THE VIRGINIAN -- Bitter Autumn ( 6th Season )

This episode featured the first Virginian
appearances of John McIntire and his wife
Jeanette Nolan as Clay & Holly Grainger.
It's a well-acted story, about Shiloh cattle
and other beef becoming infected and quarantined,
but this was an unofficial introduction to new characters.

Charles Bickford, who played John Grainger from the start
of the 5th Season over a year earlier, was very sick when
this episode was filmed.

He died not long after in November 1967, so John McIntire
entered as his brother Clay for the next 3 years.
McIntire had also replaced Ward Bond on Wagon Train
when Bond died in 1960.

Guest Stars John Anderson, Dabbs Greer, Virginia Gregg,
and semi-regulars John Bryant as Dr. Spaulding and
Russell Thorson as the judge.