En 1876, dans les mines de charbon de Pennsylvanie, des mineurs sont sans défense, exploités de façon éhontée pour les besoins de l'industrie en plein essor. Une seule consolation dans leur misère, les exploits des Molly Maguires, société secrète qui venge par la violence les injustices faites aux ouvriers. La police décide alors d'infiltrer cette organisation et envoie sur place un détective, qui réussit à entrer en contact avec eux…

Carol Burnett played the title role in a Starlight Theatre (Kansas City MO) production of Calamity Jane which ran 17 – 30 July 1961. Upon Burnett's being signed to an exclusive contract with CBS-TV in the summer of 1962, it was announced that she would headline a televised broadcast of Calamity Jane over the 1962-3 television season: Burnett's Calamity Jane special would in fact not air until the autumn of 1963 after being taped that summer, the time frame permitting Burnett to reprise the title role onstage in a State Fair Music Theater ( Dallas ) production whose two-week run commenced 24 June 1963. On 10 July 1963, Burnett and her castmates from the Dallas stage production - including Art Lund as Wild Bill - performed Calamity Jane at CBS Studio 50 ( NYC ), with the play performed three performances (non stop) before a live audience: CBS-TV taped all three run-throughs, one of which was broadcast as Burnett's debut television special 12 November 1963 .