Posted on 09/15/2008 3:45:02 AM PDT by sig226
BACK IN THE HEYDAY OF THE TELEVISION WESTERN, the 1950s and 1960s, there were more horse operas than any other type of show on the air, and many, like Wanted Dead or Alive, managed to tell a credible story in only 30 minutes, and do it in black and white with just a few commercial interruptions.
The first episode was actually a spin-off from the hit western "Trackdown" starring Robert Culp as Texas Ranger Hoby Gilman. That episode, titled "The Bounty Hunter," ( this episode has also been listed as "The Bounty Man" ) introduced Steve McQueen as Josh Randall and aired on March 1958, on CBS. Between the three major networks, CBS, ABC and NBC, there were nearly 60 westerns or western-themed shows during the 1950s and 1960s, many of which lasted only one or two seasons. Others like Bonanza (1959-1973), Wagon Train (1957-1965), The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955-1961), and Gunsmoke (1955-1975), stayed on for years, and in Gunsmoke's case, two decades, plus several made-for-TV movies. Wanted Dead or Alive ran from 1958 to 1961, outlasting Trackdown, which aired from 1957 to 1959.
The series launched McQueen's career, making him one of the few television actors to make the transition to film star, and a legendary one at that. His brooding, softspoken character, Josh Randall, was so well received by audiences and critics alike, that he was cast in the 1960 film "The Magnificent Seven" playing opposite Yul Brynner and fellow television actors James Coburn, Charles Bronson, and Robert Vaughn. The movie launched McQueen's film career just as Wanted Dead or Alive ended its run in March 1961.
In the 1950s and 1960s almost every western character had a gimmmick, whether it was their wardrobe, an unusual hat, or a fancy gun. For McQueen's character, the writers and prooducer John Robinson decided upon something truly different, a sawed-off Winchester Model 1892 rifle with a big ring lever, similar to John Wayne's famed Winchester repeater.
ping
I love them ‘ol shootem up hawg irons!
Very Cool. I have a modern reproduction of the 1892 carbine chambered for 45 Long Colt. It is a great shooter.
Funny, it was only 40 years ago when many Hollywood actors were proud to be known as proficient with weapons. This was, of course, before Alan Alda.
I thought about making one a few years back, but it’s one of those items covered by the NFA. Kind of a high price to pay for something I wouldn’t use much.
I love the old westerns (as long as the main character doesn't sing), but I cringe when I see someone lower the hammer of a Colt 1873 on a loaded chamber. My guess is that bit of authenticity was decided to be a waste on viewers, so why confuse them? Just like the view from 99% of TV and movie binoculars, where you get the horizontal "figure 8" image.
I like the Winchester 1892 because it's the baby brother to my Winchester 1886, the only real "antique" I own.
I’m still amazed at the amount of lead those guys could throw without reloading.
What caliber? Mine's in 40.82.
the most authentic rifle in an ‘older’ movie suppose to be circa 1870’s and 1880’s was in the movie ‘Winchester ‘73’.
Most older westerns (1940’s, 50’s 60’s) taking place in that time frame had the protagonists and antagonist brandishing 1892 Winchesters....a wonderful gun but too late to be the gun that won the west...(well maybe they won the end of the wild west).
I own 1 and my son owns 1 original ‘73 and they are both shooters and wonderful history lessons in and of themselves.
What about “The Rifleman”?
There's a very funny clip on Youtube -- someone spliced together a great many scenes from "The Rifleman" and we get to see Chuck Connors walk down the street and shoot about 75 people. And then he calmly reloads. It's a great send-up of the old endless-ammo cliche.
I worked for a fellow, who in the 80’s was the chairman of the CA GOP. He always invited all the employees to the political fundraiser dinners and bbq’s. Chuck Connors was a regular, as was Charlton Heston and many others. Chuck Connors was a big guy and all the times I saw (many) he was always loaded. They always had to have him talk early in the event because he’d be to sloshed to talk later. He was a neat gut to talk to after a few rounds.
McQueen faked a car accident so he could be let out of his contract to play in “The Magnificent Seven”. The director had a tough time reigning in a bunch of prima donnas on that movie. Each wanted their screentime. One of the guys who had a great time on that project was Eli Wallach. The Mexicans adapted him as their gang leader and they went riding every morning in character.
The big difference from yesterday and today is the actors back then were tough and respected off screen. That’s why they were chosen. Today it’s all male models and metrosexuals.
I saw an old Twilight episode yesterday and an extra who usually plays a bumbling idiot was twirling a sixshooter. I was amazed. Gun handling was more important back then than being on your mark.
The new James Bond doesn’t like guns nor does the actress who plays Sarah Connor in the tv terminator series.
Does any gun collector have any info on an E.James 12 g auge shotgun with engravings of a (goose?)in flight, dead and just sitting on the sides of the trigger assembly. I have found that it is an English gun but can’t seem to find much else.
Despite all the top billing going to the other stars, I always thought Eli Wallach stole that movie. For a nice Jewish kid from Brooklyn, he was a great Mexican bandit.
‘til recently, Wild West Guns had something similar, the Bushwacker - a seriously cut-down version of their famous Co-Pilot, a .45-70 / .457WWM big-bore. Gotta find out what happended to it after they overhauled their website...
The Magnificent Seven is modeled so closely on
Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai that they share even some dialogue
The character of “Zoe” in the short-lived Sci-Fi-Western show “Firefly”, carried a sawed-off rifle just like that one. The thing I like about the “Firefly” episodes where the mixing of Sci-Fi future with the genre of the old-fashioned Western. Zoe wielded that sawed-off rifle with authority!
Good luck finding anything. I have a similar shotgun and have had a lot of trouble finding out anything about it. The only thing I could find out is that Edward James and his brother were gunsmiths in London from 1855-1860 and built handmade shotguns. Although these shotguns are rare, there isn't much demand for them so they aren't exceptionally valuable.
45-90.
And what everybody's been saying about reloading during a firefight. Anything from 20-shot revolvers to infinite-capacity magazines.
The camera work while Wallach was trying to ride out of the trap was excellent. They swear up and down his work as a Mexican bandit was NOT how he won the role as “Tuco” in “The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly”.
I wish they would put some of heroes from our Middle Eastern Wars under movie contracts. I have more respect from them than the poor excuses we have for actors these days.
After that, “The Thirteenth Warrior”.
I copied the title off another board and the poster mispelled it. Maybe I should start paying attention.
I was looking for a hidden meaning in there. DUH
Supposedly Jerry Lewis was the fastest draw among the actors from the 1950s and 60s. Considering the physical style of comedy that he used, and the number of times he might have to repeat a stunt to get a good take, it isn’t that hard to believe.
Of all of the movie cowboys, Clint Eastwood is the only one who actually shot in competetion, and I recall the shooter in an exhibition saying that Eastwood was fast, but Jerry Lewis was timed and he was the fastest.
There’s a photo of James Arness in competition but I don’t know of any movie stars. He was using a double action revolver in his western rig.
Mel Torme was a Colt single action collector and had a comemorative Colt in his honor.
Hugh O’Brian challenged Audie Murphy to a “gunfight” and Murphy said with real bullets. That idea went away.
Sammy Davis Jr. was supposed to real fast and also twirled his guns.
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