Sheena Queen of the Jungle - Episode 19
Fair Stranger


PRODUCTION CREDITS  
As far as we know, this episode has not survived, so full production details are not available.  Carl K Hittleman would have been the director, as he directed the five episodes before this one and the six episodes after it.  Edward Nassour was certainly the producer and Joel Murcott would have been the story supervisor, a role he performed for the entire series.

STARRING  
Sheena Irish McCalla
Bob Rayburn Christian Drake
Chim Neal

COSTARS  
Colonel Deveredge Jerry Molina
Tondo Lee Weaver
Diane Russell Christa Humboldt

PLOT

Diane Russell, the sister-in-law of Colonel Deveridge, a widowed plantation owner, wants to take over Deveridge's plantation and begins by trying to kill his son, David.  She abandons him in the jungle after a picnic but Sheena rescues him from a lion and takes him back to the plantation (right).  Sheena takes an immediate dislike to Diane and begins watching her movements.  Diane devises another plan and begins fomenting unrest amongst the local natives.  Diane's housekeeper, Nivita, is betrothed to the local chief, Mengai.  Diane suggests that Nivita point out to Mengai that the plantation is on native land and that Colonel Deveridge is exploiting the natives, making them work the land he has taken from them for his own financial gain.  Sheena overhears the conversation through the window and alerts Bob and Deveridge.  Mengai incites the warriors to attack Deveridge's bungalow but Sheena slows the warriors assault by setting up a vine trap across the trail.  Bob arrives at the plantation and calms the warriors by pointing out that Diane Russell had instigated the trouble to take over the plantation.  He explains that once Deveridge and David were dead Mengai would be be imprisoned and she would be in charge.  Deveridge offers to return the land but the natives feel they are better off under the colonial system.


COMMENTS
The half-hour episode of Fair Stranger has not survived, but we have details about it in one of the 1960s French Télé Romans magazines (see photos).  It is an unusual episode in that it addresses the political unrest of pre-independence Kenya, in a similar way that the Perilous Journey episode utilised the Mau-Mau rebellion.  This treatment, however, clearly emphasises the patronising colonial viewpoint and emphasises the natives' gratitude to their white masters.  Jerry Molina (right), one of my favourite Sheena guest starts, makes his third appearance in the series.  Previously, he played Carver, Sheena's miner friend, in The Leopard Men and Commisioner Farnham in Land of the Rogue.  Jerry is in all of the video clips on those pages.  Later, he would also play Woods, the insurance agent, in Crash in the Jungle.   Lee Weaver, who played Tondo the servant, made seven appearances in minor roles in the series.  This African American actor began his lengthy film and televison career by working on this series.  He played Lagi, chief of the Ninomos, in The Lash, Land of the Rogues, and The Rival Queen.  He was also in The Test and Secret of the Temple.  Virgil Richardson, who was in nine episodes, was the only other actor who appeared in the series more frequently than Weaver.
 

FRENCH TÉLÉ ROMANS (Photo Novels)
Click on the image below to see the complete episode illustrated with photographs, and with French captions:
 


SOURCES
• The plot summary is taken from my copy of the La belle-soeur diabolique (The Evil Sister-in-law) issue of the French Télé Romans magazine, 29 Jul 63, and was translated by my French-speaking wife
IMAGES
• Both photos are from the La belle-soeur diabolique (The Evil Sister-in-law) issue of the French Télé Romans magazine, 29 Jul 63
LYNX
• Read a Christa von Humboldt filmography at the Internet Movie Database (IMDB)
• Read an impressive Lee Weaver filmography at the Internet Movie Database (IMDB)
• The montage of Télé Romans covers are from my personal collection

CAPTURE
• This episode is currently not available


SHEENA © is the property of Sony Pictures Corporation
This independent, fan-based analysis of the Sheena material is copyright © 2005-2008 Paul Wickham
This page was updated February 2008