Since I used to enjoy "Rawhide" during its DVD release, now I'd like to share with you the short-lived "The Westerner" starring Brian Keith. The reason why the highlight remains: writer Bruce Geller, creator of "Mission: Impossible".
PART 1
For those enjoying and remembering the input of Bruce Geller on season 7 of "Rawhide", find a preliminary work on the old west series "The Westerner" (1960), created and produced by the great Sam Peckinpah. It’s a Four Star production. This episode "Brown" foreshadows the absurdity of the two-parter “Damon’s Road” because of a crook character and, here, Burgundy Smith.
E3 • Brown written by Bruce Geller* directed by Sam Peckinpah Production Manager Barry Crane* Music by Herschel Burke Gilbert*
* all artisans will end up on "Mission: Impossible".
And now the sequel to “Brown” with the same guest character of Burgundy Smith (actor John Dehner) who, after willing to buy a dog, wish to possess a woman. There is a short funny pet chase scene inside a grocery store not to miss!
E6 • The Courting of Libby written by Bruce Geller directed by Sam Peckinpah photographed by Lucian Ballard Production Manager Barry Crane Music by Herschel Burke Gilbert
Since I used to enjoy "Rawhide" during its DVD release, now I'd like to share with you the short-lived "The Westerner" starring Brian Keith. The reason why the highlight remains: writer Bruce Geller, creator of "Mission: Impossible".
PART 1
For those enjoying and remembering the input of Bruce Geller on season 7 of "Rawhide", find a preliminary work on the old west series "The Westerner" (1960), created and produced by the great Sam Peckinpah. It’s a Four Star production. This episode "Brown" foreshadows the absurdity of the two-parter “Damon’s Road” because of a crook character and, here, Burgundy Smith.
E3 • Brown written by Bruce Geller* directed by Sam Peckinpah Production Manager Barry Crane* Music by Herschel Burke Gilbert*
* all artisans will end up on "Mission: Impossible".
It's interesting to note that Gilbert scored "The Thief" a spy thriller with no dialogue, which was precursor to the style of "Mission: Impossible". The two songs from the episode "Illusion", "Buy Me That Glass Of Wine" and "Ten Tiny Toes" were actually from the "Rawhide" two part episode "Damon's Road" that was scored by Rudy Schrager though it was the two songs that won Gilbert the Western Heritage Award from The Cowboy Hall Of Fame. This was from "Rawhide"'s eight season, which was produced by Geller.
It's interesting to note that Gilbert scored "The Thief" a spy thriller with no dialogue, which was precursor to the style of "Mission: Impossible". The two songs from the episode "Illusion", "Buy Me That Glass Of Wine" and "Ten Tiny Toes" were actually from the "Rawhide" two part episode "Damon's Road" that was scored by Rudy Schrager though it was the two songs that won Gilbert the Western Heritage Award from The Cowboy Hall Of Fame. This was from "Rawhide"'s eight season, which was produced by Geller.
A little correction concerning Bruce Geller: he only worked during season 7.
And now the third episode. It’s a herd drama featuring a young recruit from the city who makes a deal with Blassingame: learning how to read in exchange of a labour job as a cow hand. The green man is a trigger-happy educated man that Blassingame tries to tame but in vain. Guest starring Michael Ansara (from “Mission: Impossible”) and Ben Cooper and John Pickard (from “Mission: Impossible”).
E12 • Hand on the Gun written by Bruce Geller directed by Sam Peckinpah Production Manager Barry Crane Music by Rudy Schrager
And now the third and final episode with the recurring character of Burgundy Smith: see “Brown” and “The Courting of Libby”. After willing to buy a dog and get a woman, now, Smith wishes to get and sell a painting. Blassingame looses his dog and get a woman instead. Guest starring John Dehner and Madlyn Rhue (from “Mission: Impossible”).
E13 • The Painting written by Bruce Geller directed by Sam Peckinpah Music by Joseph Mullendore
It’s a moody entry in which Blassingame crosses the desert and ends up in a ghost Mexican town at first and then later is infested by bandits. It's the only entry directed by writer Bruce Geller, by the way.
E9 • Ghost of a Chance directed by Bruce Geller written by Milton S. Gelman Music by Rudy Schrager
Episode 7, "Treasure", is the one that made its mark on me. This is probably the darkest episode of the entire series, though to be fair I haven't seen these shows in maybe fifteen years and only once at that.
Episode 7, "Treasure", is the one that made its mark on me. This is probably the darkest episode of the entire series, though to be fair I haven't seen these shows in maybe fifteen years and only once at that.
I agree, Jim. A great episode. As I said before the series was way ahead of its time because Dave is certainly not a "hero" in the story. He is almost a bad guy.
I wish someone would clean these up and issue as a set. I have seen them all but I would still buy them in a heartbeat.
Episode 7, "Treasure", is the one that made its mark on me. This is probably the darkest episode of the entire series, though to be fair I haven't seen these shows in maybe fifteen years and only once at that.
I agree, Jim. A great episode. As I said before the series was way ahead of its time because Dave is certainly not a "hero" in the story. He is almost a bad guy.
I wish someone would clean these up and issue as a set. I have seen them all but I would still buy them in a heartbeat.
Years before I ever watched the series, I remembered the dismissal that Brooks and Marsh gave this show in their Television Encyclopedia. Then, when I finally saw the show many, many years later on The Encore Westerns Channel, I immediately noticed the different tone and feel this series had compared to just about every other western on tv, but then not many western tv shows can claim to have an auteur as its driving force. The Westerner is one of those tantalizing glimpses into what tv could have been in terms of truly "Adult Westerns", to use the then-popular term.
And Brian Keith was such an outstanding actor (forget "Uncle Beel", kids). I daresay we don't have anyone like him around today.
Just a bit of a further word on the ”Treasure” episode. I read someplace that Peckinpah said The Treasure of the Sierra Madre was the best movie ever made, and I think that this was his homage to that film. I have always felt that Sierra Madre was about our humanness. Fred C. Dobbs starts out being a good, upstanding guy. He has a sense of honor and compassion. That is until he finds gold. Then his humanness sets in. We all feel greed, but Dobbs lets it get the best of him. He surrenders to it. That is what happens to Blassingame in the “Treasure” episode. Like Dobbs, he is human and lets greed get the best of him. He too surrenders to it. It rules him so strongly that he leaves the dog, Brown, behind to die in the desert. That is why this was such a great series. Peckinpah let his main character be human and flawed.
It's interesting to note that Gilbert scored "The Thief" a spy thriller with no dialogue, which was precursor to the style of "Mission: Impossible". The two songs from the episode "Illusion", "Buy Me That Glass Of Wine" and "Ten Tiny Toes" were actually from the "Rawhide" two part episode "Damon's Road" that was scored by Rudy Schrager though it was the two songs that won Gilbert the Western Heritage Award from The Cowboy Hall Of Fame. This was from "Rawhide"'s eight season, which was produced by Geller.
A little correction concerning Bruce Geller: he only worked during season 7.
Just thought I would bring this thread up to date. The Westerner has been officially issued by Shout Factory, and they have done a fine job. There is a bonus on it of what appears to be the pilot which was shown on the Zane Grey Theater.
