Cowboys – Their Adventures in the TV “Wild West”
Shows about cowboys were most common on North American TV in the 1960s and 70s. The vast majority of these shows were American productions for the apparent reason that they were portrayals, realistic or not, of the American Wild West.
Some of the actors in these westerns went on to even greater things in television and the movies. Unfortunately, most, if not all of them, have passed away, but their names and performances still live in reruns. So, let’s look at TV cowboys and the stars who played them. Here are some of my favourites.
Pioneers in the Cowboy Business
A few of these cowboy shows were already successful radio shows with established audiences, so it was a relatively easy transition to television.
The Gene Autry Show
Gene Autry had already received some fame on radio as the Singing Cowboy. He and his horse, Champion, starred in the TV show, which aired from 1950 to 1955, with the first four seasons being in black and white and the final season in colour. Gene Autry was one of the first TV shows seen in Canada, as we finally received TV in September of 1952.
Gene played various roles in his show, from ranch owner to lawman to cowboy singer. In his real life, he also starred in 93 movies during his extensive career. He was also an entrepreneur who owned the Los Angeles Angels major league baseball team. And his significant influence on country music, as we know it today, is not to be understated. Gene Autry was the first to record the immortal Christmas classics “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman”.
The Roy Rodgers Show
The Roy Rodgers Show was different in that it took place in real-time in the 1950s rather than in the Old West. It appeared as an odd mixture of contemporary America with cars, electricity and telephones but with horses as the primary method of transportation.
Roy and his real-life wife, Dale Evans, were the show’s stars, along with Roy’s Palomino horse Trigger and his German Shepherd Bullet, the “Wonder Dog.” These four were the main participants in fighting crime and helping to protect the underdog. The shows often included Christian themes supplemented by guitars and singing.
Trigger, formerly named Golden Cloud, had a remarkable life as a TV and movie star, and his after-death was also unusual. Almost unbelievably, he could perform 150 tricks on cue and would bow afterward. Roy said that Trigger was also housebroken, which is quite an accomplishment for a horse.
Here comes the unusual part. When Trigger died, Roy arranged for a taxidermy company in Los Angeles to preserve, arrange, and mount him for display. Dale Evan’s horse Buttermilk and Bullet, the “Wonder Dog,” were given the same ceremonial treatment upon their deaths. Subsequently, the trio has been displayed in various locations in the United States. However, I don’t know where they are now.
Cowboys in Law Enforcement or Helpers
Much of the intrigue with cowboys on TV was their lifestyle and interactions with one another. Law enforcement played a big part in these shows as everyone had guns, which formed the rule of law. In the Wild West, they used firearms to protect themselves and their property, much as it is now in America, come to think of it.
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke, starring James Arness, was the big deal of the TV cowboy series. It ran on television for 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975 and produced an unbelievable 635 episodes. It was also a radio series from 1952 to 1961 starring William Conrad.
The TV series was about Marshall Matt Dillon, the law in Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s. Along with Marshall Dillon, many other important characters were in the show. In Gunsmoke, the characters were well-developed, and so they should be after 20 years with the same actors playing the same roles.
Dennis Weaver played Dillon’s deputy, Chester Goode, for the first nine years of the series. He played a physically weak individual who walked with a limp but was forever loyal to Marshall Dillon. He was always there when needed, well-liked, and respected by the townsfolk. As we know, Dennis Weaver went on to have a series of his own and later became a big movie star playing tough-guy roles.
Three other significant characters rounded out the cast of this very successful series. Although it wasn’t clear, it seems that Miss Kitty, played by Amanda Blake, was Marshall Dillon’s “love” interest or perhaps friends with benefits. She was part owner of the Long Branch Saloon, where much of the action occurs. In the Wild West, every small town had a saloon, and that was the place where cowboys hung out. The combination of alcohol and guns called for frequent visits by local law enforcement.
Doc Adams, played by Milburn Stone, was there to take care of all the gunshot injuries and other medical emergencies. After Dennis Weaver left the series, Festus Haggen, played by Ken Curtis, replaced Chester in the deputy job, and he did so in his own charming way.
The Lone Ranger
I always wondered why they called him the Lone Ranger. So, the story begins with him being the only one who survives an ambush of six Texas Rangers. However, a native American found him and helped nurse him back to health. He was never alone after that because the Lone Ranger and Tonto became the first crime-fighting duo.
Clayton Moore most famously played the Lone Ranger. Jay Silverheels, a member of the Mohawk Indian tribe in Canada, played Tonto. Together, they fought injustice throughout Texas and the American West. This show had many gimmicks to remember it by. The first and most famous was that the Lone Ranger wore a mask, so no one but Tonto, who called him Kemo Sabe, knew his real identity. The mask caused some problems in his working with the law. Often, the bad guys found a way to implicate him in their criminal activities. The law assumed that he must be a bad guy too because he wore a mask.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto were both very fond of their horses, and both horses could follow simple commands. The Lone Ranger’s horse was named Silver, and Tonto’s horse’s name was Scout. At the end of each episode, they would all disappear, and someone would ask, “Who was that Masked Man?” The final scene shows Silver rearing up as The Lone Ranger yells, “Hi-yo Silver, away!” Then, the two of them would ride their horses off into the distance in a dramatic exit.
About 30 years after the show ended, Clayton Moore was involved in a five-year legal battle with the company that owned the rights to the Lone Ranger character. The company sought an injunction to stop Moore from wearing the mask on his cross-country tours. While the case was before the courts, Moore wore sunglasses on his appearances. “Who was that Man in Sunglasses?” didn’t quite have the same ring to it. However, Moore finally won the case and was allowed to wear his signature mask again.
Cowboys, Cowboys, and More Cowboys
Some of these shows relied on more than one or two stars to keep them going. Sometimes, each week was about a different character.
Bonanza
Bonanza was another long-lasting series. It ran from 1959 to 1973, 430 episodes. We watched as Ben Cartwright and his three sons from three different mothers aged before our eyes. Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon played his sons. Canadian actor Lorne Greene starred as Ben Cartwright. After Bonanza ended, Roberts and Landon each had their own successful series. Unfortunately, Blocker died at the young age of 44.
Bonanza is about the Cartwright family, who owns a vast cattle ranch near Virginia City, Nevada, near Lake Tahoe. Due to their wealth and property size, they have significant influence in Virginia City and the surrounding area. The three sons, especially the youngest, always seem to be getting into a predicament that requires the other family members to rescue them. But then, boys will be boys, even when they become middle-aged men.
Even though the series was family-oriented and often portrayed situations requiring morally right solutions, it could be pretty violent, like all Western shows.
Rawhide
Rawhide had more than its share of up-and-coming stars, but none would become as famous as Clint Eastwood. The show is about a cattle drive, or because it ran for seven seasons, it must have been a series of cattle drives. Again, different lead characters come to the front each week, with the other characters performing supporting roles in this series.
Show topics mostly centered on the trials and tribulations of driving a herd of cattle across the country to market. Some of the problems were finding water and feed for the many heads of cattle. Other issues were keeping the cowhands in line when they occasionally went into a town to blow off steam. It’s lonely on the prairies with only cows and scruffy men for company.
Horses, Guns, and Guitars Today
So, horses are no longer a primary means of transportation and are considered more of a hobby. Guitars are popular in many genres of music today, and country music has found its niche. Like it or hate it, it is a part of the culture.
Guns are still prevalent in American culture. Many gun owners are still cowboys but with a different meaning of the word. The only real difference is that the guns are bigger and deadlier, and the saddest part is that any lunatic can own one.
And Now For Your Listening Enjoyment
Here is the 1978 recording of “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” by Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson.
Lyrics
“Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” Recorded by Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson (1978) Written by Ed Bruce and Patsy Bruce Cowboys ain't easy to love, and they're harder to hold They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold Lone star belt buckles and old faded Levi's And each night begins a new day If you don't understand him, and he don't die young He'll probably just ride away Mammas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys 'Cause they'll never stay home, and they're always alone Even with someone they love Cowboys like smoky old poolrooms and clear mountain mornings Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night Them that don't know him won't like him And them that do sometimes won't know how to take him He ain't wrong, he's just different But his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such Mammas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys 'Cause they'll never stay home, and they're always alone Even with someone they love Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
The above essay is for entertainment and English language study only. For suggestions on how to use this post to improve your English reading and listening comprehension, click here.
Vocabulary
- cowboy – noun; a person who herds and tends cattle, esp. in western North America; a person who works on a ranch or in the past from the Wild West
- portrayal – noun; a likeness of; a dramatic representation (in this context)
- transition – noun; a passing or change from one place, state, condition, etc., to another; going from radio to television (in this context)
- entrepreneur – noun; a person who starts or organizes a commercial enterprise; a businessperson who risks their own money
- entrepreneur – adjective; likely or worthy to be famous for all time; will be remembered forever (in this context)
- contemporary – adjective; living or existing at the present; taking place now rather than in the past
- underdog – noun; a person who is in a state of inferiority; a person who is weaker and unable to defend himself (in this context)
- housebroken – adjective; trained (a pet) not to urinate or defecate inside the house; trained to pee and poop outside only
- taxidermy – noun; the act of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals or birds. etc., in lifelike poses; preserving dead animals or birds on display
- intrigue – noun; interest or curiosity; interest, unknown, mystery
- saloon – noun; a bar found esp. in mining, logging, and ranching communities of the Old West, often associated with heavy drinking, gambling, prostitution, and fighting; a drinking place where lonely cowboys hung out
- gimmick – noun; a trick or device for attracting publicity, attention, or trade; something to identify and easily remember
- implicate – transitive verb; show (a person or thing) to be concerned or involved (in a charge, crime, etc.); to be involved
- sought – transitive verb (past of seek); ask for, request; seeking a legal solution (in this context)
- injunction – noun; an authoritative warning or order; a legal order restricting an action
- signature – adjective; a distinctive or identifying feature or characteristic; something that is associated with a specific person or thing
- predicament – noun; a difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation; a difficult situation
- trials and tribulations – pl. noun; great trouble or suffering; extreme difficulties and hard times
- cowboy – noun; (other meaning) a person who acts outside of established rules, conventions, etc.; an irresponsible, reckless, and unqualified person
- lunatic – noun; an insane person; a person with mental health issues; a crazy person
Comprehensive Questions
- Were most cowboy shows on North American TV American productions?
Yes or No - Who recorded “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman”?
(a) the Beatles, (b) KISS, (c) Gene Autry, or (d) Mariah Carey - What was the name of Roy Rodgers’ horse?
(a) Dale Evans, (b) Trigger, (c) Bullet, or (d) Happy - How many episodes of Gunsmoke were produced?
(a) 635, (b) 356, (c) 536, or (d) quite a few - In the series Gunsmoke, in what town was Matt Dillon the Marshall?
(a) Houston, Texas; (b) Reno, Nevada; (c) Yuma, Arizona; or (d) Dodge City, Kansas - In the series Gunsmoke, Who was part owner of the Long Branch Saloon?
(a) Doc Adams, (b) Miss Kitty, (c) Chester Goode, or (d) Festus Haggen - What was the name of the Lone Ranger’s Horse horse?
(a) Copper, (b) Gold, (c) Silver, or (d) Platinum - What did the Lone Ranger yell out in the last scene as they were leaving?
- In Bonanza, how many sons did Ben Cartwright have?
(a) one, (b) two, (c) three, or (d) four - Who in the series Rawhide, went on to become a famous star?
Resources
- Wikipedia – List of westerns on television
