The Century Turns 

An aging lawman in 1901 Oklahoma employs the latest crime detection techniques to solve the murder of a homesteading couple while overcoming the skepticism of his young, college-educated police chief.

Directors:

Daniel Petrie, Charles Ziarko

Writer:

Harold Jack Bloom

Stars:

Richard Boone, Rick Lenz, Sharon Acker

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Boone	...	Hec Ramsey
Rick Lenz	...	Chief Oliver Stamp
Sharon Acker	...	Nora Muldoon
R.G. Armstrong	...	Ben Ritt
Robert Pratt	...	Steve Ritt
Ray Middleton	...	Judge Leroy Tate
Perry Lopez	...	Sgt. Juan Mendoza
Bill Vint	...	Constable Watson
Colby Chester	...	Roy
Dick Van Patten	...	Earl Enright
Brian Dewey	...	Andy Muldoon
Robert Phillips	...	Lew Tarris
Paul Carr	...	Fenner
Maurice Jara	...	Rides-With-The-Sun
Francis De Sales	...	A. Wingate

Storyline

In 1901, Hec Ramsey is a former lawman who decides to take a job working in the newly formed Oklahoma police department. When he arrives the Chief of Police wonders what Hec can contribute. But the stage that Hec arrived in was robbed and a couple were killed and all signs lead the police to believe it was murder suicide. That's when Hec reveals that he's been studying on new methods of solving crimes like fingerprinting and ballistics. He uses these methods to disprove the murder suicide of the couple and to apprehend the stagecoach robbers.

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Plot Keywords:

oil well | narrator | detective work | mother and child | ballistics | 

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Genres:

Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 October 1972 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mark VII Ltd., Universal Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Hec" is short for Hector.

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Goofs

As Hec rides behind the 5 foot tall man, their horse walks next to the same stick on the ground twice.

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Connections

Followed by Hec Ramsey (1972)

User Reviews

Based upon a real person.

"Hec Ramsey" provided an interesting character. There were two essential ingredients. Start with Richard Boone's appealing gruffness. Add the essence of an interesting and unusual story. It worked! Pity that Boone and Universal could not iron out their differences. It was a worthwhile show.

There was another element which gave the show appeal. It was said far and wide in 1972 that Hec Ramsey was based upon a genuine character. Reportedly this gentleman was a detective from Georgia named Hec Thomas, who went west and left a legend of frontier criminology. Unfortunately, references on Hec Thomas are evasive.