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“To Catch the Eagle”

S4 E21

Production 45116
Original Airdate: March 6, 1977
Episode Collage
Produced by
Allan Balter
Teleplay by
Judy Burns
Peter Brooke
Directed by
Phil Bondelli
Guest Cast
Guest Star(s)
Peter Breck as Silver Cloud
Dehl Berti as Iron Fist
George Loros as Lone Bear
Kathleen Beller as Little Deer
Co-starring
Gerald McRaney as Bob Marsh
Jim Stathis as Ian Swanson
Frank Sotonoma Salsedo as 1st Councilman
With
George American Horse as 2nd Councilman
Agustin Vallejo as 3rd Councilman
Broadcast Order
Season 4
← Previous Next →
"The Privacy of the Mind" "The Ghostly Teletype"

Summary[]

Two OSI scientists disappear while looking for radioactive ore in sacred Apache territory. Steve discovers that Iron Fist, the tribe's medicine man, has trapped the two men in a cave, in which they will die if not released soon. The medicine man fears that the scientists will tell the tribe of the value of the ore, thus ruining his plans to sell the ore for his own profit. Steve overcomes Iron Fist's opposition, befriends a young girl, successfully completes a number of Native American rituals, and then enters the sacred land.

Trivia[]

Production[]

  • For some reason, the series went on a hiatus lasting more than two months following this episode, before airing the final episode of the season, "The Ghostly Teletype."

Actors[]

  • Peter Breck, Lee's former half brother from The Big Valley, guest-stars in this episode as Silver Cloud. In the elder series, Lee played Heath Barkley, while Peter played his older brother, Nick.
  • One of the OSI agents trapped in the cave, Bob Marsh, is played by actor Gerald McRaney. He would later star as Rick Simon in the popular 80’s television show Simon and Simon that would run between 1981 and 1989.

Characters[]

  • Steve Austin appears without his mustache for the first time after having sported one for most of the fourth season.

Gaffes[]

Props[]

  • At the final ceremony, when the eagle is released back into the wild, it leaves a feather behind on the base of the wooden perch. After the feather is picked up, you can see the ‘stickie gum’ left behind on the base that kept the feather from blowing away in the wind.

Nitpicks[]

  • During the left-handed arm wrestle, the hand grips do not match from one camera angle to the next.
  • Steve Austin rescues Little Deer’s horse by rolling two boulders off of the fallen animal’s legs and the horse rises unharmed.
  • After the entrance to the cavern is sealed with rocks, there is still light inside, and again when Steve enters.

Gallery[]