Shadows of the Past
Television Westerns
There were over 125 made for TV westerns broadcasted from the 1940's to the current 1990's. Some lasted a few episodes while others became traditions! Here is a brief run down of just a few. If time allows and with the help from great people they'll all be here in this decade!
If you know of web sites that dwell on these, don't let your reins hang down...giddyup and send them on to me. Thanks Pards!
- Hopalong Cassidy (June 24, 1949 to December 23, 1951)*
- William Boyd with Topper
- The Lone Ranger (September 15, 1949 to September 27, 1957)*
- Clayton Moore with Silver
- Jay Silverheels with Scout
- Gene Autry (July 23, 1950 to c1954)
- With Champion
- The Cisco Kid (from 1950 to 1956 all film in color)
- Duncan Renaldo with Diablo
- Leo Carrillo with Loco
- Wild Bill Hickok (from 1951 to 1958)*
- Guy Madison with Buckshot
- Andy Devine with Joker
- Kit Carson (from 1951 to 1955)
- Bill Williams
- Don Diamond
- The Range Rider (from 1952 to 1954)
- Jock Mahoney
- Dick Jones
- Roy Rogers (from 1951 to June 23, 1957)
- Leonard Franklin Slye (born in Duck Run, Ohio) with Trigger
- Death Valley Days (from 1952 to 1975!)
- Stanley "Old Ranger" Andrews, host
- U.S. Marshal (1950's)
- Jim Davis
- Annie Oakley (April 1953 to December 1956)
- Gail Davis
- Jimmy "Tagg" Hawkins
- Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (September 6, 1955 to September 26, 1961)
- Hugh O'Brian
- Gunsmoke (Dodge City) (September 10, 1955 to 1975!!)
- James Arness
- Cheyene (September 20, 1955 to September 13, 1963
- Norman Eugene "Clint" Walker
- Sugarfoot (1950's)
- Will Hutchins
- Bronco (from 1959 to 1961)
- Ty Hardin
- Tales of Wells Fargo (March 18, 1957 to September 1961)
- Dale Robertson rode Jubilee.
- Have Gun Will Travel (September 14, 1957 to September 23, 1963)
- Richard Boone
- Wagon Train (September 18, 1957 to September 1, 1965)
- Ward Bond
- John McIntire (Later)
- Maverick (September 22, 1957 to July 8, 1962)
- James Garner (1957-1960)
- Jack Kelly (1957-1962)
- Roger Moore (1960-1961)
- Robert Culp (1961)
- More Maverick!
Bret Maverick 1981 crew- The Restless Gun (September 23, 1957 to September 14, 1959)
- John Paine
- Trackdown (October 4, 1957 to September 23, 1959)
- Robert Culp
- Tombstone Territory (Oct. 16, 1957 - Sept. 17, 1958; Mar 13, 1959 - Oct. 9, 1959).
- Pat Conway -- Sheriff Clay Hollister
- Richard Eastham -- Harris Claibourne (editor of the Tombstone [Ariz. Terr.] Epitaph.
(Theme song was "Whistle me up a memory...")- Wanted Dead or Alive (September 6, 1958 to March 29, 1961)
- Steve McQueen
- The Texan (September 29, 1958 to September 12, 1960)
- Rory Calhoun
- The Rifleman (September 30, 1958 to July 1, 1963)
- Chuck Connors
- Lawman (October 5, 1958 to October 2, 1962)
- John Russell
- Rawhide (January 9, 1959 to January 4, 1966)
- Eric Fleming
- Clint Eastwood
- Bonanza (September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973)
- The Deputy (September 12, 1959 to September 16, 1961)
- Allen Case
- Henry Fonda
- Laramie (September 15, 1959 to September 16, 1963)
- John Smith
- Law of the Plains (October 1, 1959 to September 24, 1962)
- Michael Ansara (star of another TV show Broken Arrow)
- The Rebel (October 4, 1959 to September 12, 1962)
- Nick Adams
- Bat Masterson ( October 8, 1959 to September 21, 1961)
- Gene Barry
- The Gunslinger (1960's)
- Tony Young as Cord
- Preston Foster as Capt. Zachary Wingate
- Charles D. Gray as Pico McGuire
- John Picard as Sgt. Major Murdock
- Dee Pollock as Billy Urchin
- Midge Ware as Amby Hollister
- The Westerner (September 30, 1960 to December 30, 1960)
- Brian Keith.
- Laredo (56 episodes from 1965-1967 NBC?)
- Neville Brand as Ranger Reese Bennett
- Peter Brown as Ranger Chad Cooper
- William Smith as Ranger Joe Riley
- Robert Wolders as Ranger Erik Hunter
- Philip Carey as Captain Edward Parmalee
- Wild, WIld West (104 episodes & 2 sequels, 1965-1969, CBS)
- Robert Conrad as Jim West
- Ross Martin as Artemus Gordon
- Michael Dunn as Dr. Miguelito Loveless
- Richard Kiel as Voltaire, Loveless' muscular and LARGE!! henchman
- Victor Buono as Count Manzeppi
- reruns daily on WTBS from Atlanta. The 2 sequel movies Wild, Wild West Revisited & More Wild, Wild West are available on video.
- Nichols (24 episodes, 1971-1972, NBC)
- James Garner, Margot Kidder
- Bearcats! (13 episodes & 2 hour pilot, 1971, CBS)
- Rod Taylor & Dennis Cole & Their nifty Automobile
- The pilot is available on video and entitled Powderkeg.
- Wildside (6 episodes, 1985, ABC)
- Alias Smith and Jones - (1971 to 1973)
- Peter Duell played Hannibal Hayes
(After Pete Duel died Roger Davis who was the announcer for the show replaced Pete as Hannibal Hayes)- Murphy was Jed "Kid" Curry alias Thaddeus Jones.
- The Virginian (1962-1970)
(Based on Owen Wister's novel. Set at Shiloh Ranch in Medicine Bow, Wyoming.)
- James Drury -- Virginian (foreman)
- Doug McClure -- Trampas (assistant foreman)
- Lee J. Cobb (1962-66) -- Judge Henry Garth (first owner of Shiloh Ranch)
- Roberta Shore (1962-65) -- Betsy Garth (Judge's daughter)
- Pippa Scott (1962-64) -- newspaper publisher Molly Wood (sort of girlfriend to Virginian)
- Gary Clarke (1962-64) -- Steve (ranch hand)
- Randy Boone (1963-66) -- Randy Garth (Judge Garth's son)
- L.Q. Jones (1964-67) -- Belden (Ranch hand)
- Harlan Ward (1964-66) -- Sheriff Brannon
- Clu Gulagher (1964-68) -- Deputy Ryker
- Diane Roter (1965-66) -- Jennifer (Judge Garth's Niece)
- John Dehner (1965-66) -- Starr (ranch hand)
- Charles Bickford (1966- Nov 1967) -- John Grainger (second owner of Shiloh)
- Don Quine (1966-68) -- Stacy Grainger (John's grandson)
- Sara Lane (1966-68) -- Elizabeth Grainger (John's granddaughter)
- Ross Elliot (1966-1970) -- Sheriff Abbott
- John McIntire (November 1967 - 1970) -- Clay Grainger (John's brother and third owner of Shiloh)
- Jeannette Nolan (1968-1970) -- Holly Grainger (Clay's wife)
- David Hartman (1968-1969) -- David Sutton (ranch hand)
- Tim Matheson (1969-70) -- Jim Horn (ranch hand)
In 1970 the series was retitled (The Men From Shiloh).- Stewart Grainger joined the cast as the new English owner Colonel Alan MacKenzie.
- Lee Majors was hired hand Roy Tate. (Big Valley had bit the dust in 1969)
- Big Valley (1965-1969)
(Set on 30,000 acre ranch in California's San Joaquin Valley. It boasted a mine, a vineyard, an orange grove along with cattle.)
- Barbara Stanwyck -- Victoria Barkley
- Richard Long -- Jarrod (#1 son -- level headed lawyer)
- Peter Breck -- Nick (#2 son -- hot headed rancher)
- Lee Majors -- Heath (illegitimate son of Tom Barkley and an Indian woman)
- Charles Briles (only the 1965-66 season) -- Eugene (introspective son -- went off to college -- Harvard??-- and was never seen again).
- Linda Evans -- Audra (daughter)
- Napoleon Whiting -- Silas (Servant)
- Hondo
- The Dakotas
- The Loner
- High Chaparral
The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.(1995?)
(with his faithful horse Comet)
- Bruce Campbell with Copper (yes, like a true "actor" he has a "real" name too!).
MORE sites to explore:
Westerns of the Fifties
TV Westerns on Video? from "Don't Touch That Dial" web site(Much of my research comes from the first book created by Neil Summers and generous friends of the site who have sent me great information. For more information and other books, photos and merchandise write to:
TV Westerns
Box 5232
Vienna West Virginia 26105
My BEST information comes from you folk who have better knowledge ...Let me hear from you when you have better facts or more information!! E-mail to me at TV Westerns * Radio Shows
Found a good web site, send me the stats!Black Bart, an update! foyde@cruzio.com
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