"Alias Nellie Handly"

(Original air date 02/24/69)
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Victoria poses as a famous outlaw to expose the appalling
conditions in a women’s prison
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Writer: Margaret Armen

Director: Virgil W. Vogel

In Bold Stream, a shadowy figure commits a jewel theft and makes his escape on a horse. Sheriff Bannock (Richard O'Brien) shoots the bandit down and removes his hood to reveal a woman’s face, Victoria Barkley’s.
Having succeeded in convincing the townspeople that the woman was a wanted petty thief by the name of Nellie Handly, Sheriff Bannock tries to dissuade Victoria from carrying out her plan to infiltrate the State Prison women’s compound in order to expose the warden as corrupted. She owes it to her best friend Maud Elliot (Rhoda Williams) to punish the man who stole her sanity. Her family believing she’s in Sacramento visiting relatives, the coast is clear for Victoria to embark on her mission for the Prison Reform Board.


Victoria is taken to the state prison and brought before Warden Garreck (Richard Anderson), a ruthless man who relishes warning his prisoner of the punishments inflicted should she step out of line.
Prison guard Clute (Gavin MacLeod) escorts her outside in the yard where bedraggled women are slaving to the brink of exhaustion. One feverish inmate collapses under the strain but instead of bringing her to the doctor, poor Meely (Dee Carroll) is dragged to her cell, much to Victoria disgust.


Later Victoria meets with her cellmate Kate Wilson (Susan Oliver) who gives her an account of the appalling living conditions for which Garreck is liable for. He is law and every one is compelled to march to the beat of his drum or suffer the consequences.
In late evening, Clute comes to the cell to get Kate to the warden, who considers the pretty blonde as a trophy that he can manipulate at wish. The man has great ambitions, one of them being to marry a woman of the society who can raise him to the title of state legislator. Kate is aware of Garreck’s infatuation towards her and milks him for all he’s got to offer in exchange for information.


The next day Victoria is put to work. When she enquires about the sick woman she learns of her tragic death. Clute coldly explains that prisoners are not human beings and therefore not entitled to medical attention. This enrages Victoria who throws a bunch of wet clothes in the man’s face. He angrily pushes her to the ground and has her put in shackles to insure her obedience.


Over the next few days Victoria’s condition begins to deteriorate and although she swore not to get emotionally involved with her cellmate Kate can’t help but worry..
Later in the hush of night, Victoria’s fever worsens, causing her to become delirious. She begins mumbling about a former prisoner and how she agreed to infiltrate the prison in order to expose the corrupt warden and the appalling living conditions. Kate picks up the one-way conversation and asks to see Garreck.


In exchange for a favour, Kate relates all the details of Victoria’s delirium to Garreck who rejects Clute suggestion of beating the whole truth out of Victoria Barkley for fear of providing more ammunitions to the authorities.
Instead he visits with Sheriff Bannock to fish for information on the scheme to expose him. He comes prepared with a news article relating the real Nelly Handly’s death to impel the lawman to spill the beans about Victoria Barkley’s relation to former prisoner Maud Elliott. When he learns that only two people are in on the plot, Garreck decides to liquidate his first hindrance, and then returns to the prison to handle the other problem.
Clute is uneasy with Garreck’s suggestion of arranging an accident, but Garreck manages to rally him in his camp by promising him the warden job once he is named in the State Legislature.


At night Clute fills in for fellow guard Bates (Len Simpson) and then accosts Big Mary (Edith Leslie) with a promise of freedom should she agree to kill the prisoner he will send out to the yard.


While Clute goes to Victoria’s cell, Kate wanders off to the yard. Now chainless, Mary pounces on her prey to throttle her, unaware of the mistaken identity. Thankfully Victoria arrives in the nick of time to save Kate, who later wonders why she even bothered to come to her rescue.
Kate confesses having snitched on Victoria to Garreck. She has been feeding him information to be granted privileges over the other prisoners. The confession leads Victoria to believe that Big Mary’s chains did not accidentally drop off. With the sheriff dead she now has to find a way of escaping by herself but thankfully, Kate agrees to help.


Kate feigns illness to get Clute inside the cell. Once they overpower him, the two head to the yard where Kate turns on the charm with Bates to allow Victoria to sneak in and knock him cold. They open the gate and run.


Bates regains his senses and shoots at the women, hitting Kate in the leg.


Kate lays low while Victoria offers to go fetch a wagon but unfortunately Clute finds her and drags her back to prison.
Exhausted and near collapse Kate makes it to the Barkley ranch to inform Jarrod and Audra of the situation.


Jarrod shows up at Garreck’s office with a search warrant from the Prison Board, proof that Victoria Barkley was sent undercover to investigate the allegations of corruption. Garreck agrees to take Jarrod on a short tour of the woman’s compound, but Victoria is nowhere to be found. The warrant restricting the search to the yard only, Garreck is therefore under no obligation to comply with Jarrod’s demand to look inside. However the lawyer promises to return with a proper court order authorizing a wider search.
With that threat looming Garreck decides to dispose of Victoria Barkley tonight, but Clute is reluctant to be party to murder.


At night Jarrod returns to the compound and patiently waits any sign of his mother. When a paddy wagon passes by he follows it until it stops near a river. Garreck and Clute drag a kicking and screaming Victoria out and try to force her into a boat. Jarrod shoots at Garreck, while Victoria attempts to subdue Clute.


Once Garreck out of commission, Jarrod finishes the job for his mother and saves her from drowning.
After convalescing at the ranch, Kate returns to prison but with Jarrod’s assurance that the Parole Board will soon be implemented and that her case will be heard. Hopefully she will be granted parole and released for good behavior.



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