O. Henry combines crime and fear as he relates the tale of three disparate men to members of a women's auxiliary group. The story begins with a travelling stranger named Percival St. Clair (DeForest Kelly) seeking work at a lonely sheep ranch. Crafty ranch owner Clem Ogden, a man with something to hide, hires Percival on trust to herd sheep until a black mask found in his luggage arouses suspicion.

"The O. Henry Playhouse" is a 1957 single season, 39-episode TV series. O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) is considered one of America's greatest writers of short stories. His writings are laced with humor and irony and often end with a sly twist ending. Veteran character actor Thomas Mitchell stars in each episode as writer O. Henry himself as he relates his stories to his publisher, his housekeeper, a barber, a bartender, or the cop on the beat. In some episodes, O. Henry meets his characters as he discovers firsthand the story he will later write. This unique storytelling method gives great insight into the famous author's creative process.

You can read the original literary version of "The Hiding of Black Bill" HERE and compare it with the many changes in the film adaptation. "The Hiding of Black Bill" is one of 13 episodes in volume three of "The O. Henry Playhouse." The films have been beautifully restored on DVD by the home video label ClassicFlix!