Lancer Episode Guide

FIRST SEASON

1. Pilot (AKA the High Riders, AKA The Homecoming)

Guest Stars: Joe Don Baker, Anthony Caruso, Sean McClory

There are two versions of the Pilot episode.  'The High Riders' was filmed in black and white, while the second 'The Homecoming', and more commonly remembered by fans was in colour.  Both versions are worth watching because of the missing/added scenes.

Patriarch of the Lancer Ranch, widower Murdoch Lancer finds his property increasingly threatened by raiders and land poachers.  He uses the Pinkerton Agency to locate his two estranged sons.  Scott has lived in cities all his life, while Johnny has carved out a reputation as a gunfighter.  He lures them home with a promise of a one-third interest in the ranch.

2.  The Lawman

Guest Stars: James Gregory

A friend from Murdoch's past, now a Marshall, arrives at the ranch with a prisoner he and his guards are escorting to jail..  With thoughts of retiring, and calling on Murdoch's promise of a share of the ranch,  he finds that is no longer the case now that Scott and Johnny are around.  The Marshall lets the prisoner escape, but a guard is killed and Johnny is blamed for the murder.  Murdoch and Scott set out to prove Johnny's innocence.

3. Blood Rock

Guest Stars: J.D. Cannon, Barry Williams

The ten year old son of an outlaw wants to follow in his father's footsteps even though they've never met.  Murdoch, with Scott's help, wants to reunite the family, but the local Sheriff plans to use the Lancers in his plan to capture the outlaw.

4. Chase a Wild Horse

Guest Stars: Robert Wilkie, James Gammon, Paul Carr, Vaughan Taylor

Some cattle die after going through a section of broken fence Johnny was supposed to repair. When Murdoch finds Johnny was off chasing a wild stallion instead of working, they argue.   Johnny and a ranch hand, Wes, take off. A stranger, Striker and his sons were also chasing the same horses on Lancer land and Johnny defends himself by shooting one of the sons.  The son later dies and Striker returns to Lancer, seeking revenge.

5. Last Train for Charlie Poe

Guest Stars: Harold Gould

Johnny and Scott decide to hold up a train to help prevent their friend's land eviction.

6.  The Escape

Guest Stars: Linda (Day) George, Dan Triavanti, Wayne Rogers

An Army officer from Scott's past arrives, wanting revenge for a failed wartime prison break.

7.  Julie

Guest Stars: Susan Strasberg, Bruce Dern

Two bounty hunters claim that Scott is responsible for a Denver murder and robbery.  With Scott locked in jail, Johnny goes after Julie, whose brother is the real murderer.

8.  Glory

Guest Stars:  Brenda Scott

A con-artist, in the shape of a young female tries to con money out of the Lancers.

9. The Prodigal

Guest Stars: Johnny Crawford

A woman from Murdoch's past seeks a new chance for her and her son at Lancer.

10.  Foley

Guest Stars:  R.G. Armstrong, Lynn Loring, Don Quine

Scott unwittingly involves the Lancers in a family dispute with an infamous outlaw and the pregnant wife of his dead son. Johnny recognizes her as a woman with a past and from his past.

11.  The Heart of Pony Alice

Guest Stars:  Andrew Prine, Eve Plumb, Jeanne Cooper, James Griffith, Tom Fadden

Johnny unknowingly buys an old nag.  He heads out to get his money back, but returns with the trader's niece instead.

12.  The Wedding

Guest Stars:

The future bride of one of Murdoch's hands is abducted.

13.  The Black McGloins Party

Guest Stars:  Stephanie Powers, Jonathan Harris

An Irishman, with the help of his attractive daughter, set out to con Scott.

14.  The Fixit Man

Guest Stars:

Spanish Wells needs a jail and marshal. The Lancers, with the help of an old man, decide to get both for the town.

15.  Jelly

Guest Stars:  Paul Brinegar, Ron Howard

While taking care of eight orphans, Jelly witnesses a bank robbery.  He hides a sack of money dropped by the robbers. and pretends to have been injured. The Lancers take him to the ranch to recover.  Johnny joins the posse and is shot.

16.  Death Bait

Guest Stars:  James Olson

A man from Jelly's past terrifies Jelly, Murdoch and Teresa.

17.  Yesterday's Vengeance

Guest Stars:  Teresa Wright Lin McCarthy

Johnny and Scott search for a missing Murdoch after reading a note he left about a grudge he had with a woman's husband.

18.  Knot

Guest Stars:  Martin Sheen, Tom Skerritt, Wright King, Richard X. Slattery

Scott and Teresa are ambushed and Teresa is taken hostage.  Scott is shot and manages to make his way to the ranch.  Murdoch and Scott head out to locate her.

19.  Warburton's Edge

Guest Stars:  Arthur Hill, Susan O'Connell, Burr De Benning, Richard Devon

Johnny assumes his Johnny Madrid identity and joins a group of old friends working for Warburton who wants to drove his herd of cattle to the railhead. The local ranchers, including Murdoch, intend to stop him, possibly starting a range war.  Murdoch, as leader of the ranchers, is a prime target .  Warburton's daughter soon falls for Johnny.  When push comes to shove, Johnny realizes he's more Lancer than Madrid.

20.  Angel Day and her Sunshine Gals

Guest Stars:  Cloris Leachman, Carl Bolton, Mark Richman

Angel Day arrives at Lancer, claiming to be Teresa's mother.  Aware that the Lancers are fond of Teresa, Angel's husband tries to extort money from them.

21.  The Great Humbug

Guest Stars:  William Windom

Medicine quack Claude Buttermore repays Scott's kindness by conning the Lancers in a phony land boom.

22.  Child of Rock and Sunlight

Guest Stars:  Johnny Whitaker, Rex Holman

The nephew of a wanted outlaw rescues Scott. He takes Scott, who was nearly dead from thirst and blinded by the sun, to his grandmother's cabin.

23. Camp Juniper

Guest Stars:  Shelly Fabrares

The boys rush to the aid of a woman, they believe is in trouble.  For their efforts they are beat up and thrown in jail.

24.  Man Without a Gun

Guest Stars:  Warren Oates, Guy Stockwell

The position of town sheriff is up for renewal.  The current sheriff is injured and a new man is takes over.  Johnny is the only one suspicious when the sheriff declares the town a gun free zone.

25.  The Measure of a Man

Guest Stars:  Julie Sommars, Ron Howard, Victor French, Craig Hundley

Johnny becomes a teacher and tries to help the pretty teacher with two male students who don't want to be a the school.  He also has to deal with the student's fathers.

26.  The Devil's Blessing

Guest Stars:  Noah Berry, Joseph Campnella, Beverly Garland

While on a cattle buying trip, Murdoch is robbed.  The boys go looking for him.

SECOND SEASON

27.  Blind Man's Bluff

Guest Stars:  Melinda Murphy

Johnny is watering his horse and is shot by a sniper.  The bullet creases his head, blinding him.  He is rescued and cared for by, Mattie, a mute girl.  Murdoch and Scott come to the rescue and take both to the ranch. 

28.  The Lorelei

Guest Stars: 

Jelly wins a gold mine in a card game.  The mine is loaded with gold, but if he uses dynamite, the Lancers will lose their water supply.

29.  Zee

Guest Stars:  Stephanie Powers

Scott is given the responsibility of looking after Zee.  Her father, a notorious outlaw comes for her.

30.  Legacy

Guest Stars: 

Scott's grandfather arrives to take him home to Boston. Knowing that Scott doesn't want to leave, Johnny is surprised when Scott says he's going. 

31.  The Kid

Guest Stars:  Billy, Mumy, Bert Freed, Richard X. Slattery, Jennifer Douglas

A young boy asks Johnny to kill the men he believes murdered his father.

32.  Rivals

Guest Stars: 

A man arrives in town, intent on owning all the valley, including the Lancer Ranch.  Only one property remains and the owner, a friend of Murdoch's, is in love with the buyer.

33.  Black Angel

Guest Stars:  Antoinette Bower, Gavin McLeod

A man selling insurance intends scamming Jelly, then killing him off for the money.

34.  Jelly Hoskins, American Dream

Guest Stars: 

Jelly suffers ridicule after he buys a strange looking bull. 

35.  Cut the Wolf Loose

Guest Stars:  Brooke Bundy, Joe Don Baker

Johnny falls hard for a young missionary woman.

36.  The Gifts

Guest Stars:  Sharon Acker, Will Kuluva

It's Murdoch's birthday and Johnny, Scott and Jelly each buy a special gift.

37.  Welcome to Genesis

Guest Stars:  Pernell Roberts

Jelly is mauled by a cougar.  Murdoch and Jelly take him to the nearest town where the only man capable of saving him is locked in jail, accused of medical misconduct.

38.  Little Darling of the Sierras

Guest Stars:  Cloris Leachman

A friend of Murdoch's is dying and asks Murdoch to look after his affairs, which includes his daughter..

39.  Person Unknown

Guest Stars:  Agnes Moorehead, Quentin Dean, Bruce Dern

Johnny and a ranch hand are attacked in town.  Wounded, Johnny is rescued by a young woman and her mother.

40.  Splinter Group

Guest Stars:  Tim O'Connor, Diana Ewing, William Mims

Scott is rescued and repays the favour with a generous gift of supplies.  Unknown to him, the cans of food are contaminated.

41.  Scarecrow at Hackett's

Guest Stars: 

An unusual episode with a man willing his farm to the devil rather than his young son. 

42.  Blue Skies for Willie Sharp

Guest Stars:  Keenan Wynn

Willie Sharpe is the town drunk.  Scott arrives with Sharpe's grandson.

43.  Experiment

Guest Stars:  Scott Marlow

With the reluctant help of the prison board members, Murdoch sets out to introduce a new prison system for first-time offenders. Johnny and Scott decide to see how the experiment is going and offer assistance they think Murdoch will need.

44.  Shadow of a Dead Man

Guest Stars:  Lynn Loring, John Don Baker

Murdoch has Johnny check on a piece of land.  Johnny finds a woman, who claims to be Mrs. Lancer, and her son squatting on the land.  A bounty hunter recognizes Johnny and goes after him.

45.  Goodbye Lizzie

Guest Stars: 

Murdoch tries to help a woman who has resorted to robbery to keep herself and her child alive.

46.  Chad

Guest Stars:  John Beck, Zina Bethune

Kentucky hillbillies, family feuds and bandits cause trouble for Johnny, especially when he learns they after hunting for Lancer's.

47.  The Lion and the Lamb

Guest Stars: Andrew Prine

Gabe Lincoln saves Johnny from a raging bull.  Johnny returns the favour by helping mind his sheep herd.

48.  Buscaderos

Guest Stars:  Warren Oates

A case of wrong identity sees Scott mistaken for Johnny and held hostage at the ranch.

49.  Lamp in the Wilderness

Guest Stars: 

A woman teacher is fighting a losing battle at the local Indian school.  Murdoch offers to help.

50.  To Dream of Falcons

Guest Stars:  Harold Gould, John Beck, Richard X. Slattery

An eccentric inventor arrives in town, planning to build an aero plane.

51.  Life Line

Guest Stars: 

A fortune teller scams Jelly, telling him he will die soon. Johnny goes to the woman and tells him that she sees Murdoch sprawled face down in a creek bed.

This a work in progress and will be updated a soon as I've watched the episodes in detail.