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TV Main Page Index of All TV Shows Classic TV on VHS/DVD TV Westerns on VHS/DVD Horses and their Riders! TV Ratings - US & UK See how the TV Western Stars look today! TV WESTERN GAMES!! Hangman
 Treasury of the West, Vol. 1 - 2 CDs Best source for Western Movies & TV   Songs Of The West, Vol. 4: Movie & Television Themes |
The TV Western reigned supreme in the Fifties and Sixties. There were about 120 of them depending on what you consider a Western. Like the post-war world in which they flourished, you could always tell the good guys from the bad. And none of the guns were fully automatic. The earliest TV Westerns were mostly kiddy fare, typified by Roy Rogers. In the mid-Fifties Gunsmoke begin its 20 year run and was the first successful "adult" Western.As fast as you could say, "they went thataway, pardner" the airwaves were filled with Westerns. My personal favorite, Wagon Train debuts in 1957 along with Maverick and Have Gun Will Travel. Studios quickly realized that the Western didn't just appeal to men and and accordingly cast hunky leads, who often appeared shirtless, to please the women. No longer did the hero kiss his horse and ride off into the sunset. Now he got to kiss the girl too! By the Sixties, the Westerns, led by ratings winner Bonanza, begin broadcasting in color. The Virginian, High Chaparral and Big Valley are typical of Sixties TV Westerns. But the world was changing. There was that nastiness in Viet Nam. Sometimes even good guys seemed to wear black hats. Or maybe there is such a notion as too much of a good thing. By the end of the Sixties, the TV Western had just about diappeared. Sadly, attempts to resurrect the genre have failed. Maginficent Seven was a valiant effort but they moved it around into about a half dozen time slots so nobody could find it. Westerns are expensive to make and younger studio executives just don't get it. They assume that we all want to watch sexy young actors and actresses who haven't eaten yet this month, talk about nothing in their apartments. C'mon pards, let's grab our Peacemakers and call 'em out into the street! Navigating these TV Western pages...
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| External Links TV Guide's Hopalong Cassidy Page, with TV Listings, Photos, Videos, Exclusive News and More. |
6/24/1949 - 12/23/1951
NBC Black and White - 30 minutes Hopalong Cassidy Cast William Boyd as HoppyEdgar Buchanan as Red Connors Horse: Topper William Boyd had created the character of Hopalong Cassidy for "B" movie features and the first episodes were adaptations of those. Later the character of Red Connors was added (Edgar Buchanan) and from 1951 to 1952, Hopalong rode for another 52 episodes. That's how popular the character had become. Passings William Boyd died in 1972 of Parkinson's disease and heart failure and Edgar Buchanan in 1979 of a strokeHopalong Cassidy and Hoppy, including all images and likenesses are registered trademarks of U.S. Television Office |
CLICK HERE FOR FULL LIST OF ALL TV WESTERNS  Topper and William Boyd From the Doug Abbott Collection |
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to Top of Page BUY Gene Autry on DVD and VHS |
7/23/1950 - 8/7/1956 CBS Black and White/Color - 30 minutes - 102 episodes Produced by Flying A Productions at the Melody Ranch (Autry's own company) Gene Autry Cast Gene Autry with Pat ButtramHorse: Champion The singing cowboy, Gene Autry was a man of many talents and plenty of foresight. His early TV show was mostly an opportunity for him to sing a bit while he and Pat Buttram did silly things. His success led him to see the future of TV Westerns and he formed his own production company, Flying A Productions, which also produced Annie Oakley, Range Rider, Buffalo Bill Jr. and others. His Melody Ranch was used as the "backlot" for many Western scenes in both television and film. Passings Gene Autry died in 1998 of lymphoma. Pat Buttram died in 1994 of kidney failure. |
 Gene Autry and Champion From the Doug Abbott Collection CLICK HERE FOR FULL LIST OF ALL TV WESTERNS |
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to Top of Page TV Classic Westerns: Bat Masterson/Death Valley Days/The Rifleman/Wagon 
For More Dale Robertson See: Tales of Wells Fargo Iron Horse |
1952-1970, Also 1974 Syndicated Black and White/Color - 30 minutes - 532 episodes Produced by Flying A Productions Death Valley Days Hosts Stanley Andrews from 1952-65 (as The Old Ranger)Ronald Reagan 1965-1966 Robert Taylor 1966-1968 Dale Robertson 1968-1972 John Payne 1972-1975 Merle Haggard 1975 This anthology series ran for many years, presenting stories of the Old West, often filmed right in Death Valley. Perhaps it is best known for two things, the host (Ronald Reagan) who became President of the United States, and the intro. (See right) Many people confuse this intro with that of Wagon Train. The tipoff is the MULES, as in 20 Mule Team Borax. Passings Stanley Andrews died in 1969 as did Robert Taylor of lung cancer. John Payne died in 1989 of congestive heart failure |
 Ronald Reagan From the Doug Abbott Collection
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to Top of Page BUY Stories of the Century on DVD  1950s TV's Greatest Westerns 
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1954 Syndicated Black and White - 30 minutes - 39 episodes Stories of the Century Cast Jim Davis as Matt ClarkMary Castle as Frankie Adams Kristine Miller as Margaret "Jonesy" Jones This half-hour Western was about a pair of detectives for the Southwestern Railroad. What was unusual was that Jim Davis' partners were women! Also, this was one of the first syndicated TV shows to win a major Emmy - Best Western or Adventure Series for 1954! Passings Jim Davis died in 1981 while he was playing Jock Ewing on Dallas.Return to Top of Page Go to:
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 Jim Davis From the Doug Abbott Collection CLICK HERE FOR FULL LIST OF ALL TV WESTERNS |
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