The Original Lyrics To Bonanza...

[Big RR]

As I recall, HGWT aired on CBS on Saturday evenings, probably at 9:00 or 9:30, at least when I watched it.

I forgot about "Wire Pallidin, San Francisco." Thanks for reminding me.

[Big RR]

One question I'll throw out to everyone--the original Superman series (the one starring George Reeves), does anyone know if it was ever broadcast on a network? Most sources I have checked said it was syndicated, and I recall watching it on channel 11 (one of the three non-network stations we had in NYC on the VHF bands), but I wasn't sure if it ever was a network broadcast show.

[Lord Jim]

Oh great, Big RR, you sent me on another Google Quest...

In June 1951, Reeves was offered the role of Superman in a new television series[15] titled Adventures of Superman. He was initially reluctant to take the role because, like many actors of his time, he considered television unimportant and believed few would see his work. He received low pay and only for the weeks of production.[citation needed] The half-hour films were shot on tight schedules; at least two shows were made every six days. According to commentaries on the Adventures of Superman DVD sets, multiple scripts would be filmed simultaneously to take advantage of the standing sets, so that, e.g., all the "Perry White's office" scenes for three or four episodes would be shot the same day and the various "apartment" scenes would be done consecutively.

Reeves's career as Superman had begun with Superman and the Mole Men, a film intended both as a B-picture and as the pilot for the TV series. Immediately after completing it, Reeves and the crew began production of the first season's episodes, all shot over 13 weeks in the summer of 1951. The series went on the air the following year, and Reeves was amazed at becoming a national celebrity. In 1952, the struggling ABC Network purchased the show for national broadcast, which gave him greater visibility.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Reeves

The theme song from "Have Gun - Will Travel" keeps running through my head, but I can't recall what time it was on.

I thought the gunman's first name was "Wire." As in, "Have gun - will travel. Wire Palladin, San Francisco."

And I owe you one as well Dave, because ever since you posted that I've had the old "Bat Masterson" theme (Starring Gene Berry) running through my head...



A one, and a two:

Back when the west was very young,
There lived a man named Masterson.
He wore a cane and derby hat,[now, how somebody "wears" a cane is a little difficult to work out... ]
They called him Bat, Bat Masterson.

The trail that he blazed is still there.
No one has come since, to replace his name.
And those with too ready a trigger,
Forgot to figger on his lightning cane.

Now in the legend of the west,
One name stands out of all the rest.
The man who had the fastest gun,
His name was Bat, Bat Masterson.

[Big RR]

Thanks Jim re superman answer. And "thanks" for the Bat Masterson theme; wearing a cane, huh? Maybe some kind of Lions Club pin?

[dgs49]

Factoids: George Reeves was the brother of body-builder Steve Reeves?

Offed himself some years after the show went off the air?


Other random thoughts: I got a chance to see a couple old episodes of The Lone Ranger a few years ago, and was struck by the fact that LR always spoke in perfectly grammatical complete sentences. He was an English teacher's dream. Tonto, not so much.

[Big RR]

Dave--most sites say George and Steve were not related; do you have obe that says they are? I've never been sure, but I think they weren't.

As for his death, it was ruled a suicide, but there is a lot of controversy about that. Yes, it was after the show was canceled, but it was likely being picked up again and was to go into production the following year. Also, he was involved with (actually in the process of leaving for a new fiancée) a girl with ties to the mob, and a lot of people say it was a hit; others blame his fiancée who was a drunk and had a hot temper. There's a lot of information on line about this, but if you want a pretty good movie about his life and death, see Hollywoodland.