Thursday, August 14, 2014

LITTLE BIG SCREEN: FIMPLE MINDED



Another day in our salute to James Garner and the "Maverick" movie, and guess what?  We've got another poker player profile!

Character actor Dennis Fimple played yet another poker enthusiast on board the riverboat and it's easy enough for this televisiologist to make the claim as to who he was:

Kyle Murtry, a member of the Devil's Hole gang.

Kyle Murtry first rode with Big Jim Santana, but when Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes took over the gang he stayed with them.  Kyle had no problem switching allegiances to Wheat after the Kansas cousins left.



Even in the dawn of a new century, there must have still been a price on Kyle's head, because he showed up at the riverboat using an alias nickname: Stuttering.  Whether the affliction was real or affected to avoid detection, I have no clue.  But nothing will change my mind that he was not Kyle Murtry.



"Stuttering" Kyle Murtry, like all the other TV Western cameo players at the game, was eliminated from the competition before the final round.  But at least he was bested by one of the game's true celebrities - its host, Commodore Duvall.  

Not that Kyle was very happy about it (See the top picture).....

"Nothing I hate more than a sad loser."
The Commodore

Happy trails to you!

No comments: