Maverick (1957-1962)

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  • MAVERICK


    WARNER BROTHERS TELEVISION



    Information From IMDb


    Plot Summary
    Brett and Bart Maverick (and in later seasons, their English cousin, Bo) are well dressed gamblers who migrate from town to town always looking for a good game. Poker (5 card draw) is their favorite but they've been known to play such odd card games as Three-toed Sloth on occasion. The show would occasionally feature both or all three Mavericks, but usually would rotate the central character from week to week. Cross-over appearances from the other Warner Brothers western programs were an occasional feature. First seen as a drama, the show began to develop a sense of humor in the first season that carried it through it's run. Written by John Vogel


    Brothers Bret and Bart Maverick (usually separately, but sometimes together) travel across the West trying to stay out of trouble and make a lot of money. The Mavericks preferred playing cards rather than engaging in any sort of manual labor, and, if in trouble, would prefer to leave town than stay and fight. Always conceived as a satire of Westerns, the series later featured the exploits of younger brother Brent and cousin Beau after the departure of actor James Garner. Written by Marty McKee


    Series Cast
    Jack Kelly ... Bart Maverick / ... (46 episodes, 1957-1962)
    James Garner ... Bret Maverick / ... (39 episodes, 1957-1960)
    Edwin Reimers ... Announcer (12 episodes, 1957-1961)
    Kathleen Crowley ... Marla / ... (8 episodes, 1957-1962)
    Chubby Johnson ... Andy Gish, Stagedriver / ... (8 episodes, 1957-1961)
    Tol Avery ... Cyrus Murdock / ... (7 episodes, 1957-1962)
    Gerald Mohr ... Doc Holliday / ... (7 episodes, 1957-1961)
    Gage Clarke ... Bradshaw / ... (7 episodes, 1958-1962)
    Diane Brewster ... Samantha Crawford / ... (6 episodes, 1957-1959)
    Roger Moore ... Beauregarde Maverick / ... (6 episodes, 1959-1961)


    Series Directed
    Leslie H. Martinson (18 episodes, 1957-1961)
    Douglas Heyes (13 episodes, 1957-1959)
    Richard L. Bare (11 episodes, 1957-1959)
    Arthur Lubin (11 episodes, 1959-1960)
    Budd Boetticher (3 episodes, 1957)
    George Waggner (3 episodes, 1959-1961)


    Series Writing Credits
    Douglas Heyes (11 episodes, 1957-1959)
    Howard Browne (10 episodes, 1957-1961)
    and many more...


    Trivia
    * James Garner claimed that during filming one day they had less than an hour until overtime would have to be paid, but they still needed to shoot a complicated fight scene. Spying a group of tall weeds, he suggested that he throw his opponent into the weeds and have the fight proceed with much shaking of the weeds, and people being ejected from the weeds, only to immediately run back in. The results were extremely funny, and thus the cast and crew began to look for "funny" ways to cut corners, turning the show into a semi-comedy.


    * Series creator Roy Huggins never received on-screen credit for this show. In the 1950s Warner Bros. wanted to avoid paying royalties to creators and wanted all television projects to be based on properties held by the studio. The "pilot" episode was based on a Warners-held book, "War of the Copper Kings"; Huggins' script became episode 1.2. Huggins wouldn't get credit until Maverick (1994), the film version with Mel Gibson.


    * In 1960, James Garner sued the Warner Brothers studio for breach of contract, arising from his suspension during the writers' strike of that year. Warner claimed that there were no scripts available during the strike, and were, therefore justified in suspending Garner without pay. However, it was learned during court testimony that the studio had secretly obtained approximately 100 television scripts during the strike. Eventually, the Los Angeles Superior Court ruled in favor of Garner, and he was released from his contract with the series.


    Memorable quotes
    General Eakins: Did your Pappy have something funny to say about money?
    Bret: No, he spoke very highly of it.
    Bret: I admit I'm not too good with a gun, but I like to think the next man is worse.
    Bret Maverick: As my old pappy used to say, work is fine for killin' time, but it's a shaky way to make a living.
    Bret Maverick: As my old pappy used to say, a man does what he has to do - if he can't get out of it.
    Bret: A man who shouts brave and loud, then runs when he gets answered, makes me sick.
    Bret: Waco, I've never seen a man do so many things wrong. Have you ever been in a gulf hurricane?
    Waco Williams: Nope.
    Bret: Well, it's the big pine trees and the thick oak trees that get uprooted first. The palm trees are smart - they give with the wind.
    Waco Williams: That sounds like pretty good advice for trees.
    Bret: They live a long time.
    Bret: My Pappy always said, "A coward dies a thousand deaths, a hero dies but one." A thousand to one is pretty good odds.
    Bret Maverick: As my old pappy used to say, if at first you don't succeed, try something else.
    Pappy Maverick: A man does what he has to do - if he can't get out of it.
    Bret Maverick: Never cry over spilt milk. It could've been whiskey.
    Bret Maverick: As my old pappy used to say, "Son, stay clear of weddings because one of them is liable to be your own."
    Pappy Maverick: Son, hard work never hurt anyone - who didn't do it.
    Bret Maverick: As my old pappy used to say, it would be a pitiful thing if you had to work for a living. Son, use your wits; the Good Lord didn't give you brains.
    Bret Maverick: Jed, only one man in a hundred plays poker by the odds. Luck's only important when you sit down with men who play as tight as you do. When I find that out I quit. It's *gambling*.
    Bret Maverick: Cole, as my old pappy always taught me, the only time you ever quit when you're winnin' is after you've won it all.
    Bart Maverick: As my pappy used to say, "Son, the best time to get lucky is when the other man's dealin'."
    Beauregard 'Pappy' Maverick: Son, as my old pappy used to say, if you're ever served a rare steak that is intended for someone else, don't bother with ethical details - eat as much as you can before the mistake is discovered.
    Bret Maverick: As my old pappy used to say, a fox isn't sly; he just can't think any slower.
    Bret Maverick: As my old pappy used to say, you can be a gentleman and still not forget all you know about self-defense.


    Filming Locations
    Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA
    Western Street, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

  • Maverick is an American Western television series
    with comedic overtones created by Roy Huggins.
    The show ran from September 22, 1957 to July 8, 1962 on ABC
    and stars James Garner as Bret Maverick, a cagey, articulate cardsharp.
    Eight episodes into the first season, he was joined by Jack Kelly as his brother Bart.
    The Mavericks were poker players from Texas who traveled all over the American Old West
    and on Mississippi riverboats, constantly getting into and out of life-threatening trouble
    of one sort or another, usually involving money, women, or both.
    They would typically find themselves weighing a financial windfall against a moral dilemma.
    More often than not, their consciences trumped their wallets.



    When Garner left the series after the third season due to a legal dispute,
    Roger Moore was added to the cast as their cousin Beau.
    Robert Colbert appeared later in the fourth season as a third Maverick brother, Brent.
    No more than two of the series leads ever appeared together in the same episode, and usually only one.



    The show was part of the Warner Bros. array of Westerns,
    which included Cheyenne, Colt .45, Lawman, Bronco, The Alaskans, and Sugarfoot.
    Maverick can currently be seen weekday mornings at 8am ET on the Encore Westerns Channel.


    Another childhood favourite.
    As usual, with these TV series, loads and loads of support artists,
    who were known to all of us!

  • I saw one of those TCM shorts where Clint Eastwood was saluting James Garner for his work and I could have sworn that whose two were in an episode of Maverick. I would have liked to have seen that one.

  • I saw one of those TCM shorts where Clint Eastwood was saluting James Garner for his work and I could have sworn that whose two were in an episode of Maverick. I would have liked to have seen that one.



    According to Imdb, this is the only episode where they appeared together.

    De gustibus non est disputandum

  • Thanks for that Jim,
    like all these shows, there were countless, well known,
    support artists, too many in fact to list.
    There were one or two Duke 'Pals'
    like John Qualen, Slim Pickens, Karl Swenson, Marie Windsor.


    I notice the episode you highlighted,
    was directed by Arthur Lubin.
    I thought that name rings a bell!
    He directed Duke in four films,


    Adventure's End (1937)
    Idol of the Crowds (1937)
    I Cover the War (1937)
    California Straight Ahead! (1937)


    I have now added some Trivia and Memorable Quotes,
    to the lead post!

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

  • We have always enjoyed James Garner, in almost anything



    His performances in the movies "Support Your Local Sheriff" and "Support Your Local Gunfighter" were almost exactly the same character as he played in the TV show "Maverick". The Sheriff film was a lot better than the Gunfighter movie though, IMO.

    De gustibus non est disputandum

  • "Maverick" was a great western series and this discussion has provided a dose of nostalgia. The use of humor in a western series was new at that time and that in part led to its popularity.
    Cheers - Jay:beer:

    Cheers - Jay:beer:
    "Not hardly!!!"

  • His performances in the movies "Support Your Local Sheriff" and "Support Your Local Gunfighter" were almost exactly the same character as he played in the TV show "Maverick". The Sheriff film was a lot better than the Gunfighter movie though, IMO.



    I agree with you on this one as well, Stumpy - characters were almost the same.

    I don't know if Jim Garner is considered a good / great actor, but he always makes it look so effortless and the characters he plays are always so likeable. Again, one of my favorite Garner caracters was Jim Rockford, the world-weary PI who lived out of a trailer on a Malibu beach and was always getting stiffed on his fee.

    One of my favorites..!

  • According to Imdb, this is the only episode where they appeared together.


    Hi all,
    Only one episode's title was "Duel at Sundown" and we can see this episode
    on DVD Unforgiven 's disc two special features. i enjoyed much.
    regards,
    H.sanada

    Sometimes kids ask me what a pro is. I just point to the Duke.
    ~Steve McQueen~

  • Another great example of the super westerns that where on when I was a young man. I really enjoyed anything that had James Garner,
    AKA James Baumgarner in it. I wish these westerns where on the TV Land channel on a regular basis.:wink:

  • Encore's Western Channel is now airing Maverick weeknights at 6 pm. They aired the first episode yesterday. this show was always one of my favorites as a kid ( syndicated airings of course). James Garner has always been a favorite of mine.

  • Another great example of the super westerns that where on when I was a young man. I really enjoyed anything that had James Garner,
    AKA James Baumgarner in it. I wish these westerns where on the TV Land channel on a regular basis.:wink:



    Don't get me started on TVLand. The way they're going, before too long, all the old shows they show will be gone and it'll be nothing but, their own original productions, like that one about women becoming models. They should stick to what made them famous, old tv programs.

  • One of the all time greatest TV shows ever. For those of you with the Starz/Encore Westerns channel you can watch "Maverick" every week night at 6:00PM. Uncut with no commercials. Pure TV heaven.

    They'd never forget the day,the stranger rode into town

  • Another great example of the super westerns that where on when I was a young man. I really enjoyed anything that had James Garner,
    AKA James Baumgarner in it. I wish these westerns where on the TV Land channel on a regular basis.:wink:



    I wholeheartedly agree with you on this series and James Garner-and tv land for that matter.

    The problem with tv land, is that they now seem to be centering most of their programs on newer stuff-which to me is a sad mistake as most of their series are currently played on a few to several different channels-like M*A*S*H and The Cosby SHow and The Andy Griffith SHow and The Beverly Hillbillies and I Love Lucy. WHEW, that's a mouthful. :glare: Anyway, tv land should drop most of these and replace them with older shows like those that "made" their network to begin with. But I guess they ""forgot"" what made them a popular station. :glare:

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..