01x28 - The Homecoming

Episode transcripts for the TV show "The Fugitive". Aired: September 17, 1963 – August 29, 1967.*
Watch/Buy Amazon


Dr. Richard is wrongly convicted for a m*rder he didn't commit, escapes custody and ends up in a game of cat-and-mouse with the real k*ller.
Post Reply

01x28 - The Homecoming

Post by bunniefuu »

The name: Dr. Richard Kimble.

The destination:
death row, state prison.

The irony:
Richard Kimble is innocent.

Proved guilty, what
Richard Kimble could not prove

was that moments
before discovering

his m*rder*d wife's body,

he saw a one-armed man running
from the vicinity of his home.

Richard Kimble ponders his fate
as he looks at the world

for the last time...

and sees only darkness.

But in that darkness
fate moves its huge hand.

ANNOUNCER:
The Fugitive.

A QM production.

Starring David Janssen
as the fugitive.

With guest stars:

Shirley Knight,

Richard Carlson

and special guest star,

Gloria Grahame.

Tonight's episode:
"The Homecoming."

NARRATOR:
The Pruitt family home.

The tidewater south, Georgia.

In antebellum years,

a home graced
by gracious women.

And even after cotton
was no longer king,

the Pruitt women
were gentle and well-bred.

Richard Kimble, fugitive,

pauses here in
his endless flight.

For as long as he dares,

he will be David Benton,

research technician.

Are you hurt?

I don't think so.

Oh, oh...

Thanks.

Oh, uh...

Oh, thank you.

What happened?

A horse threw her.

I don't think
she's too badly hurt.

Fine, I'll call Dr. Brewster.

No, I-I'm all right.

Just... Just...
You go ahead.

Well, I...

I can't leave you like this.

If you need to.

If Janice is expecting you.
Uh...

I was about to
meet my daughter

on the : bus.

I'm going into town.

Can I pick her up for you?

Would you, David?
I'd appreciate that.

Take the wagon.

Come on, darling.

Oh, Allan,

you don't think it'll...?

It would be
too much for her?

I... I mean,

being met by a stranger
and everything?

Wait here a minute.

David.

There's just one thing.

My daughter doesn't
know I've remarried.

It might be just as well
if I tell her myself.

Of course.

Come on, darling.

Miss Pruitt?

Yes.

My name is David Benton.

I work for your father.

He asked me to pick you up.

Why, is anything wrong?

No, there's nothing wrong.

I was coming
into town anyway so, uh...

My car is down the street.
Are those your bags?

Yes.

You're new, aren't you?

Well, I've been here
long enough to know

that you, um, don't
call goobers peanuts.

Your father gave me
a job in the lab.

I thought he would...

I was sure he would meet me.

Well, he's been busy.

Besides,
I was glad to do it.

He's done so much for me.

For me too.

Oh, I'm being silly.

I'll be home
in minutes.

It's as though
I've never been away.

Have you been on a trip?

Yes. A long one.

I had a breakdown.

I've been in a sanitarium.

Honey.

Oh, honey,

it's been a million years.

Come on in the house.

Uh, David, bring the bags,
would you, please?

Oh, Papa,

I'm so glad to be home.

Honey,

I've got a little
surprise for you.

I...

I know you're
gonna like it.

I... I...

I would have told you sooner,

but I've been saving it.

Dorina,

this is Janice.

Dorina and I were married

six months ago.

Honey, I've been
waiting so long.

I couldn't tell you sooner.
Dr. Starke said...

Forget Dr. Starke.

She's home now, Allan.

Come on, darling,

you need some tea
or something.

If you don't mind,

I'm a little tired.

Of course,

we should have realized.

I, uh...

I invited Judge Parker
and Ellie over for dinner.

But if you don't feel
up to it...

No, I...

I'll be all right.

I'd like to see them.

ALLAN:
Ah-ha.

Let me take those, David.

Mr. Benton,
did I ever say thanks?

Uh, let me see,

about, uh, ten or times.

Well, I never
said my thanks.

Come and have dinner
with us tonight.

Well, if I'm not, uh,

cutting in
on the family reunion.

You're not.

Come early for drinks.
Follow me, honey.

Northwestern. That's
the Big Ten, isn't it?

Yes, sir.

I went to Williams myself,
up in Massachusetts.

My family thought
I'd seen enough magnolias.

Wanted me to find out what
ivy looked like. Ha, ha.

What brings you down here?

Well, I, uh...

Miss Parker?

Cookies. Ha, ha.
Oh, dear, I couldn't.

Oh, that's our
latest goober product.

Just out of
the laboratory this morning.

Very low on calories.

Well, now, here's Floyd.

Excuse me.

Sorry I couldn't
make it for dinner.

You ask me again sometime.

Judge.
Floyd.

Miss Ellie.

Hello, Janice.

It's nice to see you, Floyd.

Floyd, Mr. Benton.

He works in the lab.

How do you do?

Floyd Warren,

our county sheriff.

And you'd better watch
your P's and Q's.

I don't think
I've seen you around.

ALLAN:
I reckon I work him too hard.

David's gonna be
with us just for the summer.

Excuse me.

I'd like to talk to you, Janice.

yes.

Of course, Floyd.

Call me. Um...

maybe tomorrow.

I was hoping tonight.
It's...

It's been a long time.

Uh, I think
I've got a prior claim.

Your mother always
had a brandy for me.

My father still has.

I'll get it for you.

Just like her mother,

gentle and gracious.

She's a lady.

That's something
that's born in you.

Floyd, I appreciate
your coming out tonight.

Have one of mine?

FLOYD:
Yeah. Thank you.

I'll take that in,
my dear.

My mother always served
the judge's brandy.

Honey,

your mother is gone.

I think we have
to understand that.

I'm Mrs. Allan Pruitt now,

your father's wife.

You're Mrs. Pruitt.

You'll never be his wife.

Please tell my...

My father
I'm going to my room.

I... I don't feel well.

Well.

How are things this morning?

Floyd was real disappointed.

He left early with the judge.

Honey, maybe that dinner party

was a little too much

a little
too soon for you.

We'll go slowly,

just as slowly
as you want.

Papa,

how could you marry that...?

Her?

Janice.

And so soon after Mama d*ed?

Well, I waited almost a year.

Oh, honey, there...

There are some things

I can't expect
you to understand.

This big, empty house,

and a man gets lonely.

Janice,

you know what
your mother meant to me,

but she's gone.

We can't keep on
crying forever.

I wanted
to come home so much.

I used to dream about it.

Well, you don't
have to dream anymore.

She doesn't want me here.

Dorina, you're wrong.
Me,

or Mama,

or anything that's left,

anything that used to be.

Honey, you're wrong.

Well, she's just been
counting the days.

She was just afraid
that you wouldn't like her.

Janice,

I know you've had
a real rough time,

almost a year.

I'm sure
when you get rested up...

What's the use?

Janice.

I want you here.

Oh, Papa.

There now. There.

It's all right, Janice.
It's all right.

It's just someone
with some hounds.

I'll...
I'll go send 'em away.

These hounds come
from my best litter. Heh.

They're gonna make
fine co*n dogs.

Even good enough for a cousin
that married rich.

Heh-heh.
Now, hush up. Hush up.

Hush up. And you.

Now, you. You set tight.

You wanna get lost again?

Come here. Come here.

Thank you.

Seth!

Get those hounds out of here.

Janice is home.
Haven't you any sense at all?

You know how she is about dogs.

Well, Dorina told me
to fetch 'em over.

You said you were going
to buy some new hounds.

But not this morning.

Oh, I'm sorry.
I... I forgot.

I told him last week.

You'd better
load up and get.

Fast.

I'll give you a hand.

Making a pure fool
out of me like that.

Like what?

She never told me
last week.

She told me yesterday.

Am I slowing the wheels

of new Southern industry?

Not so you'd notice.

You're sorry
for Janice, aren't you?

Well, shouldn't I be?

If you can spare it,

try being
a little sorry for me.

Well, I think you're doing
all right, Mrs. Pruitt.

You think so?

You think it's easy
coming into a house like this,

knowing somebody
was here before you?

It's almost like living

three in a bed.

It ain't easy,

especially when
you come from where I did.

Where did you come from?

Red-dirt clearing
in Potter's Woods.

All of miles from here.

It might as well
have been

the other side
of the moon.

Five kids and seven hogs.

And the red dust
so thick on all of us

that Ma could hardly
tell which was which.

I pulled out of that.

I pulled out of the dirt.

I got into town
and I went to school,

stood number three
in my high school class,

and worked
the afternoons

and weekends
in Willison's store.

I've crawled and I've scraped

for what I've got,

and she's not
gonna take it away.

So you wanna run her out,
is that it?

I had a grandmother,
used to say:

"There's only room
for one sow in a pen."

I talk big.

It doesn't mean anything.

The truth is, I like her.

I've tried to help her.

She doesn't
want any part of me.

I tried to be her friend.

I could be yours.

Well, if I need a friend,
I'll, uh...

let you know.

Hello.

I thought you were asleep.

Well, it's, uh...

It's too early to sleep,

and, uh,
too late to read.

You don't have to apologize

for enjoying the night.

My father wanted
to take my mother

to Europe when she was sick,

and Mama said
there was more medicine

in a Georgia night

than in all of Europe
put together.

I think she was right.

You were very close to her,
weren't you?

Very close.

We used to come here

in the afternoons
when I was small,

and Mama used to
let me pour the tea.

That was before she took sick.

How long was she sick?

For a long time.

For the last five years,

she was an invalid.

I used to come here alone

after she d*ed.

I'm sorry.

Don't be.

It's nice to be able

to talk with someone about it.

Everyone should have someone
to talk to, don't you think?

Yeah, sure.

Are your folks
back from town?

No.

Will you be all right
out here alone?

Of course.

Janice.

Janice. Janice, what happened?

David! The dogs!

They've come back!

Look, I...
The dogs!

The dogs?

You heard them.
You had to hear them.

You heard them!

Look, we'll talk about it later.
Come on inside.

No, now!

You've got to tell me now.

Papa.

Papa!

Papa, Papa.

Oh, honey, honey, easy.
Papa.

Tell me about it.
Now, tell me all about it.

They've come back, Papa.

Potter's dogs.

I just heard them in the woods.

Honey,

you don't hear 'em now.

I heard them before.

I did, Papa.

I did hear them.

Don't you believe me?

We hunted down
those dogs a year ago.

Janice,

Potter's dogs are dead.

I heard them.

Come on, honey.

We'll go inside.

I had her take a pill.

She'll be sleeping soon.

I told you we shouldn't
have gone out tonight.

Honey, she seemed
so much better.

You thought so yourself.

She keeps insisting
she heard those dogs.

Did you?

No, sir.

No, of course not.

But I had my radio on.

Maybe it covered up
the sound of the dogs.

But... But wouldn't you
have heard them when...?

When you ran out?

Yeah, I suppose so.

She said, uh,
"Potter's dogs."

Are they something special?

I thought
somebody had told you.

Potter was an old redneck,

a sharecropper.

Lived by himself.

Too mean to live
with anybody else,

except his dogs.

Two big, ugly brutes.

Potter kept 'em
tied up with ropes,

half-starved,
vicious.

And when Potter d*ed,

the dogs
chewed through the ropes

and headed for the woods,

went wild.

They att*cked Janice?

No.

No, not her.

Janice took some children
into the woods,

a picnic.

One of the little fellas,
Jeffie Coombs...

Jeffie Coombs.

She never missed him
'till she heard him screaming.

Well, she drove off the dogs.

Some of the older children
helped her.

That night in the hospital,

Jeffie d*ed,

her sitting
right there beside him.

Couldn't get her
to leave.

I don't know
if she'll ever get over it.

I don't know.

But she's my daughter,

and I'm not going to
send her away again.

I wouldn't dream
of letting you.

Allan Lee,

she's my daughter now too.

Well, I'll put the wagon away.

She's got Allan
to worry about her.

Take my advice,

stay out of it.

Good night, Mr. Benton.

Floyd, come in.

Allan's in the study.

Floyd,

thanks for coming so soon.

I was heading to Mason Corners.

The office relayed your call
on the two-way.

Anything wrong?

Janice?

Yeah.

She gave us sort of
a bad time last night.

Said she heard
Potter's dogs

out in those woods.

Potter's dogs?

Well, it can't be.

We got rid of 'em
a year ago.

There's no dogs
out in those woods anymore.

I didn't say there were.

Janice says so.

She keeps insisting
she heard them.

You have to understand, Floyd.

There's nothing
really wrong with her.

It...
It was just the shock.

All she needs is some rest,

being home

and seeing
her old friends.

That's why
I called you.

I thought perhaps
you'd want to help.

Help?

Well, you used to come out
quite frequently

before she went away.

I thought perhaps if you'd
start coming out again...

I did come out
the other night.

I wouldn't say she was
overjoyed to see me.

Is she around?

She's in her room, resting.

Well, maybe later
on my way back.

Thanks, Floyd.

Thanks, Floyd.
I'll see you out.

I thought she was in her room.

Well, she was,

the last time
I looked in.

Though I can't say

I'm exactly surprised.

He's been after her
ever since she came home.

Who is he?

Where'd Allan find him anyhow?

We put an ad
in the Atlanta paper.

Somebody
to work in the lab.

Allan says he's smart.

He must be.

He sure hasn't
lost any time.

Of course,

that's up to you,
I guess.

Floyd.

I wanna talk to you.

I'll be in shortly.

Now.

I'm sorry,
I can't now.

We can talk in the car.

Floyd, please.

You're hurting her.


I hear you're smart.

You stay away from her, hear?

When she asks me to.

When I ask you to.

Unless you wanna eat cornbread
and beans for a month.

That goes for dinner
in our jail.

Wouldn't you have to
have some charges?

I'll find charges.

'Cause I wanna pin
something on you.

I'll find a way.

Driving a car,

crossing the street,

tearing up a piece of paper.

Everybody breaks
the law every day.

Only I'll be watching you.

Come in.

Packing?

I was gonna tell you.

I just talked to my sister.

Her husband's sick.

Why, I'm sorry.

Do you have to leave?

I should.

Well, I find I have to go
up to Atlanta for a day.

I'll be back
tomorrow night.

Well, I...

I just thought if you
could stay a few days...

I mean, you seem to be
so good with Janice.

She's relaxed with you,

calm.

Allan Lee,

I can take care of Janice

if Mr. Benton
is pressed for time.

Well, actually
I'm not that pressed.

Well, we wouldn't
want to impose.

You're not, believe me.

Well, I can't
begin to thank you.

I don't think we could.

I'll be back
as soon as I can.

Janice!

Janice!

Janice.

David. You heard them.
You heard the dogs!

I heard the dogs.

But they're not...

They're not barking now.

They weren't barking
before either, were they?

Of course they were. Of course.
Were they?

No, you're just saying that!
You're just trying to help me!

You couldn't have heard them!

You couldn't have!

Potter's dogs are dead!

DORINA:
Honey,

you shouldn't be out here
like this.

Just a bad dream,
that's all.

Come on,
let's get you back to...

Poor girl.

She'll swear
she heard those dogs.

Suppose I said
I heard them too.

If I were you,

I wouldn't say that to anyone.

Why, because you want 'em
to think she's still sick?

Because you'll just
make a fool of yourself.

Because the whole county
knows Potter's dogs are dead.

Are they?

Don't go looking.

You wouldn't last
five minutes in those woods.

You'd be so lost,

you'd maybe never
find your way out.

You might not be as lucky as me.

You grow up in those woods,

you learn your way around,

like an animal.

My Pa used to
shake his head and say:

"That Dorina's
more wild critter

than girl."

I guess that's hard
for you to believe,

all of the dirt washed off.

Not all of it.

Darling.

Allan, you're early.

I wanted to get home
before dark.

How is she?

She's been in her room
most of the day.

Wouldn't eat or talk.

Allan...

...I've tried.

She heard those dogs
again last night.

Did you?

Allan,

I wish I could tell you.

What can I do
for that child?

What can I do to help?

You expect
too much of yourself.

You're not a doctor.

Maybe...

Maybe you'll...
You'll just have to...

Oh, but...

But talk to her first.

Mr. Benton.

I'd like to talk
to Mr. Pruitt.

He's busy.

Will you wait in the study?

But, honey,

not to eat
anything all day...

Can't I bring you something?

No, thanks.

But you have to eat.

I'm not hungry.

Janice, I, uh...

I understand you heard
the dogs again.

Dogs?

Potter's dogs,

last night.

I didn't hear any dogs.

Dorina says that...

I don't care what she says,

she's wrong.

Honey, don't you think...?

She's wrong.
I didn't hear anything!

Now, please, stop asking me,
and leave me alone.

Please,
just leave me alone.

So you're gonna tell him.

Well, you just
go ahead and try.

See if he'll take
your word against mine.

Happy days.

Operator,
this is Allan Pruitt.

I wonder if you'd get me
the Glenaire Sanitarium

in Hazlehurst.

No. No, person-to-person,
please.

Dr. Starke.

And would you rush it?
It's important.

Thank you.

I'm sorry, David.

You're going to send her back.

Well, if you do,

there's a chance
she may never get well.

What else can I do?

Bringing her home
hasn't helped any.

She heard those dogs
again last night.

I heard them too.

You?

Potter's dogs?

I don't know whose dogs
they were,

but I heard them
out in the woods.

They sounded mean.

But how is that possible
after all these months?

That's impossible.

Maybe somebody
wanted them to be there.

Why?

Who?

Allan,

I think he means your wife.

Well, you were-
Were out there, Mrs. Pruitt.

Of course I was.

I followed you.

Allan, I saw him
from our window.

Janice was with him.

In her nightclothes.

I heard the dogs.

I ran out,

and Janice was already there.

A very cute story.

If there'd been any dogs.

Ask Janice.

I did ask Janice.

She insisted
she didn't hear 'em.

Allan,

she was screaming.

That was because of the dogs,
Mrs. Pruitt.

They weren't there.

She just thought they were.

Well, then why would
she insist to me that-?

I don't understand this.

I don't understand this at all.

Look, Mr. Pruitt,

will you wait
and ask the doctor?

Maybe I will.

All right, David.
If I need you, I'll call you.

Yes, sir.

Well, I guess
I'd better look in on her.

Sheriff's office.
Warren speaking.

Floyd? Dorina.

You better
make tracks out here.

What goes?

Mr. Benton.

You didn't
slow him down much.

He was out by the woods
with her last night.

Just the two of them.

And she was
in her nightgown, and-

Floyd? You hear me?

You can just
scare a man so far.

If she wanted to walk
out there with him...

What about me?

You?!

That's the kind he is.

Came after me too.

You wanna make a charge?

If you can't run him out.

I can run him out.

I don't like her
out there alone.

I better check
long distance again.

Get your stuff, mister.

We're going in.

I still haven't
heard any charges.

Attempted as*ault.

Sheriff,
I don't think you're gonna

get Janice
to testify to that.

Not Janice.

Help. Help.

Help me.
Help me, please.

Help. Help.

Jeffie?

Help me, please!

Jeffie?

Help me!

Jeffie!

I'll have to get back to you.

Jeffie!

Potter's dogs.

Jeffie?

It's Janice.

Jeffie?

Jeffie?

Help me.

Jeffie?

Help me, please!

Where are you, Jeffie?

Janice?

Janice!

Jeffie?

Janice!

Jeffie?

Help me!

Help me, please!

Janice?

Janice?

Jeffie?

Jeffie?

Jeffie. Jeffie.

You're not Jeffie Coombs.

Janice!

Don't you be frightened anymore.

Nothing's going to hurt you.

You're all right.

Janice?

Janice.

Janice, honey.

Papa. I was right.

I was right,
they were here.

I was wrong, honey.
I was the one that was wrong.

That's Seth Crowley's kid.

No.

Now, go on and tell 'em.

Those were Potter's dogs,
weren't they?

They're mine.

Did somebody put you up
to bringing them here? Who?

Go on, tell them. Who? Do you
want the sheriff to ask you who?

Her.

Mrs. Pruitt.

Mrs. Pruitt.

Not anymore.

Well, she said she'd

give me $ if I'd just
take 'em out in the woods

and make 'em
start to sound off.

Well, it's been
a bad year, and $ ...

You took the boy with you?

Oh, no, sir. No.

He must have followed me
and got lost.

First I knew it
is when he started yelling.

And then she-

She got to him first.

All right, Seth.
All right.

Good night.

Would one of you gentlemen

like to drive me to town?

Me.

It'll be a pleasure.

I got some apologies
to make to you.

Afraid you'll
have to do it by mail.

David's leaving us tomorrow.

Well, maybe
if you leave your address...

I'll send it to you
when I get settled.

Someday.

Someday Richard Kimble
will be settled.

When he can take
his own name again.

When he finds the man
who k*lled his wife.

Until then,
he must be what he is now:

a fugitive.
Post Reply