26 Men

1 9 5 7 (USA)

This is the story of 26 men
who rode the Arizona territory . . .
26 men who saddled up and then
rode out to answer duty’s call
26 men who lived to ride again
and fight for the rights and the liberty of all . .

The pounding beat that pulsed through that theme song said it all: these guys, idealistic and high-minded though they were, were not to be trifled with.

If Texas had its Rangers and gun smoking Dodge City had its Marshals – rest assured, Arizona would be kept orderly by its 26 Men.

The half-hour show’s premise was based on a true-life 1901 event, in which the Arizona Territorial Legislature authorised an armed force consisting of one captain, one lieutenant, four sergeants, and 20 privates. Tris Coffin played the captain, with Kelo Henderson as the team newcomer.

As for the remaining 24 men – though a few lucky riders were occasionally seen and heard from, aside from Coffin and Henderson, there were no regulars. It was shot on location in Arizona, frequently using the Grand Canyon State’s residents in small supporting roles.

Producer Russell Hayden was part of the Hollywood factory which churned out B-movie Westerns. He was famous for his Hopalong Cassidy films and was also known to act, playing the original Marshal in The Marshal of Gunsight Pass.

This time, he was content to preside over 26 Men‘s run, bringing frontier justice into suburban living rooms across the USA.

Captain Tom Rynning
Tris Coffin
Ranger Clint Travis 
Kelo Henderson

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