Westerner, The

1 9 6 0 (USA)
13 x 30 minute episodes

Laconic cowboy Dave Blasingame’s uncle, Adam Brown (Ted DeCorsia), is murdered by a local tyrant who then steals the deeds to his uncle’s ranch.

Dave (Brian Keith) inherits his uncle’s 405 Winchester repeating rifle and wanders the Wild West looking for work as a ranch hand or wrangler with his faithful mongrel dog, Brown, and the occasional companionship of his snazzy dressing and enterprising conman rival Burgundy Smith (John Dehner).

Dave can’t read or write, tends to get drunk, is often defeated in fistfights, and seems to spend the rest of the series shooting bad men and falling for even badder women.

Though not a particularly friendly or outgoing type, Dave finds settlers to defend, villains to fight and causes to champion throughout the area of the Southwest along the Mexican border.

His avowed aim was to settle down on a ranch of his own and breed quarter horses, but his concern for the exploited pioneers he met constantly kept him postponing that move.

This black & white series was directed by Sam Peckinpah, but sadly short-lived. It was withdrawn by NBC after only thirteen weeks.

Dave Blasingame
Brian Keith
Burgundy Smith
John Dehner