Written by WILLIAM KELLEY Directed by JERRY THORPE Guest Cast WILLIAM SMITH as LUTHER STAGGERS GILBERT ROLAND as PADRE BRADANZA LEE PAUL as GILCHRIST CHARLES DIERKOP as TRAPHAGEN PEPE SERNA as LOS VIDRIOS VICTOR MILLAN as PADRE BENITO VICTOR ARCO as DIAZ STAFFORD REPP as FATHER CLANCY STEVE CHAMBERS as KUNKEL RICHARD HURST as TUBBS CLAY TANNER as THE MARSHAL YUKI SHIMADA as 1ST GUARD

William Smith in "The Chalice"

Gilbert Roland as Padre Bradanza

David Carradine as Caine

William Smith as Capt. Luther Staggers

Lee Paul as Gilchrist

Caine (David Carradine) witnesses the murder and robbery of Padre Benito by the Gilchrist gang.  With his dying words, the padre begs Caine to save his soul by returning the stolen gold chalice to the Franciscan mission.  He made the chalice himself and then stole it.  When Caine brings the news of the padre's death to Padre Bradanza, he recognizes the men Caine describes as the Gilchrist gang.  He warns Caine that the gang has also stolen a Gatling Gun.  In the meantime, Luther Staggers has discovered that the Gatling gun he bought to take with him to Mexico has been accidentally delivered to the mission and then stolen.   A former Confederate Captain, Staggers declares that he has lost one war, now he has a chance to aid the cause of his fellow man below the border.  He also goes after the Gilchrist gang.

Gilchrist steals the chalice

Expressing  dissatisfaction with the freight company service

Retrieving the Gatling gun

Pinning down the gang

Caine lets the gang think there might be a big reward for the chalice.  Three of them start off with him for the mission leaving only one to guard the gun.  Staggers takes the opportunity to take back his gun.  Hearing gunfire, the other three rush back only to discover their opponent is the formidable Staggers.  He pins them down with the Gatling gun.  They try to surrender and trade the chalice for their lives.   Staggers decides to test the gun on them but is thwarted by Caine.  He asks Caine "you really fixin' to try an' stop me with nothin' in your hand but fingers?".  When Staggers regains consciousness, Caine is jamming the gun's mechanism with dirt.  Staggers vows to get restitution for the gun. Caine tells him he will capture the gang, recover the chalice and give Staggers the rewards  When Caine does just that, Staggers decides instead of killing him, he'll give Caine the option of joining him to fight in  Mexico.  Caine refuses.

Staggers has a special weapon made, three heavy lengths of chain attached to a wrist strap that a lesser man couldn't even maneuver.  He rides his horse into the church, takes the chalice at gunpoint and demands that Caine come out and fight him.  We need not go on.

As  usual the episode was interspersed with a parallel story of Caine's youth.  But William Smith wasn't in that, so we don't care.  If you do, or if you have another comment, contact us at: niteowls@williamsmith.org

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