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1950s Television Westerns
by Don Bell
(Peterborough, Canada)
A number of the popular radio Westerns made the successful transition to television, and I can remember how exciting it was to finally get to see what my heroes really looked like in action, though sometimes the imaginative scenes that radio inspired proved to be a richer experience.
It's often surprising to the young people of today just how popular Westerns were in the 1950s. Back then, it seemed that every other show on TV was a Western.
Here are my favorite TV Westerns from the 1950s:
The Roy Rogers Show (1951-1957) -- Starring Roy Rogers as King of the Cowboys and Dale Evans as Queen of the West. Roy's horse was called Trigger, and Dale's horse was called Buttermilk. This was the first show I ever saw on television; it must have been around 1952. A friend of my parents had one of the first TV sets in our area, and the picture came in on the antenna so snowy that I could barely make out the horses and riders, but it was so exciting to watch. I barely slept that night thinking about it and praying that we'd be able to get a TV too, though that didn't happen until December 1955.
The Lone Ranger (1949-1957) -- Starring Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as his faithful Indian companion, Tonto. The Lone Ranger's horse was called Silver, and Tonto's was called Scout.
The Cisco Kid (1950-1956) -- Starring Duncan Renaldo as Cisco, and Leo Carrillo as his sidekick Pancho. Cisco's horse was called Diablo and Pancho's was called Loco.
Zorro (1957-1959) -- Starring Guy Williams as Zorro. Zorro's horse was called Tornado.
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955-1961) -- Starring Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt Earp.
Bat Masterson (1958-1961) -- Starring Gene Barry as Bat Masterson. Masterson's horse was called Stardust.
The Rifleman (1958-1963) -- Starring Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain. McCain's horse was called Razor.
Wagon Train 1957-1965) -- Starring Ward Bond as wagon master Major Seth Adams. Sorry, I don't recall a name for the horse.
Gunsmoke (1955-1975) -- Starring James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon. Dillon's horse was called Buck.
Have Gun Will Travel (1957-1963) -- Starring Richard Boone as Paladin. Paladin's horse was called Rafter. Do you remember the Ballad of Paladin?
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 fortune is the man called Paladin.
Paladin, Paladin Where do you roam? Paladin, Paladin, Far, far from home.
He travels on to wherever he must; A chess knight of silver is his badge of trust. There are campfire legends that the plainsmen spin Of the man with the gun, of the man called Pa-l-l-l-l-a-din
And his famous business card had the line drawing of the chess knight and the words:
Have Gun Will Travel Wire Paladin San Francisco
Davy Crockett deserves a special mention:
Davy Crockett (1954-1955) -- Starring Fess Parker as Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, and Buddy Ebsen (later to star as Jed Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies TV show) as his pal Georgie Russel.
This was not a typical Western "series," but it proved to be more than a television show; it was an instant phenomenon, a craze -- all stemming from just five TV episodes broadcast in December 1954 through 1955:
Davy Crockett Indian Fighter Davy Crockett Goes To Congress Davy Crockett At The Alamo Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race Davy Crockett And The River Pirates.
Later in 1955, Disney edited those 5 shows into 2 feature films for release in theaters:
Davy Crockett King Of The Wild Frontier (1955) Davy Crockett And The River Pirates (1956).
Numerous Davy Crockett lunchboxes, toys and imitation coonskin caps were seen in schoolyards and backyards across North America and in the UK. And the Ballad of Davy Crockett was heard on the radio and sung by children everywhere. What kid from the mid 1950s can ever forget its words...
Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee Greenest state in the land of the free Raised in the woods so's he knew ev'ry tree Kilt him a b'ar when he was only three
Davy, Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier!
Many fun-filled afternoons were spent by my best friend and I as we tramped though the fields and woods on our farm taming our own Wild Frontier while playing Davy Crockett and Georgie Russel.
Have you seen the film Alias Jesse James?
In November 1959, my aunt took my cousins and me to see the movie "Alias Jesse James" at the local Odeon Theater in Peterborough. It was a comedy Western starring Bob Hope and Rhonda Fleming, but it was most notable for its exciting ending which features a host of surprise cameo appearances by TV Western stars of the 1950s including:
Roy Rogers as himself (The Roy Rogers Show), Hugh O'Brian as Marshal Wyatt Earp (The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp), Gail Davis as Annie Oakley (Annie Oakley), Ward Bond as Major Seth Adams (Wagon Train), Fess Parker as Davy Crockett (Walt Disney's Davy Crocket), Jay Silverheels as Tonto (The Lone Ranger), and James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke).
Silver screen star Garry Cooper of "High Noon" fame also made a brief appearance, but it was more for the adults as most kids were puzzled about his identity, though he seemed somewhat familiar; he just wasn't as recognizable to the younger set as the 50s TV cowboys were.
This film was marvelous fun for a kid in the 50s. Today, it's a virtual time capsule of Western heroes from the 50s. Does it ever bring back memories. Watch it if you get the chance!
In closing...
Writing this piece certainly brought back lots of happy memories. I hope reading it stirred pleasant memories for you.
Do you remember a kid's TV show similar to "Fury" about a wild stallion? I seem to remember that it was still in the wild but would show up to save his young friend who seemed to be always in danger. I know it existed, but I can't remember the name of the series, or how long it was on TV.
Thanks!
Feb 06, 2009 Rating
Western Movie Music Online Radio by: Larry Snode
Hi,
What a GREAT site! I intend to study it in more detail tomorrow as it's getting late (almost 11 o'clock) and I just came across your site while surfing.
I would also like to take this opportunity to tell you about my online radio station, "Golden Age Film Music," on Live365 radio where I broadcast movie soundtracks and other movie related music.
This month is Westerns month at my station, and I'm broadcasting western movie and TV soundtracks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I play a lot of John Wayne music such as music from The Searchers, Chism, Fort Apache, El Dorado, The Cowboys, The War Wagon, Hondo, The Alamo, Big Jake, and all kinds of Western movie and television favorites.
If you'd to check it out, just go to my website (www.portraitsbylarrysnode.com) and scroll down to near the bottom of the homepage, then click on the "How the West Was Won" album cover.
Congratulations on a beautiful site and thanks for having it out there.
Larry
Feb 13, 2009 Rating
Was It Thunder? by: Don Bell
Anonymous,
Are you thinking of "Thunder," a TV series about a black stallion who ran wild near the Prescott ranch? The Thunder show aired on NBC for just one season in 1977-78. The two children in the series, Cindy and her friend Willie, were regularly having to be rescued by Thunder who always appeared just in the nick of time to save them.
I can remember watching the show with my kids and at the time thinking it looked a lot like the Fury show that I watched as a child in the 1950s. Apparently, the Thunder series was created by the same people who worked on the Fury series that aired on NBC from 1955 to 1960, which explains the similarity between the two shows.
May 01, 2009 Rating
Westerns by: Anonymous
I just wish the westerns of to-day were as innocent as the 50s, the youth of to-day would may be a bit more respectful & responsible. Perhaps the entertainment as a whole could do with a makeover.
May 07, 2009 Rating
Cheyenne by: Bobby
One of my favorites was Cheyenne, 1955-1963. Clint Walker played Cheyenne. The show is on twice a day, 8 a.m. and 5p.m., weekdays on the western channel (STARS).
Aug 08, 2009 Rating
Thanks by: Michael Dickson
This is a nice roundup, pun intended. You and I must be about the same age, Don. I remember all these things fondly. Good work.
Sep 23, 2009 Rating
Westerns by: Anonymous
Thank you, that was the good old days. I'll never forget those days on tv.
Nov 13, 2009 Rating
The Lone Ranger by: Anonymous
This was my favorite TV Western as a kid growing up in the outskirts of Los Angeles. If you want to see all of my favorite cowboy shows, go to http://www.fatherlyadviceandrants.com/my-heroes-were-cowboys.html
Nov 24, 2009 Rating
Answer by: Anonymous
Are you refering to Flicka?
Dec 16, 2009 Rating
Enjoyed Them All Then And Now by: Hoppy
I was and still am a HOPALONG, GENE, ROY, DAVY CROCKETT, ZORRO, and last but not least a LONE RANGER fan, and a fan of all the other westerns. One of my best moments was meeting and speaking with CLAYTON MOORE, what a great gentleman and hero figure he was.
I still have pictures of myself as a youth in a DAVY CROCKETT shirt, those were good times; you bet ya. Thank you, I enjoyed this!
Dec 21, 2009 Rating
Theme Songs by: Lynnie
How many of these television western theme songs do you remember?
"Cheyenne, Cheyenne, where will you be campin' tonight..."
"Have Gun, Will Travel, reads the card of a man..."
"Who is the tall dark stranger there, Maverick is his name..."
"Way out west on the Triple R, Yippeeaa, Yippeeoo The horses are the best by far, Yippeeaa, Yippeeoo"
Jan 04, 2010 Rating
Answer To Horse Western by: Anonymous
My Friend Flicka.
Jan 27, 2010 Rating
Gunslinger by: Anonymous
Does anyone remember the cowboy series Gunslinger? Gunslinger was played by .... Young, and he rode up on a black horse, black clothes, etc.
The theme song:
Gunslinger, Gunslinger, Where do you ride? What do you fight for today? When folks need a hand you're on their side Gunslinger, ride away.
You let someone else be the first one to draw, On your speed you depend. Gunslinger, will you return and meet your end? Gunslinger ride on, Gunslinger ride on, Gunslinger ride away.
Jan 27, 2010 Rating
The Gunslinger Series by: Don (Webmaster)
Yes, now that you mention it, I do remember the Gunslinger program on TV. Tony Young starred as Cord, the lead character. I believe this western series was televised in 1961, but only for a short while. There were not many episodes. I did a search on YouTube and discovered that Frankie Laine sang the show's theme song. Take a listen, it will bring back memories:
Jan 30, 2010 Rating
Lost Banned Cowboy Show by: Angus Birkin
Could anyone tell me the title of an American cowboy show that was banned in the United Kingdom around the 1960's for being too violent but had great music?
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