Ep 1. The Gambler

Tales of Wells Fargo is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from 1957 to 1962. Season 3 of the show premiered on September 18, 1959, with its first episode titled "The Gambler."

In this episode, Jim Hardie (Dale Robertson), the special agent for Wells Fargo, is tasked with investigating a gambling ring that is causing trouble in a small town. The local bank has been robbed, and the suspects are believed to be a group of gamblers who have been cheating at card games and are known to be involved in shady activities.

As Jim arrives in town, he meets up with Sheriff Denny Ryker (John Doucette), who tells him that they have already arrested one of the gamblers, Ned Urban (Robert J. Wilke), but they couldn't get any information out of him. Jim decides to go undercover as a gambler himself to try and gather more information and catch the rest of the gang.

Jim quickly gains the trust of the gamblers and joins them in their illegal activities. He even manages to win a large sum of money, which catches the attention of the leader of the group, Simon Blake (Harry Townes). Simon is impressed with Jim's skills and invites him to join their high-stakes game the next night.

As the night of the game arrives, Jim is nervous as he knows he will be the only one playing with real money. The rest of the gamblers are using counterfeit bills, and if Jim loses, he knows they will be suspicious of him. However, Jim manages to hold his own and even catches one of the gamblers cheating.

As the game continues, tensions rise, and it's clear that the gamblers are becoming suspicious of Jim. Suddenly, there's a commotion outside, and the sheriff bursts in with his deputies, arresting everyone in the room, including Jim. However, Jim quickly convinces the sheriff that he's an undercover agent for Wells Fargo and that he was bringing down the gamblers from within.

The episode ends with the gamblers all behind bars and Jim holding a stack of counterfeit bills that will be used as evidence against them. Jim's boss from Wells Fargo arrives, congratulating him on a job well done. The episode concludes with Jim heading off to the next town, ready for his next assignment.

Overall, "The Gambler" is an exciting and suspenseful episode that follows Jim as he navigates the dangerous world of illegal gambling. With great acting, a thrilling plot, and plenty of action, it's no wonder that Tales of Wells Fargo was such a hit during its run on NBC.