Podcast Summary: "A Tangled Rope"

Podcast: Old Time Radio Westerns
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Show: Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
Original Air Date: December 23, 1953
Podcast Release Date: February 14, 2026
Featured Cast: Guy Madison (Wild Bill Hickok), Andy Devine (Jingles), Parley Baer, Paul Frees, Bert Holland, Jack Moyles

Episode Overview

In this digitally restored classic episode, Marshal Wild Bill Hickok and his sidekick Jingles take on a confounding mystery involving a series of stagecoach robberies. The outlaw Sugarfoot Jack Kramer appears to be in two places at once, undermining their efforts to catch him in the act. The lawmen must unravel the tangled connection between Sugarfoot, a crafty bootmaker named Bootjack Crouch, and a series of daring gold heists. The story blends rootin’-tootin’ shootouts, clever ruses, and the signature humor and camaraderie of Bill and Jingles.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. The Impossible Crime (02:39–04:08)

• Mr. Hines recounts the outlandish situation: Sugarfoot seems to be present in town while robberies by a “road agent” matching his description take place 15 miles away.
  • "You trying to tell us that a road agent can sit right here where you can watch him and still rob your stagecoach 15 miles away at the same time?" – Jingles (02:43)
• Sugarfoot’s reputation as a slick outlaw is established; suspicion centers on his impressive marksmanship and brashness.

2. The Shooting Contest (04:08–06:10)

• Sugarfoot challenges Wild Bill to a shootout, doubling as a wager for the town’s children to get a baseball diamond if there’s a tie.
  • “And if it’s a tie, you’ll both give your money to set up a baseball diamond for the kids of this town.” – Wild Bill (04:19)
• Both shooters hit 5 out of 6 targets, resulting in a tie and a win for the kids.
  • Wild Bill deliberately misses the last bottle and later admits as much:
    “You can’t win ‘em all, Jingles. Don’t worry about it.” (08:49)
• Sugarfoot acts sour, tries to instigate a shoot-off, but is disarmed.

3. The Mystery of the Stagecoach Robberies (08:43–11:14)

• Hines admits paying Sugarfoot to stay in town whenever gold is shipped, believing it would deter attacks—but the robberies continue.
  • “Anytime I was shipping gold...I offered Sugarfoot a monthly salary to stay in town.” – Mr. Hines (09:30)
• Bill and Jingles accompany Hines to the holdup spot but are ambushed; suspicion remains high.

4. The Bootmaker’s Scheme (11:44–13:12)

• Sugarfoot and Bootjack Crouch discuss their partnership and plan.
  • “You bring me much business when you wear these, my friend.” – Bootjack (12:22)
  • Bootjack reveals he’s made two identical pairs of boots for Sugarfoot.
• Suggestion of a doppelganger or accomplice surfaces subtly.

5. Tension in the Shop (13:01–15:18)

• Wild Bill and Jingles visit Bootjack’s shop, suspecting a connection.
• Sugarfoot appears, briefly holding them at gunpoint.
• Bill proposes locking Sugarfoot in jail while he himself accompanies a gold shipment to prove if Sugarfoot is truly the robber.

6. The Trap is Set (15:36–17:12)

• Bill, Jingles, and Hines ride inside a gold-laden stagecoach with Sugarfoot locked up.
• They're ambushed by two masked men—one resembling Sugarfoot and the other, Bootjack.
  • “That big one looks like Sugarfoot, all right.” – Jingles (16:28)
• Bootjack sabotages the coach, sending it careening toward Dead Man’s Curve.

7. The Tangled Rope (19:13–20:33)

• In a tense, inventive sequence, Bill & Jingles use a rope around the spinning wheels to slow the runaway stage.
  • “Here, take one end of the rope and feed it into that back wheel on your side...It’ll make a bind on the axle and slow us down.” – Wild Bill (19:41)
• Their courage and quick thinking avert disaster, stopping just in time.

8. The Final Confrontation and Reveal (20:33–23:33)

• Bill and Jingles prepare an ambush for the robbers, who—believing the coach crashed—return to finish the job.
• They capture Sugarfoot and Bootjack.
• The “two places at once” mystery is solved: Bootjack had been disguising Sugarfoot’s brother to look like him; Wild Bill notes the subtle difference in boot size was the giveaway:
  • “One of them was taller than the other, Jingles. I saw the difference in the size of their boots in Bootjack’s shop yesterday.” – Wild Bill (22:54)
• Bootjack admits his defeat:
  • “It is just that Marshal Hickok is smarter than we are, Sugarfoot. It’s too bad.” (22:16)

9. Humorous Wrap-Up (23:29–23:58)

• Jingles, always the comic relief, grumbles about near-death escapades:
  • “Well, you just watch it from now on, Bill Hickok. ‘Cause you ain’t getting me to go for a ride again unless I got a guarantee that it’s gonna be nothing more dangerous than a rock.” (23:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Outlandish Crime:
  • “Strange ain’t the word for it.” – Jingles (02:43)
• Shooting Contest Humility:
  • “Your reputation, partner? Sounds like it’s my reputation.” – Wild Bill (03:47)
• On Sugarfoot’s Flashy Boots:
  • “That’s why they call him Sugarfoot. Because he wears only the fanciest boots I can make for him.” – Bootjack (06:28)
• Reassurance of Bill’s Intention:
  • “You can’t win ‘em all Jingles. Don’t worry about it.” – Wild Bill (08:49)
• Ingenious Stagecoach Braking:
  • “That rope tangles in the wheel. It’ll make a bind on the axle and slow us down.” – Jingles (19:47)
• The Big Reveal:
  • “One of them was taller than the other Jingles. I saw the difference in the size of their boots in Boot Jack’s shop yesterday.” – Wild Bill (22:54)

Timeline & Timestamps for Key Segments

• Impossible Robbery Introduction: 02:39–04:08
• Shooting Contest & Baseball Diamond Bet: 04:08–06:10
• Stagecoach Robbery Setup: 08:43–11:14
• Bootjack’s Plan & Double Boot Reveal: 11:44–13:12
• Showdown in the Boot Shop: 13:01–15:18
• Coach Ambush & Runaway Cliffhanger: 15:36–17:12
• Inventive Rope Braking Scene: 19:13–20:33
• Double Sugarfoot Reveal & Just Desserts: 20:33–23:33
• Wrap-up and Comic Relief: 23:29–23:58

Tone and Style

The episode is lively, with Jingles providing easygoing comic relief to Wild Bill’s even-keeled authority. The banter and pacing echo the energetic storytelling style of classic western radio. The audio restoration, as highlighted by the podcast host, brings freshness and clarity to the experience, letting every shootout, creaking door, and thundering hoof reverberate like new.

Concluding Thoughts

This episode embodies the best of old-time western storytelling: a knotted mystery, clever lawmen, devious bandits, and moments of genuine humor. The digital restoration allows listeners to relive the golden age of radio drama, with a clarity and vibrance that not only preserves but amplifies the original experience.