Poll:What is Your Favorite Classic TV Western From the Golden Age(1955-1968)

What Is Your Favorite TV Western From the Golde Ag(1955-1968

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I grew up on these programs and could have answered, honestly, with just about any one of them. But I voted for Rawhide because when I was a kid, I thought Rowdy Yates was the COOLEST guy I'd ever seen.

Not to muddy the water, but I met Ken Curtis, otherwise known as "Festus" at the Wilbarger Rodeo when I was a kid. I didn't think you could meet a bigger star.
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Similar experience for me. I liked to watch Gunsmoke (once I got old enough to stay up that late :) )

I went to the Rodeo in Montgomery Al and saw Festus there and he brought along and sang with (some version of) The Sons of the Pioneers. When they sang "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" it was fantastic. Many who recognize Festus (Curtis) may not know that he got his start as a singer and was an early member of the Sons of the Pioneers for about 4 years.

(Festus' visit was only surpassed when Daniel Boone (Fess Parker) came to town with rodeo.I went down to the edge of the arena and touched his hand as he rode by. I was a kid in heaven.)

Check out the youtube video below: Ken Curtis (in full Festus attire) singing "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" (give it a few seconds to load)... A fantastic job!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWR6FLnPack&feature=related
 
Chuck Conners

The Rifleman series caused me to practice shooting more so than any other western serial. I guess I owe Chuck for my deadly accuracy, throughout my Military days and into my Golden years. Of course, the Lone Ranger got me hooked on silver bullets for werewolf usage. If you notice a shortage of werewolves near you, you can thank the Lone Ranger for giving me gobs of free silver from his secret mine. I kid you not to any extreme degree. cliffy
 
The Wild Wild West

TWWW was it for me with probably The Big Valley and Bonanza running second and third respectively. Another show that didn't make the list was one of my favorites, called The Outcasts and starred Don Murray and Otis Young as bounty hunters. Extremely violent for it's time, (1968) it completely enthralled me for it's one-year run, and I never missed an episode.
 
Talk about western show actors, I use to buy and sell at the Reno and Carson City Nevada Gun shows and was introduced to none other than Clint Walker of Hollywood old west fame.

At the time I didnt know many of the films and TV shows he had starred in I knew of his roll in a film called Sam Whiskey and the Dirty Dozen.

I would be willing to bet he still goes to the gun shows in the area.

Clint Walker
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0907636/
 
Judging by the OP's criteria of a gun or guns being central to the story line, I'd definitely have to vote for "The Rifleman".

The opening segment with Lucas McCain rapid-firing his modified Winchester is one of the most classic moments in all of TV history. His Winchester played a highly prominent role in virtually all the episodes.

There are lots of classic clips from "The Rifleman" on YouTube.
 
I went to the Rodeo in Montgomery Al and saw Festus there and he brought along and sang with (some version of) The Sons of the Pioneers. When they sang "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" it was fantastic. Many who recognize Festus (Curtis) may not know that he got his start as a singer and was an early member of the Sons of the Pioneers for about 4 years.
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FWIW, Ken Curtis (a southeastern Colorado boy, IIRC) was the accordian player and singer ("Wild Colonial Boy")in The Quiet Man with John Wayne. Not a western but quite a bit of fast horse riding.

I saw him once at the PPOB Rodeo in Colorado Springs. Tanya Tucker was there also - still a little girl back then.
 
Bonanza for me followed by The High Chaparral - as an aside we used to have a saying here after a particularly heavy drinking session followed by a very hot curry that in the morning your ‘ar.e felt like the map of Bonanza’
 
"Tales of Wells Fargo"
"Colt .45"
"The Rebel"

I'm starting to reveal my age if I can remember these! :what:
 
I'll have to say Rifleman, although I also like Bonanza a lot. However, the best theme would have to go to The Virginian!

BTW, about Ken Curtis, have any of you heard of the Sons of the Pioneers? They were a western singing group originally started by Roy Rogers and Ken sung with them for quite a while. I'm sure many of you are familiar with their songs because their lead singer for many years (Bob Nolan) wrote Tumbling Tumbleweeds, Cool Water, and many other classics. Also, the Pioneers recorded the on-screen versions of the themes for Maverick and the movie The Searchers.

~Dale
 
BTW, about Ken Curtis, have any of you heard of the Sons of the Pioneers?
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Yes,I'm a big fan of their music and have their Greatest Hits CD.
Bob Nolan(1908-1980)was a great songwriter and is in the Western Performers Hall of Fame in Oklahoma and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Cool Water is the greatest Western song ever written,IMO.Haunting and unforgettable lyrics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Nolan
 
Sorry...Can't vote. You didn't list Hopalong Casidy...Who can not remember the Saturday matinee at the local theater or the TV shows of the "Old West". The Cisco Kid and Pancho would have to be my second choice. Again...Not on your list...
 
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