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TELEVISION: 128 Westerns TV Series
|A: 9: Adventures of Brisco County -- Annie Oakley |B: 11: Bat Masterson -- Buffalo Bill, Jr. |C: 10: Californians -- Cowboy in Africa |D: 3: Davy Crockett -- The Deputy |E: 1: Echo Four-Two -- Eye to Eye |F: 2: Frontier Doctor -- Fury |G: 6: Gene Autry -- Gunsmoke |H: 8: Have Gun Will Travel -- Hotel de Paree |I: 1: Iron Horse -- |J: 2: Johnny Ringo -- J.J. Starbuck |K: 1: Kodiak -- |L: 9: Lancer -- Lone Ranger |M: 5: Man Called Shenandoah -- My Friend Flicka |N: 1: Nakia -- |O: 2: The Odd Man -- Over My Dead Body |P: 1: Paris -- The Pursuers |Q: 2: Dr.Quinn -- Quincy, M.E. |R: 10: Range Rider -- Roy Rogers |S: 6: Sgt. Preston of the Yukon -- Sugarfoot |T: 9: Tales of Wells Fargo -- Trackdown |U: 1: Union Pacific |V: 2: The Virginian -- Vega$ |W: 7: Wagon Train -- Wild Wild West |X,Y,Z: 3: Yancy Derringer -- Zorro
Facts checked against references including:
- FiftiesWeb by Candace Rich, the best such website there is, with over 1,000,000 unique visitors
- TV Chronicles [web site]
- Internet Movie Database [web site]
- Special thanks to extensive research by Louis Allgood e-mail Louis Allgood
- CultTV: The Essential Critical Guide, by Jon E. Lewis and Penny Stempel London: Pavilion Books Ltd., 1997
26 Men 15 Oct 1957-2 June 1959 (ABC); 16 60-minute episodes; Theme Song: "Saddle up, saddle up. Saddle up, saddle up, saddle up. This is the story of 26 Men. Who rode the Arizona Territory. High is the glory of 26 Men, Whose parish helped to fill the Territory. 26 Men who saddled up and then Rode out to answer duty's call. 26 Men who lived to ride again And fight for the rights and the liberty of all. This is the story of 26 Men Enforcing law within the Territory. Praise be the Glory of 26 Men Who rode the Arizona Territory. Ride on. Ride on. Ride on." Creators: Producer: Russell Hayden; Director: ?; Assistant Director: Milton Carter; Film Editors: Reg Browne, Roy V. Livingston (as Roy Livingston); Theme Music: Russell Hayden, Hal Hopper; Sound Production Mixer: Earl Gille; Production Company: ABC Circle Films; Distributor: Exclusive International Pictures, LLC. Starring: Tristram Coffin as Captain Tom Rynning; Kelo Henderson as Ranger Clint Travis; Guest Stars: episode #1.1 (first episode) "The Recruit" (10/15/1957) with Don Haggerty; episode #2.35 (last?) "Tumbleweed Ranger" (6/2/1959) with Lyn Thomas; Stories of the Arizona Rangers, whose number was 26 men, which was a budgetary limitation. Kelo Henderson was actually raised on a ranch in Colorado and was an expert markman and trick gun artist. He taught many of the TV Western stars how to use their guns. Coffin died in 1990 of lung cancer.A: Westerns Television Series
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- The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., Fox, 1993-1994 The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Rutgers' FTP Episode Guide The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. @ avimall.com The most recent cross-over Western/Fantasy series.
- The Adventures of Champion, 7 Oct 1955-3 Feb 1956 (Flying A Productions/CBS) 1956-1957 (UK: BBC1) 26 26-minute episodes Creator: Gene Autry; Producers: Gene Autry, Eric Jenson, Louis Gray; Directors: George Archainbaud; Music (Theme Vocals): Frankie Lane; Starring: Barry Curtis as Ricky North; Jimm Bannon as Sandy North; Francis McDonald as Will Calhoun; Ewing Mitchell as Sheriff Powers; Horse: Champion (owned by Gene Autry); First Show: "The Saddle Tramp"; Champion, a wild stallion, becomes friends with 12-year-old Ricky North, somewhere in the great Southwest around 1880. Sandy lives on the ranch of his Uncle Sandy, and keeps getting himself in trouble, always rescued by either Champion or his German Shepherd "Rebel."
- Adventures of Kit Carson 1951-1955 (CBS); 104 30-minute episodes; also known as Kit Carson; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Directors: John English, Lew Landers, Will Sheldon; Music: Starring: Billy Williams as Kit Carson; Don Diamond as El Toro; Hank Peterson as Host/Coca-Cola spokesman Sierra Jack; Kit's Horse: Apache; Production Companies: MCA Television Entertainment Inc., Revue Studios, Universal; Distributors: Revue Productions Inc., Studios USA Television; Revue Studios was later sold to Universal. This Western had little in common with the historical Kit Carson. Williams died in 1992 of a brain tumor.
- Adventures of Rin Tin Tin 15 Oct 1954-28 Aug 1959 (ABC/Screen Gems/ A Herbert B Leonard Productions); 1954-1959 (UK: ITV); also known as Rin Tin Tin; 52 30-minute episodes; [CultTV claims 164 30-minute episodes; Louis Allgood concurs] "So brave is Corporal Rusty. Though he is just a boy. How true as Private Rin Tin Tin They are the Army's pride and joy. Yo Rinny, Yo Rinny Pals through thick and thin. From all the tales of the West We'll remember best Corporal Rusty and Private Rin Tin Tin. Yo Rinny, Yo Rinny Pals through thick and thin. From all the tales of the West We'll remember best Corporal Rusty and Private Rin Tin Tin." Adapted: from a series of hit movies from 1916 through 1932, and two different radio shows -- 1930 and 1955 Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Frederick Briskin, Herbert B. Leonard; Directors: Earl Bellamy, Charles S. Gould, Douglas Heyes, Fred Jackman Jr. (as Fred Jackman), Lew Landers, Robert G. Walker; Ida Lupino; Cinematographer: Fred Jackman, Jr.; Writers: Douglas Heyes, Roy Erwin, Frank Moss, others; Music: Hal Hopper; Starring: James L. Brown as Lieutenant Ripley "Rip" Masters; Joe Sawyer as Sergeant Aloysius "Biff" O'Hara ; Rand Brooks as Corporal Randy Boone; Lee Aaker as Rusty; Tommy Farrell as Corporal Thad Carson (1957-1959); Hal Hopper as Corporal Clark (1955-1957); John Hoyt as Colonel Barker (1954-?); Syd Saylor as Clem Pritikin (1956-1958); Les Tremayne as Major Stone (1958-1959); Location: filmed the the California movie ranch of Crash Corrigan; Horse: ???; First Show: "Meet Rin Tin Tin"; Catch Phrase: "Yo ho, Rinty!" Rusty and Rin Tin Tin were the only survivors of an 1880s Indian raid on a wagon train. They were adopted by the 101st Cavalry (the "Fighting Blue Devils") at Fort Apache in Arizona territory, near the town of Mesa Grande. The original dog was a veteran of the German Army during World War I. But all three of the German Shepards used on the show were trained by the great Lee Duncan. Two were descended from the original Rinty (died 1932), and one descended from the movie dog-star Flame Jr. The show aired just a month after its arch-rival Lassie, and began re-runs in September 1959, right after the original episodes were done. New repeats, with a post-produced light-brown tint and introductions by the original star James Brown, aired in 1976. The 1987 Family Channel productions of Rin Tin Tin K-9 Cop were a new series, with Rinty part of a canine unit of the Toronto Police Department. The feature film The Challenge of Rin Tin Tin was concatenated from three episodes: * Farewell to Fort Apache * The White Wolf * The Return of Rin Tin Tin James Brown died in 1992 of lung cancer
- Adventures of Robin Hood see: Robin Hood
- Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok 15 Apr 1951-16 May 1958 (CBS); (3 July 1951 for first episode, according to Louis Allgood); 16 30-minute episodes; 1st episode: "Behind Southern Lines (a.k.a., Civil War Story)" (ep. #1.1) 4/15/1951; last? episode: "Counterfeit Ghost" (ep. #8.13) 5/16/1958; Creators: Executive Producers: Producer: Wesley Barry; Writers: Dwight V. Babcock, Melvin Levy, William Raynor, Maurice Tombragel; Directors: Wesley Barry, William Beaudine, Thomas Carr, Will Jason, Louis King, S. Roy Luby, Frank McDonald, Jean Yarbrough; Music: Starring: Guy Madison as U.S. Marshal James Butler 'Wild Bill' Hickok; Andy Devine as Jingles B. Jones; Guest Stars: ?; Stunt Double for Guy Madison: John L. Cason; Horses: Buckshot was Bill's horse; Joker was Jingles'; Production Companies: Newhall Productions, Screen Gems, William F. Broidy Productions Inc.; Awards: Nominated for 1955 Emmy "Best Western or Adventure Series"; Madison parlayed this into a string of popular movies. He died in 1996 of emphysema. Andy Devine died in 1977 of leukemia.
- Adventures of Jim Bowie 7 Sep 1956-23 May 1958 (ABC); 78 30-minute episodes; "Jim Bowie! Jim Bowie! He was a fighter, a fearless and mighty adventurin' man! He roamed the wilderness unafraid From Natchez to Rio Grande With all the might of his gleaming blade Flashing from either hand Jim Bowie! Jim Bowie! He was a fighter, a fearless and mighty adventurin' man!" Creators: Adapted: from Monte Barrett's novel "Tempered Blade"; Executive Producers: Producers: Louis F. Edelman, Lewis R. Foster; Director: Music: Ken Darby; Starring: Scott Forbes as Jim Bowie; Robert Cornthwaite as John James Audubon; Peter Hanson as Rezin Bowie; Minerva Urecal as Ma Bowie; Horse: ?; First episode: "The Birth of the Blade" (ep. #1.1) 9/7/1956 with Kem Dibbs, Robert Foulk, Walter Sande; Last (?) episode: "The Puma" (ep. #2.38) 5/23/1958; Production Companies: Desilu Productions, Inc.; Distributor: American Broadcasting Company (ABC); The historical adventurer Jim Bowie gave his name to the knife that he supposedly invented after his regular one broke in a fight with a grizzly bear. However, critics complained about excessive violence and knife use, so the show was toned down. The setting was 1830s Louisiana Territory. Rich planter Jim Bowie keeps interacting with famous folks in New Orleans and/or the backwoods. Jim's death at the Alamo is not shown in the TV series. Scott Forbes died in 1997.
- African Patrol 15 Apr 1958-6 Feb 1959 (UK: ITV/Kenya Production Ltd.); 1957 (US: Syndicated); British Patrol Inspector Paul Derek roams the jungles of East Africa, battling gun-runners, ivory poachers, smugglers, and vapid teleplays. The on-location filming was high-quality. John Bentley later starred in the British soap opera Crossroads, where he played Meg's unlucky husband Hugh Mortimer. Producer: Michael Sadler (M.E. Productions); Music: Phil Green; starring JOHN BENTLEY as Inspector Paul Derek.
- Alias Smith and Jones, 21 Jan 1971-13 Jan 1973 (ABC) John Russell as Sheriff Lom Trevors (Nov. 25, 1972) (ABC/Universal) 1971-1973 (UK: ITV) 49 52-minute episodes Creator: Glen A. Larson; Executive Producer: Roy Huggins; Producer: Glen A. Larson; Directors: Roy Huggins, Mel Ferrar, Jeffrey Hayden, Gene Levitt, Fernando Lamas, Edward Abroms, Bruce Kessler, David Moessinger, Barry Shear, Alexander Singer, Douglas Heyes, Arnold Laven, Jack Arnold, Jeannot Szwarc, Richard L. Bare, Richard Benedict, Mel Ferber; Writers: Roy Huggins, Matthew Howard, Glen A. Larson, Gene Levitt, others; Music: Billy Goldenberg; Starring: Pete Duel as Hannibal Heyes (a.k.a. Joshua Smith) 1971-1972 Roger Davis as Hannibal Heyes (a.k.a. Joshua Smith) 1972-1973; Ben Murphy as Jed "Kid" Curry (a.k.a. Thaddeus Jones); Sally Field as Clementine Hale; J.D. Cannon as Harry Briscoe (4 Feb 1971); John Russell as Sheriff Lom Trevors (25 Nov 1972); Roger Davis as Narrator 1971-1972; Ralph Story as Narrator 1972-1973 Horse: xxx; In the spirit of the hit movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, this irony-laced Western spoof featured former outlaws Jed "Kid" Curry (based on the historical Kid Curry) and Hannibal Heyes. The premise is that the Governor of Kansas offers them a provisional pardon if they can lead lives free from trouble with the law for 12 straight months. This deal was to remain secret, so the two adopted aliases Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones. Through the 1890s they meandered through Kansas Territory, but kept running into trouble -- as they still had a price on their heads. Each episode for 2 years, they would encounter folks from their benighted past: outlaws, possees, bounty hunters, and so forth. They never did get their pardon. By the time this series ended, the golden age of traditional TV Westerns was over. Only Gunsmoke was still on the air, and secret agents were the new craze. Alias Smith and Jones had high-quality exterior cinematography, a good sense of tongue-in-cheek humor, and interesting use of voice-over dialog. It was deservedly a hit; unhappily one of the very last of the genre. Pete Duel shot himself fatally on 30 Dec 1971, aged 31, after watching one of his episodes on TV in his home in the Hollywood hills. Ex-narrator Roger Davis took over his part, allowing Ralph Stor to rotate in as Narrator.
- The Andy Griffith Show/Andy of Mayberry 3 Oct 1960-16 Sep 1968 (CBS); 249 30-minute episodes; Police Sitcom. Sheriff Andy Taylor of small town Mayberry, North Carolina; a widower with a young son called Opie. "Gomer Pyle USMC" was a spin off when that character left Mayberry for the marines. The show was later retitled "Mayberry RFD" when Andy Griffith left the show. Reunion TV Movie "Return to Mayberry" [April 1986]. Starring: ANDY GRIFFITH as Andy Taylor; DON KNOTTS as Barney Fife (1960-65); RONNY HOWARD (later a major producer/director) as Opie Taylor; ELINOR DONAHUE as Ellie Walker (1960-61); FRANCIS BAVIER as Aunt Bee Taylor; HOPE SUMMERS as Clara Edwards; JIM NABORS as Gomer Pyle (1963-64); ANETA CORSAUT as Helen Crump (1964-68); GEORGE LINDSEY as Goober Pyle (1963-64); HOWARD McNEAR as Floyd Lawson; HAL SMITH as Otis Campbell (1960-67); JACK DODSON as Howard Sprague (1966-68); PAUL HARTMAN as Emmett Clark (1967-68); BETTY LYNN as Thelma Lou (1960-65); JACK BURNS as Warren Ferguson (1965-66); PARLEY BAER as Mayor Stoner (1962-63); KEN BERRY as Sam Jones (1968); BURT MUSTIN as Jud Crowley (1961-66).
- Annie Oakley April 1953 (9 Jan 1954?)-1956 (24 Feb 1957) (CBS); 83 30-minute episodes; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Gene Autry, Colbert Clark, Louis Gray, Armand Schaefer; Directors: George Archainbaud, William A. Berke, D. Ross Lederman, Frank McDonald, Ray Nazarro; Assistant Director: Austen Jewell; Film Editor: Paul Borofsky; Music Editor: Erma E. Levin; Starring: Gail Davis as Annie; Jimmy Hawkins as brother, Tagg; Brad Johnson as Deputy Sheriff Lofty Craig; Fess Parker (Davy Crockett) as Tom Conrad (1954); Shelley Fabares as Trudy; Also Starring: Roscoe Ates as Curley Dawes; Wendy Drew as Mary Farnsworth; Sally Fraser as Gloria Marshall; Mary Ellen Kay as Miss Curtis; Virginia Lee as Marge Hardy (1954); Nan Leslie as Alias "Annie Oakley"; Judy Nugent as Penny; Jacqueline Park as Helen Lacey; Gloria Talbott as Priscilla Bishop; Kenneth MacDonald as Sheriff Luke MacTavish (Pilot); Billy Gray as Tagg Oakley (Pilot: "Bull's Eye"); Horses: Annie Oakley rode Target; Jimmy "Tagg" Hawkins rode Pixie; Lofty's Horse: Forest; First Episode: "Annie and the Brass Collar" (ep. #1.1) 1/9/1954; Last (?) Episode: "Dangerous Men" (ep. #3.35) 2/24/1957; Production Company: Flying 'A' Productions; Distributor: Moviecraft (video cassettes); Gail Davis was a crack shot and skilled rider and so did most of her own stunts. This first Western to star a woman was produced by Gene Autry's "Flying A Productions." Gail Davis died in 1997 of cancer.
- Aspen 1977 (Universal/Roy Huggins "Best Sellers") 6 95-minute episodes; Writer/Director: Douglas Heyes adapted from the Novels: "Aspen" by Bert Hirschfield and "The Adversary" by Bart Spicer; Music: Tom Scott, Mike Melvoir; Producer: Jo Swerling, Jr.; Mystery/Detective drama serial. Lawyer investigates a murder within the exclusive ski resort's jet set. starring: SAM ELLIOTT; PERRY KING; MICHELLE PHILLIPS; JOHN McINTYRE; GENE BARRY; BO HOPKINS; TONY FRANCIOSA; JOSEPH COTTON; JOHN HOUSEMAN.
B: Westerns Television Series
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- Bat Masterson 8 Oct 1958-11 May 1961 (CBS); 8 Oct 1958-21 Sept 1961 (NBC) according to Louis Allgood; 16? 30-minute episodes; "Back when the west was very young, There lived a man named Masterson. He wore a cane and derby hat, They called him Bat, Bat Masterson. The trail that he blazed is still there. No one has come since, to replace his name. And those with too ready a trigger, Forgot to figure on his marching home. Now in the legend of the West, One name stands out of all the rest. The man who had the fastest gun, His name was Bat, Bat Masterson. " Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: Gene Barry as William Bartley "Bat" Masterson; Horse: Stardust; First Episode: "Double Showdown" (ep. #1.1) 10/8/1958 Last ? Episode: "The Marble Slab" 5/11/1961' Guest Stars: in "No Amnesty for Death" DeForest Kelley (Scotty on Star Trek) guests; Production Company: ZIV Television Programs; Bowler-hatted dandy (fancy dresser) Bat carried a gold-tipped cane which hid a sword. He also carried a gun. The historical William Bartley Masterson was a deputy of Wyatt Earp's.
- Bearcats! 1971 (CBS); 12 60-minute episodes; 2-hour pilot; Private Eye adventurers Johnny Reach and Hank Brackett cruise the American Southwest in 1914 in their new Stutz Bearcat, seeking action. Taking dangerous assignments for fees that are typically blank checks, for later cashing at the amount they retroactively think the case was worth, they find more than enough action, and slightly more than enough risk. Creators: Executive Producer: Douglas Heyes; Producers: Morton S. Fine, Director: David Friedkin Music: Dave Kahn; Starring: Rod Taylor as Hank Brackett; Dennis Cole as Johnny Reach; Horse Substitute: 1914 Stutz Bearcat (Automobile); The pilot is available on video and entitled Powderkeg.
- Big Valley 15 Sep 1965-19 Mar 1969 (ABC); 112 60-minute episodes; Creators: Executive Producers: Arthur Gardner, Arnold Laven, Jules Levy; Associate Producer: Lou Morheim; Directors (# of episodes): Lewis Allen (1), Lawrence Dobkin (2), Charles S. Dubin (4), Murray Golden (1) , William A. Graham (pilot episode), Paul Henreid (8), Arnold Laven (7), Joseph H. Lewis (3), James F. Lichtman (1), Richard Long (2), Joseph Mazzuca (3), Bernard McEveety (11 = eleven), Arthur H. Nadel (4) , Joseph M. Newman (1), Joseph Pevney (1), Norman S. Powell (3), Michael Ritchie (3), Sutton Roley (1), Richard C. Sarafian (1), Ralph Senensky (1), Don Taylor (1), Virgil W. Vogel (49 = forty-nine), Nicholas Webster (1), Paul Wendkos (2 episodes); Writers: Ed Adamson, Margaret Armen, A.I. Bezzerides, William Blinn, Judith Borrows, Robert Guy Borrows, Arthur Browne Jr., Steven W. Carabatsos, Oliver Crawford, Jack Curtis, Gerry Day, John Dunkel, Lee Erwin, D.C. Fontana (Star Trek), Fred Freiberger Sasha Gilien, Michael Gleason, Mel Goldberg, Don Ingalls, Christopher Knopf, Harry Kronman, Edward J. Lakso, Herb Meadow, David Moessinger, Douglas Morrow, William W. Norton, John O'Dea, Peter Packer, Ken Pettus, Gilbert Ralston, Arthur Rowe, Paul Savage, Paul Schneider, Jay Simms, Ken Trevey, Daniel B. Ullman, Gabrielle Upton, Richard Wendley, Carey Wilber; Theme Music: George Duning; Original Music: Elmer Bernstein, Herschel Burke Gilbert, Josep Mullendore, Lalo Schifrin; Non-original Music: Johann Strauss (from "The Emperor's Waltz"); Music Supervisor: Alfred Perry; Cinematographer: Wilfred M. Cline; Starring: Barbara Stanwyck (The Furies; Cattle Queen of Montana; The Maverick Queen; Wagon Train; Rawhide) as Victoria Barkley; Richard Long (Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip) as Jarrod Barkley; Peter Breck as Nick Barkley; Lee Majors (6 Million Dollar Man, The Man from Shiloh) as Heath Barkley; Linda Evans (Krystle Carrington in Dynasty) as Audra Barkley; Napoleon Whiting as Silas; Charles Briles as Eugene Barkley (1965-1966); James Gavin as Sheriff (1966-1967); Douglas Kennedy as Sheriff Fred Madden (1967-1969); Guest Stars included: Milton Berle as a con man; Film Editors: Desmond Marquette, Sherman Todd; Casting: Harvey Clermont, Robert Walker; Supervising Art Director: Bill Ross; Art Director: Jack De Shields Set Decorator: Pierre Ludlum; Makeup Artist: Sidney Perell; Hair Stylist: Gale McGarry Production Supervisor: Norman S. Powell; Production Manager: Don Torpin; Music Editor: Harry King; Sound Effects: Kay Rose; Stunts: Dick Cangey; Other Crew: Editorial Supervisor: Bernard W. Burton; Assistant to Producer: Penny Danz; Assistant to Producers: Marilyn Fiebelkorn; Wardrober: Robert B. Harris; Script Supervisor: Joseph Mazzuca; Editorial Administrator: Richard E. Reilly; Production Coordinator: Tom Rolf; First Episode: "Palms of Glory" (ep. #1.1) 9/15/1965; Excellent Episodes: * "Boots With My Father's Name", directed by Joseph H. Lewis; * "Night of the Wolf", directed by Joseph H. Lewis; Last (?) Episode: "Point and Counterpoint" (ep. #4.26) 3/19/1969; Production Companies: Four Star Productions, Margate; Distributor: American Broadcasting Company (ABC); In this wild-west matricy, Victoria Barkley ran her huge wide-open spread in California's San Joaquin Valley with the help of her four sons. (A youngest son, the introspective Eugene, was seen in early episodes.) Heath was Victoria's late husband Tom's illegitimate half-Indian son. Every 5 or 6 episodes, Heath would become irritable and threaten to leave. Then Victoria would lecture him on how "you're a Barkley" imposed family traditions and responsibilities, and he'd stay. This was Lee Majors' first acting job after just 6 weeks of drama school (Cult TV says six months). Barbara Stanwyk (real name: Ruby Stevens) was admitted to the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1973, and died in 1990 of congestive heart failure. Besides the films and TV shows listed above, she also gave memorable performances in the Billy Wilder noir Double Indemnity (1944), King Vidor's Stella Dallas (1938); as hostess of The Barbara Stanwyck Theatre (1960-1961); as Constance Colby in the TV series The Colbys (ABC 1985-1987), and as a star on the ABC mini-series The Thorn Birds (1983). Richard Long died in 1974 of heart problems as well. Horse: ?;
- Black Saddle 1 Jan 1959-4 May 1960 (CBS); 10 Jan 1959-5 Sept 1959 (NBC) according to Louis Allgood; 3 Oct 1959-30 Sept 1960 (ABC) according to Louis Allgood; 44 (?) 30-minute episodes; Creators: Executive Producers: Producer: Antony Ellis; Director: Film Editor: Samuel E. Beetley; Music: Jerry Goldsmith (as J. Michael Hennagin), Arthur Morton; Production Supervisor: Jack Sonntag; Starring: Peter Breck (Nick Barkley on Big Valley) as Clay Culhane; Russell Johnson (the Professor on Gilligan's Island) as Marshal Gib Scott; Anna-Lisa as Nora Travers; Horse: ?; First Episode: "Client: Travers" (#1.1) 1/1/1959; Last (?) Episode: "End of the Line" (#2.24) 5/4/1960; Production Company: Four Star Productions; Half hour Western set in Latigo, New Mexico Territory. Breck played an ex-gunfighter turned attorney, after he lost his brothers in a shootout. Johnson played the Marshal and Anna Lisa was the proprietor of the Marathon Hotel.
- Bonanza 12 Sep 1959-1973 (CBS); 12 Sept 1959-16 Jan 1973 (NBC) according to Louis Allgood; 430 60-minute episodes [440 Episodes according to Louis Allgood]; "We got a right to pick a little fight Bonanza! If anyone fights anyone of us He's gotta fight with me! We're not a one to saddle up and run, Bonanza! Anyone of us who starts a little fuss knows he can count on me! One for four Four for one, This we guarantee. We got a right to pick a little fight Bonanza! If anyone fights anyone of us He's gotta fight with me!" Creator: David Dortort; Executive Producer: David Dortort; Producers: David Dortort, Thomas Thompson, Richard Collins, Robert Blees; Directors: Robert Altman, Joseph Sargent, Leon Benson, Virgil W. Vogel, William F. Claxton, Alan Crosland Jr., Christian Nyby, Charles Rondeau, Paul Henreid, Tay Garnett, R.G. Springsteen, Jacques Tourneur, Joseph Kane, Gerd Oswald, Ralph Black, Don MacDougall; Theme Music: Jay Livingston and Ray Evans; Music: David Rose; Starring: Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright (Big Buck); Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright (Beauty); Dan Blocker as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright (Ginger, Piute and Chubb); Michael Landon as Joseph "Little Joe" Cartwright (Paint and Cochise); Victor Sen Yung as Hop Sing; Ray Teal as Sheriff Roy Coffee; David Canary as "Candy" Canaday; Also starring: Bing Russell as Deputy Sheriff Clem Foster (27 Jan 1963); Guy Williams as Will Cartwright (22 March 1964); Mitch Vogel as Jamie Hunter Cartwright (20 Sep 1970); Lou Frizzell as Dusty Rhodes (20 Sep, 1970); Tim Matheson as Griff King (10 Oct 1972); Horses: Ben Cartwright rode Big Buck; Adam Cartwright rode Beauty; Eric "Hoss" Cartwright rode Ginger, Piute and Chubb; Joseph "Little Joe" Cartwright rode Paint and Cochise; The Cartwright's thousand-square-mile Ponderosa Ranch is located near Virginia City, Nevada, site of the Comstock Silver Lode. Life with Ben must have been tough because none of his wives survived it. Adam was born in New England and his mother was Elizabeth. Hoss' mother Inger was killed by Indians. She was Scandinavian and Hoss means "good luck" in Norwegian. Little Joe's mother, Marie, was a woman Ben met in New Orleans and she died from a fall from a horse. Pernell Roberts left the show in 1965, which I thought was a loss. Also, over time, Lorne Greene came to have more influence over scripts. As he was a serious pacifist, the show's level of violence/action decreased as his power increased. Dan Blocker died in 1972 after a surgery. Lorne Green died in 1987 of pneumonia. Michael Landon died in 1991 of pancreatic cancer.
- Branded 24 Jan 1965-24 Apr 1966 (NBC); 24 Jan 1965-4 Sep 1966 according to Louis Allgood; 48 30-minute episodes; "All but one man died. There at Bitter Creek. And they say he ran away. Branded, scorned as the one who ran. What do you do when you're branded, and you know you're a man. Wherever you go, for the rest of your life You must prove, you're a man. Full song (the above is the abbreviated TV version): All but one man died, There at Bitter Creek, And they say he ran away ... Branded! Marked with a coward's shame. What do you do when you're branded, Well, you fight for your name? He was innocent, Not a charge was true, But the world will never know ... Branded! Scorned as the one who ran. What do you do when you're branded, And you know you're a man? And wherever you go for the rest of your life You must prove ... You're a man!" Creators: Executive Producers: Producer: Larry Cohen (The Invaders); Directors: Marc Daniels, Lawrence Dobkin, Harry Harris, Leonard Horn, Lee H. Katzin, Joseph H. Lewis, Edward Ludwig, Alex March, Bernard McEveety, Vincent McEveety, Larry Peerce, Allen Reisner, Richard Whorf, Ron Winston, William Witney; Theme Music: Dominic Frontiere; Theme Song Lyrics: Alan Alch; Original Music: Dominic Frontiere; Film Editor: Dann Cahn; Property Maker: Adam John Backauskas; Stunts: Dick Cangey; Starring: Chuck Connors (The Rifleman) as Jason McCord; William Bryant as President Ulysses S. Grant; First Episode: "Survival" (#1.1) 1/24/1965; Great Episode: "The Mission" (in 3 parts) released (Cinerama, 1965) as the feature film Broken Sabre; Last (?) Episode: "Kellie" (#2.32) 4/24/1966 guest starring John Carradine; Production Companies: Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions, Sentinel Productions; Distributors: King World Productions, National Broadcasting Company (NBC); Jason McCord, an 1880s West Point graduate, had a successful military career and had risen to the rank of captain until he was unjustly accused of cowardice. At the Battle of Bitter Creek, he was knocked unconscious and left for dead by Commanche braves, but the authorities never believed his story, and he was cashiered. As the opening title sequence shows, he standsat the fort, while his buttons and epaulettes are ripped off his uniform, and drums roll through the opening song. The show centered on his travels and his attempts to prove his innocence. Everywhere he goes, he carries the symbol of his shame: a broken sword. Chuck Connors died in 1992 of lung cancer. Horse:
- Broken Arrow 25 Sep 1956-24 June 1958 (CBS); 25 Sept 1956-23 Sept 1958 (ABC) according to Louis Allgood; 16 60-minute episodes; 72 Episodes according to Louis Allgood; Creators: Executive Producers: Producer: Mel Epstein; Directors: Richard L. Bare, William Beaudine, Alvin Ganzer, Charles F. Haas, Joseph Kane, Bernard L. Kowalski, Frank McDonald, Hollingsworth Morse, Ralph Murphy, Sam Peckinpah (!), Albert S. Rogell; Music: Leo Klatzkin, Paul Sawtell, Ned Washington, Stanley Wilson; Starring: Michael Ansara as Cochise; John Lupton as Tom Jeffords; Tom Fadden as Duffield; Steven Ritch as Nukaya; Cochise's Horse: Sheik; First Episode: "The Mail Riders" (#1.1) 9/25/1956; Last (?) Episode: "Transfer" (#2.39) 6/24/1958; Production Company: 20th Century Fox Television; Indian Agent Tom Jeffords makes friends with Chief Cochise, becoming a blood brother of the Apache Between 1958 and 1972 Ansara was married to actress Barbara Eden of I Dream of Jeanie.
- Brave Stallion : see Fury
- Bronco Layne 23 Sep 1958-5 Mar 1962 (CBS); 23 Sept 1958-20 Aug 1962 (ABC) according to Louis Allgood; also known as Bronco 68 60-minute episodes; black and white; "Bronco, Bronco, tearin' across the Texas plain. Bronco, Bronco, Bronco Layne. Worn down around the old panhandle, Texas is where he grew to fame. There ain't a horse that he can't handle, that's how he got his name. Bronco, Bronco, tearin' across the Texas plain. Bronco, Bronco, Bronco Layne. Next to a four square Texas twister, You'd call a cyclone weak and mild, You've never seen a twister, mister, Till someone gets him riled. Bronco, Bronco, tearin' across the Texas plain. Bronco, Bronco, Bronco Layne. Show me a gal who kissed him once, And I'll show you a gal who's kissed him twice. Once a city gal has kissed him twice, She's dreamin' of shoes and rice. Bronco, Bronco, tearin' across the Texas plain. Bronco, Bronco, Bronco Layne." Creators: Executive Producer: William T. Orr; Producers: Director: Leslie H. Martinson; Film Editors: David Wages, Robert B. Warwick Jr.; Theme Music: Mack David, Jerry Livingston; Music: Howard Jackson, Heinz Roemheld; Starring: Ty Hardin as Bronco; Horse: ?; Production Company: Warner Bros. Television; First Episode: "The Besieged" (#1.1) 9/23/1958 Guest Starring: Claude Akins, Allen Case, Jack Elam, Sue Randall, Terry Rangno, Robert Warwick; Last (?) Episode: "The Last Letter" (#4.12) 3/5/1962; This series was a spin-off of Cheyenne. Ty Hardin's real name is Orson Whipple Hungerford II. Ty Hardin is a very private person, but writes that he is living "a full life in Costa Rica with trying to preserve our planet so that man can continue to exist."
- Buffalo Bill, Jr. 1 Mar 1955- (NBC); 26 March 1955-18 June 1956 according to Louis Allgood; 40 30-minute episodes; black and white; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Gene Autry, Louis Gray; Director: George Archainbaud; Music: Starring: Dick (Dickie) Jones as Buffalo Bill, Jr.; Harry Cheshire as Judge Ben "Fair and Square" Wiley; Nancy Gilbert as Calamity; Horse: Chief; First Show: "Trail Of The Killer" according to Louis Allgood; First Episode: "Fight for Geronimo" (#1.1) 3/1/1955 Guest Starring: Richard H. Cutting, Jack Daly, Robert Easton, Harry Lauter, Rodd Redwing, Chief Thundercloud , Wally West; Buffalo Bill was an orphan adopted by Judge Wiley, founder of Wileyville, Texas in the 1890s. Calamity was Bill's younger sister. This Western was produced by Gene Autry's Flying "A" Productions. Harry Cheshire died in 1968.
- Bakersfield PD 1993-94 (Fox/Rock Island/ Touchstone) 17 30-minute episodes; Crime sitcom about dumb cops in semi-rural California town's police department; Creator/Executive Producer: Larry Levin / Producer: Paul Mazur; Director: Dean Parisot; Starring: RON ELDARD as Det. Wade Preston; GIANCARLO ESPOSITO as Det. Paul Gigante; CHRIS MULKEY as Officer Denny Boyer; TONY PLANA as Officer Luke Ramirez; BRIAN DOYLE-MURRAY as Sgt. Phil Hampton; JACK HALLETT as Capt. Aldo Stiles.
- Boon 14 Jan 1986-? 1991 (UK: ITV/Central Independent); 78 60-minute episodes; Ex-fireman motoryclist freelance investigator Ken Boon is so unexpectedly successful that, in the 2nd season, he has an entire team of bikers: "The Texas Rangers." The heavy-drinking star was charismatic, getting over 1,000 letters per week from fans, and the theme song "Hi Ho Silver" (sung by Jim Diamond) climbed to #5 on British charts. Listed here, although not a Western, because of the use of "The Texas Rangers" and "Hi Ho Silver" as intances of the Western motifs affecting other genres in other countries. Creators: Jim Hill, Bill Stair; Executive Producers: Ted Childs (seasons 1-7), William Smethurst (season 4); Producers: Kenny McBain (season 1); Esta Charkman (seasons 2-4), Michele Buck (season 5), Simon Lewis (seasons 6-7); Music: Dean Friedman; Starring: MICHAEL as Ken Boon; DAVID DAKER as Harry Crawford; NEIL MORRISSEY as Rocky Cassidy; LESLEY-ANNE SHARPE as Debbie Yates; ELIZABETH CARLING as Laura Marsh.
C: Westerns TV Series
- Californians 18 Sep 1957-26 May 1959 (CBS); 24 Sep 1957-10 Sep 1959 (NBC) according to Louis Allgood; 68 30-minute episodes; 69 Episodes according to Louis Allgood; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Assistant Director: Joel Freeman; Theme Song (Music): Harry Warren; Theme Song (Lyrics): Harold Adamson; Original Music: Ken Darby; Starring: Adam Kennedy as Dion Patrick (1957-1958); Sean McClory as Jack McGivern (1957-58); Nan Leslie as Martha McGivern (1957-1958); Herbert Rudley as Sam Brennan (1957-1958); Richard Coogan as Matthew Wayne; Howard Caine as Schaab (1957-1958); Carole Mathews as Wilma Fansler (1958-1959); Art Fleming (Host of Jeopardy) as Jeremy Pitt (1958-1959); First Show: "The Vigilantes Begin"; Last (?) Episode: "Act of Faith" (#2.32) 26 May 1959: Guest Stars: Hal Baylor, James Coburn, Robert Crawford, Mike Keene, Maria Palmer; Production Company: Desilu Productions, Inc.; Horse: ???; This show had a complete upheaval in casting. Originally, Adam Kennedy played an Irish immigrant who headed West during the Gold Rush, but ended up in San Francisco as a vigilante. So did Sean McClory, who played a general store owner. But by mid-season the sponsors got nervous about the vigilante theme, so Kennedy was out and Coogan was in as a saloon owner and the town marshal. McClory made it through the year but no further. Kennedy died in 1997, Leslie in 2000, Caine in 1993 and Fleming in 1995.
- Casey Jones 1957-1958 (Syndicated/Columbia/Birskin); 18 May 1958-1 March 1959 according to Louis Allgood; UK: 1958 (BBC1); 32 30-minute episodes; Children's Western adventure series set in 1890s Tennessee, starring Alan Hale, Jr. as the legendary John Luther "Casey" Jones; engineer-driver of the Illinois Central railroad's Cannonball Express. Every episode, it seems, involved him bringing the train in on time, regradless of storms, bandits, or competitors. Creators: Executive Producers: Producer: Harold Green; Directors: various Music: Starring: Alan Hale, Jr. as Casey Jones; Mary Lawrence as Alice Jones; Bobby Clark as Casey Jones, Jr.; Eddy Waller as Red Rock; Pat Hogan as Sam Peachpit; Dub Taylor as Wallie Simms; Paul Keast as Mr.Carter; Horse: ???; Casey's Train: The Cannonball Express; Jones' Family Dog: Cinders; Alan Hale, Jr.'s father (Alan Hale, Sr.) had starred in Westerns movies including Dodge City, Santa Fe Trail, and Colt 45. Alan Hale, Jr. was the violent Cole Younger in The Story of Jesse James (1957), and was eventually Jonas "Skipper" Grumby on Gilligan's Island (1964-1967).
- Cheyenne 20 Sep 1955-19 Apr 1963 (CBS); 20 Sep 1955-19 Sep 1960 (ABC) according to Louis Allgood; 107 60-minute episodes; "Cheyenne, Cheyenne where will you be camping tonight? Loney man, Cheyenne, will your heart stay free and light? Dream, Cheyenne, of a girl you may never love Move along, Cheyenne like the restless cloud up above. The wind that blows, that comes and goes, has been your only home. But will the while will one day see and you'll no longer roam. Move along, Cheyenne, the next pasture's always so green. Driftin' on, Cheyenne don't forget the things you have seen, And when you settle down, where will it be Cheyenne? Cheyenne!" Creators: Adapted: (loosely) from the 1947 film of the same name; Executive Producer: William T. Orr; Producers: Directors: Leslie H. Martinson, Irving J. Moore, Robert Sparr, George Waggner; Technical Director: Arvo Ojala; Film Editor: Robert Watts; Theme Music: Mack David (1955-1956), William Lava (1956-1963), Jerry Livingston (1955-56); Theme Lyrics: Stan Jones (1956-1963); Music: Leith Stevens; Starring: [Norman Eugene] "Clint" Walker (later star of Kodiak) as Cheyenne Bodie; Ty Hardin as Bronco Layne; Jack Elam as Toothy Thompson; L.Q. Jones as Smitty; Horse: Brandy; First Episode: "Mountain Fortress" (#1.1) 20 Sep 1955 with James Garner and Robert J. Wilke; Last (?) Episode: "One Evening in Abilene" 19 Apr 1962 with Lee Van Cleef; Budget: each episode was shot in 5 fast days for $75,000 at a time when feature films started at dirt-low $450,000; Awards: 1957 Winner of Golden Globe for "Best TV Show" (along with The Mickey Mouse Club [1955], Playhouse 90 [1956], Matinee Theater [1955] and This Is Your Life [1952]); Production Company: Warner Bros. Television; Set in the 1870s, with the 6-foot-6-inch loner half-breed drifting across the fronteir with a new job and a new girlfriend each episode, but always driven by the same relentless sense of justice. Another complex history. Cheyenne was one of Warner's first series as part of Warner Brothers Presents. In that first season, Cheyenne had a sidekick: the mapmaker Smitty (played by LQ Jones, a.k.a. Justus E. McQueen, who later made the cult classic adaptation from harlan Ellison's novel: A Boy and His Dog). In the second season it alternated with Conflict, an anthology. In the third season it alternated with Sugarfoot. In 1958, Walker left the show and Ty Hardin as Bronco Layne continues on, while still alternating with Sugarfoot. By mid-1959 Walker came back, but Hardin was now so popular that he got his own show, which alternated with Sugarfoot. By the 1960-1961 season, Bronco, Sugarfoot and Cheyenne are all alternating under the Cheyenne banner. THEN in the 1961-1962 season it was down to just Bronco and Cheyenne, and by the 1963 season, it was Cheyenne alone. Ty Hardin writes that he is living " a full life in Costa Rica with trying to preserve our planet so that man can continue to exist."
- The Cheyenne Show 26 Sep 1960-31 Dec 1962 (ABC); (Rotating Series) according to Louis Allgood; Clint Walker as Cheyenne Bodie, Drifter; Will Hutchins as Tom "Sugarfoot" Brewster, Law Student; Ty Hardin as Bronco Layne, Ex-Confederate Army Captain.
- Cimarron City 11 Nov 1958-4 Apr 1959 (CBS); 11 Oct 1958-26 Sep 1959 (NBC) according to Louis Allgood; 26 60-minute episodes; black and white; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Theme Music: Stanley Wilson; Starring: George Montgomery (as Narrator); George Montgomery as Matt Rockford; John Smith as Lane Temple; Audrey Totter as Beth Purcell; Stuart Randall as Art Sampson; Addison Richards as Martin Kingsley; Fred Sherman as Burt Purdy; Claire Carleton as Alice Purdy; Dan Blocker as Tiny Budinger; George Dunn as Jesse Williams; Pete Dunn as Dody Hamer, Tom Fadden as Silas Perry, Wally Brown as Jed Fame; Horse: ?; First Episode: "I, the People" (#1.1) 11 Nov 1958 Guest Stars: John Banner, Mary Alan Hokanson, Fred MacMurray, Jason Robards Sr., Rick Vallin; Last Episode: "The Evil One" (#1.26) 4 Apr 1959 Guest Stars: Olive Carey, Eduard Franz, Daria Massey, Dennis McCarthy; Production Companies: Mont Productions, Revue Studios; This was an enjoyable Western with rather bad luck. It was scheduled against Have Gun Will Travel and Gunsmoke. George Montgomery played Matt Rockford, the ex-mayor of Cimarron City, Oklahoma, during a gold and oil boom, when the town hoped to become state capital. John Smith was the blacksmith and sheriff. Audrey Totter was the proprietor of the boardinghouse. John Smith died in 1995.
- The Cisco Kid 5 Sep 1950-21 Dec 1952 (CBS); 5 Sep 1950-1 Nov 1956 (NN) according to Louis Allgood; 67 (?) 30-minute episodes; black and white AND color; 156 Episodes according to Louis Allgood; "Pleeeeease, Ceeesco, let's went!" Adapted: from O Henry's short story "The Caballero's Way" [1904] Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Paul Landres; Cinematographer: Kenneth Peach; Music: Albert Glasser; Starring: Duncan Renaldo as The Kid; Leo Carrillo as Pancho; Horses: Diablo and Loco; First Episode: "Boomerang" (#1.1) 5 Sep1950 Guest Stars: Jane Adams, Alden "Stephen" Chase, Edmund Cobb, George De Normand, Byron Foulger, Lee Phelps, David Sharpe; Last Episode: "Lodestone" (#3.15) 21 Dec 1952 Guest Star: Peggy Stewart; Production Company: ZIV Television Programs; Distributor: Rhodes Productions; The Cisco Kid and his mangled-English sidekick Pancho operated similarly to Robin Hood, but set in 1890s New Mexico. The authorities viewed them as desperados, yet they defended the weak and helpless. As Bob Dylan puts it: "To live outside the law, a man must be honest." The show's longevity in syndication was due, in part, to the early decision to film in color. Duncan Renaldo died in 1980. I have visited Leo Carrillo State Park, a lovely beach in Southern Calaifornia.
- Colt .45 18 Oct 1957-27 Mar 1960 (CBS); 18 Oct 1957-20 Sept 1960 (ABC) according to Louis Allgood; 67 30-minute episodes; "There was a gun that won the West. There was a man among the best. The fastest gun or man alive. A lightning bolt when he drew that Colt... .45. He carried the message of law and of order, Into a wicked land. With a bolt single action on his revolver Blazing from either hand. There was the right, there was the wrong. The gun was quick, the man was strong. And each was made when they arrive, A lightning bolt when the drew that Colt... .45. Colt .45 Colt .45 Colt .45 Colt .45" Creators: Executive Producer: William T. Orr; Producers: Director: Leslie H. Martinson; Technical Director: Arvo Ojala; Film Editor: Robert B. Warwick, Jr.; Theme Music: Douglas Heyes, Hal Hopper, Paul Sawtell, Bert Shefter; Starring: Wayde Preston as Christopher Colt; Donald May as Sam Colt, Jr; Horse: ?; First Show: "Judgment Day" according to Louis Allgood; First Episode: "The Peacemaker" (#1.1) 10/18/1957 Guest Stars: Helen Brown, Peter Brown, Andrew Duggan, Erin O'Brien; Last Episode: "Breakthrough" (#3.16) 3/27/1960 Guest Stars: Charles Cooper, Faith Domergue, Archie Duncan; Production Company: Warner Bros. Television; Christopher Colt's a secret agent in the old West, and son of the gun inventor. Wayde Preston leaves the show for some months and Donald May plays Sam Colt, Jr., his cousin. May was in turn replaced by Preston when he returned to the series in 1960. Wayde Preston died in 1992 of colon cancer.
- Series Name Here 15 Mar 1983-12 Apr 1983 (CBS); 16 60-minute episodes; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: Horse:
- Cade's Country 19 Sep 1971-9 Apr 1972 (CBS/Twentieth Century Fox); 1 Mar 1972-6 Sep 1972 (UK: ITV); 24 60-minute episodes; New West (as opposed to Old West) Police/Mystery/detective drama series. Madrid County, California, Sheriff Sam Cade is backed by elderly Deputy J.J. Jackson and 3 younger deputies. Pete is played by the son of film star Glenn Ford. Joannie Little Bird was the first dispatcher, later replaced by Betty Ann Sundown -- both women are true Native Americans. Three TV shows spun-off from this: * Marshal of Madrid * Sam Cade * Slay Ride Producer: Charles Larson; Executive Producer: David Gerber (Police Story, Police Woman, Joe Forrester, and then Head of Television at MGM-UA and MGM-Pathe); Music: Henry Mancini Starring: GLENN FORD as Sam Cade; EDGAR BUCHANAN as Dep. J.J. Jackson; TAYLOR LACHER as Arlo; VICTOR CAMPOS as Rudy; PETER FORD as Pete; SANDRA EGO as Joannie Little Bird; BETTY ANN CARR as Betty Ann Sundown.
- Call the Gun Expert 2 July 1964-6 Aug 1964 (UK: BBC1); 6 25-minute episodes; black and white; Reconstructions of genuine cases solved by Robert Churchill and his famous London gunsmiths, starting with the murder of PC Gutteridge (Essex, 1927). Not a Western, but listed here because of the emphasis on guns, and icon of most Westerns. Producer/Director: Jack Gold; Starring: WENSLEY PITHEY as Robert Churchill; MACDONALD HASTINGS as on-camera narrator.
- Carter Country 15 Sep 1977-23 Aug 1979 (ABC); 12 30-minute episodes; Producers: Douglas Arango, Phil Doran; Executive Producers: Bud Yorkin, Saul Turtletaub, Bernie Orenstein; Music: Pete Rugolo; During the presidency of Jimmy Carter, this ill-conceived show was set in (ironically) Clinton Corners, purportedly near Jimmy Carter's hometown of Plains, Georgia. Kindly redneck Police Chief Roy Mobey is backed-up by a slick New York-trained African-American deputy, Curtis Baker. There are other cardboard characters: butch policewoman Cloris, idiot mayor Teddy, and the mayor's sexy secretary Lucille (over whom Curtis is smitten). Neither interesting in police procedure, credible in plot, realistic in treatment of race, nor funny. Starring: VICTOR FRENCH as Police Chief Roy Mobey; KENE HOLLIDAY as Sgt. Curtis Baker; RICHARD PAUL as Mayor Teddy Burnside; BARABARA CASON as Cloris Phebus; VERNEE WATSON as Lucille Banks; MELANIE GRIFFITH (later an Oscar nominee for a better role) as a newspaper reporter (2 episodes).
- Coronado 9 1959-1960 (Syndicated/Revue Productions/ Universal Television); 39 30-minute episodes; black and white; Ex-Naval Intelligence agent becomes Private Eye, and works from the Coronado peninsula near San Diego, California, where the telephone exchange is "Coronado 9." My wife and I once contracted for a condominium on Coronado, but cancelled it during the 3-day waiting period. Nice neighborhood, but pricey. Not a Western, but listed here for the Western location. Producer: Richard Irving; Starring: ROD CAMERON (City Detective; State Trooper) as Dan Adams.
- Cowboy in Africa 1967-1968 (CBS); 16 60-minute episodes; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: Chuck Connors as Jim Sinclair; Tom Nardini as John Henry; Ronald Howard as Wing Commander; Gerald Edwards as Samson; Okay, so maybe this stretches the point inasmuch as it's an African Western. But Chuck Connors played champion rodeo cowboy Jim Sinclair, who had been hired by a Brit named Commander Hayes to bring American expertise to his game ranch in Kenya. Sinclair got help from his Navajo blood brother John Henry and sort of adopted an orphaned Kikuya boy named Samson. I know. A Navajo named John Henry and a Kikuya named Samson. This was based on Ivan Tors' movie Africa-Texas Style! (1967). Some of the backgrounds were shot in Africa while others came from the Africa USA theme park in southern California. Chuck Connors died in 1992 of lung cancer. Ronald Howard (Leslie Howard's son) died in 1996.
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D: Westerns Television Series
- The Dakotas 1963-1963 (Warner Bros. Television/CBS?); 7 Jan 1963-9 Sep 1963 (ABC) according to Louis Allgood; 20 60-minute episodes; Marshal Ragan and his deputies Smith, Stark, and Porter keep the peace in the Dakota Territory Badlands. Creators: ???; Executive Producer: William T. Orr; Supervising Producer: Jules Schermer; Producer: Anthony Spinner; Director: ???; Music: ???; Starring: Larry Ward as Marshall Frank Ragan; Jack Elam as Deputy J.D. Smith; Chad Everett as Deputy Del Stark; Mike Greene as Deputy Vance Porter Horse: ???; Pilot: "A Man Called Ragan" shown on Cheyenne; First Show: "Return To Dry Rock" according to Louis Allgood.
- Daniel Boone 24 Sep 1964-27 Aug 1970 (NBC) 165 Episodes according to Louis Allgood; "Daniel Boone was a man. Yes, a big man. With an eye like an eagle and as tall as a mountain was he. Daniel Boone was a man. Yes, a big man. He was brave, he was fearless and as tough as a mighty oak tree. From the coonskin cap on the top of ol' Dan to the heel of his rawhide shoe The rippin'est roarin'est fightin'est man the frontier ever knew. Daniel Boone was a man. Yes, a big man. And he fought for America to make all Americans free. What a Boone. What a wonder. What a dream come truer was he." Starring: Fess Parker as Daniel Boone; Patricia Blair as Rebecca Boone; Albert Salmi as Yadkin; Ed Ames as Mingo; Darby Hinton as Isreal Boone; Veronica Cartwright as Jemima Boone; Dallas McKennon as Cincinnatus; Robert Logan as Jericho Jones (23 Sep 1965); Jimmy Dean as Josh Clements (2 March 1967); Don Pedro Colley as Gideon (7 March 1968); Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier as Chief Gabe Cooper (16 Oct 1969); Isreal's Goose: Hannibal.
- Davy Crockett 15 Dec 1954-14 Dec 1955 (ABC) 5 Episodes according to Louis Allgood; 16 60-minute episodes; "Born on a mountain top in Tennessee, Greenest state in the land of the free. Raised in the woods so's he knew every tree, Killed him a bear when he was only three. Davy, Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier. He fought single handed through the Injun war, Till the Creeks was whipped and peace was restored. And while he was handling this risky chore, Made himself a legend, forevermore. Davy, Davy Crockett the man who don't know fear. When he lost his love, and his grief was gall, In his heart he wanted to leave it all, And lose himself in the forest tall, But he answered instead, his country's call. Davy, Davy Crockett, the choice of the whole frontier He went off to Congress and served a spell Fixin' up the government and laws as well. Took over Washington, so we hear tell, And patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell. Davy, Davy Crockett, seein' his duty clear. (Serving his country well) When he come home, his politickin' done, The western march had just begun. So he packed his gear, and his trusty gun And lit out a grinnin' to follow the sun. Davy, Davy Crockett, Leadin the Pioneers. His land is biggest, and his land is best From grassy plains to the mountain crest He's ahead of us all in meeting the test Followin' his legend right into the West Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the Wide Frontier King of the Wild Frontier." Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: Fess Parker as Davy; Buddy Ebsen as George Russel; Helen Stanley as Polly Crockett; Eugene Brindle as Billy Crockett; Ray Whiteside as Johnny Crockett; Jeff York as Mike Fink; Davy's Rifle: Betsy; Horse: ?; This could rightly be called the first miniseries of all time. Under the Walt Disney banner, Davy captured the hearts of both young and old. The show was also a merchandising pioneer as coonskin caps sold like hotcakes. The idea of selling tie-ins from a show is accepted practice now but it wasn't back then! Fess Parker is still going strong. Visit the Fess Parker Winery and buy an authentic coonskin cap!
- Death Valley Days 7 Oct 1952-27 Dec 1970 (CBS); 600 Episodes according to Louis Allgood; 16 60-minute episodes; Creators: Executive Producer: Gene Autry; Producers: Theme Music: Herbert Taylor; Host: Stanley Andrews (1952-1965) (as the "Old Ranger"); Ronald Reagan (1965-1966); Robert Taylor (1966-1968); Dale Robertson (1968-1972); Merle Haggard (1975); Rosemary DeCamp as Commercial Spokeswoman; Horse: ???; Director: Stephen Lord (episode "The Wizard of Aberdeen"): (#18.421) 1/17/1970, Guest Stars: Conlan Carter as Lyman Frank Baum (author of The Wizard of Oz) Jennifer Edwards; Beverlee McKinsey as Maud Gage Baum; Robert Sorrells, Bill Zuckert; Other Guest Stars: "The Kickapoo Run" (ep. #2.15) 4/10/1954 Nancy Hale, Fess Parker (Davy Crockett); "Sequoia" (ep. #3.7) 12/31/1954 Lane Bradford, Angie Dickinson, Eileen Howe, Carol Thurston ; "The Last Letter" (ep. #5.7) 12/8/1956 Clint Eastwood, William Pullen; "Pamela's Oxen" (ep. #9.1) 9/24/1960 James Coburn, Ida Lupino; "The Day All Marriages Were Cancelled" (ep. #15.1) 9/2/1966 Oscar Beregi Jr., Willard Sage, Robert Taylor; "Lady of the Plains" 1966 DeForest Kelley (Star Trek) as Gambler; Horse: ?; Production Companies: Filmaster, Flying 'A' Productions, Madison;
- The Deputy 12 Sep 1959-? Apr 1961; 12 Sep 1959-16 Sep 1961 (NBC) according to Louis Allgood; 78 30-minute Episodes according to Louis Allgood; Creators: ???; Executive Producer: William Frye Producers: Henry Fonda, Michael Kraike; Directors: Frank Arrigo, David Butler, Herschel Daugherty, Felix E. Feist, Arthur Lubin, Robert B. Sinclair; Writers: Hal Biller, Austin Kalish, Roland Kibbee, Michael Kraike, Jerry Sackheim, Wilton Schiller, Charles B. Smith; Film Editor: Sam E. Waxman; Music: Jack Marshall; Starring: Henry Fonda as Marshal Simon Fry; Allen Case as Clay McCord; Betty Lou Keim as Fran McCord (1959-1960) ; Wallace Ford as Herb Lamson (1959-1960) ; Reed Morgan as Sergeant Hapgood Tasker (1960-1961) ; Guest Stars: Robert Redford made his TV debut on The Deputy in an episode (4/30/60) called The Last Gunfight; First Show: "Badge For A Day" according to Louis Allgood; First Episode: "The Deputy" (ep. #1.1) 9/12/1959 James Griffith, Earl Hansen, Steven Ritch, Quintin Sondergaard, Robert J. Wilke; "Brothers in Arms" 4/16/1961 guest starred Lon Chaney, Jr.; Last (?) Episode: "Spoken in Silence" 1961 guest starred Frances Helm as Laura, Sydney Pollack as Chuck Johnson; Production Company: Top Gun Productions; Filming Location: Revue Studios; Henry Fonda's first -- and one of only three -- venture into TV. The Smith Family in 1971 was the other. He played the Marshal in Silver City, Arizona, although he was responsible for several other towns as well. His Deputy was a storekeeper who preferred to settle problems without gunplay. Henry Fonda died in 1982 of heart failure. Allen Case died in 1986.
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E: Mystery/Detective Television Series
Frontier Doctor
- Series Name Here 15 Mar 1983-12 Apr 1983 (CBS); 16 60-minute episodes; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: Horse:
- Enos 5 Nov 1980-19 Sep 1981 (CBS/Warner Bros.); 17 60-minute episodes; Spin-off from Dukes of Hazzard. Bumbling hick cop Enos Strate accidently captures two big-name criminals, and LAPD teams him with hip African-American Turk Adams in the Metro Squad's new Special Branch. The frame story is that each episode is a letter that Enos writes to his girl back home, Daisy Duke. Inexplicably -- this is comedy, after all -- the dumb redneck always triumphs in the big city. Creator: Gy Waldron; Executive Producer: Gy Waldron; Starring: SONNY SHROYER as Officer Enos Strate; SAMUEL E. WRIGHT as Officer Turk Adams; JOHN DEHNER as Lt. Jacob Broggi.
- Evil Roy Slade 1970 (1971?) (NBC/Universal TV); 1 120-minute pilot episode; Evil Roy Slade, the nastiest villain in the history of the West, meets a gorgeous gal who convinces him to switch careers from train robber to family man. Marshal Bing Bell, tracking him down for his evil past, is bound to conflict with a genial psychologist who instructs Evil Roy Slade how to live without weapons. Creators: Executive Producer: Howie Horwitz; Producers: Jerry Belson, Garry Marshall; Writers: Jerry Belson, Garry Marshall; Director: Jerry Paris; Cinematographer: Sam Leavitt; Film Editor: Richard M. Sprague; Production Designer: Alexander A. Mayer; Music: Murray MacLeod, Stuart Margolin, Jerry Riopelle; Starring: John Astin (Addams Family) as Evil Roy Slade; (in credits order): Mickey Rooney as Nelson Stool; Dick Shawn as Bing Bell; Henry Gibson as Clifford Stool; Edie Adams as Flossie; Pamela Austin as Betsy Potter; Milton Berle as Harry Fern; John Astin as Evil Roy Slade; Arthur Batanides as Lee; Milton Frome as Foss - Telegrapher; Luana Anders as Alice Fern; Robert Liberman as Preacher; Ed Cambridge as Smith; Connie Sawyer as Aggie Potter; Alice Nunn as Claire Beckendorf; Pat Morita as Turhan; Billy Sands as Billy; Leonard Barr as Crippled Man; Larry Hankin as Snake; Jim Hagerman as Toy Cowboy; (remainder of cast listed alphabetically): Ed Begley Jr.; Pat Buttram as Narration (voice); Dom DeLuise as Logan Delp; Penny Marshall as Bank Teller; Jerry Paris as Souvenir Salesman; John Ritter as Minister; Distributed as Feature Video: MCA/Universal Pictures; Horse:
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F: Westerns Television Series
Fury
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- Frontier Doctor 26 Sep 1958-20 June 1959 (CBS/ Hollywood Television Service Inc.); 7 Nov 1957-24 April 1958 (ABC) according to Louis Allgood; 39 30-minute episodes; black and white; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: Rex Allen as Dr. Bill Baxter; Chubby Johnson as the Sheriff; First Episode: "Queen of the Cimarron" (#1.1) 9/26/1958 Guest Starring: Glenn Strange, Gregory Walcott, Jean Willes; Last (?) Episode: "Flaming Gold" (#1.39) 6/20/1959 Guest Starring: Gloria Winters Horse: ?; Production Company: Hollywood Television Service, Inc.; Guest Appearances: * "San Francisco Story" (ep. #1.2) 10/4/1958: Lane Bradford * "Crooked Circle, The" (ep. #1.4) 10/18/1958: Gregg Palmer * "Double Boomerang" (ep. #1.6) 11/1/1958: William Bryant * "Outlaw Legion, The" (ep. #1.8) 11/15/1958 Michael Ansara; Joe Sawyer; * "Fury in the Big Top" (ep. #1.9) 11/22/1958: Robert Quarry * "The Desperate Game" (ep. #1.10) 11/29/1958: Taylor Holmes * "Great Stagecoach Robbery" (ep. #1.11) 12/6/1958 Mary Beth Hughes; Lee Van Cleef; * "Iron Trail Ambush" (ep. #1.12) 12/13/1958: Gloria Saunders * "Trouble in Paradise Valley" (ep. #1.14) 12/27/1958: John Hoyt; * "Shadow of Belle Starr" (ep. #1.15) 1/3/1959 Frank Gorshin; Michael Landon; * "Sabotage" (ep. #1.17) 1/17/1959: Morris Ankrum * "Bittercreek Gang" (ep. #1.19) 1/31/1959 Jack Lambert; Slim Pickens; * "Storm over King City" (ep. #1.22) 2/21/1959: Jack La Rue * "Law of the Badlands" (ep. #1.23) 2/28/1959: Diane Brewster * "The Big Gamblers" (ep. #1.24) 3/7/1959 Mary Castle; Monte Montana; * "Drifting Sands" (ep. #1.27) 3/28/1959: Ann Doran * "The Homesteaders" (ep. #1.28) 4/4/1959 Donald Curtis, Ron Hagerthy, Rhodes Reason; * "Danger Valley" (ep. #1.29) 4/11/1959 Angela Green; Kenneth MacDonald; * "South of the Rio Grand" (ep. #1.30) 4/18/1959 Lita Baron; Pedro Gonzales-Gonzales; * "Twisted Road, A" (ep. #1.31) 4/25/1959: Robert Vaughn * "Gringo Pete" (ep. #1.32) 5/2/1959 Robert Shayne; Ted de Corsia; * "Superstition Mountain" (ep. #1.33) 5/9/1959 Robert Dix; Don Haggerty; * "Elkton Lake Feud" (ep. #1.34) 5/16/1959: John Ashley * "Strange Cargo" (ep. #1.35) 5/23/1959: Morgan Woodward * "The Confidence Gang" (ep. #1.37) 6/6/1959: Carleton Young * "The Counterfeiters" (ep. #1.38) 6/13/1959 Yvette Duguay; Ken Mayer; * "Flaming Gold" (ep. #1.39) 6/20/1959: Gloria Winters; Rex Allen died in 1999, reputedly because he had a heart attack and fell down behind a parked car, which then ran over him.
Fury
- Fury 1955-1966 (CBS); 15 Oct 1955-19 March 1960 according to Louis Allgood; 114 (IMDB claims 116) 30-minute episodes; black and white; Creators: Executive Producers: Producer: Leon Fromkess; Director: Ray Nazarro; Music: Starring: Peter Graves as Jim Newton; Bobby Diamond as Joey Newton; William Fawcett as Pete Wilkie; Jimmy Baird as Pee Wee (Rodney) Jenkins; Roger Mobley as Packy Lambert; Ann Robinson as Helen Watkins; Nan Leslie as "Stella Lambert"; James Seay as The Sheriff; Guy Teague as Deputy Sheriff; William Hudson as Henry Jenkins; Tom Keene as Sheriff; Ronald Keith as Freddie (1956); Guest Star: William Leslie as Chris Lambert; Horse: Highland Dale as Fury (Bobby Diamond called him Beauty); Owner/Trainer of Fury: Ralph McCutcheon; First Show: "Joey Finds A Friend"; Last Show: "Packy's Dream"; The main characters lived at the Broken Wheel Ranch in the 1950s. Joey was an orphan adopted by rancher Jim Newton, after Joey was falsely blamed for breaking a window, and Jim convinced the judge to let Jim take the boy under his authority. Only Joey could tame Jim Newton's previously unbreakable and, in fact, uncaught (for 3 years) wild black stallion, whom Joey names Fury. Fury, in return, give Joey his feelings of self-worth There were 114 episodes between 1955-1960 and then it was rerun until 1966. The show was syndicated as Brave Stallion. William Fawcett died in 1974.
G: Westerns Television Series
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- Gene Autry 15 Mar 1950-12 Apr 1956 (CBS); 23 July 1950-7 Aug 1956 CBS according to Louis Allgood; Also Known As: "Melody Ranch" (1950) 16 60-minute episodes; (imdb claims 91 27-minute episodes); (91 Episodes according to Louis Allgood); Black and White / Color; Creators: Executive Producer: Gene Autry; Producer-in-charge: Armand Schaefer; Producer: Louis Gray; Directors: George Archainbaud, George Blair, D. Ross Lederman, Frank McDonald, Ray Nazarro, Armand Schaefer, Robert G. Walker; Music: Walter Greene; Theme Song: Ray Whitley (song "Back in the Saddle Again"); Theme Song Sung By: Gene Autry; Musical Director: Carl Cotner; Starring: Gene Autry as himself; with Pat Buttram as Sidekicks Pat Buttram; Pat; Pat Jensen; Patrick Smith; Chill Wills as himself, sidekick (eps. 1.20., 1.22) ; Fuzzy Knight as Sagebrush, sidekick (eps. 1.23, 1.24, 2.1, 2.2); Hap Wallace; Alan Hale Jr. as Tiny, sidekick (eps. 1.19, 1.21); Cinematographers: William Bradford, Ernest Miller; Film Editors: Paul Borofsky, Jodie Copelan, Erma E. Levin, Bruce B. Pierce, Jack Wheeler, William H. Ziegler; Assistant Directors: Nathan R. Barragar, Gilbert Kay, Harry Mancke, Stanley Neufeld, Clark L. Paylow; Horse: Champion; Gene Autry died in 1998 of lymphoma. Pat Buttram died in 1994 of kidney failure.
- Gray Ghost 1957 (CBS/Lindsley Parsons Productions); 31 Oct 1957-17 Nov 1958 (NN) according to Louis Allgood; 16 60-minute episodes (26 episodes according to Louis Allgood); Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: Tod Andrews as Maj. John Singleton Mosby; Phil Chambers as Lieutenant St. Clair; Horse: ???; Guest Appearances: Angie Dickinson; Robert Fuller; This is based on the true story of John Mosby, a young lawyer who joined the Forty-Third Battalion of the First Virginia Cavalry and became the leader of a guerilla unit. Tod Andrews died in 1972 of a heart attack.
- Gunslinger 1958-1959 (CBS); 9 Feb 1961-14 Sep 1961 (CBS) according to Louis Allgood; 16 60-minute episodes (12 Episodes according to Louis Allgood); Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Film Editor: Fred Baratta; Music: Dimitri Tiomkin (theme); Singer of Theme Song: Frankie Laine; Lyrics of Theme Song: Ned Washington; Starring: Tony Young as Cord; Preston Foster as Captain Zachary Wingate; Charles D. Gray as Pico McGuire; Dee Pollock as Billy Urchin; Midge Ware as Amby Hollister; John Pickard as Sergeant Major Murdock; Guest Appearances: * Border Incident, The" (ep. #1.1) 2/9/1961 Roy Barcroft; Royal Dano; Fay Spain; * "The Hostage Fort" (ep. #1.2) 2/16/1961 Jack Elam; Jean Engstrom; Raymond Guth; Stafford Repp; Ron Soble; Charles Tannen; Vaughn Taylor; * "Appointment in Cascabel" (ep. #1.3) 2/12/1961 Anthony Caruso; Charlita; Sarita Vara; * "The Zone" (ep. #1.4) 3/2/1961 Charles E. Fredericks; Sandy Kenyon; Addison Richards; Ernest Sarracino; * "Rampage" (ep. #1.5) 3/16/1961 Lew Gallo; Allen Jaffe; Jock Mahoney; Steve Mitchell; Zon Murray; Theodore Newton; Jan Shepard; * "The Recruit" (ep. #1.6) 3/23/1961 Stanley Clements; Gene Evans; Ron Hagerthy; John Howard; Jay Silverheels (Tonto in The Lone Ranger) Jan Stine; * "Road of the Dead" (ep. #1.7) 3/30/1961 Hardie Albright; Jan Arvan; Robert Bice; Mari Blanchard; Madeline Holmes; Paul Lambert; Norman Leavitt; Carlos Romero; Hugh Sanders; Jackie Searl; * "Golden Circle" (ep. #1.8) 4/13/1961 Pamela Britton; Buddy Ebsen; Milton Frome; John Hoyt; Jay Jostyn; Tyler McVey; Byron Morrow; William Tannen; * "The Diehards" (ep. #1.9) 4/20/1961 William Boyett; Lloyd Corrigan; Arlene Martel; * "Johnny Sergeant" (ep. #1.10) 5/4/1961 Peter Adams; Hal Baylor; Phyllis Coates; Harry Ellerbe; Jock Gaynor; Duane Grey; Don C. Harvey; William Schallert; Sonya Wilde; * "The Death of Yellow Singer" (ep. #1.11) 5/11/1961 Henry Brandon; Edward Colmans; Bob Gunderson; Eddie Little Sky; Celia Lovsky; Barbara Luna; Vitina Marcus; Michael Morgan; * "The New Savannah Story" (ep. #1.12) 5/18/1961 Jim Davis; Frank DeKova; Dorothy Green; Ron Hagerthy; Anne Helm; William Vaughan; Otto Waldis; * Episode/Date Uncertain: 1961 Lon Chaney Jr.; Horse: ???; In the decade after the Civil War, Cord was a fast gun who worked undercover for Captain Wingate, the commander of Fort Scott, New Mexico. Pico and Billy were his friends; Ambrey ran the fort store. Preston Foster died in 1970.
- The Green Hornet 9 Sep 1966-14 July 1967 (ABC/TCF); 26 30-minute episodes; Comics and radio (1936) origin, created by George W. Trendle. It had the same production team as TV's Batman. Few fans knew that George W. Trendle's first hit, The Lone Ranger actually introduced Britt Reid (The Green Hornet) as the son of Dan Reid, who in turn was the nephew of the Lone Ranger. Today, this show is a cult-favorite of Bruce Lee fans. Not a Western, the show is listed here because of the George W. Trendle/Britt Reid/Dan Reid connection. VAN WILLIAMS as Britt Reid/The Green Hornet; BRUCE LEE as Kato; WENDE WAGNER as Lenore "Casey" Case; LLOYD GOUGH as Mike Axford; WALTER BROOKE as District Attorney F. P. Scanlon; GARY OWENS as Announcer; Theme -- "Flight of the Bumblebee" by Rimsky-Korsakov arranged and played by Al Hirt Music: Billy May; Producer: William Dozier; The Green Hornet @ fxnetworks The Green Hornet @ uvm
- Gunsmoke 1955-1975 (CBS); 10 Sept 1955-23 Sep 1961 according to Louis Allgood; also known as Gunlaw [Great Britain], syndicated as Matt Dillon; 233 30-minute episodes; 400 60-minute episodes; Creators: Executive Producer: Philip Leacock (1966-1967); Producers: Joseph Dackow (1968-1970); Leonard Katzman (1970-1975); Philip Leacock (1964-1966); Norman MacDonnell (1956-1965); John Mantley (1966-1968); Edgar Peterson; Charles Marquis Warren (1955-1957); Associate Producers: James Arness (1959-1961); Joseph Dackow (1967-1968); Ron Honthaner (1971-1975); Norman MacDonnell (1955-1956); John Mantley (1965-1966); Frank Paris (1961-1965); Directors: Seymour Burns (1958-1959); Robert Butler (1967-1972); Marvin J. Chomsky (1968-1969); William Conrad; Marc Daniels (1965-1967); Herschel Daugherty; Antony Ellis (1963-1968); Victor French (1974-1975); Tay Garnett (1961-1966); Harry Harris (1961-1966); Gunnar Hellström (1967-1975); Jesse Hibb (1958-1961); Arthur Hiller (1959-1960); Jerry Hopper (1963-1964); Harry Horner; Alf Kjellin (1972-1973); Bernard L. Kowalski (episode "The Hanging"); Buzz Kulik (1957-1959); James Landis (1967); Arnold Laven; Philip Leacock (1969-1972); Edward Ludlum (1959); Sobey Martin; Gerald Mayer (1960-1961); Bernard McEveety (1968-1975); Vincent McEveety (1965-1975); Andrew V. McLaglen (1956-1965); Irving J. Moore (1966-1974); Christian Nyby (1956-1964); Michael O'Herlihy (1964-1974); Sam Peckinpah; Leo Penn (1968-1969); Ted Post (1955-1963); Allen Reisner (1965-1967); John Rich (1957-1969); William D. Russell (1957); Mark Rydell (1964-1966); Richard C. Sarafian (1965-1968); Joseph Sargent (1965); R.G. Springsteen; Paul Stanley (1971-1972); Robert Stevenson (1955-1956); Robert Totten (1966-1971); Herb Wallerstein (1971-1972); Clyde Ware; Charles Marquis Warren (1955-1956); Dennis Weaver (1961); Richard Whorf (1957-1961); Jean Yarbrough (1960); Writers: Gwen Bagni (1963-66); Ron Bishop (1967-74); William Blinn (1967-71); Arthur Browne Jr. (1969-70); Jim Byrnes (1968-75); Jess Carneol (1969-70); Richard Carr (1965-69); Marian Clark (1959-63); Calvin Clements Sr.(1964-69; 1972-74) (credited: Calvin Clements) Les Crutchfield (1955-67); Howard Dimsdale (1969-74) (as Arthur Dales); Gil Doud (1956-57); John Dunkel (1955-67); Paul F. Edwards (1970-73); Richard Fielder (1969-74); Herman Groves (1969, 1975); Tom Hanley (1956-66); Kathleen Hite (1957-65); William Kelley(1969-72); William Keys (1973-74); Harry Kronman (1965-73); James Landis (1966-67); William F. Leicester (1956-57); Kay Lenard (1969-70); Herbert Little Jr. (1955-57); Norman MacDonnell (1960-61); Lawrence Menkin; John Meston (1955-65); Jack Miller (1970-71); Winston Miller (1956); Sam Peckinpah (1955-1958); Arthur Rowe (1968-69); Donald S. Sanford (1970-71); Paul Savage (1963-66, 1972-75); Hal Sitowitz (1966-75); David Victor (1955-57); Earl W. Wallace (1974-75); Clyde Ware (1965-67); Charles Marquis Warren; Shimon Wincelberg (1964-74); Preston Wood (1966-70); Cinematographers: Monroe P. Askins (1967-1973); Ellsworth Fredericks (1955-1956); Ted D. Landon (1973-1974); Ernest Miller (1955-1956); Frank V. Phillips (1963-1965); Edward R. Plante (1974-1975); Fleet Southcott (1955-1963, 1964-1965); Harry Stradling Jr. (1965-1967); Film Editors: Harry Coswick (1957-1958); Donald W. Ernst (1968-1971); Sam Gold (1956-1958); Roland Gross (1973-1974); Albrecht Joseph (1959-1962; 1963-1967) (as Al Joseph); Michael Luciano (1955-1956); Thomas J. McCarthy (1968-1973); Otto Meyer (1959-1960, 1961-1967); Bill Mosher (1967-1968); Michael Pozen (1957-1958) (as Mike Pozen); Carroll Sax (1974-1975); Grant K. Smith (1967-1968); Howard A. Smith (1965-1966, 1971-1975); Tom Stevens (1973-1974); Leslie Vidor (1955-1957, 1958-1959); Gerard Wilson (1967-1973, 1974-1975); Theme Music: Rex Koury; Theme Song "Gunsmoke": Glenn Spencer; Music: Elmer Bernstein; René Garriguenc; Jerry Goldsmith; Bernard Herrmann (episodes "Harriet", "The Tall Trapper" and "Kitty Shot"); Jerrold Immel; Leo Klatzkin; Jaime Mendoza-Nava; Lucien Moraweck; Jerome Moross; John Carl Parker; Richard Shores; Fred Steiner; Morton Stevens; William Grant Still; Franz Waxman; Music Supervisor: Herschel Burke Gilbert (1964-1965); Conductor: Lud Gluskin (1961-1962); First Show: "Perce" with Ed Nelson; First Color Show: "Snap Decision" with Claude Akins (17 Sep 1966); Last Show: "The Sharecroppers" with Victor French and Bruce Boxtleitner; Starring: James Arness (The Thing; How the West Was Won) as Marshal Matt Dillon; Milburn Stone as Dr. Galen "Doc" Adams; Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell (Long Branch Saloon owner), (1955-74); Dennis Weaver (McCloud; Gentle Ben) as Chester Goode, deputy (1955-64); Ken Curtis as deputy Festus Haggen (1964-75) (Ruth was his mule); Burt Reynolds as Quint Asper (halfbreed blacksmith) (1962-65); remainder of cast listed alphabetically: Roy Barcroft as Roy, townsman (1965-69); Tom Brown as Ed O'Connor, rancher (1968-72); Robert Brubaker (I) as Jim Buck, stagecoach driver (1957-62)/ Floyd, bartender (1974-75); Budd Buster as Moss Grimmick, stableman (1955-63) (as George Selk); Woody Chambliss as Mr. Lathrop, storekeeper (1966-75); Howard Culver as Howie Uzzell, hotel clerk (1955-75); Roger Ewing as Thad Greenwood, deputy (1965-67); Clem Fuller as Clem, bartender (1959-61); Kelton Garwood as Percy Crump, undertaker (1968-72); Dabbs Greer as Wilbur Jonas, storekeeper (1955-63); Pat Hingle as Dr. John Chapman (1971); Ted Jordan as Nathan Burke, freight agent (1966-75); James Nusser as Louie Pheeters, town drunk (1961-70); Hank Patterson as Hank Miller, stableman (1963-75); Roy Roberts as Mr. Bodkin, banker (1963-70); Fran Ryan as Miss Hannah, saloon owner (1974-75); Charles Seel as Barney Danches, telegraph agent (1965-74); Sarah Selby as Ma Smalley, boardinghouse owner (1961-72); Rudy Sooter as Rudy, bartender (1965-67); Glenn Strange as Sam, bartender (1961-73); Buck Taylor as Newly O'Brien, gunsmith (1967-75); Herb Vigran as Judge Brooker (1970-75); Charles Wagenheim as Halligan, rancher (1966-75); Horse: Buck; Casting: Lynn Stalmaster; Art Directors: Raymond Beal; Albert Heschong; Joseph R. Jennings; Set Decorators: G.W. Berntsen (1957-1958); Raymond Boltz Jr. (1957-1959); Herman N. Schoenbrun (1959-1975); Charles Vassar (1959-1960); Makeup Department: Makeup Artists: Glen Alden; Ken Chase (1972-1973); Richard Cobos (1973-1974); Newt Jones (1967-1970); George Lane (1971-1972; 1973-1975); Irving Pringle (1970-1972); Lynn F. Reynolds (1973-1974); Hair Stylists: Cherie Banks (1970-1971); Esperanza Corona (1971-1975); Gertrude Wheeler (1968-1974); Pat Whiffing (1955-1967); Helen Young (1967-1969); Production Manager: Robert M. Beche (1963-1964; 1965-1970); Glenn Cook (1957-1959); Paul Nichols (1970-1974); Unit Production Manager: Howard Joslin (1959-1960); Assistant Directors: Glenn Cook; Robert Farfan; Al Kraus; Paul Nichols; Christopher N. Seiter; Robert Shue; Gordon A. Webb; Art Department: Property Master: Craig Binkley (1973-1974); Howard Cole (1971-1972); Ted Cooper (1957-1959); Mike Gordon (1955-1959); Earl W. Huntoon Jr. (1972-1975); Clem Widrig (1959-1972); Assistant Property Master: Craig Binkley (1970-1973); Sound Department: Production Sound Mixer: Alan Bernard (1974-1975); Sound Effects Editor: Gene Eliot (1959-1965); Music Editor: Gene Feldman (1959-1970); Supervising Music Editor: Gene Feldman (1970-1973); Sound Effects Editor: Jack A. Finlay (1965-1970); Sound Effects Supervisor: Jack A. Finlay (1972-1975); Production Sound Mixer: Andrew Gilmore (1969-1974); Re-recording: Joel Moss (1960-1963, 1964-1965); Sound Effects Editor: Jerry Rosenthal (1971-1972); Sound Effects Supervisor : Jerry Rosenthal (1970-1971); Supervising Music Editor: Robert Y. Takagi (1974-1975); Optical Effects: Louis DeWitt (1955-1959); Jack Rabin (1955-1959); Script Supervisor: Edle Bakke (1961-1970); Supervising Editor: Fred W. Berger (1955-1959); Script Supervisor: Adele Cannon (1959-1962 and 1964-1965); Script Supervisor: Mary Chaffee (1955-1959); Executive Story Consultant: Calvin Clements Sr. (1969-1972); Assistant to Producer: Herbert DuFine (1964-1968); Assistant to Producer: Ron Honthaner (1968-1969); Post-production Executive : Ron Honthaner (1969-1971); Script Supervisor: Gana Jones (1961-1962); Story Consultant: John Mantley (1964-1965); Executive Story Consultant: Jack Miller (1971-1975); Script Supervisor: Lloyd Nelson (1970-1975); Story Consultant: Paul Savage (1966-1969); Script Supervisor: Terry Terrill (1971-1972); Script Supervisor: Erica Wernher (1968-1969) (as Erika Wernher); Distributors: CBS Films; CBS Television (1955-1975); Paramount Television; Viacom; Feature TV Movie Spinoffs: Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge [1980?]; Gunsmoke: The Last Apache [1980?]; The radio version of the show was on the air from 1952 until 1961, starring William Conrad (Cannon) as Marshal Dillon. The town where most action took place was Dodge City, Kansas, nominally in the year 1873. The TV series started the very same week as The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. By 1958, it and Cheyenne were #1 and #2 of a booming Westerns industry. Not only was Gunsmoke (1955-1975) TV's longest running Western, it was also television's longest running prime-time series with continuing characters. In total, 233 half-hour episodes and 400 hour episodes were filmed. Gunsmoke took the #1 rating in the 1957-1958 season - a slot it held through four more years. Although it had some slump years, by the 1967-1968 season it regained space in the Nielson Top Ten which it held for another 6 years. Color broadcasts began in 1966. By the time the series ended, it was the last Western on American TV. There is some dispute as to whether John Wayne was offered the role, but he is certainly the one who recommended the quiet James Arness, brother of Peter Graves, who was about to start his role in Fury. Arness and Milburn Stone were the only cast members to appear in the show's entire run. Arness and Blake reprised their roles in the two TV movie spinoffs. Amanda Blake died in 1989 of AIDS, which she contracted from her husband.
H: Westerns Television Series
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- Have Gun Will Travel 1957-1963 (CBS); 14 Sep 1957-21 Sep 1963 (CBS); 156 Episodes according to Louis Allgood; 16 60-minute episodes; Creator: Sam Rolfe; Executive Producers: Producer: Julian Claman; Directors: Richard Boone; Ida Lupino (multiple episodes); Andrew V. McLaglen (116 episodes); Lewis Milestone; Writers: Albert Aley; Don Brinkley; Lee Erwin; Bruce Geller; Joel Kane; Ken Kolb; Herb Meadow; Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek); Music: Jerry Goldsmith; Bernard Herrmann (episodes "Three Bells to Perdido" (ep. #1.1) 9/14/1957 and others); Jerome Moross; Fred Steiner; Singers of "Ballad of Paladin": Sam Rolfe, Richard Boone, Johnny Western; Starring: Richard Boone as Paladin; Kam Tong as Hey Boy (1957-1960, 1961-1963); Lisa Lu as Hey Girl (1960-1961); Casting: Lynn Stalmaster; Horse: Rafter; Filming Location: Paramount Studios; Paladin was a brainy West Point graduate who now lived in San Francisco's Hotel Carlton and was a thinking man's professional gunfighter and protector of the weak. We never got to know his first name... His business card read: "Have Gun Will Travel... Wire Paladin, San Francisco." His trademarks were his all-black outfit, a white chess knight on his holster, and a Colt .45 with a 7 1/2 inch barrel. Kam Tong, who usually delivered the message from a potential client, was replaced by Lisa Lu as Hey Girl for one season (1960-1961) because Tong had a more substantial role in the show The Garland Touch. He returned to HGWT when Garland failed. Richard Boone exercised a lot of creative control on this show and his judgements paid off. HGWT ranked in the Top 4 shows for four years running -- and for three of them, it placed #3 behind Wagon Train and Gunsmoke. Gene Rodenberry (Star Trek) polished his writing skills on this show! Richard Boone died in 1981 of throat cancer
- Hopalong Cassidy 15 Mar 1949-12 Apr 1954 (CBS); 28 Nov 1948-30 Dec 1951 (NBC) according to Louis Allgood; 12 episodes (movies); 19 Sep 1952-2 April 1954 (NBC) according to Louis Allgood; 40 60-minute TV episodes; "Here he comes, here he comes There's the trumpets, there's the drums, here he comes. Hopalong Cassidy, here he comes. (humming) There he goes, on his way, Down the trail the cowboy way. Hopalong Cassidy, Hopalong Cassidy. He returns, soon again, There's no use to say goodbye until then. Hopalong Cassidy, so long Hopalong." Creators: Executive Producers: Producer: William Boyd; Director: Derwin Abrahams (credited as Derwin Abbe); Writer: Cecile Kramer; Music: Nacio Herb Brown (theme song); L. Wolfe Gilbert (theme song); Dave Kahn; Starring: William Boyd as Bill "Hoppy" Cassidy (Hopalong); Edgar Buchanan as Red Connors Hoppy's Horse: Topper; First Show: "Guns Across The Border" with Myra Marsh, Keith Richards, Henry Rowland; "Lawless Legacy" (ep.14) 31 Dec 1952 with Clayton Moore, Marshall Reed; Last Show: "Tricky Fingers" with Marjorie Lord, Stanley Andrews. William Boyd died in 1972 of Parkinson's disease and heart failure.
- Here Come the Brides 1968-1970 (CBS); 16 60-minute episodes; "The bluest sky you've ever seen, in Seattle. And the hills the greenest green, in Seattle. Like a beautiful child Growing up, free and wild. Full of hopes and full of fears, Full of laughter, full of tears, Full of dreams to last a year In Seattle. When you find your own true love you will know it By his smile, by the look in his eyes. Some set pine trees in the air Or some stand around and stare Look out everyone, Here Come the Brides." Creators: Executive Producer: Bob Claver; Producers: Paul Junger Witt, Stan Schwimmer; Director: Irving J. Moore; Film Editor: Asa Boyd Clark; Music: Warren Barker, Jack Keller (song "Seattle"), Hugo Montenegro (song "Seattle"), Ernie Sheldon (song "Seattle"); Starring: Robert Brown as Jason Bolt; Bobby Sherman as Jeremy Bolt; David Soul as Joshua Bolt; Joan Blondell as Lottie Hatfield (1968-70); Bridget Hanley as Candy Pruitt; Mark Lenard as Aaron Stempel; Bo Svenson as Big Swede; Susan Tolsky as Biddie Cloom; Henry Beckman as Captain Roland Francis Clancey; Mitzi Hoag as Miss Essie Gillis; Hoke Howell as Ben Jenkins; Eric Chase as Christopher Pruitt (1969-70); Patti Cohoon as Molly Pruitt (1969-70); This series was an unusual Western comedy/adventure. Plot Summary: Jason Bolt and his brothers are at risk of losing their losing their logging crew and timberland at Bridal Veil Mountain, because the loggers are in revolt over the lack of women in nearby Seattle. So Jason sails on Captain Clancey's ship back to New Bedford Massachusetts, using money borrowed from rival saw mill owner Aaron Stempel. Jason Bolt returns with 100 prospective brides who must stay for one year. Should even one of the women decide to go home, or should the Bolts fail to meet Stempel's timber quotas, they will still lose their mountain land and saw mill deed to him. Hence every episode involved Stempel trying to make life miserable for one or more ladies, and the Bolts trying to make life sweet in Seattle. "Here Come the Brides" was a catalyst for two careers. Bobby Sherman's singing career would take off in 1969 with the releases of "Little Woman," "La La La (If I Had You)," "Easy Come, Easy Go," and "Julie, Do Ya Love Me," David Soul would go on to be Detective Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson of Starsky and Hutch. While Mark Lenard is best known as Sarek, Spock's father, on Star Trek. Joan Blondell died in 1979 of leukemia. Lenard died in 1996 of multiple myeloma.
- Hotel de Paree 1959-1960 (CBS); 2 Oct 1959-23 Sep 1960 (CBS) according to Louis Allgood; 33 Episodes according to Louis Allgood; 16 60-minute episodes; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Original Music: Dimitri Tiomkin; Theme Music: Dimitri Tiomkin; Starring: Earl Holliman (Lt. Bill Crowley in Police Woman) as Sundance; Strother Martin (Percy Garris in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) as Aaron Donager; Judi Meredith as Monique Deveraux; Jeanette Nolan as Annette Deveraux; Casting: Lynn Stalmaster; Horse: ???; First Episode: "Sundance Returns" (ep. #1.1) 10/2/1959 Guest Star: Theodore Bikel; Last Episode: "Sundance and the Delayed Gun" (ep. #1.32) 6/3/1960 Guest Stars: Albert Salmi, Henry Silva; Earl Holliman starred in this show as a man just released after 17 years in prison for accidentally killing another man. Holliman was 31 at the time, so the numbers seem strange. Returning to the same town, he becomes a partner in a hotel in Georgetown, Colorado, operated by two lovely relatives of the deceased. Earl had a gimmick. His hatband was circled with shiny oval discs that could blind an adversary. In baseball, such gimmicks had been banned (including shiny belt buckles and decoratiopns on the uniform that looked like baseballs, by the way.
- Hagen 29 Sep 1973-5 Jan 1974 (ABC/TCF); 9 60-minute episodes; Paul Hagen was a canny hunter/trapper and all-around outdoorsman who left the wilds of Idaho (near Ernest Hemingway's ranch) to the big city: San Francisco. There he assisted big-shot criminal attorney Carl Palmer, who had a secretary (Jody) and a housekeeper (Mrs.Chavez). Not really a Western, but listed here because the protagonist has the experience of a Western character, although transplanted to another genre. Creators: Charles Larson, Frank Glicksman; Writers: Charles Larson, Jack B. Sowards, Shimon Wincelberg; Executive Producer: Frank Glicksman; Producer: Jack B. Sowards; Directors: Michael Caffey, Alex March, Joseph Pevney, Seymore Robbie, Vincent Sherman, Paul Wendkos; Assistant Director: Robert Sonntag; Music: George Romanis; Music Supervisor: Lionel Newman; Starring: CHAD EVERETT as Paul Hagen; ARTHUR HILL as Carl Palmer; ALDINE KING as Jody; CARMEN ZAPATA as Mrs.Chavez.
- Have Gun-Will Travel 14 Sep 1957-1963 (CBS); "Have Gun Will Travel reads the card of a man. A knight without armor in a savage land. His fast gun for hire head's the calling wind. A soldier of fotune is the man called Paladin. Paladin, Paladin Where do you roam? Paladin, Paladin, Far, far from home." {to be done} Mystery/Detective/Western drama series; black and white; according to cached copy of TV Eyes-The Series A good website is: The Man in Black Starring RICHARD BOONE as Paladin;
- Hawk 8 Sep 1966-29 Dec 1966 (ABC/Columbia); 18 Jan 1973-?? (UK: ITV/Granada); 17 60-minute episodes; Iriqouis Indian John Hawk was played by Burt Reynolds, who is actually part Native American. Hawk worked at night for the New York City District Attorney's office. Filmed at night in New York, the Mysery/Detective drama series depended on Hawk's tracking skills. A decade later, when Burt Reynolds had become a big star, NBC aired the series in re-run. The same thing happened with Burt Reynolds's other series, Dan August, which started on ABC but later became reruns on CBS. Not really a Western, but overlaps the "Cowboys and Indians" theme in a different way. Creator: Allan Sloane; Executive Producer: Hubbell Robinson; Producer: Paul Bogart; Starring: BURT REYONLDS as Lt. John Hawk; WAYNE GRICE as Detective Dan Carter; BRICE GLOVER as Assistant District Attorney Murray Slaken; LEON JANNEY as Assistant District Attorney Ed Gorton.
- Hawkins 2 Oct 1973-3 Sep 1974 (CBS/MGM); 7 90-minute episodes; Billy Jim Hawkins resigned his Deputy District Attorney position for a peaceful private law practice in the West Virginia country, specializing in murder investigations. He was assisted by his cousin R.J.; the pair handled clients from all over the country. I still don't understand why film superstar James Stewart did not click with the TV audience. Not really a Western, but the protagonist is similar to a character in a Western in terms of rural location. Executive Producer: Norman Felton; Producer: Jud Taylor; Starring: JAMES STEWART as Billy Jim Hawkins; STROTHER MARTIN as R. J. Hawkins.
- Hec Ramsey 8 Oct 1972-25 Aug 1974 (NBC/Universal); 10 Mar 1973-19 May 1974 (UK: ITV); (A Segment Of: The NBC Sunday Mystery Movie); 7 120-minute episodes; 3 90-minute episodes; Mystery/Detective/Western drama series spun-off from a pilot: The Century Turns. When Hec Ramsey decided to retire as a gunfighter, he put roots down in New Prospect, Oklahoma. He became a deputy to Sheriff Oliver B. Stamp. Since Hec Ramsey was disenchanted with using guns to settle disputes, he delved deeply into the new technologies of Criminology, including ballistics, fingerprints, and the like. He had a buddy, Amos Coogan, a barber; and had a crush on the lovely Norma. Executive Producer: Jack Webb; Producers: William Finnegan, Douglas Benton, Harold Jack Bloom; Directors: Douglas benton, Nicholas Colasanto, Herschel Daugherty, Alex March, George Marshall, Andrew V. McLaglen, Harry Morgan, Daniel Petrie, Richard Quine; Writers: Douglas Benton, Harold Jack Bloom, Joseph Calvelli, William R. Cox, Richard Fielder, John Meston, Brad Radnitz, Mann Rubin, Harold Swanton, Shimon Wincelberg; Music: Fred Steiner, Lee Holdridge, Laurence Rosenthal; Starring: RICHARD BOONE as Hec Ramsey; RICHARD LENZ as Sheriff Oliver B. Stamp; HARRY MORGAN as DOC COOGAN; ___ as Amos Coogan; Dennis Rucker as Deputy Sheriff Arnie Tornquist; Perry Lopez as Juan Mendoza; Sharon Acker as Norma Muldoon; Brian Dewey as Andy Muldoon.
- High Chapparal 1967-1971; 10 Sep 1967-10 Sep 1971 (NBC) according to Louis Allgood; 96 60-minute episodes according to Louis Allgood; 16 60-minute episodes; imdb claims 96 60-minute episodes; Creators: ???; Executive Producer: David Dortort; Supervising Producer: Irving Elman (1967-1968); Producers: William F. Claxton (1967-1969); Buck Houghton (1967-1968); James Schmerer (1969-1971); Directors: Jus Addiss ("The Assassins" 1968) (as Justus Addiss); Corey Allen ("A Good Sound Profit" 1970); Richard Benedict ("The Doctor from Dodge" 1967, "Ride the Savage Land" 1968), "The Peacemaker" 1968, "A Joyful Noise" 1968); Leon Benson (1967, 1969-1971: 10 episodes); James B. Clark ("To Stand for Something More" 1969; "Generation" 1970); William F. Claxton (1967-1969: 21 episodes); Herschel Daugherty ("Apache Trust" 196;, "Auld Lang Syne" 1970) John Florea ("Fiesta" 1970); Robert L. Friend ("Sea of Enemies" 1969; "Bad Day for a Bad Man" 1969); Robert Gist ("The Hair Hunter" 1968); Harry Harris (1968-1969: 6 episodes); Leonard Horn ("The Price of Revenge" 1967); Don McDougall ("A Man to Match the Land" 1971); Arthur N. Nadel ("The Badge" 1970) (as Arthur Nadel); James Neilson ("Too Late the Epitaph" 1970); Joseph Pevney (1968-1969: 7 episodes) ("Pale Warrior" 1970); Phil Rawlins (1969-1971: 9 episodes); Allen Reisner ("The Filibusteros" 1967); Don Richardson (1969-1970: 6 episodes); Seymour Robbie ("The Kinsman" 1968; "Tiger by the Tail" 1968); Richard Sale ("Sudden Country" 1967); Ralph Senensky ("The Terrorist" 1967); Robert Sparr ("The Widow from Red Rock" 1967); Paul Stanley ("Gold Is Where You Leave It" 1968); Virgil W. Vogel ("Trail to Nevermore" 1969; "New Hostess in Town" 1970; "Too Many Chiefs" 1970); William Wiard ("The Lieutenant" 1970; "An Anger Greater than Mine" 1970; "Spokes" 1970; "A Matter of Survival" 1970)"; William Witney ("The Firing Wall" 1967; "Survival" 1968; "The Stallion" 1968; "The Deceivers" 1968); Writers: George Atkins ("A Good Sound Profit" 1970; "Too Late the Epitaph" 1970); Don Balluck (teleplays for "Only the Bad Come to Sonora" 1970; "Pale Warrior" 1970); Don Balluck (writer for "Alliance" 1969; "Too Many Chiefs" 1970; "Generation" 1970; "An Anger Greater than Mine" 1970; "A Matter of Vengeance" 1970); Ron Bishop ("Spokes" 1970); John D.F. Black (story for "No Bugles, No Drums" 1969); Walter Black (teleplays for "Sea of Enemies" 1969; "No Bugles, No Drums" 1969); Walter Black (writer for 9 episodes 1968-1971); William Blinn (writer for "A Joyful Noise" 1968); Don Carpenter (writer for "Once on a Day in Spring" 1969); Richard Carr (writer for "Best Man for the Job" 1967; "The Kinsman" 1968); Frank Chase (writer for "The Price of Revenge" 1967; "The Journal of Death" 1970; "A Matter of Survival" 1970; "The Forge of Hate" 1970); Ramona Chase (writer for "The Journal of Death" 1970; "A Matter of Survival" 1970); Francis M. Cockrell (writer for "Survival" 1968, as Francis Cockrell); Gerry Day (writer for "Lady Fair" 1969; "The Guns of Johnny Rondo" 1970; "Only the Bad Come to Sonora" 1970; "The Hostage" 1971); Peter L. Dixon (writer for "Pale Warrior" 1970); David Dortort (story for "Destination Tucson" 1967; "The Arrangement" 1967); Warren Douglas (story for "Ten Little Indians" 1968); Warren Douglas (writer for "Shadow of the Wind" 1969; "The Glory Soldiers" 1969); David Duncan (teleplay for "The Lost Ones" 1969); Michael Fessier (writer for "A Quiet Day in Tucson" 1967); "The Widow from Red Rock" 1967; "Champion of the Western World" 1968; "For What We Are About to Receive" 1968); Michael Fessier (story for "Bad Day for a Bad Man"); Michael Fessier (teleplay for "Stinky Flanagan" 1969); Pat Fielder (writer for "The Filibusteros" 1967); Michael Fisher (writer "Fiesta" 1970); D.C. Fontana (writer for "North to Tucson" 1968); "Little Thieves" 1969); Warren Garfield (story for "A Way of Justice" 1968); Milton S. Gelman (teleplay for "Bad Day for a Bad Man" 1969); Milton S. Gelman (writer for "To Stand for Something More" 1969; "The Legacy" 1969); Mel Goldberg (writer for "A Hanging Offense" 1967; "Tiger by the Tail" 1968); Ward Hawkins (writer for "The Assassins" 1968); Raphael Hayes (writer for "The Brothers Cannon" 1969); Christopher Helms (story for "Sea of Enemies" 1969); James L. Henderson (writer for "Ebenezer" 1968; "For the Love of Carlos" 1969); Lowell Hjermstad (writer for "Feather of an Eagle" 1969); Alan L. Honaker (story "A Way of Justice" 1968); Tim Kelly (story for "Surtee" 1969); Tim Kelly (writer for "Ride the Savage Land" 1968; "Bad Day for a Thirst" 1968; "The Lion Sleeps" 1969; "Mi Casa, Su Casa" 1970); Laird Koenig (writer "Pale Warrior" 1970); Charles Lang (writer "Tornado Frances" 1968); William F. Leicester (writer "Terrorist" 1967; "Threshold of Courage" 1968; "No Irish Need Apply" 1969; "Time of Your Life" 1969); William F. Leicester (teleplays for "Feather of an Eagle" 1969; "Surtee" 1969); Gene McCarr (writer for "Follow Your Heart" 1968); Bob Mitchell (writer for "Mark of the Turtle" 1967); Esther Mitchell (writer for "Mark of the Turtle" 1967); John Starr Niendorff (writer for "The Peacemaker" 1968; "The Deceivers" 1968); Denne Bart Petitclerc (writer for the pilot and for "Destination Tucson" 1967; "The Arrangement" 1967; "Young Blood" 1967); Ken Pettus (writer for "Shadows on the Land" 1967; "The Hair Hunter" 1968; "The Stallion" 1968; "The Promised Land" 1968); Jon Bennett Reed (story "Apache Trust" 1969); Richard Sale (story for "The Firing Wall" 1967); Richard Sale (writer "The Doctor from Dodge" 1967; "Gold Is Where You Leave It" 1968); B.W. Sandefur (writer for "A Way of Justice" 1968; "Our Lady of Guadalupe" 1968); James Schmerer (writer "A Matter of Vengeance" 1970); Alex Sharp (writer of "The Covey" 1968; "A Fella Named Kilroy" 1969); Jack B. Sowards (writer for "A Piece of Land" 1969; "Friends and Partners" 1970; "No Trouble at All" 1970; "It Takes a Smart Man" 1970; "Sangre" 1971); Thomas Thompson (writer for "The Firing Wall" 1967); Thomas Thompson (story for "The Lost Ones" 1969); Steven Thornley (writer for "Sudden Country" 1967); Irve Tunick (teleplay for "Apache Trust" 1969; "Generation" 1970); Irve Tunick (writer for "The Lieutenant" 1970); Gabrielle Upton (writer for "The Ghost of Chaparral" 1967); Al C. Ward (writer for "The Last Hundred Miles" 1969); Clyde Ware (writer for "Wind" 1970; "A Man to Match the Land" 1971); Robert Warren (story for "Apache Trust" 1969); Henry Wills (story for "Stinky Flanagan" 1969); Cinematographers: Haskell B. Boggs ("Destination Tucso" 1967, and "The Arrangement" 1967); Harkness Smith; Harold E. Stine (12 episodes 1967-1968); Jack Swain (5 episodes 1970-1971); Kenneth T. Williams (17 episodes 1969-1970); Film Editors: Richard H. Cahoon ("Trail to Nevermore" 1969; "The Little Thieves" 1969; "Auld Lang Syne" 1970); Al Clark (5 episodes 1967-1968); Marvin Coil ("Sudden Country" 1967; "The Assassins" 1968); Robert Fritch (5 episodes 1968-1969); Harry W. Gerstad ("The Widow from Red Rock" 1967; "The Firing Wall" 1967); George A. Gittens (24 episodes 1968-1971); Edward Haire ("Jelks" 1970; "Mi Casa, Su Casa" 1970); Jack Harnish ("Terrorist" 1967; and 21 episodes 1969-1971); Ellsworth Hoagland ("The Ghost of Chaparral" 1967); Danny B. Landres ("A Fella Named Kilroy" 1969); Sidney Levin ("Shadows on the Land" 1967; "A Hanging Offense" 1967; "Mark of the Turtle" 1967); Archie Marshek ("Best Man for the Job" 1967; "A Quiet Day in Tucson" 1967; "The Price of Revenge" 1967); Thomas J. McCarthy ("The Deceivers" 1968, credited as Tom McCarthy); Art J. Nelson (10 episodes 1967-1969, as Argyle Nelson Jr.); Richard L. Van Enger (5 episodes 1968-1969); George Watters (6 episodes 1970-1971); John Woodcock ("Destination Tucson" 1967; "The Arrangement" 1967); Theme Music: David Rose; Music: Gerry Day (song "The Guns of Johnny Rondo" in episode "The Guns of Johnny Rondo" 1970); Joe Lubin (song "Fiesta La Liesta" in episode "A Man to Match the Land" 1971); David Rose (episodes "Destination Tucson" 1967, and "The Arrangement" 1967); Harry Sukman (song "The Guns of Johnny Rondo" in episode "The Guns of Johnny Rondo" 1970); Song Performance: Faron Young ("The Guns of Johnny Rondo" 1970); Starring: Leif Erickson as Big John Cannon; Cameron Mitchell as Buck Cannon; Mark Slade as Billy Blue Cannon; Henry Darrow as Manolito Montoya; Linda Cristal as Victoria Cannon; Frank Silvera as Don Sebastian Montoya; Don Collier as Sam Butler; Robert F. Hoy as Joe Butler; Rudy Ramos as Wind; Casting: William Maybery ("Destination Tucson" 1967; "The Arrangement" 1967); Russel Trost (1967-1968); Art Directors: McClure Capps (1967-1968); A. Earl Hedrick ("Destination Tucson" 1967; "The Arrangement" 1967); Hal Pereira (1967-1968); George Renne (1968-1971); Set Decorators: Robert R. Benton (1967-1968); William F. Calvert (credited as Bill F. Calvert); Ray Moyer ("Destination Tucson" 1967; "The Arrangement" 1967); Makeup Supervisor: Wally Westmore (1967-1968); Makeup Artists: Beau Hickman (1968-1969); Claude Thompson (1969-1971); Beau Wilson (1968-1971); Hair Stylist Supervisor: Nellie Manley (1967-1968); Hair Stylist: Hedy Mjorud (in seasons 1-3 credited as Hedvig Mjorud); Production Manager: Kent McCray; Unit Production Managers: Andrew J. Durkus (1967-1968); Richard Evans (1968-1969); Miles S. Middough (1969-1971); Assistant Directors: Don Daves ("Destination Tucson" 1967; "The Arrangement" 1967); Ray DeCamp; Wally Jones ("The Guns of Johnny Rondo" 1970); Major Roup (1968-1971); Sherry Shourds (8 episodes 1967-1968); Erich von Stroheim Jr. ("Champion of the Western World" 1968; "Tiger by the Tail" 1968; "The Hair Hunter" 1968; "A Joyful Noise" 1968); Second Unit Director: Henry Wills; Sound Department: Music Editor: Edna Bullock (7 episodes 1970-1971); Sound Recordists: Joe Edmondson; Robert Miller ("The New Lion of Sonora" 1971); Joel Moss (1967-1970); Richard Weaver (1970-1971) (credited as Dick Weaver); Stunt Co-ordinator: Henry Wills; Color Consultant: Edward P. Ancona Jr.; Executive Story Consultants: Don Balluck (1970-1971); Walter Black (1968-1969); Story Consultants: Don Balluck (1969-1970); Walter Black ("North to Tucson" 1968; "Shadow of the Wind" 1969); Supervising Editor: Marvin Coil (1968-1971); Costumer (women): Glenita Dinneen (1970-1971); Costumer (men): Pat Kelly (1970-1971); Technical Advisor: Michael Freilich ("The Journal of Death" 1970); Casting Supervisor: Milt Hamerman (1968-1971); Script Consultant: Ward Hawkins ("The Ghost of Chaparral" 1967); Story Editor: Ward Hawkins (1967-1968); Story Consultant: Tim Kelly ("North to Tucson" 1968; "Shadow of the Wind" 1969); Story Editor : Tim Kelly (1968) Executive Story Consultant: William F. Leicester (1968-1969); Executive Story Consultant: Samuel Roeca (1968) (credited as Sam Roeca); Post-production Coordinator: Bill Wistrom; "The Cannon family runs the High Chaparral Ranch in the Arizona Territory in 1870s. Big John wants to establish his cattle empire despite Indian hostility. He's aided by brother Buck and son Billy Blue. When Blue's mother was killed (in the first episode) John united his family with the powerful Montoyas by marrying their daughter Victoria (whose brother Manolito now lives with them as well)." Summary written by Ed Stephan [stephan@cc.wwu.edu] Big John Cannon was the determined owner of the High Chaparral Ranch in the Arizona Territory in the 1870s. His better-natured brother Buck assisted. John's first wife was killed by an Apache arrow in the first episode. Her son Billy Blue, appeared in all but the last season which was no great loss as the character always seemed dim witted to me. Naturally, John immediately remarries the young and beautiful daughter of a local patron. Her brother, Manolito, accompanied her to the High Chapparal. In the final season, the producers killed off her father as the actor, Frank Silvera had died. Leif Erickson died in 1996. Cameron Mitchell in 1994 of lung cancer and Frank Silvera in 1970 of an accidental electrocution.
- Hondo 8 Sep 1967-29 Dec 1967 (ABC) according to Louis Allgood; 16 60-minute episodes; 17 according to Louis Allgood; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: Ralph Taeger as Hondo Lane; Noah Beery, Jr. as Buffalo Baker; Gary Clarke as Capt. Richards; Kathie Browne as Angie Dow; Buddy Foster (Jodie Foster's brother) as Johnny Dow; Michael Pate as Chief Vittoro; William Bryant as Colonel Crook; First Show: "Hondo And The Eagle Claw" with Michael Rennie, Robert Taylor; Last Show: "Hondo And The Rebel Hat" with Jack Elam, Rafael Campos. Hondo's Dog: Sam; Taken from the Louis L'Amour story and the 1953 John Wayne movie, this story was about a cavalry scout in the Arizona Territory around 1870. Hondo had been a Confederate officer who came to live wth the Apaches under Chief Vittoro. But his Indian bride, the Chief's daughter, had been slain in an army massacre. So now he worked for the Army trying to avoid further bloodshed. Noah Berry Jr. died in 1991 - but not before we came to love him as Jim Rockford's father!
I: Westerns Television Series
Return to Westerns TV Table of Contents
- Iron Horse 12 Sep 1966-6 Jan 1968 (ABC); 147 60-minute episodes according to Louis Allgood; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: Dale Robertson as Ben Calhoun; Gary Collins as Dave Tarrant; Robert Random as Barnabas Rogers; Roger Torrey as Nils Torvald; Ellen Burstyn as Julie Parsons; First Show: "Joy Unconfined"; Pilot Show: "Scalplock" (10 April 1966); Ben's Horse: Hannibal; Ben's Raccoon: Ulysses; Ben Calhoun won a railroad in a poker game. An unfinished railroad! So Ben had to complete the Buffalo Pass, Scalplock and Defiance line. Helping him were Dave, the construction engineer, Nils the giant crewman, and Barnabas the orphan who adored him. Julie ran the Scalplock General Store. Lots of action in this one as they tamed the way for the railroad!
J: Westerns Television Series
Return to Mystery/Detective TV Table of Contents
- Jim Bowie: see Adventures of Jim Bowie
- The Legend of Jesse James 13 Sep 1965-5 Sep 1966 (ABC); according to Louis Allgood; 26 60-minute episodes; "Jesse James, Jesse James. He was cursed with a quick and restless gun. Jesse James! And he played the game that no man ever won. Jesse James! But his killin' turned him cold, he grew bitter, he grew bold And he fought the world with a gold and hungry gun. Gold and hungry gun, Gold and hungry gun, Blasting flame, a lasting shame, On the man with a hungry gun. Jesse James, Jesse James." Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: Chris Jones as Jesse James; Allen Case as Frank James; Robert J. Wilke as Marshal Sam Corbett; Ann Doran as Ma James; John Milford as Cole Younger; Tim McIntire as Bob Younger; First Show: "Three Men From Now" with Jack Elam, Bob Random, Virginia Gregg; Horse: ???.
- Johnny Ringo 1 Oct 1959-29 Sep 1960 (CBS); 38 Episodes according to Louis Allgood; Creators: Executive Producers: Producers: Director: Music: Starring: (1959-1960) Johnny Ringo; Don Durant as Johnny Ringo; Karen Sharpe as Laura Thomas; Mark Goddard as Cully Charlcey; Terrence De Marney as Case Thomas; Willis Bouchey as Mayor; Ringo's Horse: Bingo; First Show: "The Arrival" with James Coburn; Last Show: "Cave-In" with Robert Culp; Pilot: "The Loner" (3-5-59) with Thomas Mitchell, Scott Forbes. (Shown On Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre) In Velardi, Arizona Johnny Ringo was gunfighter turned lawman. Case Thomas, a man who loved his whiskey, owned the general store. His daughter Laura was well, hot, for Johnny and pursued him rather doggedly. There really was a gunfighter turned lawman named Johnny Ringo in the 1880s but this show was fictionalized. The deputy, Cully, would get a better job as Don West on Lost in Space! Terrence De Marney died in 1971.
- The Rebel see: The Rebel
- J.J. Starbuck 1987-1988 (NBC); 6 50-minute episodes; Jerome Jeremiah "J.J." Starbuck is a billionnaire from Texas who cruises America in a 1961 Lincoln convertible with steer horns mounted on the hood. Sometime assisted by ex-con-man E. L. "Tenspeed" Turner, he solves cases free of charge, sweet-talking local police to get them out of the way, jurisdictionally speaking. Not really a Western, but for the steer horned car as an icon... Creators: Executive Producer: Stephen J. Cannell; Production Manager: Brent-Karl Clackson (the new Outer Limits); Director: Music: Starring: DALE ROBERTSON as Jerome Jeremiah "J.J." Starbuck; BEN VEREEN as E. L. "Tenspeed" Turner (1988); JIMMY DEAN as Charlie Bullets; SHAWN WEATHERLY as Jill Starbuck.
K: Mystery/Detective Television Series
- Kit Carson: see Adventures of Kit Carson
- Kodiak 13 Sep 1974-1 Oct 1974 (ABC/Warner Bros./Kodiak); 13 30-minute episodes; Cal "Kodiak" McKay worked for the Alaska State Patrol. His beat was 50,000 square miles of wilderness, which he covered on snowshoes, skiis, and the like. Filmed gorgeously on location, Cal was assisted by his Eskimo buddy Abraham Lincoln Imhook. The show rarely dealt with