Teleplay by CATHERINE KUTTNER Story by MONGOMERY PITTMAN Directed by MONGOMERY PITTMAN Guest Cast FRANCES BAVIER as Nancy Thomas LISA GAYE as Mrs. "Brimstone" Hoyt DONALD "Red" BARRY as Arkansas WILLIAM PHIPPS as Hoyt GORDON JONES as Sheriff JOHN HUBBARD as Prosecutor Lee OLAN SOULI as  Judge Mason WAYDE PRESTON  as Christopher Colt TY HARDIN as Bronco Layne PETER BROWN as Johnny McKay ADAM WEST as Doc Holliday

Will Hutchins plays doubles: Tom Brewster & The Canary Kid

In this episode of Sugarfoot they trotted out two favorite gimmicks, the star playing a dual role and cross-overs from other Warner's productions.  Tom's identical cousin, the Canary Kid, is set to go on trial for murder.  Tom Brewster is forced to defend him when his Aunt Nancy informs him that his old friend Judge Hall has been kidnapped by Canary's gang, to be held until Canary is free.  When he gets to Blanchard he runs into his old friend Chris Colt who was trailing the Canary Kid on a federal charge.

Tom Brewster starts out the show with a mustache to distinguish him from Canary but foolishly shaves it off.  This facilitates the inevitable switch which results in the two trading places about half-way through the trial.  This is accomplished when one of his cohorts screams out that he hates Texans right in front of Bronco Layne.  The ensuing ruckus distracts the sheriff, giving Canary time to knock out Tom and exchange clothes.

Tom for the defense, the judge, and the smiling prosecutor

Some of Canary's old gang testify

Bronco becomes an unwitting part of the switch

The trial goes on with the cousins switched

As it turns out, Canary actually has an alibi for the murder he's charged with; he was locked up in the Laramie jail on suspicion of stage robbery.  Johnny McKay comes from Laramie to testify to this fact.  He testifies they kept him for a few days and had to release him for lack of evidence.

Johnny testifies for the defense with his second season Lawman open shirt look.

 When a dispute arises as to which is which, Johnny just happens to have a man with him who can tell them apart.  Doc Holliday was in protective custody at the time and had the opportunity to do a little dental work on Canary.  [In Lawman's episode 36 "The Wayfarer" Doc Holliday (played  by Adam West) was given jail accommodations by the Marshal.]  In court, he examines Tom's teeth and declares them admirable -- much better than the teeth of the Canary Kid.

Lucky for Tom he takes good care of his teeth and Canary doesn't.

His alibi confirmed, the Canary Kid confidently struts out of court only to be grabbed up by Johnny, who says that they now have sufficient evidence to convict him of the stage robbery.  He's interrupted by Chris Colt who notes that Johnny is out of his jurisdiction.  Canary thinks he's home free, until Colt notes his federal jurisdiction and promises to take him to Laramie first.

After a little jurisdictional clarification, Canary is headed for Laramie

NiteOwl Review:  We generally liked Sugarfoot with the affable, high-charged Will Hutchins as the affable, low-key Tom Brewster.  This wasn't one of the best episodes, but it was decent enough.  There's nothing very special about Peter Brown's cameo here so we haven't tried to upgrade our barely fair copy.  It was just a throw-away cameo used to promote the ratings for this episode.  (Interestingly [to us anyway] Lawman never used the cross-over cameo gimmick.)  For a better Peter Brown appearance with Will Hutchins, see his pre-Lawman guest spot in the Sugarfoot episode "Hideout". They didn't get James Garner for a cameo, but they did put a wanted poster with his picture in the Marshal's office.