A Man Called Shenandoah (TV Series) The Fort (1965) User Reviews

To know Your Name

[mitchrmp · 7/10 · 24 November 2011]

The whole purpose behind this episode was simple: Shenandoah was finally going to get to learn his name when he met up with a Sergeant Ryder; but somehow, once again, that did't happen. Instead, the Sergeant begs Shenandoah to take his wife the $500 and a letter, then SHE would give him the name...

It's always interesting how obstacles seem to get in his way everywhere he goes, isn't it? This episode was a bit darker, in that the Major was convinced Shenandoah was involved in the Apache raid, and he would be shot. Fortunately, as you might guess, a last-minute circumstance stops that from happening, but not before Shenandoah is able to show off his brute stunt techniques.

Another great episode

[gordonl56 · 8/10 · 28 December 2012]

A MAN CALLED SHENANDOAH – The Fort – 1965

This is episode three of the 1965-66 western series, A MAN CALLED SHENANDOAH.

Robert Horton is a man with no memory of his past since a head wound he had gotten in a gunfight.

Horton rides into an Army fort in Arizona Territory. He wants to see a man, Warren Oates, who answered a newspaper ad that Horton had placed. Oates claimed he could identify Horton. Of course there is a problem. Oates is in the fort stockade. He is to be shot the next morning. It seems he and an unknown partner had sold rifles to the Apaches.

The Apaches had then attacked the fort killing several dozen soldiers. The commanding officer of the fort, Edward Binns, has Horton arrested. He must be the unknown partner of Oates. He can join Oates at the firing wall after a quick trial.

Oates tells Binns that Horton is not his partner, and that he will be killing an innocent man. Binns will have none of it. He is angry over the loss of his men and someone must pay. Oates gives Binns a description of his real partner, again, Binns ignores the info. Oates tells Horton that the two of them had been in an Army hospital some years earlier. He does not know his name, but gives Horton the name of a nurse who would.

Next morning, Oates is lined up against the wall and executed. Horton is then marched in front of a court martial. Horton explains that Oates had answered an ad he placed in a Denver paper. He explains he has no memory of the last 6 months. Binns say it is a load of road apples and sentences him to be shot the next morning.

Milton Selzer, the fort medical officer, pays Horton a visit in his cell. He explains that Binns is a by the numbers Army man. He needs to have revenge for his dead men. Horton manages to drop the guard who entered with Selzer. He then ties up Selzer, grabs the guard's rifle and breaks into Binns' office.

Horton again tells Binns he is innocent. Binns refuses to believe a word Horton says. Horton hands over the rifle to Binns. "If you need to kill someone, then do it now! But I am not the man you want!" Binns points the rifle at Horton and waves at the door. "It is time for your execution". As the pair exit the office, a patrol of troopers enters the fort. They have a body with them. The body matches the description Oates gave of his civilian partner perfectly. Binns looks at the corpse, then, at Horton, he then lowers the rifle. He knows Horton is the wrong man.

Horton sets out again to look for who he is, and who he was. This time he goes looking for the nurse Oates told him about.

The director was long serving television helmsman, Don McDougall. The d of p was also a vet television man, Fred Mandl. (b/w)