Zorro Saves a Friend

Season 1 - Episode 6

Airdate: 11/14/57
Starring: Guy Williams (Zorro and Don Diego)
With: Britt Lomond (Capitan Monastario), Henry Calvin (Sergeant Garcia), Romney Brent (Padre Felipe), Gene Sheldon (Bernardo), George J. Lewis (Don Alejandro)
Directed by: Lewis R. Foster
Teleplay by: John Meredyth Lucas. Based on the Zorro Stories by Johnston McCulley
Associate Producer: William H. Anderson
Music: William Lava
Song Noche Triste: Jaime Mendoza-Nava
Art Director: Marvin Aubrey Davis
Photography: Gordon Avil, A.S.C.
Film Editor: Roy Livingston, A.C.E.
Set Decoration: Emile Kuri, Hal Gausman
Costumer: Chuck Keehne
Make-up: Pat McNalley
Fencing Master: Fred Cavens
Sound: Robert O. Cook
Unit Manager: Roy Wade
Assistant Director: Russ Haverick
Production Coordinator: Louis Debney
Production #5856

The Story Line

Monastario tries a new plan to convict Torres and to capture Zorro. The Torres women are taken into the cuartel and placed in the stockade for all the townspeople to see, and Monastario announces that they will be kept there until they sign a statement acknowledging Torres as a traitor. Padre Felipe and Diego visit the capitan but find him adamant, despite their warnings that the people are growing resentful of the mistreatment of the women.

One person is particularly upset; Benito cannot stand to see his beloved Elena held in jail unjustly. That night a masked figure slips into the cuartel hoping to free the prisoners but is captured by the waiting Monastario. The commandante then orders Benito hanged immediately unless the women sign the statement.

Although they don't wish to see Benito harmed, Elena and her mother cannot bring themselves to turn against Torres, so it appears the man is doomed. When the time for the execution arrives, a priest meets Benito at the gallows, only to pull back his cowl and reveal himself as Zorro. The two outlaws battle their way free of the cuartel, leaving Monastario with yet another embarrassing defeat.

Production Notes

  • The working title for this episode was Torres Family Imprisoned.
  • Eugenia Paul (Señorita Elena Torres), Madeleine Holmes (Doña Luisa Torres), Pat Hogan (Benito) and Than Wyenn (Licenciado Piña) appeared in the episode but were not listed in the credits.

Scene Images

Garcia escapes from the mob
Sergeant Garcia and his men make a hasty entrance into the cuartel to escape from the angry mob assembled in the town square.
The Torres women are hauled in a cart
The crowd is upset to see the two Torres women being taken to jail in a wagon usually used for hauling goods.
Pina is worried about the mob
Licenciado Piña is also unhappy to see this, for he realizes such an act can only make the townspeople rise up against Monastario's harsh rule.
Pina tries to make Monastario to free the women
He rushes to advise Monastario of his concerns but the scheming commandante refuses to take him seriously.
It's all part of his newest plan
Instead, he tells Piña that all this is part of his plan, knowing that if the people are upset then Zorro will ride into action, and that he will be waiting for him this time.
Another Albert Whitlock masterpiece
One of Albert Whitlock's matte paintings brings the de la Vega hacienda to life.
Don Alejandro demands action
News of the Torres women has reached Don Alejandro, who angrily states that the time has come to take action against Monastario.
Diego suggests diplomacy
Diego convinces his father to let him try a little diplomacy first, for if they were to confront Monastario directly they risk losing the support of the governor.
Benito wants to help Elena
As Diego lives for the pueblo he is stopped by his head vaquero, Benito, who is in love with Elena. Diego makes Benito promise not to take action to free the women.
The busy pueblo
It's a busy day in the pueblo. Little attentions to detail like this helped set the series apart from its competitors.
Padre Felipe agrees to help
When they arrive at the cuartel Bernardo and Diego meet Padre Felipe, who agrees to join forces to convince Monastario to free the women.
Poor Garcia is tricked again
Diego tricks Garcia into letting them into the cuartel by asking the hapless sergeant to test a new shipment of wine at the tavern.
The women have no food or water
Diego is dismayed to hear that the two women are being held without any food and water.
Monastario has plenty to eat
The women may be going hungry, but Monastario is certainly not suffering along with them.

Scene Images

Monastario is starving the women to trap Torres
Monastario explains that he is not feeding the women in order to get a signed confession that Torres is a traitor.
Benito is captured
Garcia bursts in with the news that he has captured Benito, who is there to plead for Elena's freedom.
Diego pleads for Benito
Diego convinces Monastario to not take action against Benito, but it's obvious that the two men don't care much for each other.
A sad night in the cells
When night arrives one of the prisoners sings a sad song to help pass the time.
Zorro tries to free the women
Suddenly, Zorro appears out of the darkness and attempts to open the cell.
Zorro is captured!
A sentry spots Zorro and sounds the alarm! After a very brief battle the masked avenger is captured by a gloating Monastario.
Zorro is unmasked
Zorro is unmasked and everyone is amazed to discover that Benito is the man behind the mask.
Monastario orders an execution
Monastario orders the immediate execution of his hated foe. The soldiers hang a rope at the cuartel entrance to carry out the sentence.
Padre Felipe arrives
Padre Felipe arrives to console the doomed man.
The real Zorro to the rescue
Everyone is stunned when the padre cuts Benito loose. It's the real Zorro, and Monastario's plans are thwarted once again.

Publicity Photos

All captions are from the Disney syndication publicity kit. Click on the photos for larger versions.

Monastario duels with Zorro

The tyrannical commandante Monastario (Britt Lomond) meets his match in Zorro (Guy Williams) in a tense fencing duel. (Note: this scene actually occurred in an earlier episode.)

Zorro leaps to safety

Zorro, portrayed by Guy Williams, makes a leaping exit from a balcony onto his trusted steed Tornado. (Note: this scene actually occurred in an earlier episode.)

The Torres women go to jail

Lovely Eugenia Paul (left) and Madeleine Holmes, portraying two Spanish California ladies, are transported ignominiously to jail.

Preview of this episode

"Be with us next week, when Monastario uses innocent women to bait a trap for the elusive Zorro!"

Return to the First Season Episode Descriptions


Season 1 Episode List