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Dennis the Menace actor Jay North made his debut as a boy with a Christmas wish in Wanted Dead or Alive
A year before he began menacing Mr. Wilson, Jay North hired Josh Randall for a special assignment.
It didn’t take long for Wanted Dead or Alive to make a Christmas episode. “Eight Cent Reward” came halfway through the first season, originally airing in December, 1958.
The episode’s title refers to the life savings a young boy is willing to give bounty hunter Josh Randall if he can locate Santa Claus.
Steve McQueen’s Randall is moved by the request, and being the professional he is, decides to take the kid up on it. The young boy, who goes by Laddie, desperately needs to ask Santa for a gift he’s been hoping to receive for years. Laddie won’t say what the special present is, saving his request only for Mr. Claus.
It’s a change of pace from the grittiness of most Wanted episodes but still perfectly showcases Josh’s dedication and virtue.
The sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking performance given by the young actor playing Laddie also helps this episode stand out. A seven-year-old newcomer named Jay North embodied the little farmer’s son. It was his first credited role on television.
Classic TV fans no doubt recognize North as Dennis Mitchell from the series Dennis the Menace, based on the popular comic strip.
North played the slingshot-wielding youngster for four seasons starting the year after making his debut alongside Steve McQueen. Five-year-old Ronny Howard also appeared in six episodes of Dennis the Menace before playing Opie Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show.
“Eight Cent Reward” also features character actor Lloyd Corrigan as a drunk who gamely pretends to be Santa Claus when Josh Randall doesn’t know what else to do. Corrigan reunited with Jay North in the Dennis the Menace episode “Junior Pathfinders Ride Again.” Corrigan’s outing as an Old West Santa wasn’t the last Christmas episode he would be in, either. Far from it.
He appeared in three festive episodes of Lassie. In “Yochim’s Christmas,” he guest starred with Grandma Walton Ellen Corby and in the two-part “Lassie’s Gift of Love” Corrigan played a mysterious toy repairman traveling by donkey wagon.
Though “Eight Cent Reward” is a different than most episodes of Wanted Dead or Alive, it’s still a great watch and a perfect Western take on a holiday story.
24 Comments
My favorite Christmas cartoons are "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", "A Charlie Brown Christmas", and "The Night Before Christmas" (with Tom & Jerry).
The actor who played the fake Santa was Percy Helton, a veteran of many TV shows.
The ending was terrific; when the boy received the gift he wanted, it was implied that the real Santa Claus brought it.
Legend is that he was a bast - - - to work with. That may be
why he did not get much work.
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When they're moving, they load up the truck and Jay and the dog (and the lion) sit at the back of the truck, ready to fall off. And they were going hundreds of miles. That seemed like a stretch.
You fund it hard to believe thise events for Jay's character were allowed to happen? You realize the movie wasn't a documentary. 95% of the things that happen in movies, would actually not happen in real life. Movies were supposed to be an escape from reality.
From this point on.....I could "NOT" care less.
Jay North was kept on a VERY tight leash by his aunt, who (almost literally) "bought" him from his parents.
One time on the DtM set, when he flubbed a line, she slapped him--hard!
I don't know how long it took for him to finally be free of her.
In 2007, there was "A Dennis the Menace Christmas". AMC is airing it this season. Robert Wagner pkays grumpy Mr. Wilson.
Jay North playing a boy named
LADDIE on a Christmas Episode
Of Wanted Dead Or Alive.
I hope that RERUNS of DENNIS
THE MENACE can be added to
METVs schedule sometime in
The in the near future.
I would.also like to see Alice
Lone Ranger The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet I Love Lucy
Dobie Gillis Early Edition And
Mr.Ed added to The schedule of
METV .Does anyone know if the
Movie called The Blob with
Steve McQueen has ever been
Played on Svengoolie?????
- Doc Hallen? What happened? - You gotta come now! 😧
Wait a minute, Steve. Tell us what happened. 😯
I'm trying to tell you. Now this thing, it killed the doc 😳
