I am no crazed animal rights guy, but some of what I heard in this episode of "Cannon" really made me think--and I was shocked at the crazy sort of stuff folks have done to wipe out coyotes! Apparently, traps that explode or shoot cyanide bombs at the poor creatures have been in use for a long time---and that just seems nuts! In this show, they talk about 'coyote getters'--one of these nasty devices and Cannon himself has to be careful he doesn't trigger one of these nasties! The show begins with a Hispanic guy being discovered dead on land covered in coyote getters. At first, it looks like one of them exploded and killed the guy--and the land owner (Phyllis Thaxter) is at fault for not putting up warning signs. But, once Frank Cannon began digging, he realized the man couldn't have died because of these devices--he was murdered. And the trail eventually leads to a different sort of coyote, as folks who are paid to bring illegals over the border are also referred to as 'coyotes'--and this one is indeed a bad person! Overall, a decent episode but one that sure confused me--not because of the plot (it was well written) but because of the very thought of cyanide and explosive devices! Weird but well made.
4 Reviews
GET OFF MY PROPERTY -- OR ELSE!
tcchelsey10 February 2023
There is a strong statement to made here, and yes, I agree with the last reviewer, and it bears mentioning, animal traps that explode or use poison are just plain insane. Applause to writer Arthur Heinemann, who obviously did the research, also into rural settings with such shows as BONANZA and LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE. He is a STAR TREK alumnus.
The catch here is that a human is caught in one of these horrible traps, requiring Cannon to investigate exactly what kind of fiend he is up against. The setting in beautiful Silverton, Colorado, about 300 miles south of Denver. Former MGM star Phyllis Thaxter is quite good in the role of a tough as nails rancher who owns the property where the traps are set, the death of an immigrant front and center. Murder, an accident or what?
A powerful statement worked into a neat whodunit. Thaxter became part of Superman cult history, playing Clark Kent's mother in the original film (1978), and a favorite of Alfred Hitchcock on his tv show for years. Thaxter was also the mom of actress Skye Aubrey.
British actress Pamela Franklin (THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODY) plays Thaxter's daughter, Cindy. Watch for sly, ole Eddie Firestone (as Buck), a master of character roles. His style reminded me of Elisha Cook, Jr at times. Robert Pine, of course, looks right at home as the deputy sheriff. Shades of his future tv cop role.
Check out some truly beautiful scenery. It must have been a labor of love to be an outdoor scout for the show. They did their jobs in spades.
William Conrad and Phyllis Thaxter work very well together, and it shows. Thaxter's first husband was president of CBS TV, so she probably knew Bill Conrad many years, back to his days at Warner Brothers and Columbia Pictures, where he also directed NAKED CITY.
It was superior episodes like this that had the series steadily climbing each week in ratings, on its way to being a Top 10 show.
SEASON 2 EPISODE 6 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set No. 1 of 2. 3 dvds each box. 10 hrs. Each box.
The catch here is that a human is caught in one of these horrible traps, requiring Cannon to investigate exactly what kind of fiend he is up against. The setting in beautiful Silverton, Colorado, about 300 miles south of Denver. Former MGM star Phyllis Thaxter is quite good in the role of a tough as nails rancher who owns the property where the traps are set, the death of an immigrant front and center. Murder, an accident or what?
A powerful statement worked into a neat whodunit. Thaxter became part of Superman cult history, playing Clark Kent's mother in the original film (1978), and a favorite of Alfred Hitchcock on his tv show for years. Thaxter was also the mom of actress Skye Aubrey.
British actress Pamela Franklin (THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODY) plays Thaxter's daughter, Cindy. Watch for sly, ole Eddie Firestone (as Buck), a master of character roles. His style reminded me of Elisha Cook, Jr at times. Robert Pine, of course, looks right at home as the deputy sheriff. Shades of his future tv cop role.
Check out some truly beautiful scenery. It must have been a labor of love to be an outdoor scout for the show. They did their jobs in spades.
William Conrad and Phyllis Thaxter work very well together, and it shows. Thaxter's first husband was president of CBS TV, so she probably knew Bill Conrad many years, back to his days at Warner Brothers and Columbia Pictures, where he also directed NAKED CITY.
It was superior episodes like this that had the series steadily climbing each week in ratings, on its way to being a Top 10 show.
SEASON 2 EPISODE 6 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set No. 1 of 2. 3 dvds each box. 10 hrs. Each box.
The small world of Quinn Martin
perro315-118 July 2018
Interestingly, guest actors Pamela Franklin, Phyllis Thaxter and Robert Pine also turned up together in a (completely unrelated) "Barnaby Jones" episode a few years later! Perhaps they all had fun together, and sought to repeat the experience!
...Colorado location, LA production values...
gclarkbloom30 August 2022
...as a life-long Rocky Mountaineer...there are some absurd decisions by Quinn-Martin which merit note...
...though hoods and gangsters in LA might drive a Lincoln Continental....no one would in Silverton...the Colorado filming location...
...the so-called "coyote getters" explosive devices were never authorized under Colorado law...this gives a false/slanderous image of real-life western grazing operations...
...in the opening scenes, Cannon disembarks from the famous Durango-Silverton Narrow Guage tourist train which runs the short route between Silverton and Durango...even casual viewers would have noticed this inconsistency in 1972...
...the producers at Quinn-Martin were lazy Southern Californians who obviously didn't do any research...and just didn't care who they smeared to "get the episode in the can"...
...though hoods and gangsters in LA might drive a Lincoln Continental....no one would in Silverton...the Colorado filming location...
...the so-called "coyote getters" explosive devices were never authorized under Colorado law...this gives a false/slanderous image of real-life western grazing operations...
...in the opening scenes, Cannon disembarks from the famous Durango-Silverton Narrow Guage tourist train which runs the short route between Silverton and Durango...even casual viewers would have noticed this inconsistency in 1972...
...the producers at Quinn-Martin were lazy Southern Californians who obviously didn't do any research...and just didn't care who they smeared to "get the episode in the can"...
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