1950’s TV and Some Old West Legends

by Guy Belleranti

The 1950’s and early 1960’s produced a myriad of television westerns. Most were about fictional people, but a few were developed around actual old west legendary figures.

Four series especially come to mind: The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, Annie Oakley, Bat Masterson and The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. All provided largely fictionalized stories about their main characters during their 30 minute episodes.

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok was the first to hit television, with 113 episodes being produced from 1951 to 1958. Guy Madison starred as US Marshal James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok and Andy Devine was Hickok’s deputy, Jingles.

The program featured action and comedy, with the comedy coming primarily from Devine. I saw the program in reruns in the early sixties and still remember how Jingles always seemed to be running or riding after Hickok and yelling “Hey, Bill, wait for me!”

Annie Oakley ran for 3 seasons. The first of 81 episodes aired in the beginning of 1954, and the program ended in early 1957. Gail Davis played the legendary western cowgirl/sharpshooter. Her character was certainly no shrinking violet, as she used her shooting skills to make sure outlaws scooted from town in a hurry. Brad Johnson played Annie’s suitor, Deputy Sheriff Lofty Craig, and Jimmy Hawkins played her younger brother, Tagg.

While Annie Oakley the series was hugely fictitious, the character and her shooting prowess was anything but. Indeed, the real Annie was an amazing sharpshooter. During the 1880’s she was part of the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show.

Bat Masterson starred Gene Barry as the cane carrying, derby hat wearing old west figure. A well-dressed gambler who liked the ladies, Masterson used his cane as well as his gun to trip up or strike down many a bad guy. The show took a tongue-in-cheek approach in both its story lines and in Barry’s characterization of Masterson. Plastic derbies and canes were big sellers to kids during the program’s run from 1958 to 1961.

In real life Masterson did, in fact, carry a cane, using it as an aid after receiving a wound from a bullet. He was a lawman in Dodge City for a time in the 1870’s, working with among others, Wyatt Earp.

Which brings us to the series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. This program was the most popular of the four, with 266 episodes airing from 1955 to 1961. Hugh O’Brien starred as the legendary figure, keeping the peace for the first three seasons in Dodge City, Kansas and then moving on to Tombstone, Arizona. Some billed the show as “the first adult western” on television, but all that really matters is that it was hit.

One interesting thing about this series was that many of the supporting or guest characters were names drawn from actual old west history. In addition to Earp, episodes also featured Wyatt’s brothers Virgil and Morgan, Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, Ned Buntline, Johnny Behan, Nellie Cashman, Johnny Ringo, Curly Bill Brocius and Ike Clanton. Of course, the program’s stories were still primarily a product of Hollywood, but those old west names sure added to the flavor. And a famous name is the reason all four of these programs initially attracted viewers. For almost anyone has at least a little curiosity about an old west legend.

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