Old Time Radio Westerns – The Cisco Kid

Episode Title: Midget of Broken Spur | The Cisco Kid (02-03-55)
Release Date: February 17, 2026
Host: Andrew Rynes
Duration: ~32 minutes (excluding ads/intros)

Overview:

This gripping episode of The Cisco Kid—“Midget of Broken Spur”—showcases a cunning, pint-sized villain, Little Sam, who masterminds an ingenious train heist. Cisco and his faithful companion Pancho are wrongly accused and must clear their names while outsmarting a deceitful gang. The action-packed narrative blends classic Western suspense, sharp dialogue, comic relief, and moral lessons about justice and cleverness in the wild frontier.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Setting the Stage: Gold Shipments and Danger

• [03:02] The narrator establishes the scene: in the Old West, gold is routinely shipped by train—prime targets for bandits.
• The episode’s antagonist: Little Sam, a midget whose innocent appearance masks a cold, cunning criminal mind.
  • “His innocent, childlike face and voice belied the vicious cunning and treachery in his brain. His name, appropriately enough, was Little Sam.” (Narrator, 03:02)

2. Dramatic Train Robbery

• [03:49] Gold shipment discussed between two guards, who plan to transfer $8,000 at Broken Spur Junction.
• At the crucial moment, Little Sam reveals himself inside the mail car, having cleverly smuggled himself inside a mail sack.
  • “At the last town this sack was mailed, I was in it.” (Little Sam, 04:48)
• With a Derringer pistol, Little Sam holds up the guards, kills them, and orchestrates the escape with help from his burly partner, Bruno.
  • “This is a Derringer pistol. However, I can assure you the bullets are men sized.” (Little Sam, 04:37)
  • “Now, you know I never leave eyewitnesses, Bruno.” (Little Sam, 06:36)

3. Cisco and Pancho Enter the Scene

• [07:41] Cisco and Pancho arrive near Broken Spur Junction to perform a favor—collecting payroll money for a friend.
• They notice things are not as expected and suspect trouble, especially when the train guard signal protocol doesn’t yield the anticipated response.
  • “If I did give the correct signal, there's only one other thing that could be wrong. Those train robbers are working in this territory. And the guards in the mail car are dead.” (Cisco Kid, 09:33)

4. Mistaken Identities and Imprisonment

• [10:08 – 12:11] Cisco and Pancho are mistaken for the train robbers and jailed by the local sheriff, owing to false witness statements and confusion.
  • “Why are you arresting us? You know why. Giving those two train guards.” (Sheriff, 11:35)
  • “The way we punish murders in this county is by hanging.” (Sheriff, 11:56)
• Notably, the episode doesn’t shy away from the grave peril faced by Cisco and Pancho.

5. Little Sam’s Calculated Next Move

• [12:11 – 13:53] Little Sam decides it’s safer to spring Cisco and Pancho from jail to make them scapegoats for further robberies, instructing Bruno to break them out and then kill them.
  • “If we wish to remain in business, Cisco can do us no good in jail.” (Little Sam, 13:03)
  • “Bruno, since it will make you happy, you can kill them.” (Little Sam, 13:31)

6. Jailbreak and Showdown with Bruno

• [17:15 – 19:44] Bruno demonstrates superhuman strength, bending cell bars to free them. Instead of gratitude, Cisco and Pancho become targets.
  • “I take these bars and pull them apart. Harder. Harder.” (Bruno, 17:41)
• A tense fistfight ensues. Ultimately, Cisco’s quick thinking and wrestling technique gets the better of Bruno.
  • “Now, Emily, this Indian wrestling hold. Drop to the ground with you.” (Cisco Kid, 19:05)

7. Cisco and Pancho Devise a Trap

• [19:44 – 20:11] Realizing the true scheme—to have them blamed for ongoing robberies while the real criminals remain at large—Cisco and Pancho plan to spring a trap for Little Sam and Bruno.
  • “So they could kill us. That would give them a perfect alibi.” (Pancho, 19:54)
  • “We will let them fall into the trap they set up themselves.” (Cisco Kid, 20:16)

8. Second Heist – The Final Confrontation

• [20:33 – 24:47] The criminals attempt another mail car robbery, using the same tricks: Little Sam in a mail sack, Bruno stowed in a trunk. This time, Cisco and Pancho, acting as mail guards, are ready for them.
  • “It was clever of you, Cisco, to deduce that I would rob this car.” (Little Sam, 23:32)
  • Cisco and Pancho overpower both villains in a chaotic brawl.
  • Memorable moment: Pancho gives Little Sam a spanking to encourage his confession and compliance.
  • “That spanking you gave him, Pancho, saved us a lot of trouble.” (Cisco Kid, 25:41)

9. Resolution and Restoration of Honor

• [25:29 – 26:48] The sheriff apologizes for the mistake, returns the gold to the rightful owner, and declares Cisco and Pancho innocent.
  • “I’m glad that Poncho and I were able to prove you wrong.” (Cisco Kid, 25:33)
  • “All the money we recovered from Little Sam and his partners was turned back over to the railroad.” (Sheriff, 26:29)
• Comic closing dialogue as Cisco and Pancho prefer the open prairie over bustling trains, ending with a characteristic witty riddle from Pancho.
  • “To make a barrel lighter, Cisco, fill it full of holes!” (Pancho, 28:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Little Sam’s chilling candor:

  • “Gentlemen, put your hands up in the air, please.” (Little Sam, 04:23)
  • “I can assure you the bullets are men sized.” (Little Sam, 04:37)
  • “Now, you know I never leave eyewitnesses, Bruno.” (Little Sam, 06:36)

• Comic relief:

  • “You big ape. We sure do make a good pair, you and me.” (Little Sam, 07:04)
  • “To make a barrel lighter, Cisco, fill it full of holes!” (Pancho, 28:11)
  • “Pancho put you over his knee…” (Pancho, 24:56)

• Cisco’s moral clarity:

  • “I am sure that Bruno and whoever sent him had a hand in robbing the mail car.” (Cisco Kid, 19:44)
  • “This is the only chance we have to prove our innocence and capture those Bandidos.” (Pancho, 22:47)

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:02 | Little Sam’s introduction & beginning of train robbery | | 04:48 | Little Sam reveals his mail sack trick | | 10:08 | Cisco and Pancho arrested | | 13:12 | Little Sam sends Bruno to break Cisco/Pancho out of jail | | 17:15 | Bruno breaks the jail bars | | 19:05 | Cisco outwits Bruno using wrestling trick | | 20:16 | Cisco and Pancho formulate their trap | | 23:07 | Confrontation in the mail car: the setup springs | | 24:56 | Pancho humorously disciplines Little Sam | | 25:41 | Sheriff clears Cisco and Pancho’s names | | 28:11 | Closing joke: “To make a barrel lighter…” |

Tone & Style

Through lively performances and atmospheric sound effects, this digitally restored classic episode captures:

• The thrilling, dangerous tone of shady Western dealings.
• The clever repartee and comedic moments between Cisco and Pancho.
• A sense of adventure rooted in morality and friendship.

Memorable for its inventive villain and the dynamic partnership of Cisco and Pancho, “Midget of Broken Spur” is a quintessential radio Western caper with sharp twists and old-fashioned frontier justice.