Evil Roy Slade

• Directed by Jerry Paris
• February 18, 1972
• NBC

When the meanest villain in the West falls for a pretty schoolteacher, he tries to change his ways but a famous singing sheriff is determined to capture him.

Evil Roy Slade is a comedy TV Western film starring John Astin in the title role. What I saw was a surprisingly funny and loving parody of the Western with a nice slice of talent for the time. Mickey Rooney as Nelson L. Stool, Dick Shawn as Marshal Bing Bell, Dom DeLuise as Dr. Logan Delp, Edie Adams as Flossie, Milton Berle as Harry Fern, Pat Morita as Turhan, Pat Buttram as the narrator, Penny Marshall as a bank teller, Billy Curtis as Toy Cowboy, and Ed Begley, Jr. with John Astin as Evil Roy Slade. Some of those names were just starting out while others were well known by the point of its release.

Other than Astin, the cast of actors appear in what amount to extended skits to allow for events like Slade being a shoe salesman or escaping from prison and so forth. This also isn’t a single story but a series of short stories with Roy acting as a connection.

This works mostly because John Astin gives his usual wild eyed borderline crazy performance. The man is a legend. The skill and talent that made his Gomez Addams iconic is right here. Casting sometimes is everything and I don’t think there was anyone else around at the time who could’ve handled the material better than Astin. Bob Hope and Don Knotts had both done their share of comedy Westerns but only Astin could do an innocent evil needed to make the guy likeable. Evil Roy Slade has never had a good feeling until one day during a bank robbery he meets nice girl schoolmarm Betsy Potter (Pamela Austin) and falls in love which gets him to want to change his ways. Unfortunately, he’s the most wanted man in the West so that’s not an easy thing to do. 

I was surprised at how funny this was. I laughed on numerous occasions. The humor itself wasn’t edgy even by the standards of the era, but it was silly enough to tickle the funny bone. It has a sensibility bordering on the juvenile and occasionally slapstick. If there is a central target of its humor it might very well be the singing cowboy. But it’s an appreciative mockery of it. Then again, given the time this came out I don’t think they could get away with a mean spirited one. This was done by people who recognized the silliness of the genre but still liked it.

Marshal Bing Bell is a singing cowboy that is the greatest lawman who ever lived. His name when mentioned leads to a running gag of asking if there is someone at the door. Meh. He dresses like a cross between Liberace and Elvis in one of his more garish outfits. The character is teased through most of the movie with the pair only meeting at the end.

If there is a genuine weakness in this, and there is, it’s that the status quo is essentially restored by the end of the film. Maybe this was intended as some kind of backdoor pilot, or they thought they could do a film series. I don’t know. By the end, Slade is once again an outlaw and everybody is back to the life they had at the start. Even in the later Blazing Saddles things were a little different. Maybe at least ride off with the girl. SOMETHING!

This is family viewing that is entertaining. Well directed and well performed, nobody is phoning it in. Even the famously cantankerous Mickey Rooney gives a good effort. Berle never tries (or succeeds) in stealing a scene. The unfamiliar (to me) faces are all able comedic performers. And it looks good for what it is.

I’m surprised Evil Roy Slade is not better known. It certainly shouldn’t rank up there with other comedy classics, but it should be one of those things that got at least one adequate Blu-ray release. Near as I can tell, it’s not even available for streaming other than a questionable copy or three on YouTube. It is funny, silly, and just entertaining viewing from start to finish.

Evil Roy Slade was a comedy treat. Just a great time and something you’ll take in again. Maybe not for strong Western fans but definitely for fans of great humor.