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>>