AS SEEN ON TV: SAM PURCHAS

I plan to feature a new character from James Michener's "Centennial" each day during August in the ASOTV showcase. I started yesterday with Lame Beaver, one of the first characters we meet (at least in the Toobworld timeline), but I don't plan on continuing in chronological order; that would be boring to both of us. I'll jump around to whomever strikes my fancy that particular day. But at least for the first three Fridays of August, the accent will be on some Hat Squad tributes.....

SAM PURCHAS

CREATED BY:

James Michener

PORTRAYED BY:

Donald Pleasance

AS SEEN IN:

"Centennial"

TV DIMENSION:

Earth Prime-Time

From Wikipedia:

Making their way to St. Louis overland and by steamboat, Levi Zendt and Elly Zahm join a wagon train heading over the Oregon trail for the Pacific guided by the unsavory mountain man Sam Purchas.

After stopping at a frontier fort and meeting McKeag the Zendts continue into the Rocky Mountains. When the guide Sam Purchas tries to rape Elly they decide to turn back. They return to the fort defeated.

English writer Oliver Seccombe introduced the mountain man to Levi and Elly, and to Major Maxwell Mercy. Purchas forced the Zendts to trade in their team of gray horses, whom Levi loved, for oxen, which would endure the brutal conditions of the cross-country trek.

From C. Trent:

"Before portraying Sam Purchas in this episode, Donald Pleasence had portrayed a mountain man in the 1965 comedy, "THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL". In "CENTENNIAL", he ended up portraying a very unpleasant frontiersman, namely the venal Sam Purchas. Although Pleasence’s Purchas was not what I would call a complex character, I must admit that he was memorable and the British actor portrayed him with a great deal of relish."

The parents of Sam Purchas may have named him after Samuel Purchas: "Samuel Purchas (1577? – 1626), was an English cleric who published several volumes of reports by travelers to foreign countries."

BCnU!