"The Wolf Boy"

(Original air date 10/12/75)

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Steve helps a friend track down a boy raised in the wild by wolves

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Writer: Judy Burns

Director: Jerry London


Somewhere in Japan, former World War II kamikaze pilot Kuroda (John Fujioka) meets with his benefactor Shige Ishikawa (Teru Shimada) to discuss the recent discovery of a wolf boy on the island of Hoyoko. The government is asking his assistance in returning the boy to civilization, a job that Kuroda is all too proud to accept. He intends to contact his dear friend, Colonel Steve Austin, to help him in his task.

In Washington, Steve comes to Oscar with his unusual request that has the boss choke on his coffee. Oscar rants and raves about the latest budget cut which will not permit such an extravagant trip. Steve points that there’s a strong possibility this wolf boy might turn out to be Gary Emerson, son of the late American Ambassador Emerson who was killed in a plane crash in the North of Japan some ten years ago. In view of that information Oscar agrees to give Steve a week to solve the mystery.

           

Steve flies to Japan and meets with his friend at his workplace. Thereafter they travel by ground and by sea to reach the island of Hoyoko where they tread across the forest in search of the boy.

Back in civilization, Ishikawa meets with professional hunter Bob Masters (Quinn Redeker) to iron out the last details of his mission: to capture the wolf boy and insure that Kuroda and Steve Austin never make it out of that island.

           

The next morning, Steve and Kuroda press on. They follow the sound of howls where they find the wolf boy (Buddy Foster) mourning the lost of his ‘mother’. Sensing a human presence, the boy snarls a warning then pounces on Steve to bite him in the right arm before scurrying away into the woods.

Steve catches up to the boy when he accidentally stumbles on a tree branch and falls unconscious.

           

As Steve helps Kuroda care for the injured boy he worries that his friend is growing fond of the likely young orphan he might have to return to his homeland of America.

During the night, Steve and Kuroda lose sight of the boy when he takes off into the pitch-dark woods in search of his ‘relatives’ howling their presence.

They resume their search in the morning, unaware that Masters and his men are following close behind. With explosives they trigger a rock slide that fails to kill their preys.

           

As they despair at ever finding the boy, Steve and Kuroda are surprised to find him hiding in the underbrush. They lure him with raw fish and once they gain his confidence, they have him tag along through the woods.

           

During a short respite, Kuroda begins to play his flute. The sweet melody mesmerizes the boy who sits and listens intensely while Steve compares a photo of young Gary Emerson before his disappearance with the boy’s features. Kuroda agrees that the resemblance is staggering.

Gary reaches to retrieve the photo as it accidentally falls into the campfire but quickly retreats his hand at the pain. Steve steps up to him to rub some cream over the burn. In the process he calls him by his legal name which sends Gary’s mind whirling with memories of his childhood.

           

As they press on to the rendezvous spot they meet with Masters and his men. Steve has reason to believe that Ishikawa hired those men for he’s the only one who was aware of their location. Masters confirms Steve suspicions. Kuroda is appalled to learn that his benefactor wants Gary dead to prevent the boy from identifying him as the man who killed his parents.

Masters orders two of his men to eliminate the nuisance while he takes the boy back with him. Once Masters out of sight, Steve subdues the enemy. He fires three random rifle shots in the air to confirm the men have done their job before he and Kuroda follow the hunter and his gang at a distance. They quickly catch up and overpower them.

           

Outside the American Embassy in Japan, Oscar and Steve discuss the possibility of having Gary spend some time in the woods with Kuroda before they return him to America. Steve agrees that it’s the best solution to ease the boy into civilization. Kuroda is more than happy to fulfil the assignment, knowing how hard it had been for him to adapt to city life and promises to do a good job with the boy.

     

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