A Bitter Heritage

"**A Bitter Heritage**"
"A Bitter Heritage"
Playhouse 90 episodes
	Franchot Tone and Eva LeGallienne in A Bitter Heritage
Episode nos.	Season 2; Episodes 40
Directed by	Paul Wendkos
Written by	Joseph Landon
Original air date	August 7, 1958
Guest appearances
	Elizabeth Montgomery as Mary Brecker; James Drury as Jesse James Jr.; Franchot Tone as Frank James;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Great Gatsby"	Next →; "The Plot To Kill Stalin"

"A Bitter Heritage" was an American television film broadcast on April 17, 1958, and again on August 7, 1958 as part of the second season of the CBS television series Playhouse 90. Joseph Landon wrote the teleplay and Paul Wendkos directed. Elizabeth Montgomery, James Drury, and Franchot Tone.

Plot

Following the death of Jesse James, his peace-loving, law-abiding son, Jesse Jr., and his uncle Frank return to the family's home town, hoping to live peaceably and raise horses.^[2]^[3] The daughter of a town leader, Mary Brecker, is attracted to Jesse Jr.^[4] They are ambushed by Tom Barnes, whose father was killed by Jesse Sr.^[2] They are also framed for a bank robbery and chased by a posse.^[1]

Cast

The following performers received screen credit for their performances:^[1]^[4]

Elizabeth Montgomery - Mary Brecker
James Drury - Jesse James Jr.
Franchot Tone - Frank James
Robert Middleton - Luke Crocker
Henry Hull - Old Henry
Eva LaGalliene - Grandma James
Dayton Lummis - Colonel Brecker
Strother Martin - Earle Wheeler
Denver Pyle - Sam Wheeler
Russell Thorson - Sheriff Piets

Production

The film was a Screen Gems production with Winston O'Keefe as the producer. Paul Wendkos directed, and Joseph Landon wrote the script.^[1] It was broadcast on Thursday, August 7, 1958, as part of the CBS television series Playhouse 90.^[1]

The production starred Elizabeth Montgomery as Mary Brecker, James Drury as Jesse Jr., and Franchot Tone as Frank James. Montgomery (later famous for her work on the television series Bewitched) auditioned for the role without the knowledge of her father, actor Robert Montgomery. Montgomery noted at the time, "Contrary to the old saw about 'knowing somebody', I've found that being the daughter of a famous father can be a hindrance sometimes, too."^[5]

Ethel Barrymore had signed to play Grandma James, but she broke her arm and was replaced by Eva LaGalliene.^[6]

Reception

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Playhouse 90, Season 2". Classic TV Archive. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Jesse James' Peace-Loving Son Faces Father's Enemy". Port Huron Times Herald. August 2, 1958 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Playhouse 90". The Sacramento Bee. August 7, 1958. p. C6.
^ ^a ^b "Franchot Tone Takes Lead In '90' Play; Eva Le Gallienne Cast In Guest Role". The Daily Herald. August 4, 1958. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "'Experience Is Not Inherited'". San Francisco Examiner. August 7, 1958 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Eva Goes From a Nun to Jesse James' Ma". Mirror News. April 17, 1958. p. II-3 – via Newspapers.com.

[CTVA-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Playhouse 90, Season 2". Classic TV Archive. Retrieved February 21, 2021.

[PHTH-2] "Jesse James' Peace-Loving Son Faces Father's Enemy". Port Huron Times Herald. August 2, 1958 – via Newspapers.com.

[3] "Playhouse 90". The Sacramento Bee. August 7, 1958. p. C6.

[DH58-4] "Franchot Tone Takes Lead In '90' Play; Eva Le Gallienne Cast In Guest Role". The Daily Herald. August 4, 1958. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.

[5] "'Experience Is Not Inherited'". San Francisco Examiner. August 7, 1958 – via Newspapers.com.

[6] "Eva Goes From a Nun to Jesse James' Ma". Mirror News. April 17, 1958. p. II-3 – via Newspapers.com.

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Season 1	"Forbidden Area" "Requiem for a Heavyweight" "Sizeman and Son" "Rendezvous in Black" "The Country Husband" "The Big Slide" "Heritage of Anger" "Eloise" "Confession" "Made in Heaven" "Sincerely, Willis Wade" "The Family Nobody Wanted" "Massacre at Sand Creek" "Snowshoes: A Comedy of People and Horses" "The Ninth Day" "So Soon to Die" "The Star Wagon" "The Greer Case" "The Miracle Worker" "The Comedian" "The Coat of White" "The Blackwell Story" "Invitation to a Gunfighter" "The Last Tycoon" "The Hostess with the Mostes'" "Charley's Aunt" "Clipper Ship" "If You Know Elizabeth" "Three Men on a Horse" "Four Women in Black" "Child of Trouble" "Homeward Borne" "Helen Morgan" "Winter Dreams" "Circle of the Day" "Without Incident" "Clash by Night" "Ain't No Time for Glory" "The Fabulous Irishman"
Season 2	"The Death of Manolete" "The Dark Side of the Earth" "Topaze" "A Sound of Different Drummers" "The Playroom" "Around the World in 90 Minutes" "The Mystery of Thirteen" "The Edge of Innocence" "The Clouded Image" "The Jet Propelled Couch" "The Troublemakers" "Panic Button" "Galvanized Yankee" "The Thundering Wave" "For I Have Loved Strangers" "The Lone Woman" "Reunion" "The Last Man" "The 80 Yard Run" "Before I Die" "The Gentleman From Seventh Avenue" "The Violent Heart" "No Time at All" "Point of No Return" "Portrait of a Murderer" "The Last Clear Chance" "The Male Animal" "The Right Hand Man" "Turn Left at Mount Everest" "The Dungeon" "Verdict of Three" "Rumors of Evening" "Not the Glory" "Nightmare at Ground Zero" "Bomber's Moon" "Natchez" "The Innocent Sleep" "A Town Has Turned to Dust" "The Great Gatsby" "A Bitter Heritage"
Season 3	"The Plot to Kill Stalin" "Days of Wine and Roses" "The Time of Your Life" "The Long March" "Shadows Tremble" "Word From a Sealed-Off Box" "Heart of Darkness" "Old Man" "The Return of Ansel Gibbs" "Free Weekend" "Seven Against the Wall" "The Nutcracker" "Face of a Hero" "The Wings of the Dove" "The Blue Men" "The Velvet Alley" "A Quiet Game of Cards" "Child of Our Time" "The Second Man" "The Raider" "The Dingaling Girl" "Made in Japan" "For Whom the Bell Tolls" "A Trip to Paradise" "In Lonely Expectation" "The Day Before Atlanta" "Judgment at Nuremberg" "A Corner of the Garden" "Dark December" "Diary of a Nurse" "A Marriage of Strangers" "Out of Dust" "The Rank and File" "The Killers of Mussolini" "Project Immortality" "Dark as the Night" "The Second Happiest Day"
Season 4	"Target for Three" "The Sounds of Eden" "Misalliance" "The Hidden Image" "The Grey Nurse Said Nothing" "The Tunnel" "The Silver Whistle" "A Dream of Treason" "To the Sound of Trumpets" "The Cruel Day" "Tomorrow" "The Hiding Place" "Alas, Babylon" "Journey to the Day" "The Shape of the River" "In the Presence of Mine Enemies"
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