LAREDO was a humorous oater lasting two seasons and 56 episodes on NBC, the central trio of Texas Rangers featuring Neville Brand as Reese Bennett, LAWMAN's Peter Brown as Chad Cooper, and William Smith as Joe Riley, commanded by Philip Carey as Captain Edward Parmalee. "Sound of Terror" guest stars the legendary John Carradine as Professor Paracelsus Smythe, proprietor of a traveling Chamber of Horrors, also boasting the one time only presence of soon to be STAR TREK Chief Surgeon DeForest Kelley fittingly cast as town physician Dr. David Ingram. The thrust of this gloomy story is driven by Tom Simcox as Shamus McCloud, newly arrived in Laredo with knife grinder Ernie Venner (Kay E. Kuter), who learns of his brother's unexpected demise from Dr. Ingram, who kept it quiet to prevent a cholera panic. Reese Bennett is forced to intercede when McCloud makes clear his displeasure with the doctor's diagnosis, and before dawn Ingram finds his dog strangled to death and eager to blame his Irish assailant. Joe Riley also has his problems, threatened by card cheat Spence Gillis (Harry Lauter), in a hurry to collect and move on to more pigeons, later found strangled with every penny still untouched in his wallet. Riley's annoyance with Gillis' whistling puts him down as a suspect, the dog's howling placed him in danger, a tea kettle and a flute signaling more mayhem, to the chagrin of Carradine's Prof. Smythe, admitting that business has been disappointing since he arrived: "who is interested in the great crimes of the past when they are part of one in the here and now!" A Western whodunit tinged with horror is not a bad idea, but Kelley's short tempered doctor and Carradine's general lack of involvement help this peter out before the climax.
4 Reviews
A Very Good Mystery Thriller
zardoz-1315 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
A killer is walking the streets of Laredo, and nobody can figure out his identity in this second season episode. My only complaint about the resolution of the mystery is that we are allowed to discover it for ourselves, but "Heldorado" director William Whitney and prolific television scribe John McGreevey reveal it to us near the end. Brawny sailor Shamus McCloud (Tom Simcox of "Shenandoah") hitches a ride with a knife sharpener to Laredo to meet his brother. However, when McCloud learns about the odd circumstances surrounding his younger brother's demise, he storms over to the local saloon and starts a fight with town doctor David Ingram (DeForest Kelly of "Star Trek") because he didn't know what exactly killed his brother. Ingram was convinced that the sailor died from cholera, and he did his best to hush up the death and bury the man before a panic occurred. Naturally, Shamus doesn't like this, and he punches out Ingram. Later, during the night, Ingram's big yellow dog is howling until somebody kills him. Whitney relies on an old optical trick to create the sensation of evil. Apparently, if you shoot a mirror, you can create a weird looking image, strange enough to be alarming. Thereafter, every time that somebody dies, we are shown this weird mirror optical. Ingram accuses Shamus of killing his dog.
Meanwhile, Joe Riley (William Smith of "Any Which Way You Can") finds himself in debt to a cardsharp, Spencer Gillis (Harry Lauter of "The Big Heat"), and he goes to Gillis' hotel room to settle up. Instead, he discovers that Gillis has been gambling with a marked deck, but Gillis winds up dead, too. Several other people bite the dust before our heroic trio figure out the mystery and the identity of the killer. Like any good mystery, the clues are inconspicuous from the start, which adds to the excellence. Of course, Reese (Neville Brand of "Five Days from Home") provides much needed comic relief, while Captain Parmalee (Philip Carey) is still tight-lipped and authoritative throughout the episode. Incidentally, one of the deceased is none other than the Folger's Coffee lady Virginia Christine.
Altogether, "The Sound of Terror" lives up to its title.
Meanwhile, Joe Riley (William Smith of "Any Which Way You Can") finds himself in debt to a cardsharp, Spencer Gillis (Harry Lauter of "The Big Heat"), and he goes to Gillis' hotel room to settle up. Instead, he discovers that Gillis has been gambling with a marked deck, but Gillis winds up dead, too. Several other people bite the dust before our heroic trio figure out the mystery and the identity of the killer. Like any good mystery, the clues are inconspicuous from the start, which adds to the excellence. Of course, Reese (Neville Brand of "Five Days from Home") provides much needed comic relief, while Captain Parmalee (Philip Carey) is still tight-lipped and authoritative throughout the episode. Incidentally, one of the deceased is none other than the Folger's Coffee lady Virginia Christine.
Altogether, "The Sound of Terror" lives up to its title.
Who Is Killing the Cast of Laredo?
wes-connors27 December 2008
A serial killer is loose in Laredo, which sets Reese (Neville Brand), Chad (Peter Brown), and Capt. Parmalee (Philip Carey) sleuthing. Joe (William Smith) is a suspect, having suffered gambling loses to Harry Lauter (as Spence Gillis), an early victim. A more likely suspect may be John Carradine (as Professor Paracelsus Smythe), who arrives with his "Traveling Museum of Horrors".
Soon, suspicions fall mainly in Irishman Tom Simcox (as Shamus McCloud), in town to meet his dead brother. But, as the bodies pile up, temple-scarred doctor DeForest Kelly (as David Ingram) moves up the suspect list. Could it be beautiful blonde Laraine Stephens (as Barbara Halsey), or couldn't it?
The clue about each murder being accompanied by a strange sound gives the episode its title. The strange sounds, illustrated by a weird special effect, are annoying indeed. This is an unconvincing novelty episode. Soon after this appearance, Mr. Kelly found a "Wagon Train" to the stars ("Star Trek").
*** Sound of Terror (4/7/66) William Witney ~ Tom Simcox, DeForest Kelly, John Carradine
Soon, suspicions fall mainly in Irishman Tom Simcox (as Shamus McCloud), in town to meet his dead brother. But, as the bodies pile up, temple-scarred doctor DeForest Kelly (as David Ingram) moves up the suspect list. Could it be beautiful blonde Laraine Stephens (as Barbara Halsey), or couldn't it?
The clue about each murder being accompanied by a strange sound gives the episode its title. The strange sounds, illustrated by a weird special effect, are annoying indeed. This is an unconvincing novelty episode. Soon after this appearance, Mr. Kelly found a "Wagon Train" to the stars ("Star Trek").
*** Sound of Terror (4/7/66) William Witney ~ Tom Simcox, DeForest Kelly, John Carradine
Gothic Laredo
bkoganbing4 December 2016
This episode of Laredo goes into the Gothic horror genre with the usual Laredo rambunctious comedy when a series of murders occurs in the town. We're given enough red herrings in this to fill a fish market. William Smith is even a suspect for a while.
Sailor Tom Simcox comes looking for his brother who he is told has died and he blames Dr. DeForest Kelley for the death. William Smith loses heavy to tinhorn gambler Harry Lauter. John Carradine comes with his medicine show exhibit of famous murders. All are guests at the hotel run by Virginia Christine and her daughter Laraine Stephens.
Before the show is over two of these cast members die and of course the Rangers are wild with speculation. I won't say who, but it is for a reason none of them conceive until the very end of the show.
This might have played better as a dramatic piece. The regulars are their usual selves, but it doesn't quite gel for me.
Sailor Tom Simcox comes looking for his brother who he is told has died and he blames Dr. DeForest Kelley for the death. William Smith loses heavy to tinhorn gambler Harry Lauter. John Carradine comes with his medicine show exhibit of famous murders. All are guests at the hotel run by Virginia Christine and her daughter Laraine Stephens.
Before the show is over two of these cast members die and of course the Rangers are wild with speculation. I won't say who, but it is for a reason none of them conceive until the very end of the show.
This might have played better as a dramatic piece. The regulars are their usual selves, but it doesn't quite gel for me.
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