U.S. television's first ninety-minute western (including commercials).
In the book, the ranch, which is actually named "Sunk Creek", is two hundred seventy miles from Medicine Bow. When the Virginian is promoted to foreman, he moves out of the bunkhouse to his own home on the ranch. The Virginian and Trampas are not friends. Near the end of the book, Trampas is killed by the Virginian.
In the final season (1970-71) of this show, it was renamed "The Men from Shiloh" and was given an Italian western-style credits sequence complete with a theme by Italian Composer Ennio Morricone specially commissioned for the show.
As is the case throughout "The Virginian" in all forms - book, movie, and television - his actual name is never revealed. He is only referred to as the foreman, the ramrod, or of course, The Virginian.
Betsy (Roberta Shore), the daughter of Judge Henry Garth (Lee J. Cobb), is actually adopted, a fact mentioned only in season one, episode two, "Woman from White Wing".