When TV took off, westerns were by far the most popular genre on the air. There were hundreds.
FYI, Wikipedia has a complete list here It's alphabetical, which makes sense, but I wish they were listed chronologically. It's easier to look back that way.
Aside from my favorites, I was astonished by how many I'd forgotten (senior moments) and how many I'd never heard of at all, let alone never saw.
"Gunsmoke" is of course the iconic western, and also the longest running TV series ever..20 years. (The second longest running series was another western, "Bonanza.") But "Gunsmoke" was an adult, and thus, prime time show..for we Boomers, our first introduction to the genre was the afternoon, and Saturday morning shows. It was a far simpler time back then...there were good guys, and bad guys, and the god guys wore white (or at least what seemed white on the B&W TV sets..) and by the end of the show, they'd usually killed the bad guys...or "varmints."
NOTE: I'm not going to post a lot of links..there are tens of thousands out there. But, if you have a favorite, do check out YouTube..many of the episodes of these series are available on You Tube..so enjoy!!
For kids back then, "The Lone Ranger," was THE show to watch. Others I fondly remember are "Rin Tin Tin" ( a twofer with the military themed series) "Bat Masterson," "Maverick," "Davy Crockett," "Fury," "Hopalong Cassidy," "Have Gun, Will Travel," "The Rifleman," "Tales of Wells Fargo, " and last but not least, "Zorro."
But what really surprised me, as I was doing this thread, and looking over the list, was how great, how memorable, many of the theme songs for the old western shows were. Even today, they're fresh in my mind. Hardly any TV series today can make the same claim. Of course, maybe that's because it takes them 15 minutes to list all the titles and credits at the start of the show.
Just take a quicken listen to some of these gems:
Rawhide But Of Course!!!
It's amazing how many really big stars came out of the early westerns.
I hope you all have as much fun reading this, and reminiscing, as I had putting it together. Again, if you have links to some of your favorite shows, or episodes, please post 'em to the thread..let others enjoy with you.
And don't forget, lots of episodes of all these shows are on YouTube...it astonished me how many.
FYI..I think in a few days I might do medical dramas, then after that, cop shows. Your suggestions are welcome.
NOTE: If anyone dares to list Kung Fu as their favorite western..well, grasshopper..get yourself another thread..
And here's hoping everyone has a great week ahead!!!!
Maverick
Rawhide
Range Rider - starring Jock Mahoney, who was stunt man to John Wayne, Gregory Peck and Errol Flynn. That background was obvious in the physicality he displayed.
A one season show called “Stony Burke” about the modern (1960s) rodeo circuit starring Jack Lord, much better as Burke than he was in “Hawaii 5-0”, Bruce Dern and Warren Oates.
Bonanza!
I always found the CBS trio of “Gunsmoke,” “Have Gun Will Travel” and “Rawhide” to be the strongest. I have dvd-sets of just about every tv-western that has been officially released. Only missing a handful, like “Restless Gun” with John Payne, and “Cimarron City” with George Montgomery, but I hope to get around to them shortly.
A hefty percentage of tv-westerns are indeed available on dvd. Still some missing-in-action, though. Not available are some of the Four Star Productions items like “Black Saddle,” “Law of the Plainsman,” “Johnny Ringo” and such. Also, two short-lived mid-1960s westerns, “The Loner” with Lloyd Bridges, and “A Man Called Shenandoah” with Robert Horton, have yet to come out. Ditto for a few early kid-oriented westerns from the early-1950s, like “Wild Bill Hickok” and “Kit Carson.” Or, “Steve Donovan, Western Marhsal,” which is particuarly rare, even amongst the bootleg circuit.
But if I’ve grown keen on anything, it’s actually the silent westerns. Recently picked up “Wagon Tracks” (1919) with William S. Hart, along with some similar oldies of Tom Mix, Jack Hoxie, Bob Custer, and such.
Wagon Train, especially the first three seasons with Ward Bond.
Awwww, that’s easy. Just look at my tagline!
Let’s not forget The Cisco Kid. I remember watching it with my four year old daughter; bad guys get shot dead, ho -hum. But in the last scene a disobedient Noel Neill gets a spanking from Cisco, and her eyes opened wide.
[last lines of each episode]
The Cisco Kid: Oh, Pancho!
Pancho: Oh, Cisco!
Star Trek.
Oh, and Gunsmoke hasn’t been the longest-running TV series in years. Let’s just say it was the longest-running scripted TV series of the 3-network era. Simpsons has been running since 1989.
It’s impossible to pick ONE favorite,but my current fave is “Hell on Wheels”
Maverick for its comedy value.
Gunsmoke for its good story telling.
I wish that they would make westerns today. the closest we have is Longmire. good news is that Netflix is going to do a third season of it.
Lonesome Dove.......end of thread!
I know it wasn’t on very long and I am mostly younger than some of you. I really liked
alias smith and jones. Ptobably would have lasted longer if Pete Duel had not died.
High Chaparral, Gun Smoke, and The Rifleman. Kinda stopped watching Bonanza because every time Hoss, Adam, or Little Joe fell in love, the poor woman died some kind of horrible death or couldn’t make up her mind to settle down. I stopped watching The Big Valley because Mrs. Barkley was always being kidnapped for some reason.
BUT...
As for Bonanza, I always loved watching Hop Sing getting hostile whenever any of the Cartwrights decided to critique Sing’s culinary prowess, and it was actually really laughable when Victoria Barkley got kidnapped YET AGAIN because she was such an easy prey—never was packing any heat.
Lawman
Colt .45
Broken Arrow
Red River
It begins and ends with Audra on “The Big Valley.”
For cowboys,
James Garner on “Maverick.”
(I had the Yancy Derringer belt-buckle derringer.)
The Real McCoys?