How the Brigadier Won His Medals (TV episode 1954)
How the Brigadier Won His Medals is the 44th episode in season 3 of the Schlitz Playhouse of Stars TV series, produced by Meridian aired on 2 july 1954 on CBS (USA), starring Claude Dauphin as Brigadier Etienne Gerard.
The episode is an adaptation of the Conan Doyle's short story: The Medal of Brigadier Gerard (1894). With some adversaries of Gerard missing, and the meeting with the blond girl at the end of the episode which is not in the short story.
Full Episode
Photos
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Host
(Claude Dauphin) -
Brigadier Etienne Gerard
(Claude Dauphin) -
Sophie
(Eugenia Paul) -
Major Charpentier
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Napoleon
(Booth Colman) -
Berthier
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Prussian soldier
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Bouvet
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Count Boutkine
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3 Prussians soldiers
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French guard
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King of Spain and Talleyrand
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Gerard's Medal
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Countess d'Angennes
Cast
- Brigadier Etienne Gerard / Host : Claude Dauphin
- Sophie : Eugenia Paul
- Major Charpentier : ?
- Napoleon : Booth Colman
- Berthier : ?
- Prussian soldier : ?
- Bouvet : ?
- Count Boutkine : ?
- 3 Prussians soldiers : ?
- French guard : ?
- King of Spain :
- Talleyrand : ?
- Countess d'Angennes : ?
- Cast also include : Richard Avonde, Harry Cording, Hal Gerard, Charles Hayward, Ted Hecht, Patrick O'Moore, Otto Reichow, Henry Rowland.
Crew
- Director : Justus Addis
- Screenplay : DeWitt Bodeen
- Associate Producer : William Self
- Cinematography : George T. Clemens
- Film Editor : George Amy
- Music : Melvyn Lenard
Plot summary
Brigadier Etienne Gerard and Major Charpentier of the Hussars are summoned by the Emperor, Napoleon, for a special mission. They both have to deliver a message to the Emperor's brother, The King of Spain, which is in Paris. But the Emperor insists that they have to take a different route. If they succeed, he promises them a Medal of Honor. On his route, Gerard escapes a Prussian soldier by shooting him in the shoulder, and arrives in Senlis, recently liberated from the Cossacks. He visits the cellar of a ruined house when the Prussians take the town again and occupy the house. He is trapped in the cellar, when he meets Count Boutkine, a Cossack officer who was hiding there. Boutkine thinks the French have took the town and accept to be the prisoner of Gerard. Pretending to save Boutkine's life, Gerard exchange uniforms with him and leave the town safely. On his way to Paris, he fights and kills another Prussian soldier. Then he delivers the letter to the perplexed Joseph Bonaparte and Talleyrand. Joseph orders Gerard to change back to a proper uniform and to report back to Napoleon. Napoleon and Berthier are surprised to see Gerard back and safe, and is furious that Gerard didn't understand that he should have been captured for the fake letter fell in the enemy's hands. Gerard makes a speech about trust and honesty, which soften Napoleon mood. The Emperor tells Berthier to give the medal to Gerard after all as if the Brigadier has the thickest head he has also the stoutest heart in his army.
