Universal Studios

Alias Smith and Jones! Season Three, Episode 1 found our paroled boys with a new steam locomotive to play with. Posing grandly for the cameras was Great Western Railroad #75, a 2-8-0 Consolidation built by Baldwin in 1907. Four years after filming wrapped on this show, GWR #75 would again star in the movie, “Breakheart Pass“.

As the end titles briefly state, “Portions of this program were filmed at the Manti-La Sal National Forest in Utah“. Which I had to go look up. Never heard of the place before. Ah! Somewhere down near Arches National Park. We visited Arches back in the mid-1970s on our way to Expo ’74 in Spokane.

Cast changes from the Season One episode I previously reviewed, include Roger Davis replacing Pete Duel as Hannibal Heyes.

Seen here rolling along a scenic D&RGW branch line in Utah, GWR #75 is still with us, although not operational. Her current home is the Heber Valley Railroad where she is approximately 70% through her restoration.

GWR #75 is all tarted up in red and gold accents as she trundles down the siding to take on water. Her tender has been lettered, “Rio Grande Western Ry.” — a nod to the D&RGW rails she is traveling.

Hannibal and Kid Curry (played by Ben Murphy) watch from the weeds as #75 is watered. As the 2-8-0 pulls out, they sprint for an open-door boxcar and climb aboard. (Note the stock car number is reversed — film projected backwards.)

With the lads aboard, the freight heads off. To their astonishment, an old acquaintance is slouched against a crate. Why it’s Chief Clifford from McCloud bumming a ride. The guys are delighted to see him again and chat him up.

The consist they appear to be using is: GWR #75, heavyweight baggage car, heavyweight coach, two DRGW steel boxcars and a DRGW caboose.

Also I’m thinking the above watering scenes might be footage from another movie/TV show as the stock cars appear nowhere else in this feature. OK, back to the train footage…

Rolling through some magnificent Utah scenery, our heroes are being followed by a posse; arriving at “Little Grande”, Harry Briscoe appears to have collared the notorious outlaws Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes — $10,000 reward — Dead or Alive!

Scenic views of the #75: along some tall cliffs; rising up from the weeds; engineer’s view; our only good look at the D&RGW caboose repainted/relettered.

Cameos! Frank Sinatra, Jr. (as Deputy Wermser) is taking the boys to justice. Naturally, they give him the slip; comic relief is provided by Mugs McGeehu [red scarf] (played by Larry Storch). They ditch Mugs and his henchman, too. ;p

Detail shots!

Engineer-eye views, cliff shot and 8 churning, driving wheels.

One more attempt at hitching a ride…which fails. Smith and Jones are reduced to walking the right-of-way. End of train scenes.

Here’s what IMDb has to say about The Long Chase:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0508562/

If you have ANY information about this movie you’d like to share, please contact me at: Lindsay.Korst@gmail.com, or leave a comment.  Thanks and enjoy the blog!

THE END