Written by JOHN D. F. BLACK  Directed by PAUL STANLEY  Guest Cast ALBERT SALMI as Cletus Grogan SHELLEY MORRISON as Linda Littletrees JOHN ABBOTT as Mr. Irwing  RICHARD DEVON as Max Vander  RALPH MANZA  as Blue Dog ROY BARCROFT as Marshal Speaks RICHARD COLLIER as Jones  X BRANDS as Randoe

The Jinx

When Reese’s friend Cletus comes to Laredo, things go wrong all around him - runaway horses, broken wagon wheels, busted feed sacks.  Reese tries to show him he’s not a jinx by getting him signed up as a Ranger.  When Chad hears about the jinx, his first thought is to figure  how to use it in a card game to his advantage.  However, when they're all assigned to hunt down Linda Littletrees' gang, the first thing Cletus does is disconnect Chad’s shoulder, driving thoughts of profit from Chad’s mind. Littletrees’ gang has robbed the bank in the first town the Rangers come to.  While Chad sees the doctor, Joe’s attempt to track the gang is hampered by a freak rainstorm.  The Littletrees gang  watches Joe from a ridge.  When the rain stops, Joe takes off his wet shirt.  Linda’s eyes bulge at the sight.  She’s in love — much to the dismay of her ardent suitor Blue Dog who is now determined to kill Joe.  The gang sets a trap to capture Joe,  He manages to fight them off until Linda hits him on the head with a rock.  While the rest of the gang goes off to intercept the other Rangers, Linda proposes marriage to Joe.  He’s rescued by the arrival of the other Rangers.  During the gunfight,  Reese sets it up so Cletus can rescue him, leading Cletus to believe the Jinx is gone.  Cletus resigns from the Rangers to return to his waiting girlfriend, leaving disaster striking everywhere Reese walks.

Linda admiring Joe as he takes off his shirt

Max, Linda & Blue Dog

Linda proposing marriage

NiteOwl Review:  Much as we disliked the stereotypical Indians in Laredo, there was something interesting about the Linda Littletrees persona.  In her previous appearance she duped Martin Milner's character.  Joe is not as easily manipulated.  On the whole this was an amusing episode.  Cast Note:  Shelley Morrison later played a nun on The Flying Nun and in the 1999-2000 season joined the cast of the sitcom Will and Grace.  Albert Salmi was another of the actors considered to replace Neville Brand due to Brand's  on-going inability to cope with the heavy demands of series television.   Production Note:  Producers combined "Jinx" with 2 other Linda Littletrees episode "Yahoo" & "No Bugles, One Drum"  to make the feature film "Three Guns for Texas" for overseas distribution.