January 10, 1959 (1959-01-10) – May 6, 1960 (1960-05-06)
Black Saddle is an American Western television series starring Peter Breck that aired 44 episodes from January 10, 1959, to May 6, 1960. The first season of 20 episodes aired on NBC from January 1959-September 1959. ABC picked up the second season in the 1959-1960 season with 24 new episodes produced. The half-hour program was produced by Dick Powell's Four Star Television, and the original backdoor pilot was an episode of CBS's Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, with Chris Alcaide originally portraying the principal character, Clay Culhane, in an episode entitled "A Threat of Violence." [1]
Synopsis
Clay Culhane is a gunfighter who becomes a lawyer after his brothers are killed in a shootout. He carries his law books as he rides across the New Mexico Territory in the years following the Civil War, ready to help people who need help with the law. U. S. Marshal Gib Scott follows Culhane, dubious of Culhane's turning away from gunfighting.[2] Nora Travers owns the town's hotel, and Kelly is the bartender at the saloon.[3]
Originally entitled War Gun, but changed just prior to filming (presumably due to the similarity to Warner Brothers' Lawman[6]), the series was created by executive producers Hal Hudson and John McGreevey.[7]Antony Ellis was the producer.[4] On NBC the show was broadcast on Saturdays from 9 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time. When it was moved to ABC it was shown on Fridays from 10:30 to 11 p.m. E. T.[2]
The pilot for the series was "Threat to Violence", the May 23, 1958, episode of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre. Chris Alcaide portrayed Culhane in it, with Johnson and Anna Lisa in the roles that they had in the series.[7] The change of stars occurred because the program's sponsor thought Alacaide "had become too familiar as a villain".[1]
Although the Black Saddle TV series lasted less than two full seasons, its original theme tune—written by Jerry Goldsmith under the name of his then-brother-in-law, J. Michael Hennagin, because Goldsmith himself was still under contract to CBS[10][11]—lives on. Several cover versions of the tune have been recorded,[12][11][13] many of which have since become available on YouTube.[14] Moreover, from February 1967 until at least the fall of 1992, the theme was frequently featured in the programs of marching bands and bugle corps.[15]
A review of the premiere episode in the trade publication Variety said that the script "did not stand up with the better westerns" and indicated that the pace of the episode should have been faster.[17] The review called the characterizations of the sheriff and the villain "hard to swallow".[17] Lisa was praised, primarily for her beauty, while Breck was said to be "okay in a flat sort of way", and the "Supporting cast was competent."[17]
^ abcdMcNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 101. ISBN0-14-02-4916-8.
^ ab"Giving 'Law Gun ' New Tag to Avoid 'Lawman' Conflict". The Hollywood Reporter. December 2, 1958. p. 8. ProQuest2338270459. New telefilm series, 'Law Gun,' just signed by NBC for a mid-season January start, goes into immediate production tomorrow at Four Star's Fox Western studios with Peter Breck and Russell Johnson in stellar roles. According to executive producer Hal Hudson, title of the series will definitely be changed, presumably since it's too similar to Warner's 'Lawman.'
^"Hal Hudson Sets Up Shop on Republic Lot". The Hollywood Repoprter. May 31, 1965. p. 7. ProQuest2338330903. Hal Hudsod, executive v-p of Zane Grey Prods., has moved the company to Republic to ready production of the telefilm series in which Zane Grey is partnered with Four Star. Hudson will again produce 'Zane Grey Theatre' which goes into its fourth year and will resume as exec producer of 'Black Saddle' which enters its second season.
^Burlingame, Jon (1996). TV's Biggest Hits : The Story of Television Themes from "Dragnet" to "Friends". New York: Schirmer Books. pp. 83–84. ISBN0028703243. "Goldsmith had scored to radio western 'Frontier Gentleman,' for producer Antony Ellis. When Ellis moved into television with 'Black Saddle,' starring Peter Breck as a gunfighter-turned-lawyer, he asked Goldsmith to write the theme. Because the composer was still under contract to CBS at the time, he penned it under a pseudonym (that of his then brother-in-law, J. Michael Hennagin) and never received screen credit for his fast rhythmically exciting theme for guitars, brass and percussion. Arthur Morton (b. 1908), who several years later became Goldsmith's regular orchestrator, wrote a library of Coplandesque music for the series."
Mitchell, Sandy; Buckwalter, Tim; Hostetler, Amy (August 28, 1984). "School Bands Ready for a Big Year; School Bands Ready to Strut Their Stuff". Intelligencer Journal. pp. 34, 9.
Cramer, Gary; Knapp, Tom (September 8, 1987). "Bands Tune Up for Game Day; 17 Bands Tune Up for Game Day". Intelligencer Journal. pp. 42, 29.
^"New...In Syndication! 5 Great Stars...125 Action Half Hours! Keenan Wynn presents The Westerners (originally seen as: Black Saddle / Johnny Ringo / The Law of the Plainsman / The Westerner)". Broadcasting. May 31, 1965. pp. 12–13. ProQuest1014491186. Now being filmed in Hollywood! 125 different Keenan Wynn wrap-arounds are being produced and carefully integrated into each of THE WESTERNERS episodes ... giving this series A FIRST RUN LOOK! [...] Fall '65 start! For stripping, once-a-week, or as a back-to-back hour (with special Keenan Wynn bridges). [...] starring Brian Keith as Dave Blasingame, Michael Ansara as Sam Buchart, Peter Breck as Clay Culhane, Don Durant as Johnny Ringo.
^ abc"Black Saddle". Variety. January 14, 1959. p. 39. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Black Saddle.
