Judge Roy Bean

I think it goes without saying that had dentist-turned-actor, Edgar Buchanan (1903-1979) not played the title character of Judge Roy Bean, then, this low-budget TV Western from the mid-1950s wouldn't have been half as entertaining to watch as it inevitably was.

Set in the 1880s - Judge Roy Bean is a very determined man who brings his own trademark-style of fair and honest law-enforcement to the crime-riddled territory in and around the small town of Langtry (which is located in south-western Texas).

Buchanan's often stubborn, no-nonsense character was loosely based on the real-life Roy Bean (1825-1903) who was active in his profession of Justice of the Peace/Coroner/Saloon Keeper from the years 1882-1903.

A pleasant enough little series with the great Edgar Buchanan giving the Judge Roy Bean character a lighter folksy touch. Produced by Western star Russell Hayden at Pioneertown of which he was one of the founders, and residents. Two of the episodes feature his only child, beautiful daughter Sandra Hayden, who tragically was killed a few months later in a car crash at the tender age of 16. These couple of episodes are a lasting tribute to a promising talent that was never to be realised. A sad note to an otherwise enjoyable show!

Ever since Walter Brennan played Judge Roy Bean in The Westerner, the judge has held a peculiar fascination for the western fan. As Brennan did him, he wasn't exactly a hero, but it got Brennan his third Academy Award.

For modern filmgoers, Paul Newman is the name they recognize from the John Huston classic western. A whole lot more of what went into Bean's psychological makeup is found in this western.

The judge got to be the central character of this 30 minute television western in 1956 and Edgar Buchanan played him. All though Buchanan has played out and out villains on the big screen, here we see him as more like folksy Uncle Joe Carson from Petticoat Junction. He didn't shy away from gunplay though. Many times he held court right on the open range shooting it out with outlaws.

I'm reminded of Henry Fonda's line in his western Firecreek. 'When you find no law in a place you make your own'. It seems to be the governing philosophy of the Bean character. This western series left no doubt that the choice was Bean or anarchy.

The Judge's crushing out on Lily Langtry is barely mentioned in this series. We do know the town of Vinegarroon, Texas was renamed Langtry as per one of the Judge's rulings. Which it is down to this day.

Though it lasted only a season, Judge Roy Bean seemed to be in syndication forever through the sixties. Like so many shows from my childhood, I wish we could see it again.

Edgar Buchanan, a former dentist, went on to become a mainstay of western films/TV for decades. Long before he became famous as "Uncle Joe" on Petticoat Junction, he starred in this excellent series. Here he tackled the role that was later performed by Paul Newman on the silver screen.

This color series featured Buchanan as the legendary Law West of the Pecos. Complete with a 7-inck thick law-book (and creative sentencing) he was a cantankerous yet fair arbiter of frontier law.Guest stars included western favorites such as Russell Hayden and Lash La Rue ! Several episodes of this gem of a show are now available on DVD sets

Seek them out, or he may throw the book at you !

Recommended to all fans of vintage TV.