Escape - Command

Escape's "Command" was adapted from the short story by James Warner Bellah, which first appeared in The Saturday Evening Post on June 8, 1946. You can find it in The Saturday Evening Post Stories (1946), and it is also available online through Google Books.

William N. Robson adapted "Command" for Escape and also produced and directed this episode. He made a few changes to the story, but his adaptation and added dialogue are admirable. Several years later, Robson also presented "Command" on Suspense.

The episode opens somewhere on the Great Plains as Captain Brittles and his men come across the remains of the cavalry unit they have been sent to find. Lt. Flintridge Cohill, second in command, doesn't agree with the way Captain Brittles handles the situation. He thinks that the old man is dodging the real action and wasting time following strict cavalry procedures. Cohill believes that he knows better. Does he? Captain Brittles doesn't think so, and he does his best to correct Cohill's thinking.

"Command" was first presented on December 26, 1949, but attempts to locate that broadcast were unsuccessful. It appears to be among their lost episodes.

Fortunately, Escape presented this story a second time on May 26, 1950. Harry Bartell played Lt. Cohill, John Hoyt played Capt. Brittles, Wally Maher played Sgt. Utterback, and Paul Frees played Sarver. Also appearing were David Ellis, Walter Burke, and Hugh Thomas.

. Download Escape_1950.05.26_Command

"Command" was also presented on Suspense on September 14, 1958. The audio quality isn't as good, but the performances are. The script is the same, but Suspense's version is different from Escape's. Television actor Richard Anderson starred. Also appearing were William Conrad, Joe De Santis, Alan Manson, Sam Edwards, Bill Quinn, and Chestor Stratton.  

. Download Suspense_1958-09-14_Command 

(Image from Wikipedia)

Comments

[Tom Gabriel]

Always a pleasure to see an episode I've never heard from Escape, but this one was rather special to me. I read the names Captain Brittles and Lieutenant Cohill, and they immediately struck a chord in my memory. They are two major characters in John Ford's classic cavalry Western, "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949), one of my favorite films. No less than the legendary John Wayne played Captain Nathan Brittles in this film, and it was one of his best roles and finest performances. The young movie heartthrob of the late '40s, John Agar, played 1st Lieutenant Cohill. I don't recognize much familiarity in the plot of the Escape episode when comparing it to the film, but it will be fun to listen and compare the two. I haven't even gotten around to listening to the episode yet as I was so intrigued by the links to the film that I had to post this right away!

[Cmillinsf]

Thanks for letting us know. I looked at the imdb record and James Warner Bellah is one of the writers. The plot sounds entirely different though. I'll have to watch the movie! Best, - Christine