Ever since I saw a marathon on the Western Channel of HGWT a few months ago, I plan my day for it coming on at 5:35 every M-F! Since I was only born in '61, I didn't have the priviledge of seeing this show in it's "hey-day," but I try never to miss an episode. My wife, who is 19 years my junior, is nearly as much a JW fan as I am, loves to watch the show, too!
I posted this on another thread, but Andrew McLaglen holds the distinction of directing the most episodes of HGWT (101), and Gunsmoke (96). That's VERY impressive! I always tell my wife that you can see right away whether it's an episode directed by Andy or not, as he was far superior to everyone else in every aspect of directing - from lighting, to getting the best out of his actors.
As for the "PC" experiences some are speaking about with in-laws and such: I too have dealt with this, and I was a teacher for many years. These folks that play these games about "everyone's a winner, and don't dare flunk my child because they cheated" really used to burn all of us up. They did these things because THEY grew up maladjusted and unable to deal with normal, everyday life, and they want everyone else to cave in to them. I grew up with a dad the gave us boys guns when we were very young (I was 10 when I received my 1st shotgun), and took us target shooting all the time, but we we NEVER allowed to touch those guns without his, or an older brother's (8 & 7 years older) supervision, and that was to clean them, and get them ready for transport. Dad wasn't a big fan of hunting as he got past 50, but my brothers still are, as are THEIR sons (I don't have the time), but ALWAYS responsibly.
I had toy pistols and rifles and hats and vests, and we played "Cowboys & Indians," "Cops & Robbers, and I had camaflauge outfit fatigue hat and poncho and a toy M-16, but I didn't grow up to be a psycho mass murderer, and no one else who played with toys did either, or you'd see millions of us baby boomers on the news!