Run, Buddy, Run Episode Rating Graph

At the Devere Enterprises skyscraper in New York, Mr. D. announces a new plan to get Buddy Overstreet. Over his closed-circuit TV broadcasts, he announces an incentive program: great prizes like a color TV and a trip to Hawaii for the employee who finds Buddy Overstreet. Meanwhile, in Kansas, Buddy has fallen asleep on the back of a farm truck he'd snuck on. The owner of the truck and the farm, Carl Jensen, says he could use a farmhand. Buddy, seeing a sign that says ""Strawberry"" picks the pseudonym Berry Straw for this week. Livening the plot is Carl's 24-year-old granddaughter Betsy, who is a bit of a tomboy. Betsy and Buddy do the farm chores together: when they are bailing hay, Buddy's pitchfork slips out of his hands and punctures the tractor's tire; when they carry crates, Buddy isn't strong enough to lift his onto the truck, and Betsy has to do it for him; when they are chopping firewood, Buddy's axe gets stuck in the log. The Jensen's former farmhand, Ben Pearson (about 6'

Buddy has finally made it to Mexico. He stops at the ""Hotel de Puerto Grande""-- Puerto Grande is a small, poor town: nobody stays there, people only drive through on their way to Mexico City. Buddy is broke, but for $3 he gets a hotel room; the kindly proprietor Jose tells Buddy that for $3 he can stay until another guest needs his room-- in other words, as long as he likes. Jose's wife is just called Mama; they have a son Pepe around 12, and a very beautiful daughter Rosita in her early 20s. Buddy suggests that they can attract tourists by putting out fliers saying they have fiestas there. Buddy writes brochures and gets them printed; Pepe distributes them all over town. By sheer coincidence, Mr. D., Junior and Wendell are driving to a business meeting in Mexico City. Like others, they are driving through Puerto Grande. But since the meeting isn't for a couple of days, Junior suggests they check into the local hotel: he just saw a flier advertising their ""famous"" fiestas. Buddy

Buddy hops a freight to Florida. In an empty boxcar, he meets Norman Klute. Norman listens to Buddy's problems, and comes up with an idea: if Mr. D. thought Buddy was dead, he could stop running. They devise a plan: The Death of Buddy Overstreet. And so, Norman goes to Devere Enterprises in New York. Norman goes to Mr. D'.s office, where he is met by Mr. D., Junior, Wendell and Harry. When Norman says he knows where Buddy Overstreet is, Mr. D. has him relax in an upholstered chair; but then clamps snap over his wrists, a light comes down to his head to give him the 3rd degree, and Wendell and Harry hold guns to his head. After they question him, Mr. D. turns him loose. Norman will kill Buddy, (he says). Mr. D. gives his word to pay him $3,000 C.O.D. -- Cash On Demise. Norman Klute meets with Buddy in Florida. They make a film of Buddy's death, and Norman takes Buddy's wristwatch as proof. Then Norman goes back to New York, to meet with Mr. D. and his associates. In Mr. D.'s

At Devere Enterprises they are having a meeting; order of business: Buddy Overstreet. Mr. D. grouses, ""At this rate, Overstreet's gonna die of old age!"" Junior announces that, based on his research, Buddy must be in the San Francisco area. Just then Mr. D. gets a call: there was an ""Overstreet sighting"" in Ridgedale, Connecticut. Mr. D. sends Wendell and Harry, and tells them: don't return without killing Overstreet. In Ridgedale, Buddy is having coffee at a diner. Wendell and Harry are outside in their limo. But another car with crooks pulls up; the inept driver Harold, the getaway man, bumps into other cars as he tries to park. When he goes into the diner to get sandwiches, the 2 thugs in the back-seat, Max and Lou, say they need a better driver. When Buddy comes out of the diner, Wendell and Harry chase him; Buddy gets into Harold's car and speeds away. There is a zany, high-speed car chase with Buddy driving like crazy with Wendell and Harry in pursuit; Buddy gets away. B

Mr. D., Junior and Wendell are at the boxing matches; Frankie Phillips TKOs his opponent. Later, in Mr. D.'s office, Wendell asks, ""Profitable night, Mr. D.?"" To which Mr. D. replies, ""Extremely so, I had 10 grand on Phillips."" It turns out Phillips was the underdog, but Mr. D. owns both fighters-- he advises Junior, ""It's okay to bet, but never gamble."" (laugh track) The hotline rings; it's an Overstreet sighting, in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. D. sends Wendell and Harry. But by the time they are getting there, Buddy is already on a road 55 miles south of Louisville, hitchhiking to Mexico; Wendell and Harry drive right by him!* Frankie Phillips and his manager Marty Mason are driving to Memphis, Tennessee, for a fight; Phillips says he will need a sparring partner-- by coincidence, they pick up hitchhiker Buddy. (They have no idea who Buddy is.) Meantime, back in New York, Mr. D. and Junior decide to watch Phillips' next fight in Memphis; Junior tells dad it's 1,122 miles to Memph

Buddy is in a factory, working as a welder. He makes the mistake of telling coworker Stan that Devere Enterprises has put a price on his head. Stan double-crosses Buddy, and phones Mr. D.'s office long-distance. Meanwhile, in New York, healthy Mr. D. and his sickly son Junior are getting their annual physical. But ambitious Mr. W. is double-crossing his boss Mr. D. -- in private, Mr. W. tells the doctor to tell Mr. D. he only has 3 months to live. When Mr. D. and Junior wonder why the doc is taking so long in his private office, Mr. D. quips to Junior, ""He's probably having a little trouble finding your blood in the test tube."" The doctor comes out and asks Junior to leave; and then he tells Mr. D. the bad news: he only has 3 months before he dies. Mr. D. thinks he's talking about sickly Junior. When the doc says it's him, Mr. D. does a double-take: ""before *I* die?!"" Later, Woodrow and Harry are paying Stan $2,500 for his tip. Stan tells Buddy he is has a phone call, from the