Whispering Smith

30min

Western

Whispering Smith is an American Western series that aired on NBC. Based on a 1948 movie, the series stars Audie Murphy as Tom "Whispering" Smith, a police detective in Denver, Colorado. Filming of the series began in 1959, but the program did not air until May 8, 1961, because of unexpected production problems. Whispering Smith combines elements of CBS's Have Gun – Will Travel starring Richard Boone, NBC's Tales of Wells Fargo starring Dale Robertson, the syndicated Shotgun Slade with Scott Brady, and ABC's The Man From Blackhawk, a Stirling Silliphant production starring Robert Rockwell. While the setting of the series is unique, it is otherwise a standard detective program.

Production Companies

Whispering Co.

NBC

Episodes

Cast

The Blind Gun

1. The Blind Gun

30min

8th May 1961

The Grudge

2. The Grudge

30min

15th May 1961

Smith suspects an influential businessman of murdering his brother when he announces he has an iron-clad alibi without being asked.

The Devil's Share

3. The Devil's Share

30min

22nd May 1961

Smitty becomes suspicious when a woman claims to have shot an alleged mugger who is found wearing a distinctive ring but didn't have a mark on his finger showing he wore it for any length of time.

Stakeout

4. Stakeout

30min

29th May 1961

Members of an outlaw gang that George Romack formerly rode with try to blackmail the Denver police detective into assisting them pull a robbery. When Romack refuses to resume his criminal career, the gang abducts his wife to force his cooperation.

Safety Value

5. Safety Value

30min

5th Jun 1961

Stain of Justice

6. Stain of Justice

30min

12th Jun 1961

A stagecoach is held up and a passenger onboard is killed for $5,000.

The Deadliest Weapon

7. The Deadliest Weapon

30min

19th Jun 1961

An English lord who is also a noted poet is hired to recite his poetry at the Denver Opera House as a benefit for the widows and orphans of miners killed in a recent mine disaster.

The Quest

8. The Quest

30min

26th Jun 1961

An alcoholic lawyer who threatened the owner of a casino the night before is framed for his foe's murder.

Three for One

9. Three for One

30min

3rd Jul 1961

A match race between two feuding family's prize horses ends in tragedy when one of the jockeys is shot from the saddle by an unknown assailant.

Death at Even Money

10. Death at Even Money

30min

10th Jul 1961

The Hemp Reeger Case

11. The Hemp Reeger Case

30min

17th Jul 1961

The Mortal Coil

12. The Mortal Coil

30min

24th Jul 1961

Cross Cut

13. Cross Cut

30min

31st Jul 1961

Double Edge

14. Double Edge

30min

7th Aug 1961

The Trademark

15. The Trademark

30min

14th Aug 1961

The Jodie Tyler Story

16. The Jodie Tyler Story

30min

21st Aug 1961

Poet and Peasant Case

17. Poet and Peasant Case

30min

28th Aug 1961

Dark Circle

18. Dark Circle

30min

4th Sep 1961

Swift Justice

19. Swift Justice

30min

11th Sep 1961

The Idol

20. The Idol

30min

18th Sep 1961

Ole Brindessen sees swindler Eddie Royce commit murder.

String of Circumstances

21. String of Circumstances

30min

25th Sep 1961

Smith and Romack investigate a series of bombings that rock Denver. The detectives can find no apparent connection between the two victims, one a mine owner, the other an Irish traveling salesman, until they discover a ball of twine in a popular boarding house that was linked to both crimes.

The Interpreter

22. The Interpreter

30min

2nd Oct 1961

Enrico Spanato, a Sicilian interpreter is accused of killing a fellow Italian by several of the dead man's friends. Although Smith finds evidence that someone might have fired a shot at the interpreter, he can find no one who who will testify that the shooting was self-defense because the Italians in the neighborhood fear the growing power of the Mafia.

The Homeless Wind

23. The Homeless Wind

30min

9th Oct 1961

Whispering Smith captures Sam Chandler, a fugitive near the Mexican border. His plans to return him to Denver where he is wanted for murder are dashed when the two men are captured by Mexican bandits who only keep them alive to serve as personal slaves.

Trial of the Avengers

24. Trial of the Avengers

30min

16th Oct 1961

Smith and Romack have their hands full investigating a violent death that might be murder and dealing with a gang of ex-convicts who have suddenly descended on Denver. The former wards of the state appear to be planning to settle an old score, but who is the would-be victim? And is the gathering related to the late night shooting that Bob Mullet claims was self-defense?

Prayer of a Chance

25. Prayer of a Chance

30min

23rd Oct 1961

Two outlaws steal a valuable jeweled statue from a Catholic church, but the parish priest refuses to give Smith a description of the villains unless he agrees to pursue them unarmed. The Denver detective reluctantly agrees and manages to catches up with the culprits in the desert. Smith begins a deadly game of cat-and-mouse in the middle of the waterless wasteland using canteens of water as deadly weapons.

Hired to Die

26. Hired to Die

30min

30th Oct 1961

A not-so-devoted husband hires a Kansas City killer to travel to Denver to murder his wife when the couple arrive by stagecoach several days later. After the young woman dies, he sets about arranging for his mother's return to England after an absence of 14 years. The older woman, however, becomes suspicious of her doting "son's" true identity.

First air date

8th May 1961

Last air date

30th Oct 1961

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks