Lancer

1 9 6 8 – 1 9 7 0 (USA)
51 x 50 minute episodes

The story of Murdoch Lancer (played by Andrew Duggan) – a twice-widowed sheep and cattle rancher struggling to defend his vast 100,000-acre ranch in California’s San Joaquin Valley against would-be land grabbers during the 1870s with the help of his two sons (half-brothers) and his ward.

Oldest son Scott (Wayne Maunder), whose genteel Irish mother died in childbirth, was raised by his maternal grandfather in Boston, where he graduated from college and became a gentleman.

Younger son Johnny (James Stacy) was taken from his father by his Mexican mother when he was two years old. He grew up on the Mexican frontier and went by the name Johnny Madrid, earning a reputation as a fast gun and narrowly escaping death before the rifles of a Mexican firing squad.

Men from Johnny’s past occasionally showed up to cause problems for Johnny and his newfound family.

Teresa O’Brien (Elizabeth Baur) became Murdoch’s ward – and a surrogate sister to the two boys – when her father, Murdoch’s ranch foreman, was murdered.

Lancer was one of many Westerns that tried to imitate the successful Bonanza formula, but with little success.

Murdoch Lancer
Andrew Duggan
Scott Lancer
Wayne Maunder
Johnny Madrid Lancer
James Stacy
Teresa O’Brien
Elizabeth Baur
Jelly Hoskins
Paul Brinegar

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