Bonanza follows the Wild West adventures of the Cartwright family as they face various problems involving themselves and the surrounding community. The forty-sixth episode, The Ape, written by Gene L. Coon, aired on December 17, 1960. 

Arnie Guthrie (Cal Bolder), a hulking, childlike character, can’t control his temper and, worse, is unaware of his strength. After clumsily attempting to seduce saloon girl Shari (Karen Sharpe), Arnie receives criticism from Adam and Joe Cartwright. However, he ends up beating both men! 

Hoss Cartwright (who has also been “misunderstood” because of his bulk) tries to befriend Arnie. However, his attempt to help Arnie channel his strength and hostility into something productive ends with tragic results.

Leonard Nimoy plays Freddie, a dapper bartender, and other actors like Rodolfo Hoyos and Charles Tannen join the cast members for this episode.

Read The Ape‘s storyline plus some exciting trivia, or watch the episode below.

Watch the Full Episode of The Ape

Watch the Full Episode of The Ape:

Main Cast

The Ape, the fourteenth episode of Bonanza’s second season, featured some of the program’s recurring and supporting actors. The actors that made an appearance in this episode include the following:

• Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
• Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
• Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
• Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
• Karen Sharpe as Sheribelle - the Saloon Girl
• Cal Bolder as Arnie ‘The Ape’ Guthrie
• Ray Teal as Sheriff Roy Coffee
• Leonard Nimoy as Freddy
• Charles Tannen as Dave - the Bartender
• Rodolfo Hoyos Jr. as Pepe (as Rodolfo Hoyos)
• Sam Bagley as Townsman (uncredited)
• John Barton as Townsman (uncredited)
• Danny Borzage as Townsman (uncredited)
• Jaye Durkus as Townsman (uncredited)
• Betty Endicott as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
• Martha Manor as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
• Rex Moore as Townsman (uncredited)
• Chick Sheridan as Townsman (uncredited)

Full Story Line for The Ape

Joe and Adam enter the saloon while Hoss visits Dave Stone. Sherry, a saloon worker, approaches the Cartwrights to get her cut for the day. Joe immediately asks her for a drink. She agrees, so Joe requests Dave, the bartender, to serve them beers. Joe provides her a dollar for the beer. However, Sherry wants to play blackjack to have enough money to buy champagne. She asks Joe to catch him if he wants to have his dollar back. As the two play a game of chase, Sherry bumps into a man who refuses to let her go despite her struggle. When he finally releases her, Sherry calls him a “big ape,” cruelly saying he’s the ugliest man she has ever seen.

The man approaches Joe and asks him if he has something to say to him. Joe declines and returns to his seat. Although reluctant, Sherry has to ask the man to buy her a drink as part of her business. Despite her advances, he does not look interested in her company. Impatient, Sherry dismisses him as stupid, then returns to her seat with the Cartwrights. Enraged, the man approaches them, asking why Sherry said those words. Joe and Adam tried to apologize for Sherry. However, the furious man snaps and punches Joe. Adam, Joe, and the man start fighting. Hoss, heading to the saloon, finds Adam thrown out. He enters the town bar, proving he’s the only man capable of going hand-in-hand with such a big man. After an hour and fifteen minutes of fighting, the two decide to call it quits because they were fighting for no reason. Hoss finds it funny how the man is as strong and smelly as him.

In the saloon, Sherry assists the man named Arnie to get cleaned up. While doing so, Sherry continues to flirt with Arnie. Hoss introduces Adam and Little Joe to Arnie. Adam tells his brothers they’ll, given they have already squandered too much time. However, Hoss chooses to stay, stating he needs to talk to Arnie about something. As Adam and Joe leave, Arnie tells Hoss that his brothers don’t like him. Hoss assures him that they’ll like each other once they get acquainted.

Arnie takes Hoss to his shack and expresses his desire to see Sherry again. However, Hoss tells him that it’s Sherry’s job to be nice to people, so he shouldn’t expect much from her. Arnie is grateful to have Hoss as a friend, especially since other people get scared of him and can be mean. When Arnie expresses his desire for a farm, Hoss asks if he wants to work at the Ponderosa, fueling Arnie’s excitement. Arnie asks Hoss if Sherry will like him once he makes money, but Hoss expresses otherwise.

Adam and Joe state their concern over allowing Arnie to work for them. Adam feels it’s dangerous to have Arnie around and could have killed somebody in the bar fight. When his brothers leave, Hoss tells Ben that he understands Arnie and only needs a friend to learn how to behave with others. Ben thinks it would be much better if Arnie, like Hoss, learned those same lessons alone. However, Hoss claims he didn’t understand them alone since he had the Cartwrights with him while Arnie had no one. Ben asks Hoss if he can help Arnie control his temper. Hoss agrees to take responsibility for him, so Ben approves of letting Arnie work at the Ponderosa.

Later, Hoss visits Virginia City to tell Arnie about the news. He finds Arnie at the saloon with Sherry, who is flirting with him. Hoss understands that Sherry and her good friend are just playing with Arnie. Hoss tells Arnie that his father agreed to have him work at the Ponderosa. Sherry is happy for Arnie, implying he can buy her more things. Hoss reminds him that he’s working to buy himself a pig farm. However, Sherry and her friend/boss, Freddy, start making fun of Arnie and his dream farm. Hoss rushes Arnie out of the bar as Sherry gets everyone to laugh at him.

Outside, Hoss shows him his new horse, and Arnie is delighted at his present.

Arnie had just finished eating when one of the Ponderosa ranch hands laughed and commented about Arnie being the biggest bean-eater in the country. Enraged, Arnie locks the man in a tight grip until Hoss breaks up the fight and calms Arnie down. Hoss reminds him to stay out of trouble; otherwise, he’ll have to kick him off the ranch. Just then, Joe tells Hoss that Jake Staple, the squatter he threw off Ponderosa a while back, was robbed dead after somebody broke his neck.

Arnie and Hoss were drinking at the saloon when Arnie mentioned buying a gift for Sherry. Hoss tells Arnie that Sherry being friendly to him doesn’t mean she’s into him. He explains that it’s Sherry’s job to be nice to everyone since she’s a saloon girl. However, Arnie insists on buying Sherry a present.

As Arnie goes out to buy Sherry a gift, Sherry comes down the steps at the town bar and asks about Arnie. Hoss informs her that he is out spending his week’s wages for her. Sherry starts flirting with Hoss, then reveals that Arnie is merely a client good for laughs. Sherry shows her displeasure towards Hoss for befriending the big man.

Later, Hoss runs into Arnie, who shows him the gift he has chosen for Sherry: a cheap string of beads. Hoss states that Sherry isn’t in the saloon ’til late at night and asks Arnie to go to the Tahoe Rim with him.

Arnie finds the Tahoe rim beautiful. Hoss tells Arnie that there’s a place across the lake that would make a great farm. He also reveals that he owns it, implying that Arnie can afford to buy it in a couple of years once he saves enough money. However, Arnie brings up Sherry again. Hoss tells Arnie that people like them can live on their own. He also says he does not want Arnie to return to Virginia City to meet Sherry again. However, Arnie takes this badly, thinking Hoss wants Sherry all for himself. Hoss tells him that Sherry doesn’t care about him and was using him for laughs all along. Arnie punches Hoss, causing him to fall unconscious after hitting his head on a rock.

Hoss wakes up to find himself alone by the lake, with no trace of Arnie anywhere. Meanwhile, Arnie returns to Virginia City and finds Sherry in her room, apologizing for being late. However, Sherry tells him to get out, as she is tired of seeing him. Still, Arnie says he brought her the string beads as a gift. She takes the necklace and breaks it, causing the beads to fall all over the floor. Sherry expresses her disgust towards Arnie, stating that he’s only good for laughs. Arnie, angered, refuses to believe her words, ending up snapping her neck. Freddy walks in to discover Sherry lying on the ground, lifeless. Arnie storms out of the room as Freddy begins to yell for help.

The next day, a posse gathers, with Freddy exaggerating the story by saying Arnie threatened to kill him. Hoss arrives in town, only for Freddy to blame him. Although hesitant, Hoss informs Ben of where they can find Arnie. However, he wants them to give him a head start so he can explain the situation to Arnie.

Sheriff Coffee asks Ben where Hoss went. Ben tells the sheriff that Hoss is attempting to reach Arnie first to ensure no one else gets harmed.

Hoss finds Arnie at the Granite Point, right where he expected him. Arnie admits killing and robbing the squatter, including murdering Sherry after learning the truth. Arnie tells Hoss that he doesn’t want to hurt anybody. However, people always do something mean to him, provoking him to inflict harm on them.

Arnie is sad and regretful, seeing that the farm he had always desired has now gone out of his reach. With much regret, Hoss aims his gun on Arnie, assuring his safety as they return to Virginia City to deal with justice. Hoss returns the gun to his holster and turns around, thinking Arnie will return with him to town. However, Arnie knocks him down and flees. Before he leaves, Arnie tells the unconscious Hoss that he can’t bring him to town since the posse will surely kill both of them.

The posse finds Arnie hiding behind a rock. Arnie picks up a big log and is about to toss it at the mob when a hail of bullets flies toward him, causing him to fall to death.

Hoss tells Ben that Arnie never wanted to hurt anyone, including him. He volunteers to take Arnie’s body to the farm he had always wished to have.

Full Script and Dialogue of The Ape

[Music]
so
freddy i'm homesick
did you buy me a drink me buy you a
drink
your job's hustling drinks from the
customers but i've been trying i can't
get anybody to buy me anything
maybe if you'd stop grinding their beer
all the time about being homesick
it'd make out better it's a long walk
back to memphis tennessee
[Music]
you throw me out in the street wouldn't
you
[Music]
your cut on them drinks is what we're
gonna have to eat on tonight
[Music]
i haven't been able to start a game all
day
[Music]
right
[Music]
sorry those boys just coming in the
cartwrights they own a big range get
busy
[Music]
the young one is just a baby so sell
them milk
long as you get your cut
[Music]
howdy boys and welcome my name's sarah
bell
you can call me sure uh pleased to meet
you i'm adam cartwright's my brother joe
that's my pleasure man wouldn't you like
to have a drink with us
why thank you i believe i might just do
that
hey dave let me have four beers i'll be
alone in a minute
uh my turn to pay isn't it no i've got
it
let's play blackjack and win enough to
buy
champagne is the only thing you ever
drink champagne
you'll have to catch me to get you a
dollar back
[Laughter]
i'm sorry i i didn't know you were there
now i'm trying to apologize like a lady
at least you can do it will you let go
of my arm oh
ouch take your hands off of me you're
hurting my arm you let go of me
thank god me you big eve you're the
ugliest man i've ever seen
[Music]
you got something to say to me
[Music]
well not me
whiskey well i got money
don't suppose he's human
i'm not fixing to find out
you don't have to well
he's a customer and customers are my
business
yeah sure you better not i don't think
it's a good idea well maybe he'll buy me
some champagne
hey big man
buy me a drink well
i like big men
even if they are uglier in sin
[Laughter]
i don't especially like them stupid
[Music]
why'd you call me that look uh
the lady didn't mean anything by that
why'd you say that to me
i'd like to apologize for the lady oh
i'm talking to you
if if you don't accept an honest apology
why don't you go back to the barn
[Music]
hmm
uh
uh
[Music]
one hour and 15 minutes and ain't even
moved the last 10.
i'm still getting tired how about you
what are we fighting about you know oh
[Laughter]
now
you know you're dang there as strong as
i am and you smell nearly as bad too
i don't suppose they've done something
with their heads do you
my goodness two great big boys like you
fighting over a little thing like
me gracious but a body think you'd have
better sense
not that isn't slapping of course you
understand but
my goodness where did you get those
shoulders
boy honey i swear i i know some mules
would like to be able to kick as hard as
you can hit
boys please you're
making me all butterflies inside
all that trouble over little me
uh name share a bill you can call me
sheriff
sure bell now ain't that
a purty name i ain't that a pretty name
hoss
yeah that's it's a real pretty name
uh host we gotta get moving paw's
probably waiting supper for us
harney these are my brothers this is
adam and little joe
hi ernie
purdy ain't they
well they're not they're not really as
bad as they they seem
you fellas going me and auntie's got
some talking we got to do well uh horse
haven't we uh lost enough time on this
already
go now
they don't like me
well you you learn to like one another
once you
get acquainted
i bet that didn't hurt you a bit did it
hurt me no ma'am
i've never seen anyone with such big
muscles
well i sure hope hoss knows what he's
doing ah you know he's always picking up
straight critters
bringing him home patching him up i'm
not remember that grizzly cubby found
off on the tahoe rim
yeah well i was just a cub this time
he's got himself a full-grown bear
[Applause]
this is it hoss arnie this is where you
live
oh it's got a good roof on it yeah
well i got you home in one piece in here
hoss you honey wasn't she the prettiest
the prettiest girl you ever did see i
ain't never seen nothing like her
that's that's her job being nice folks
honey i wouldn't give her too much
credit
oh no hoss she can't help being nice uh
i can tell
i'd like to see her some more arnie
you don't you don't think for one minute
well what i'm what i'm trying to say is
all right girls like sherry billy they
ain't interested in the man unless he's
got money
well i got some money a fella
feller give it to me what feller
some feller i don't know who he was i
forget
oh look here let's let's get you out of
here and get you into a room in the
house somewhere
i don't want that i don't like houses
that much
honey you can't just live here
this is a good place there ain't nobody
else
around
haas you're my
friend ain't jehos
sure i am honey
you ever have a friend before sure i am
well i was raised with my brothers honey
brothers is different
i never had a friend before
of course you have already no i didn't
you know why
people get scared of me people just take
one look and
they don't like me well i like you
i took more than one look at you maybe
you're uh a little more like me
your brothers they just took one look
i can tell i always been able to tell
well i don't blame nobody
well i ain't exactly a palomino myself
looks don't mean everything honey i
guess i ain't too smart too
people don't leave me alone well i get
mad sometimes i ought to be used to it
but
i get mad
what i need money house
it's going to take a lot of money what's
going to take a lot of money
my farm i used to live on a farm
uh you ever live on a farmhouse
yeah i guess i sort of live on the farm
now
ain't nothing like a farm i used to get
up real early in the morning
and go out and slop the pigs a whole
bunch of little old baby pigs
they ain't hardly got no hair tall just
to squealing and
eating away and that old south standing
over and making sure
every one of her little babies gets
enough to eat
how come pigs is better than people you
really liked it back there didn't you
honey
there ain't nothing like a farm
when i get my farm ain't gonna be nobody
mean on it
i'm gonna have cows and pigs
and maybe even some sheep and they all
gonna get along good together
and just them animals and me and
well maybe maybe somebody else
how how'd you like to come out and go to
work on my place
the ponderosa well
while your brothers say they ain't got
nothing to do with it
it's up to me me and my paw i could make
some money
haas you think sherry bella
would like me if i was making some money
i wouldn't count on too much ernie but
a cherry mail she's a she's a funny girl
that's the way i feel and i know adam
will back me up all the way that's right
i do
i'm sorry horse now wait a minute there
ain't nothing wrong with arnie
he's just a great big strong man he
ain't too smart that's true but that
don't mean he can't do a job
i just assume have a wild animal working
for me he's strong as a bull and just as
dangerous
you can't trust him that ain't true adam
he don't mean no harm
you don't mean no harm i just won't be
able to use my jaw for a week well
that'll be a relief all you do with it
is joe anyway come on the sun's up we
got work to do
just remember horse we didn't do
anything to make him that mad
if you hadn't come along when you did he
might have killed somebody
what about it house
is that the way it was well it
wasn't all that bad paul sounds as
though it were
why do you want to get mixed up with
somebody like that i guess i
just understand him
i sort of put myself in his shoes
when when you're as big as
his arnie and me boy
there's some things he's got to learn
for some things that i learned
but don't you think he'd be better off
learning those things by himself
the way you did paul i didn't learn them
by myself
i had you a little joe and adam to
back me up arne ain't got nobody paul
you mean he needs a friend he's got a
friend paul
a man like arnie just can't afford to go
around losing his temper like ordinary
folks
he's got to learn to put up with a
little teasing sometimes even from a
girls
he needs me paul to help him learn those
things
can you teach him to control his temper
i won't stand for any troublemaking
oh paul harney ain't gonna start no
trouble
he's pretty good at ending it
well all right we can always use a good
hand of the ponderosa
thanks paul as soon as i finish work on
going to virginia and get him
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
um
[Music]
let's have a little drink
all right here we go
hello lost you come back
sherry bell this here's my friend you've
got lots of friends on it
sit down hoss we're having a good time
yeah i can see you this here's freddy
he's a friend of mine too any friend of
arnie's yeah sure
take all you want hoss i paid for the
whole bottle
i was just saying arnie is the strongest
man i ever saw
yeah i'm awful strong only i guess horse
is about as strong
honey i got good news for you yeah
me and my paul want you to come to the
ponderosa and go to work for us
sherry belt you hear that
i got a job that's
wonderful now you can buy me some
presents
sure i can i never thought of that
i can buy you presents and and pretty
little things
arnie aren't you forgetting something
what am i
for forgetting hoss well you're you're
fine
he was gonna save your money and buy
yourself a farm remember oh
no i wouldn't forget that hoss i'm gonna
have a farm
you're going to be a farmer arnie uh-huh
i'm going to have a big farm
going to raise pigs a pig farm
did you hear that freddy that's what you
ought to have sherry bell
a farm you're too nice a girl to work in
a place like this
that's exactly the way i feel about it
well i i've always wanted a little
cottage somewhere out in the country
with roses oh yes with lots of pretty
roses
and maybe some pretty little moo cows
every girl ought to have some moo cows
i'll shut up both of you
oh what's the matter hoss
honey you're a long ways from being
ready to raise moo cows
well a feller's got to start somewhere
they ain't nothing wrong with roses and
and stuff has caught right you're just
an old grouch i think it's wonderful
that arnie wants me to have all those
pretty things
and if arnie wants moo cows
i think he should have mooc cows fine
i know where there's ten thousand of
them right now need to be taken care of
come on ernie you got to get up early on
the ponderosa
oh not right now right now if you still
want the job
oh okay don't you worry none cherry bell
i'll come back and i'll bring you
something purty
sure maybe just a little
moo cow
[Music]
there's your pony honey he's all yours
mound up
this is my horse
for as long as you want him it's the
prettiest thing
i i come here i just had the clothes i
was wearing
now i got a friend
you got a job and people are good to me
and
now you give me a horse
i don't know what to say
you ain't got to say nothing go on mount
up let's go
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
uh hey peppy how do you say
a ponyo
[Applause]
let's go to work
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
you're doing real good arnie sure a big
fella
maybe bigger than using your horse well
he ain't no smaller that's for sure
and he eats twice as much i sure hate to
have him get mad at me
don't have to worry about that as long
as you feed him good we got plenty of
fricolas in your house
well i i had an awful lot um
uh did it eat too much hoss you always
take what you want
that's what it's here for i don't think
you did much good eating before
well i i used to get awful hungry
i ain't never had a job before
honey you uh you told me once that a man
gave you some money i don't want to talk
about that
[Laughter]
i say you'll never tire because you're
the biggest bean eater in the country
[Music]
honey what do you say to you they was
laughing at me
they was talking about me we didn't
laugh at him in your house
well we're only having a little joke i
told you
you don't joke easy honey
we're your friends don't you understand
that
i'm real sorry hoss i just got mad
i won't do it no more honest toss
honey i told you you could work yours as
long as you didn't cause no
trouble now that goes for fighting
anybody
you're gonna kick me off the ranch by
golly i'll too
oh i got it coming
i'm sure gonna miss my horse oh shut up
you ain't going no place
but you said you was gonna i said i
ought to and i'll
but i ain't gonna
go and get you a cup of coffee
what are you doing out here boston he
had to tell you house in a minute honey
somebody are you in trouble with him now
you can handle ernie ain't nothing wrong
is there yeah
remember that squatter you threw off the
ranch a couple of weeks ago yeah i ain't
like if we get jake staple
next arnie there he's the biggest man i
ever tangled with well he's not so big
now he's dead
dead yeah sheriff wrote in late this
afternoon told polly found his body up
on the carson
he'd been robbed sheriff barney i told
you i'd talk to you in a minute now go
and sit down
how was he killed somebody broke his
neck snapped it like a matchstick
wow that takes something doing
yeah it wouldn't what i gotta say is
i never mean to hurt nobody i just get
i just get mad i don't know why i just
get mad
[Music]
it's a scorcher out there let's have
another house
there's something i got to do before
sherry bell gets here well i gotta buy
her present
well horny you ain't gonna buy her
nothing but hoss
i promised her she likes me hoss
sherry bell's a a saloon girl it's her
job being nasty fellers
but dang it that don't mean she really
likes you i never know the girl before
not never they didn't even want to talk
to me
i just gotta buy her something i just
got it
all right ernie you you got your week's
wages
don't spend it all
[Music]
dave
[Music]
where's team grizzly
he's out spending his week's wages on a
present for me
why don't you leave him alone he ain't
never done unto you
ah why don't you buy me a little old
drink
you know uh it wouldn't be too much
trouble for a girl to get to like you
no no i reckon not no more so than
getting to like arnie ah that big ape
you think he's such an ape why do you
bother with oh he's a customer
besides they pay me to be nice to
customers and he's good for laughs
and around here a girl needs all the
life she can get let me tell you
well don't push him too far he ain't got
much of a sense of humor
now don't you worry arnie bores me
and once the novelty wears off he's just
a joke
if that's the way you feel about it then
you won't mind not seeing him anymore
mind i'd be tickled to death
and if you don't want your big dumb
friend coming in here then just keep him
away from me
[Music]
then
boss look at here that ain't it purdy
that cost me pertinent all my money the
cherry bells are going to love him
buddy honey i don't think you're gonna
be able to give me to her right now
why not hoss whoa well she ain't in
there now bartender told me she wasn't
gonna be back to later
but i ain't never bought no presents for
nobody before
cherry bells have got to see these i
want to give them to her now honey i i
don't told you the bartender said she
wasn't going to be back in there
late tonight but that's a long time hoss
oh it'll pass for you know it anyhow
while you're waiting i want you to come
take a ride with me there's something i
want to show you
what is it well i can't tell you i got
to show you
well where are we going up to the tahoe
realm
it's sort of a favorite place of mine
uh then kind of come back and give
sherry bell a present uh a promise
he still won't
[Music]
so
[Music]
look at that honey
brilliant
[Music]
i wish i was a trio growing here
so i couldn't never move away
there's a little place all the way
across the lake over there about 150
acres i make it
seems almost ashamed to waste it on
cattle
sure would make a fine farm
good meta water fine standard timber
wouldn't take too much for man to buy it
neither well who owns this house
well i do right now but arnie you could
own it in a couple of years if you'd
worked real hard and
save your money oh
it's prettier than i even ever did dream
it could
a little be over there some roses
well i don't know one flower from
another but sherry bell likes roses
arnie come here shut up
honey i i spent a great deal of time up
here
this is grizzly country oh big grizzly
he likes it up here where the air is
clean
he can live and hunt like a grizzlies
supposed to
he likes it by himself because he don't
need nobody else
but you get down lower you
you get into the wolf country
the wolf travels in a pack he'll track
down a
herd of deer and cut out the weak ones
and
tear them down
the sick ones the old airs you can't run
no more
people are sort of like that aren't they
there's them that
like the wolf they run in packs
and then there's others that like the
grizzly they
they like to get up in the country where
the air is clean
they can make their own way because they
don't need nobody else
honey
me and you we're bears
we ain't wolves i i don't understand you
hoss
arnie i don't want you to go back into
virginia city tonight or no other time
but i got to i i i got to give sherry
bell my present
honey you can have that land over there
you can have it tomorrow but that girl
don't go with it you can move on your
farm
now if you promise me you'll never see
that girl again
you honor that's what it is now honey
wait a minute
you want it yourself you call yourself a
friend of mine
arne don't you understand she don't care
nothing about you she's been laughing at
you all along
you're a liar ernie i swear it she's
been making fun of you artie she
admitted it to me
you're trying to make me please
something that ain't true i'm going into
virginia city and get it right now
barney wait a minute
[Music]
you said you was my friend but you ain't
[Music]
boss
don't you understand hoss i
never had a girl before
[Music]
arnie
[Music]
hey
wait a minute where you going
my feet are killing me i've got to
change my shoes
it has been a long night i'm kind of
tired myself
that'll only be a few minutes take your
time
suppose i bring a little night cap
sure why don't you do that
you all right
what are you doing here well uh i didn't
mean to be late a horse wanted to show
me something
will you get out of here i guess i
shouldn't have come back here
i should have stayed outside
can't you understand english i don't
want to see you
in here out there or anywhere
look i bring you these hair beads
[Music]
you dumb fool
[Applause]
you stupid fool do you think i care what
you bring me
you're just something to laugh at you're
just good for laughs
that way you get out of here before you
stop being funny no
you better not mean that
[Music]
you stupid clown you're a stupid
ugly smelly clown now
[Music]
sorry sherry
hell somebody help
help but be careful he's big enough to
tear a man in two
i believe i'd as soon see him brought
back that is alive yeah
i just shoved that door open i saw ernie
standing there like a like an ape or
something
shower bell laying on the floor like a
broken doll ernie took one look at me
let out a roar yeah he was gonna kill me
you boys know i'm no hero or anything
he's about twice as big as i am but i
tried to stop him anyways
and there's the man who's responsible
for all of this horse cartwright if it
hadn't been for horse cartridge sharabil
will be alive right now that's just
about enough of that maybe the cartridge
did make a mistake by giving that man a
job
but it was an honest mistake where's
arnie
you know where he is tell us he killed a
girl last night
and you're riding after him he worked
for us we have a responsibility
it's all my fault paul no it wasn't your
fault you tried to help him
us do you know where he is
all right i ain't for sure i i know
where he might be
i'll tell you where it is paul but you
got to promise to give me a head start
why
because i gotta see him i gotta try to
explain before they get to him
look at him they'll tear him apart house
you can't let him go
uh he he has to be punished if you try
to get in between him and the posse
they'll tear you apart too yes sir i
i know what's gonna happen but he's my
friend paul
i don't know what i'm gonna do but i
can't just leave him out there to die
all along
where is he
he's at granite's point on the realm but
he's done i think he is
all right you go to him
be careful thank you paul
we're about ready ben that's haas caught
right riding down the street i want to
know where he's going will you shut up
ben where is hospital
well what do you want to know roy you
ain't letting him get to jump on us so
he can warn that arnold yeah
i know he's only better than any of us
he's just trying to
keep anyone else from getting killed i
happen that murder and maniac to get
away
well you know that isn't so yeah if it
was i wouldn't have let him ride off
like that
then i should have known that you and
little joe was just as anxious as we are
to get that woman killer to a rope
were anxious to see justice done it's
the same thing i'll tell you what i'm
gonna do
i'm gonna shoot that wild man on site
and if any of you have any guts you'll
do the same thing
now if you want to go on this posse
you're gonna do what i say
get back there you about ready to lead
us out this granite point
i'll get you there
all right man up boys but don't i need
to take any chances
[Music]
you was right horse she was laughing at
me
it hit me with the beads i brought her
i know
uh i heard her real bad didn't i heart
barney
you killed her i i guess i know that did
i loved her hoss why didn't you know
that
you killed jake stapleton didn't you
well i didn't mean to
i'll come in he's camping he just took
one look at me and he flung hot coffee
in my face
it hurt awful horse
i got mad i guess i
just hit him too hard and you took his
money
wasn't gonna do him no good and i was
hungry
don't you see us i didn't mean to hurt
nobody
that feller he burnt me in and i got
mad and cherry bell she was laughing
honey it's all right
[Music]
it's all over now
[Music]
they're coming after me huh
they got to ernie i always knew they'd
be coming someday
i'm i'm terrible sorry arnie
boss yeah honey
i'm glad you brought me up here this is
a good place
i almost had it didn't i hoss
a little old farm a little bunch of
squealing pigs
slopping out their trough old mama
nosing them around
[Music]
i'll come awful close
honey turn around
what's up four house
we're gonna go down and meet him i want
to stay here
arnie get your heart
i ain't going arnie we we're going to
ride down here together just you and me
now i ain't going to let them hurt you
you try to stop them
they'll hurt you too no they won't i'll
talk to them they ain't gonna hurt
nobody
you're right hoss you wasn't lying to me
you're the only person that ever knew
you wouldn't lie to me
i'll go with you
you're doing the right thing
i couldn't let you do a thing like that
hoss that it killed you sure
[Applause]
hey wait a minute i thought i saw
something up there barney
i don't know
i've had points only about a quarter
mile up now
[Music]
[Music]
wow
[Applause]
[Music]
ah
[Music]
i tried to help him poor i know
he didn't want me to get hurt
he never wanted to hurt anything
i'm gonna take arnie to as far
hmm
[Music]
so
[Music]
you

Behind the Scenes of The Ape

The “TV Guide” uses Cal Bolder’s character name, “Arnie Gunn,” in their episode synopsis rather than “Arnie Guthrie.” No one knows whether the “TV Guide” information was incorrect or there were different characters’ names printed, including why and when the name change happened (if it did occur).

This episode marks Leonard Nimoy (Freddy) and Karen Sharpe’s (Sheribelle/Sherry, the saloon girl) only acting appearance in the series.

This episode marks Cal Bolder’s (Arnie “The Ape” Guthrie) first out of two acting appearances in the series. He appeared next as Charlie Powers in one of Bonanza’s 1966 episodes, The Fighters.

The episode was one of the two episodes James P. Yarbrough directed for the series. James died in 1962, two years after this episode, The Ape, aired.

A fold is visible in the sky behind Arnie on the scene where Hoss visits Arnie’s shack.

A posses forms outside the sheriff’s office to pursue Arnie after Sherry’s death. Hoss arrives, revealing Arnie’s potential location (Granite Point) to Ben, asking for a head start so he can speak with Arnie beforehand. Following Hoss’s departure, the sheriff confronts Ben about Hoss’s whereabouts and intention. After convincing the Sheriff that Hoss is not helping Arnie to escape, the sheriff orders that Ben show them Granite Point. However, this is a mistake since Ben hasn’t yet disclosed Arnie’s location to the sheriff.

Looking for More Bonanza Episodes?

The famous Western series, Bonanza, is a fantastic show to binge-watch alone or with your beloved ones. NBC network was behind the show’s production, televising all 14 seasons from September 1959 to January 1973. The Ape is the 46th episode out of 430 and the fourteenth for its second season.

You can find more about any of the 430 Bonanza episodes here>>