Pioneers of Television Westerns (Season 2, Episode 2)
TV Episode | Documentary, History

Pioneers of Television

Westerns (Season 2, Episode 2)

TV Episode | Documentary, History

This episodes reviews various contributions to the western genre on early US television. Maverick, starring 'James Garner' was an early success and noted for its humor. The Rifleman was created by Sam Peckinpah, later noted for his more ...See moreThis episodes reviews various contributions to the western genre on early US television. Maverick, starring 'James Garner' was an early success and noted for its humor. The Rifleman was created by Sam Peckinpah, later noted for his more violent take on westerns. It starred Chuck Connors as a single parent raising his young son. Bonanza with Lorne Greene as a rich rancher with three grown sons was noted for never having a permanent female character. The Big Valley on the other hand was noted for its strong female characters played by Barbara Stanwyck and Linda Evans. The Wild Wild West starring Robert Conrad was noted for it's sometimes bizarre story lines and although still very popular, was canceled in 1969 when the US government began a campaign against violence on TV. The High Chaparral had several Latino actors in key roles and Daniel Boone included many African-American actors when few were to be found on US television. Gunsmoke, perhaps the granddaddy of them all, featured James Arness as a US Marshall who rarely used his gun at all. Written by garykmcd See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
45 cast members

Name	Known for
Kelsey Grammer Narrator (voice) Narrator (voice) See fewer	Cheers (1982)
James Garner Self Self See fewer	The Notebook (2004)
Ed Ames Self Self See fewer	Daniel Boone (1964)
Linda Evans Self / Audra Barkley from the Big Valley Self / Audra Barkley from the Big Valley See fewer	Dynasty (1981)
Veronica Cartwright Self / Jemima Boone from Daniel Boone Self / Jemima Boone from Daniel Boone See fewer	Alien (1979)
Roosevelt Grier Self / Gabe Cooper from Daniel Boone (as Rosey Grier) Self / Gabe Cooper from Daniel Boone (as Rosey Grier) See fewer	Half Nelson (2006)
Ernest Borgnine Self Self See fewer	Marty (1955)
Robert Conrad Self / James West from Wild Wild West Self / James West from Wild Wild West See fewer	Jingle All the Way (1996)
Robert Culp Self Self See fewer	I Spy (1965)
Johnny Crawford Self / Mark McCain from Rifleman Self / Mark McCain from Rifleman See fewer	The Rifleman (1958)
Darby Hinton Self / Israel Boone from Daniel Boone Self / Israel Boone from Daniel Boone See fewer	Daniel Boone (1964)
Henry Darrow Self / Manolito Montoya from High Chaparral Self / Manolito Montoya from High Chaparral See fewer	The Hitcher (1986)
Peter Graves Self Self See fewer	Stalag 17 (1953)
Stephen J. Cannell Self Self See fewer	The Rockford Files (1974)
Stefanie Powers Self Self See fewer	Hart to Hart (1979)
Pat Crowley Self Self See fewer	Forever Female (1953)
Mitch Vogel Self Self See fewer	The Reivers (1969)
Adam West Self Self See fewer	Batman (1966)
Chuck McCann Self Self See fewer	DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990)
Martin Landau Self Self See fewer	Ed Wood (1994)
Mike Connors Self Self See fewer	Mannix (1967)
James Arness Self / Marshal Matt Dillon from Gunsmoke Self / Marshal Matt Dillon from Gunsmoke See fewer	Gunsmoke (1955)
Dennis Weaver Self / Dep. Chester Goode from Gunsmoke (archive footage) Self / Dep. Chester Goode from Gunsmoke (archive footage) See fewer	Touch of Evil (1958)
Angie Dickinson Self Self See fewer	Rio Bravo (1959)
Buddy Ebsen Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Beverly Hillbillies (1962)
Fess Parker Self / Daniel Boone from Daniel Boone Self / Daniel Boone from Daniel Boone See fewer	The Great Locomotive Chase (1956)
Amanda Blake Kitty Russell from Gunsmoke (archive footage) Kitty Russell from Gunsmoke (archive footage) See fewer	Gunsmoke (1955)
Dan Blocker Self / Hoss Cartwright from Bonanza (archive footage) Self / Hoss Cartwright from Bonanza (archive footage) See fewer	Bonanza (1959)
Peter Breck Nick Barkley from Big Valley (archive footage) Nick Barkley from Big Valley (archive footage) See fewer	Shock Corridor (1963)
Leo Carrillo Pancho from Cisco Kid (archive footage) Pancho from Cisco Kid (archive footage) See fewer	The Guilty Generation (1931)
Chuck Connors Self / Lucas McCain from Rifleman (archive footage) Self / Lucas McCain from Rifleman (archive footage) See fewer	Tourist Trap (1979)
William Conrad Marshal Matt Dillon from Radio's Gunsmoke (voice) (archive footage) Marshal Matt Dillon from Radio's Gunsmoke (voice) (archive footage) See fewer	Cannon (1971)
Lorne Greene Self / Ben Cartwright from Bonanza (archive footage) Self / Ben Cartwright from Bonanza (archive footage) See fewer	Bonanza (1959)
Michael Landon Self / Joe Cartwright from Bonanza (archive footage) Self / Joe Cartwright from Bonanza (archive footage) See fewer	Little House on the Prairie (1974)
Lee Majors Heath Barkley from Big Valley (archive footage) Heath Barkley from Big Valley (archive footage) See fewer	The Six Million Dollar Man (1974)
Ross Martin Self / Artemus Gordon from Wild Wild West (archive footage) Self / Artemus Gordon from Wild Wild West (archive footage) See fewer	The Great Race (1965)
Dan 'Dice' Narciso Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Painted Live: VEGAS Edition (2016)
Josh Pilsbury Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Pioneers of Television (2008)
Duncan Renaldo The Cisco Kid from Cisco Kid (archive footage) The Cisco Kid from Cisco Kid (archive footage) See fewer	Trader Horn (1931)
Burt Reynolds Quint Asper from Gunsmoke (archive footage) Quint Asper from Gunsmoke (archive footage) See fewer	Boogie Nights (1997)
Pernell Roberts Adam Cartwright from Bonanza (archive footage) Adam Cartwright from Bonanza (archive footage) See fewer	Bonanza (1959)
Barbara Stanwyck Self / Victoria Barkley (archive footage) Self / Victoria Barkley (archive footage) See fewer	Double Indemnity (1944)
Milburn Stone Doc Adams from Gunsmoke (archive footage) Doc Adams from Gunsmoke (archive footage) See fewer	Gunsmoke (1955)
Tobias Tolnay Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Strong Arm of the Law (2013)
Peter Whitney Guest Star on Gunsmoke (archive footage) Guest Star on Gunsmoke (archive footage) See fewer	The Big Heat (1953)