Alias Smith & Jones

1 9 7 1 – 1 9 7 3 (USA)
1 x 90 minute episode
49 x 52 minute episodes

Infamous bank robbers Hannibal Heyes (a safecracker and card sharp) and Kid Curry (a gunslinger who never actually shot anyone) – the leaders of the Devil Hole gang – find themselves incapable of cracking the newly developed safes and decide to go straight.

They seek amnesty from the Governor and hope to have their slates wiped clean.

The Governor’s decision – which is related by their friend Sheriff Lom Trevors – is to grant them provisional amnesty, which will become a full pardon within twelve months if Hannibal and the Kid end their life of crime and prove themselves worthy.

Unfortunately, the deal is a secret, and there is still a bounty on their heads, so trouble usually finds them.

They leave their gang and adopt the aliases Thaddeus Jones (Curry) and Joshua Smith (Heyes).

For three television seasons, they were chased across the American West by posses, bounty hunters, and fellow outlaws looking to settle a score.

Despite their earnest attempt to lead honest lives, circumstances would often dictate that they fall back on the tools of their former trade to get themselves out of trouble.

On 31 December 1971, 31-year-old Pete Duel mortally shot himself in the head after watching the show on TV, leaving his role to be speedily recast.

Roger Davis was the narrator heard in the opening credits of the series until Peter Duel’s death.

He then took the role of Heyes, and someone else took over the role of narrator.

Hannibal Heyes/Joshua Smith
Pete Duel (1)
Roger Davis (2)
Kid Curry/Thaddeus Jones
Ben Murphy
Sheriff Lom Trevors
Mike Road (1)
James Drury (2)
John Russell (3)
Harry Briscoe
JD Cannon
Clementine Hale
Sally Field
Big Mac McCreedy
Burl Ives
Silky O’Sullivan
Walter Brennan
Blackjack Jenny
Ann Sothern
Winford Fletcher
Rudy Vallee
Narrator
Roger Davis