SEASON ONE
1958 - 1959
#22 - "The Chef"
The Chef is not one of the funniest of the lighter Lawman episodes. Hans the chef has been drawing a big crowd since he came to Laramie. He's just accepted a partnership in the restaurant when Mary and Ira Young demand that he honor his contract to work for them as their private chef. Dan helps Hans figure a way out or his contract which involves the liberal use of pepper sauce at a private dinner the Youngs put on for the governor.
Original air date Mar 1, 1959
Directed by Stuart Heisler
Teleplay by Edmund Morris

Regular Cast
John Russell as Dan Troop
Peter Brown as Johnny McKay

Guest Cast
Sig Ruman as Hans Steinmayer
Lee Patrick as Mary Young
John Doucette as Ira Young
Byron Foulger as Harry Dorn
Harry Cheshire as Judge Trager
Charles Meredith as Governor
Jean Harvey as Governor's wife
The biggest weakness in this episode is that it put too much burden on John Russell to play opposite a character who went for very broad humor. We absolutely loved Russell but in the lighter Lawman episodes, he was best staying back with an ironic comment or sardonic smile and leaving the light touch to Peter. He lacked Russell's steely gaze but was a more flexible actor as shown in his later career, where he fit seamlessly into the differing rhythms of a number of genres.
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