Who's your favorite Cowboy?

Who’s your favorite cowboy?

I grew up in the golden age of the TV western. From 1950 to 1968 several hundred cowboy opera’s were the prime staple of early television. Not a night went by that you weren’t allowed to saddle up and ride the romantic west. They filled the nights and ushered in the afternoon after school time to accommodate mothers cooking supper.

I can remember putting on my turquoise skirt, vest, and strapping on my pearl handled .45 to watch Annie Oakley. On Saturday mornings, there was My Friend, Flicka, Fury of Broken Wheel Ranch, and of course, The Cisco Kid which only lasted 4 seasons but produced 156 episodes. That’s a lot of film folks. For every minute of filming there has to be a page of dialogue.

What were the tropes these writers used?

Cowboy hero in his element on a ranch or out of his comfort zone in town falling for a woman.

There was always a Fling, the cowboy or ranch owner involved in a relationship with a woman to save her ranch, her herd, avenge her father or brother’s death, but we always knew our hero would not get the girl. No, he had to be available for next week’s adventure.

Cisco and the Lone Ranger often used disguise in order to rat out the villain.

Law Enforcement – Well, we know that Gunsmoke falls under that category. But who else remember Laredo about the Texas Rangers. And Cimarron Strip which followed the adventures of Steward Whittman as the sheriff. 

I don’t think my father ever missed an episode of Wagon Train or Death Valley Days.

Bonanza premiered in 1959 and ran until 1973. It is the second longest after Gunsmoke. It is said that Bonanza and Michael Landon spurred the purchase of color TV sets because ladies wanted to see what color his eyes truly were. There were 430 episodes filmed.

These shows spurred my desire to write westerns, ride horses, and raise cattle. I have been so very lucky to have achieved some of the dreams.

This brings me to what’s coming up. I am going to release a new series in July. My love of Laredo, The Wild Wild West, Maverick, Have Gun Will Travel and Gunsmoke have led to this series. I plan on following four Texas Rangers are they struggle to find out who wants to destroy Texas. 

Now, let’s see who is your favorite western hero?

Virginian

Trampas

James Joseph Horne

Matt Dillon

John Cannon

Buck Cannon

Montalito

Blue Boy

Jared Barkley

Nick Barkley

Heath

Ben Cartwright

Hoss Cartwright

Adam Cartwright

Joseph Cartwright

Paladin

Hannibal Hayes

Kid Curry

James West

Artemus Gordon

Cheyenne

Sugar Foot

Hondo

Shane

 Until next time.....

        Nan