TV Westerns

When I was a kid in the 70s there were still a lot of TV Western re-runs out there.  Some I suppose may have been syndicated but mostly the TV western was gone by the 70s so whenever I could find a re-run to watch I was in heaven.

As a kid, my preference for make believe playing in the back yard or with my neighborhood pals usually gravitated toward cowboys, which is kind of interesting because I have heard my Father say that his tendency as a kid was toward playing Army.

Anyway, like anyone I had my favorite TV shows so for fun I thought I would list them and maybe do some write-ups on some or all of them, the research would be fun and nostalgic.





My 10 favorite TV western shows as a kid:
1. Wild Wild West (by far this one was number 1)
2. Rifleman
3. Gunsmoke
4. Rawhide
5. Maverick
6. Have Gun Will Travel
7. Bonanza
8. Lone Ranger
9.  Little House on the Prairie (stretching it a bit I know.)
10. Big Valley

My 10 favorite TV Western shows 35 years later, some of which I didn't even know about as a kid, but I sure enjoy them now when I can find them:
1. Wild Wild West (Yes, still!)
2. Wanted: Dead or Alive
3. Magnificent Seven
4. Gunsmoke
5. Rawhide
6. Maverick
7. Have Gun Will Travel
8. Rifleman
9. Bonanza
10. Big Valley

Anyway, I'm no TV Show expert by any means, unlike kids of today I spent more time outside playing than inside watching TV but I may jot my thoughts down about a few of these classic TV Westerns in the coming days, stay tuned...

What were your favorite TV westerns and memories from your childhood, I'd love to hear from you.

Randolph Scott -- Another Favorite of Mine!

 

This Statler Brothers tribute makes me want to write some stuff about Randolph Scott, another favorite western star of mine.  Maybe I will, stay tuned.  Not a very good picture but a great song.

The Big Trail (1930) & Barbarian and the Geisha (1958)

I know, Barbarian and the Geisha is NOT a western but this news comes in a pair.

--WALMART EXCLUSIVE --

20th Century Fox will release Raoul Walsh's The Big Trail on Blu-ray exclusively at Wal-Mart on May 8.  Also available on the same date will be John Huston's The Barbarian and the Geisha.

Now I am a huge John Wayne fan and this is big news.  Barbarian and the Geisha, while not anywhere near one of The Duke's better films, has never been released on DVD in the US, so for us John Wayne fans, this is exciting.

 The Big Trail which gave John Wayne his very first starring role (no John Ford did not do that for the Duke, Raoul Walsh did) is a wonderfully large movie of the outdoors using an experimental process in 70mm widescreen cinematography called Grandeur — and it is a breathtaking film.  Many people say Duke is inexperienced and insecure in his acting but I see a lot of John Wayne's traits showing in this movie that made The Duke... well... The Duke.

Next is the Barbarian and the Geisha which was hampered from the very beginning with problems and reportedly Duke and John Huston did not get along very well at all, however Duke being the professional that he was refused to quit his contract and followed through even though he saw disaster coming.  Being a Duke fan I like the movie, however most people see it as one of his worst, right up there with The Conqueror they say (I like that movie too).

NOW, here is my personal wish, if ever there was a John Wayne movie that deserved a complete re-master (the DVD release was just AWFUL!) and belonged on Blu-ray, that movie is John Ford's Quiet Man.  That would be amazing!

The Magnificent Seven (1960) -- Simply Magnificent!

One of the greatest westerns of all time and a personal favorite.

Based on Akira Kurosawa's classic "The Seven Samurai" "The Magnificent Seven" brings together a wonderful cast and takes us on an adventure to save a small Mexican village from the oppressing hand of Calvera (Eli Wallach) and his dreadful bandits.

Having had enough of Calvera's baddies, the tired villagers set out to find a gunfighter who can help them.  They happen upon Chris (Yul Brynner) who reluctantly agrees to lend a hand and then sets out to recruit 6 other men to join in the quest.

Soon he has men knocking at his door and before long he has his team.

Vin Tanner (Steve McQueen) signs on right away after helping Chris with a tussle in town.

Rugged, quiet tough guy Charles Bronson plays Bernardo O'Reilly a gunfighter of Irish-Mexican heritage.

Lee (Robert Vaughn) who seems cool and collected but fights losing his nerve when the battle begins.

Chris' old friend Harry Luck (Brad Dexter), believing Chris is really after treasure also joins up.

Fast and deadly with a blade, cowpuncher Britt (James Coburn) also joins in the action.

Finally Chico (Horst Buchholz) joins after initially being rejected but staying persistent.

Eventually the "Seven" train the village how to fight and then fight along side them as they defend their village and their livelihood.

GREAT STUFF!