Have Gun - Will Travel (1957-1963)

Final season of HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL coming out on DVD May 13th, in 2 parts. There's no information as to the reason for the delay.

In addition, David Mamet has been asked to write a reboot of the series:

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David Mamet To Write CBS Reboot Of 'Have Gun - Will Travel'

Since CBS cancelled his series “The Unit” in 2009, David Mamet hasn’t had a lot brewing on the small or big screen -- his last feature-length film was the 2008 MMA drama “Redbelt.” But the acclaimed playwright has some new television work in the pipeline in the form of a reboot of the classic western series “Have Gun - Will Travel.”

There’s been talk about a reboot of the 1957 CBS series before, with one of the stranger takes being an Eminem-starring film set in the modern day, but it looks like the network was impressed enough by Mamet's pitch that they’ve put the project into development, with Mamet to write it and possibly helm the pilot. The original series followed Paladin, a Civil War veteran and top-notch gunfighter who becomes a “gun for hire” and scours the west looking for situations that required his particular expertise. He “preferred to settle problems without violence but stood his ground when provoked.” ...

Here's the link:http://blogs.indiewire.com/the…-gun-will-travel-20120822

Ignore the Eminem rumour. That's from 2008, years ago and it no longer applies to the 'rap singer' protagonist idea. Let us hope. It's likely to be set in the current era, though.

Actually May 7 is the date for the release of the sixth and final season of Have Gun, Will Travel. Ben Johnson guest stars in the episode "The Fifth Bullet," his third appearance on the show.

Thanks for fixing that. The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned. There's been no explanation for the long wait since the 5th season: November 30, 2010. They must be sadists.

The Fifth Bullet is an outstanding episode, one of the top ten best of HGWT. Ben Johnson shines as a man wrongfully imprisoned whom Paladin escorts home. For once a frontier wife isn't shown as a passive bystander waiting for men to save her as she shrieks helplessly on the sidelines. This episode is far more realistic than most shown in the Sixties. It's well worth watching for these reasons. Seek it out, you won't regret the effort.

"The Fifth Bullet" is indeed a great episode, as are the two earlier ones starring Ben -- "A Head of Hair" and "The Race." I'd say Have Gun, Will Travel afforded him far more nuanced, complex characters than he usually got to play on television (with a few exceptions) -- all this in a show whose episodes ran only a half hour. Personally my favorite of the three is the first, "A Head of Hair," in which Ben plays a self-loathing alcoholic civilian scout who loses his mind contemplating how best to win his way back into the good graces of the Sioux tribe he felt he truly belonged to.

Have Gun Will Travel was full of episodes like that. I am always amazed how much they could pack into those little half-hour stories -- way more than most shows fit into an hour or more.

I agree with your assessment.

This show was/is far and away better than most, if not all shows of the time for the story telling it utilized.

It was very well written and directed. Also, NO ONE could have play Paladin except Richard Boone.

Ben Johnson gave RB riding lessons and RB gave BJ acting lessons. I've always wondered what Boone thought when BJ won his Oscar. I must ask Mrs Boone that question.

There's a story that Boone claimed that he could make anyone into an actor. When challenged he put up on his claim. He got a waitress from what we'd now call a fast food restaurant (it was a diner) and brought her into his classroom. After working with her for a few hours she acted with him in a scene from a play. The wager was won.

Neat story.

The wager was with Marlon Brando. History fails to record the currency of the bet, but one is grateful that Boone won and Brando lost.

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Ben Johnson gave RB riding lessons and RB gave BJ acting lessons. I've always wondered what Boone thought when BJ won his Oscar. I must ask Mrs Boone that question.

Please post the answer here as I would be very curious to hear her answer. Also if there is anything else you might be willing to ask her about Richard Boone and Ben Johnson... I'd be grateful!

Ah, a new source to tap......one still alive........that is GREAT Paula. Hope Mona can help you out there. Who knows what "jewels" you may uncover?
KEITH

Quote from Paula

Please post the answer here as I would be very curious to hear her answer. Also if there is anything else you might be willing to ask her about Richard Boone and Ben Johnson... I'd be grateful!

Mrs Boone is 93 years old. So far I've had more success with Hal Needham. What would you like to know?

I just started watching the 1st season to this series as of today at lunch time. The first episode had Jack Lord as its guest star and I thought it was a pretty good episode. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 the best--I would give it an 8. The 2nd episode starred Charles Bronson and on a scale of 1-10--its easily a 10. Hope the rest of the series scores well.

Quote from The Ringo Kid

I just started watching the 1st season to this series as of today at lunch time. The first episode had Jack Lord as its guest star and I thought it was a pretty good episode. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 the best--I would give it an 8. The 2nd episode starred Charles Bronson and on a scale of 1-10--its easily a 10. Hope the rest of the series scores well.

ringo you wont be disappointed with have gun.the 1st season is great and iv'e ordered the second season and i hope it lives up to the 1st.

Quote from ringo kid

ringo you wont be disappointed with have gun.the 1st season is great and iv'e ordered the second season and i hope it lives up to the 1st.

Hi Ringo, so far ive greatly enjoyed it. i would be watching 2 more eps today but-had to get laundry done before the thunderstorms are supposed to hit. Anyway, im already looking at getting season 2 as well. Ive always enjoyed Richard Boone in whatever he was in.

PS, ill also be surprised if Bill does not have any Have Gun images in his magnificent collection.

Surprised that I forgot to mention yesterday that I saw the first two eps of season 1 of: Have Gun Will Travel. The 1st episodes id give a 8 of 10 for and it starred Jack Lord. Ep 2 starred Charles Bronson and id give it a 10 of 10.

The man himself;


His ""Business Card""

A funny knock-off:
:lol::lol::lol:
Almost as classic of introduction as was Steve McQueens was in: Wanted DEad or Alive:

Episode 1 Guest Star: Jack Lord:

Episode 2 Guest Star: Charles Bronson:
His Wanted: poster:

Jack Lord again Ep 1:

Another of Charles Bronson in Ep 1:

Surprised that I forgot to mention yesterday that I saw the first two eps of season 1 of: Have Gun Will Travel. The 1st episodes id give a 8 of 10 for and it starred Jack Lord. Ep 2 starred Charles Bronson and id give it a 10 of 10.

The man himself;


His ""Business Card""

A funny knock-off:
:lol::lol::lol:
Almost as classic of introduction as was Steve McQueens was in: Wanted DEad or Alive:

Episode 1 Guest Star: Jack Lord:

Episode 2 Guest Star: Charles Bronson:
His Wanted: poster:

Jack Lord again Ep 1:

Another of Charles Bronson in Ep 1:

In Spanish perdido means lost...Three bells for the lost is a poignant title. If anyone here is a native Spanish speaker, please correct my syntax.

Jack Lord, Janice Rule and Richard Boone appear in the pilot episode of Have Gun - Will Travel. The pacing of the episode is different from the rest of the series, as is often the case with pilots. It takes a while for actors to hit their stride with their character.

Boone's Paladin costume at this point includes a white necktie and spurs. These disappeared sometime during or after the first season. Paladin was one of the television first characters who wore a black hat and drank alcohol who fought on the side of good. Perhaps the necktie was meant to be a clue to Paladin's good character to unsophisticated audiences of the time when the series aired. According to the biography, Richard Boone: A Knight Without Armor In A Savage Land, it had a red pin in it that cut Boone's face when he was riding a horse at a gallop. Boone gave the pin to Johnny Western who later affixed it to his guitar.

We learn tidbits about Paladin's past in this introduction: he was in the Army, he went to West Point and there was fine bone china in his home when he was a boy. These dribs and drabs are all we get as the series goes on. We never learn Paladin's true name.

In the veranda fight watch Boone slamming the stunt man face-first into the wall rather than Lord. When televisions were all less than 20 inches across no one could see the subterfuge. It's a hard blow straight into the scenery. Boone was a powerful man who held a boxing title more than 2 years when he was in the Navy. That must have hurt a bit.

Jack Lord and Richard Boone were good friends. Fascinating to see Boone as the hero and Lord as a villain in this episode. Boone was first asked to play the part Lord took in Hawaii Five-O. Boone was also instrumental in persuading Hollywood to shoot that series in Hawaii rather than doing location shoots in Hawaii and studio work in Hollywood. Boone didn't think he was right for the part and he didn't want to be tied down.

Paladin's Horse: Dappled grey, name unknown. This horse appeared in the fewest episodes. Was this Mexico, Frisco, or Rudy?

Paladin's Gear: White necktie, black Western front buttoned shirt, concha hat, spurs, plain saddle, black colt pistol, two-shot derringer, black pants, black boots; no rifle

Paladin Disarmed: Twice. The first time he immediately retrieved the weapon from his client using his backup derringer. On the second occasion he helped himself to Dave Enderby's weapon.

Stats

Forgot To Duck: 0

Paladin Shoots: 0

Paladin Kills: 0

Great suff on he series. Till yesterday, I have never seen any of the episodes-at least in full-except for a few that were played in 1980-81? when there was a channel called: CBN? Christian Broadcast Network, and all they played on Sundays were old Western TV shows and then in the afternoons to evenings-Western movies. I remember starting Sundays out with shows they played 2 episodes in a row of shows like; Sky King, The Cisco Kid, The Lone Ranger, The Rifleman, F Troop, Rin Tin Tin (which I never could get "in to" Wagon Train, Rawhide, and some others. Man I miss those days.