Der zweite Mann

There's a sleigh of hand in the very title of this show. Note that the name of the show is "The Deputy". This conveniently allowed Fonda to not have to be a major player in all the episodes. Fonda appears in some episodes throughout the show but more likely than not you'll see him only at the beginning and end (usually this is explained by Fonda's Simon Fry character being "out of town")...and I've even seen a few episodes where Fonda doesn't appear at all! Really, the show's more about Allen Case than Fonda, but the Fonda name was there to draw viewers. Other than Fonda's needing money, I doubt there was any reason he'd do TV...particularly in a stock Western like this one. Don't get me wrong: the show's pleasant in a Revue Studios crank-em-out-cookie-cutter way (guess who produced the show?) and the jazz guitar that's going on in the background (sounds like Barney Kessel! cool!) is nice, but the plots are pretty clichéd and you've been there before. I wouldn't call it on the level of Wagon Train, Laramie, Gunsmoke, or The Rifleman, but it's a pleasant show. Just don't expect to see a lot of Fonda in it.

I appeared in this series for one episode, "The Lesson" in 1960. I played Pete Jenkins. I probably went by my stage name at that time, which was Philip Grayson instead of Philip Greisman, the name I used on earlier TV shows. I am trying to find a copy of this show. Would anyone have one? I am also looking for other shows I was on. "U.S. Marshall" (Nine O'Clock Pick-up), "Panic"(Peter and the Tiger), "Checkmate" (Tight As A Drum), a catholic series that used to be shown on Sundays called "This is the Life"(episode #624, Prejudice and The Price Of Friedship), "Official Detective"(The People vs. Al Nickoloff). If anyone knows where I can get copies of any of these shows, please let me know.

Overall, the Deputy is a pretty good Western Show.

Fonda pops in & out at the Show's beginning & end; and the formulaic Story wraps up neatly in the show's half hour .

It's nice to see Hollywood Actors star in many of the Episodes. One episode I watched featured James Colburn.

My biggest negative critique is the jazzy anachronistic Music; more suitable for the Show Peter Gunn and the pool scenes of The Beverly Hillbillies, than a Western.

Besides that, watching a few Episodes isn't too bad a way to kill an hour.

We enjoy the rapport between the stars of the show. Great dialog! Something sadly missing from today's shows. Wish we had more like this show to watch besides the drivel Hollywood puts out now. We need heroes to look up to that don't swear or get naked every chance they get.

I really liked this series. I which they would no more shows like this. Allen Case is great. I know most of these actors are gone. But I think we need more show like this.