I attended the rodeo scenes in Mesquite Tx I was not even a teen. As the actors were walking in I jump up and shook there hands as the director yelled cut.

[@billymatthews7346]

Thank you thank you...wonderful to watch....loved ut during its prime run and love watching it again...BCM'

[@justthink5854]

summer of 69 i worked the chutes moving quivering 6' high at the shoulder brahmas at the Mesquite rodeo. Slim Pickins was a rodeo clown a very dangerous job and the great Ben Johnson who was to win an oscar for his role in The Last Picture Show was a rodeo star as well.

[@dautrogomes6811]

Albert Salmi, great man and actor.

[@dautrogomes6811]

In fact ... he was even better!

[@gregmaxwell9584]

Laurie N. commented: what kind of bugs me about this show is that the ollie character threatens to kill the female character but in the end the attitude is "yeah! they wound up together!" ...Laurie, that's actually an indispensable scene. Ollie makes his threat after being humiliated and told that it was Babe's idea to deceive him about wanting marriage just for a laugh. But Babe, drunk and in reality unaware of the horrible prank only replies that death is what she prays for. "Ollie I don't know why you want to kill me. But I know why I want to die". Right there is the very beating heart of this story. A shattered human heart. Babe has never recovered from the shock and guilt of her beloved husband's sudden death. Yes the two characters "wind up together" - as we learn in the closing narration (echoing the opening voiceover - both with some very atmospheric Silliphant poetry). But we don't know if it will be a successful pairing. Ollie says "I love you Babe". She only smiles in return. And the final imagery of the empty rodeo arena leaves viewers to wonder about what their future might be.

[@petermorley3910]

Greg, years ago I pointed out (almost word for word) the same things you are noting, in a post on a very long-running Route 66 discussion forum. This very morning on that forum I also added an observation you may appreciate. It pertains to an earlier scene in the episode. Babe mourns her late husband on their anniversary. Alone in her trailer, she plays a record of what we presume is their wedding ceremony The minister's voice intones about "understanding the ring's deep symbolism, in form and substance alike; their very significance. In form they bespeak the endless ties which now link your lives together. And in substance they tell the preciousness of love, the human heart...and hope." Babe offers a drunken toast to these words, as the recording continues with a different voice; the grand introduction of "the equestrian performance of the century, an act which has startled and entertained thousands throughout Europe and South America, brought to this country for the very first time. The famous Hunters. Albert and Babette and their magnificent trained horses!" Although Ollie seems to have his head together more than Babe does, he has sunken to being a clown in Joe Wylie's admittedly second rate rodeo - where she is now Joe's stunt rider. Both are physically maimed, he now missing a hand which ended a career as a champion rider. She now in the grip of alcohol after an illustrious partnership with the suddenly departed "Al". Their story ends with the closing narration Keith transcribed - hopeful that they will forge a new union and a second chance. But uncertain.

[@justthink5854]

we do know. they both saw each other at their bottom and chose to live. they made it together.

[@justthink5854]

@@petermorley3910 no you're wrong. we do know. they both saw each other at their bottom and chose to live. they made it together.

[@craig1974]

I am suprised that nobody caught that the character Mr. Wylie in the scene at 8:17 was played by actor Denver Pyle who was best known as character Uncle Jesse from The Dukes Of Hazzard.

[@ellentuton7642]

Mr Darling , Andy Griffith

[@tessaducek5601]

Caught it.

[@johnmurphy2113]

I caught that

[@dautrogomes6811]

Albert Salmi, é um homem que não existe mais... Ele era intenso, maior que a vida.

[@jameslarkin6267]

Aired 1/19/62.😎🛣

[@dautrogomes6811]

Comovente, belo filme. Obrigado por postar. Albert Salmi, sendo Albert Salmi. Que falta ele faz...

[@dautrogomes6811]

Albert Salmi, uma estrela da vida inteira.

[@toyman81]

When life was a little simpler to understand.

[@ellentuton7642]

Ben Johnson white / blonde hair.

[@deniseharris4631]

Hoping someone reading this can help. I used to have nightmares from the credits of Route 66 and Big G - which was the rename in the UK of a programme originally called Empire in the US ! I thought I was 4 at the time but found out in April I was not quite 3! There was a scene that used to appear at the end of the credits of both programmes, I think with a shouty word. A long word was displayed at the bottom of the screen and I think a man, woman and dog crossing the road left to right of the screen diagonally above! I remembered the theme tune of Route 66 and the advert break picture for Big G! I think Big G was shouted out at the beginning of the programme! Too young to remember the actual programmes! But I would like to face what frightened me! Thanks to KZbin have been able to face other credits, tunes on shows that gave me nightmares! Would appreciate any enlightenment on the startling extra end credit above! Was it only in the UK or only for a while?! Also would really appreciate seeing opening and closing credits for Big G as it was in the UK! Have already messaged the people who have put Empire on KZbin about these! But if anyone can help on this also, it wd be fantastic!

[@justthink5854]

hope you're able now to watch the many episodes of this timeless show. Marharis is still with us.

[@deniseharris4631]

@@justthink5854 thank you for your reply! I knew he was up till about Octobet 21! I am still on the look out for those Big G opening and closing credits as the Empire ones aren't what I would have seen as a young child in the UK! Also looking out for an episode of Kentucky Jones in English with full opening and closing credits!

[@justthink5854]

@@deniseharris4631 well the opening of Rt 66 is one of the best. again, i hope you find and look at the many episodes. time capsules. the summer of 69 i worked the chutes moving quivering 6' high at the shoulder brahmas at the Mesquite rodeo. Slim Pickins was a real rodeo clown, a very dangerous job, and the great Ben Johnson who was to win an oscar for his role in The Last Picture Show was a rodeo star and stunt man as well before he became a movie star.

[@toyman81]

@@justthink5854 Sadly he passed.

[@justthink5854]

@@toyman81 not sad. George was 94! btw he was a wonderful painter too. summer of 69 i worked the chutes moving quivering 6' high at the shoulder brahmas at the Mesquite rodeo. Slim Pickins was a rodeo clown a very dangerous job and the great Ben Johnson, who was to win an oscar for his role in The Last Picture Show, was a rodeo star as well.

[@weedme4932]

A REAL COWBOYS COWBOY SLIM PICKENS 🤠 Weed Me

[@czechsmix999]

Isn't the rodeo boss man the guy who played Gidget's Dad?

[@stevedesjardins4195]

Denver Pyle I think

[@newspapergirl63]

what kind of bugs me about this show is that the ollie character threatens to kill the female character but in the end the attitude is "yeah! they wound up together!"

[@rebeccaquartieri5509]

Don't they have a backstory, a history together?

[@V8_screw_electric_cars]

Slim Pickens

[@czechsmix999]

Oh my gosh, Slim Pickens looks so young! I discovered this show in 2012 while on vacation at the beach. The TV was on is the room. I was a baby and a toddler when "Route 66" was made, and I never saw any reruns. It's a wonderful show and highly underrated!

[@howardacquistapace5084]

Czechsmix i have always dug route 66 and a few others from 60's- -Fugitive -Run for Your Life and a couple Quinm-Marrtin productions like Invaders. positive human story dramas with real life possibilities of true giving/helping others with some redemptive-like themes. ...SOMETHING LIKE THAT. esp. with good writing by the likes of 66's STIRLING SILIPHANT. Human life possibilities as in 50's movie starring Marlon Brando ON the WATERFRONT worth watching BCUZ leaves you with SOMETHING almost like EXPERIENCE. and 'nothing like experience'

[@ellentuton7642]

She sure was a hard looking woman!

[@ascendediam]

Wacko

[@spactick]

why in the world would they have devoted one of the programs to being cruel? don't get it

[@toyman81]

But was it not a great episode.

[@spactick]

I wrote that a little premature. After seeing the ending (which always ends happily) I understood Silliphant's reason