Posted on 03/02/2012 11:22:05 AM PST by sussex
Anyone remember those TV Westerns that dominated the screens in both the USA and UK during the 50s and 60s? They were evicted wholesale after Fred Silverman of CBS instigated his “rural purge” in 1970.
Why did CBS and the other networks close them down? Who knows, because ratings were certainly not low. The Western on page or screen always had an appeal both inside and outside the USA.
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The theme music for “The Wild Wild West’’ was totally cool!
The white male authority figure with a gun. The ultimate liberal boogie man.
“My earliest memory is riding my spring rocking horse with the Rawhide theme on the TV.”
Frankie Lane recorded the theme song for Rawhide. That was the best by far. Frankie Lane passed away a couple of years ago. He was a great singer. You should download the song. Roll them roll them roll them.
You're right. That's why Presidents Reagan and G.W. Bush were derisively called cowboys by the left.
Many Roy Rogers and other western actors are shown on Netflix instant play,and you can order the dvds for home viewing also. Right now Hopalong Cassidy, which was mostly for children, but a good role model, is available on instant play Netflix. My favorite westerns of that time period were Maverick and The Lawman.
From the radio show: Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear! With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the Lone ranger rides again! Heigh Ho Silver! Get’em up Scout!
Roy Rogers was really a children’s show too but boy what a good roll model both in real life and on the movies and TV.
Liked his Mare’s Leg - I bought one from Henry Rifles and the other from Braztech (Rossi)....both in 45LC.
I loved all those old Westerns, and couldn’t agree more. The High Chapparal had the best theme music. Of course I’m biased since I spent a lot of summers as a youth in Arizona. My other favorite is The Big Valley, again because I grew up in the Bay Area and Stockton was close. What a hellhole that town has become. Wonder what Nick and Heath would have done in their hometown today?
Yep, Roy was also a good guy in real life. Hopalong almost always had a message for his little “partners” at the end of each TV episode. Both great role models back in the day when good men were looked up to and bad men were vilified and the difference between the two were very apparent.
I too thought the Mare’s Leg was a great gimmick.
One thing I always wondered about was the cartridges in his belt loop were so long that there could not be room for more than one in that short magazine.
The gun was probably a cut down model 92, maybe in 44-40 but the cartridges looked like 30-40 Krag or maybe even 45-70.
Lots of great watching since 1951 (mostly Roy and Lone Ranger) but the best transition was James Garner in between when Bonanza appeared in early 60s.
Song:
Who is the tall dark stranger there?
Maverick is the name.
Riding the trail to who knows where
Luck is his companion
Gamblin’ is his game.
Smooth as a handle on a gun
Maverick is the name.
Wild as a wind in Oregon
Blowin’ up a canyon
Easier to tame.
Riverboat ring your bell!
Fare-the-well Annabelle!
Luck is the lady that he loves the best!
Nachetz to New Orleans
Livin’ on jacks and queens
Maverick is the legend of the West.
Riverboat ring your bell
Fare-the-well Annabelle!
Luck is the lady that he loves the best!
Natchez to New Orleans
Livin’ on jacks and queens
Maverick is the legend of the West.
Maverick is the legend of the West.
No, I will never forget Bat Masterson.
And, although it was a Southern (rather than a Western), I loved the Grey Ghost.
“We took our men from Texas, Kentucky, and Virginia;
from the mountains and the backwoods and the plains.
We put them under orders — guerrilla fighting orders,
and what we lacked in numbers,
we made up in speed and brains.
Both Rebs and Yankee strangers,
they called us ‘Mosby’s Rangers.’
Both North and South they knew our fame.
Gray Ghost is what they called me;
John Mosby is my name.”
I grew up with them all on Saturdays mornings. I still love a good western. Guess I’ve always tried to be one of the good guys.
I loved “The Grey Ghost”. It was my favorite show. I can’t remember how long it was on but it wasn’t very long. I was told way back then that CBS cancelled it because he was a Confederate.
If I remember, that song was to the tune of “Yellow Rose of Texas”.
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