Johnny Ringo (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Johnny Ringo is a Western
television series starring Don Durant
that aired on CBS
from October 1, 1959, until June 30, 1960. It was loosely based on the life of the notorious gunfighter Johnny Ringo
, who tangled with Wyatt Earp
, John "Doc" Holliday
, and "Buckskin" Franklin Leslie
.
This fictional account had Ringo putting aside his gunfighting ways to become the sheriff
of a small town. He had two deputies: Cully (Mark Goddard
), and Case Thomas (Terence De Marney
). Case's daughter, Laura Thomas (Karen Sharpe), was Ringo's girlfriend.
The program was an early creation of Aaron Spelling
for Four Star Television
. Spelling created Johnny Ringo at the specific request of Dick Powell
as a role for Durant. It was filmed at CBS Studio Center
. The pilot episode was shot as part of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater
, titled "Man Alone" and featured Thomas Mitchell
as Case Thomas. A second pilot was shot with Terence de Marney in the role.
Johnny Ringo scored well ratings in its Thursday competition with ABC
's The Real McCoys
with Walter Brennan
, sometimes reaching into the Top Twenty. The program was dropped at the request of its sponsor, Johnson Wax Company, which wanted a sitcom, rather than a western. At the time there were thirty Western series on the networks. For syndicated reruns, the show was combined with three other short-lived Western series from the same company, Black Saddle
starring Peter Breck
, Law of the Plainsman
starring Michael Ansara
, and Sam Peckinpah
's critically acclaimed creation, The Westerner
starring Brian Keith
, under the umbrella title The Westerners, with additional hosting segments featuring Keenan Wynn
.
Johnny Ringo appeared at a time in the history of the television Western series when creators strove to make characters interesting by equipping them with "gimmick guns", the two most famous being Josh Randall's "mare's laig
" from Wanted: Dead or Alive, and Lucas McCain's trick rifle from The Rifleman
.
Such a gimmick gun was introduced in the second pilot. Johnny Ringo's gimmick gun was a LeMat, an historical period-authentic revolver, a French design that carried an auxiliary shotgun barrel under its primary barrel. Many episodes found Ringo getting into scrapes where that final round in the shotgun barrel was the deciding factor.
Among the guest stars was character actor
Robert F. Simon
, who appeared as Sam Stoner in "Kid with a Gun". John M. Pickard
, formerly of the Boots and Saddles
series, appeared as Riley Criswell in the episode, "East Is East".
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
television series starring Don Durant
Don Durant
Don Durant was an American actor and singer, best known for his role as the gunslinger-turned- sheriff in the CBS Western series Johnny Ringo, which ran on Thursdays from October 1, 1959 - June 30, 1960....
that aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from October 1, 1959, until June 30, 1960. It was loosely based on the life of the notorious gunfighter Johnny Ringo
Johnny Ringo
John Peters "Johnny" Ringo was an outlaw Cowboy of the American Old West who was affiliated with Ike Clanton and Frank Stilwell in Cochise County, Arizona Territory during 1881-1882.-Early life:...
, who tangled with Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
, John "Doc" Holliday
Doc Holliday
John Henry "Doc" Holliday was an American gambler, gunfighter and dentist of the American Old West, who is usually remembered for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral...
, and "Buckskin" Franklin Leslie
Franklin Leslie
Nashville Franklin [Franklyn] Leslie was an lawman, U.S. Army scout, gambler, and an outlaw. He was known for his fringed buckskin jacket and his twin revolvers. He became famous in Tombstone, Arizona for killing two men in self-defense before he killed one of his wives while drunk and in a fit of...
.
This fictional account had Ringo putting aside his gunfighting ways to become the sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of a small town. He had two deputies: Cully (Mark Goddard
Mark Goddard
Mark Goddard is an American film actor who has starred in a number of television programs. He portrayed Major Don West, the space adversary of Dr. Zachary Smith in the cult 1960s CBS series, Lost in Space, and Detective Sgt...
), and Case Thomas (Terence De Marney
Terence De Marney
Terence De Marney was a British film, stage, radio, and television actor, as well as theatre director and writer.-Actor:...
). Case's daughter, Laura Thomas (Karen Sharpe), was Ringo's girlfriend.
The program was an early creation of Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's eponymous production company Spelling Television holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits...
for Four Star Television
Four Star Television
Four Star Television, also called Four Star International, was an American television production company. Founded in 1952 as Four Star Productions by prominent Hollywood actors Dick Powell, David Niven, Ida Lupino, and Charles Boyer, the company produced many well-known shows of the early days of...
. Spelling created Johnny Ringo at the specific request of Dick Powell
Dick Powell
Richard Ewing "Dick" Powell was an American singer, actor, producer, director and studio boss.Despite the same last name he was not related to William Powell, Eleanor Powell or Jane Powell.-Biography:...
as a role for Durant. It was filmed at CBS Studio Center
CBS Studio Center
CBS Studio Center is a television and film studio located in the Studio City district of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley. It is located at 4024 Radford Avenue and takes up a triangular piece of land, with the Los Angeles River bisecting the site...
. The pilot episode was shot as part of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, sometimes simply called Zane Grey Theatre, is an American Western anthology series which ran on CBS from 1956 to 1961.-Overview:Zane Grey Theatre was created by Luke Short and Charles A. Wallace...
, titled "Man Alone" and featured Thomas Mitchell
Thomas Mitchell
Major Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell , surveyor and explorer of south-eastern Australia, was born at Grangemouth in Stirlingshire, Scotland. In 1827 he took up an appointment as Assistant Surveyor General of New South Wales. The following year he became Surveyor General and remained in this...
as Case Thomas. A second pilot was shot with Terence de Marney in the role.
Johnny Ringo scored well ratings in its Thursday competition with ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's The Real McCoys
The Real McCoys
The Real McCoys is an American situation comedy co-produced by Danny Thomas' "Marterto Productions", in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's "Westgate" company...
with Walter Brennan
Walter Brennan
Walter Brennan was an American actor. Brennan won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor on three separate occasions, which is currently the record for most wins.-Early life:...
, sometimes reaching into the Top Twenty. The program was dropped at the request of its sponsor, Johnson Wax Company, which wanted a sitcom, rather than a western. At the time there were thirty Western series on the networks. For syndicated reruns, the show was combined with three other short-lived Western series from the same company, Black Saddle
Black Saddle
Black Saddle is an American Western series that ran for forty-four episodes on ABC from January 10, 1959 to May 6, 1960. The series was produced by Dick Powell's Four Star Television, and the original pilot was an episode of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater, with Chris Alcaide playing Culhane.For...
starring Peter Breck
Peter Breck
Joseph Peter Breck is an American prolific character actor of stage, who has played roles on television and in film...
, Law of the Plainsman
Law of the Plainsman
Law of The Plainsman is a Western television series starring Michael Ansara that aired on the NBC television network from October 1, 1959, until May 5, 1960. The character of Native American U.S...
starring Michael Ansara
Michael Ansara
Michael Ansara is a Syrian-born American stage, screen, and voice actor best known for his portrayal of Cochise in the American television series Broken Arrow, Kane in the 1979-81 series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and Commander Kang on three different Star Trek TV series.- Early life and...
, and Sam Peckinpah
Sam Peckinpah
David Samuel "Sam" Peckinpah was an American filmmaker and screenwriter who achieved prominence following the release of the Western epic The Wild Bunch...
's critically acclaimed creation, The Westerner
The Westerner (TV series)
The Westerner is a 1960 Four Star Television Western series on NBC created by Sam Peckinpah. The series stars Brian Keith as Dave Blassingame and features John Dehner as semi-regular Burgundy Smith...
starring Brian Keith
Brian Keith
Brian Keith was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his four decade-long career gained recognition for his work in movies such as the 1961 Disney family film The Parent Trap, the 1966 comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and the 1975 adventure saga The Wind and...
, under the umbrella title The Westerners, with additional hosting segments featuring Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn was an American character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts....
.
Johnny Ringo appeared at a time in the history of the television Western series when creators strove to make characters interesting by equipping them with "gimmick guns", the two most famous being Josh Randall's "mare's laig
Mare's Leg
The Mare’s Leg was the name given to a customized shortened rifle by Steve McQueen’s character on the television series Wanted: Dead or Alive...
" from Wanted: Dead or Alive, and Lucas McCain's trick rifle from The Rifleman
The Rifleman
The Rifleman is an American Western television program that starred Chuck Connors as homesteader Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son, Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show, filmed in black-and-white with a half hour running time, ran...
.
Such a gimmick gun was introduced in the second pilot. Johnny Ringo's gimmick gun was a LeMat, an historical period-authentic revolver, a French design that carried an auxiliary shotgun barrel under its primary barrel. Many episodes found Ringo getting into scrapes where that final round in the shotgun barrel was the deciding factor.
Among the guest stars was character actor
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
Robert F. Simon
Robert F. Simon
Robert F. Simon was an American character actor, often portraying military or authority figure roles. Though his face was recognized by audiences, he was mostly unknown by name...
, who appeared as Sam Stoner in "Kid with a Gun". John M. Pickard
John Pickard (American actor)
John M. Pickard was an American actor who appeared primarily in television Westerns.-Early life and career:...
, formerly of the Boots and Saddles
Boots and Saddles (TV series)
Boots and Saddles is an American Western television series that aired in syndication from 1957 to 1958. The series was created by Robert A. Cinader.-Synopsis:...
series, appeared as Riley Criswell in the episode, "East Is East".