Lum Is Arrested: A Friend Falls Hard

Originally Aired: February 12, 1935

Lum Is Arrested: A Friend Falls Hard

In this pivotal and heartbreaking episode of Lum and Abner, the consequences of small-town suspicion come crashing down as Lum, once Pine Ridge’s most respected citizen, finds himself locked up behind bars.

After their failed attempt to quietly return the fraudulent $200 insurance check, townsfolk discover a piece of cloth matching Lum’s torn pants at the scene of the supposed “robbery.” Outraged and eager for justice, the community—led by Squire Skimp and Ezra Seastrunk—forces Abner, as acting constable, to arrest his own best friend.

Now sitting in the cold jail, Lum reflects bitterly on how quickly friends have turned into accusers. Even loyal figures like Dick Huddleston have voiced disappointment. Only Abner and Grandpappy Spears remain by Lum’s side, trying in vain to secure his bond.

As if Lum’s shame wasn’t enough, Squire and Ezra deliver a final humiliation: a demand that Lum resign as President of the Pine Ridge School Board. No longer trusted as a leader, Lum faces the collapse of everything he has worked for—all because of a lie meant to protect Abner.

Meanwhile, the flashlight election rolls on, and Abner’s popularity soars as voters rally behind him—though Abner’s heart breaks watching Lum suffer for a crime he didn’t commit.

A moving meditation on trust, pride, and the brutal cost of rumors, Lum Is Arrested marks one of the most emotional chapters in Pine Ridge history.

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Cast: Chester Lauck (Lum), Norris Goff (Abner), Clarence Hartzell (Grandpappy Spears, Ezra Seastrunk), Carlton Brickert (Announcer), Earle Ross (Squire Skimp).