Outlaws

About the show "THE OUTLAWS"-Originally ran on NBC-TV

First Telecast of the series: September 29,1960 Last Telecast of the series: September 13,1962

The first season was in black and white (1960-1961) The second season was in living color (1961-1962)

58 episodes were produced for NBC-TV and MGM Television.

The first season(the black and white episodes from 1960-61): "The Outlaws" approached the struggle between law officers of the Old West and the desperadoes they chased from a novel point of view. Although Marshal Frank Caine(Barton MacLane),and his two deputies,Will Foreman(Don Collier),and Heck Martin(Jock Gaynor)were the series regulars with each episode was seen through the eyes of the outlaws they were pursuing. The setting for the series was the Oklahoma Territory in the 1890's,when the Dalton Boys,the Jennings Gang and other outlaws made it one of the most lawless of all the West's frontiers.

The second season(the color episodes from 1961-62): When the series "The Outlaws" returned for a second season in the fall of 1961,the change of format would bring the show from black to white to what the peacock network presented it as "the following program is brought to you in living color only on NBC." Along with the color format also were some changes. Gone were Marshal Caine(Barton MacLane),and Marshal Martin(Jock Gaynor) and this time around Will Forman(Don Collier)was promoted from deputy to United States Marshal and with his own deputy Chalk Breeson(Bruce Yarnell). The perspective of the series was now from the side of the marshals and the honest citizens rather than the criminals who would bring chaos to the territory. The action and high adventure was based in Stillwater,Oklahoma where the marshals were headquartered. Connie Masters(Judy Lewis)not only ran the Wells Fargo office but also the town's General Store and was also the love interest for Marshal Forman. Also brought on board was veteran actor Slim Pickens as the town character. Pickens had been around the Hollywood scene for years mostly starring in westerns opposite John Wayne and Gary Cooper.

When "The Outlaws" ended its two-year hiatus on NBC-TV in September of 1962,the show that replaced it ("The Virginian")went on to become TV's first full color 90 minute western.

The earlier reviews jarred my memory because I had not noticed the emphasis on the outlaws' point of view. Of course, it was mentioned that the theme shifted to mainstream good guys vs bad. But, come to think of it, the shows I do remember spent an awful lot of time on the "bad guys." Thanks to the reviews, I understand why now.

But irony is what I remember most. In one episode, an embezzling bank teller is blackmailed into helping rob the bank. He feels trapped because he invested in silver only to have it decline in value. As the show wraps up--he and the professional crook caught--a prospector waving a paper gleefully shouts "Silver's up!" The best shows were like that.

Perhaps the concept of telling the stories of the west from the bad guy's point of view had to wait until Law and Order Criminal Intent made its debut on NBC. Certainly nobody was as quirky as law enforcement official as Vincent Donofrio on The Outlaws.

The Outlaws lasted for two seasons on NBC and it was set in Oklahoma Territory and it being a territory and not a state until 1906, it was a place where the outlaws roamed free, but for the presence of United States Marshals. Barton MacLane who in fact played mostly bad guys in his film career was the chief U.S. Marshal for the territory. He had two deputies Don Collier and Jock Gaynor. In the second season Collier was promoted to chief marshal as MacLane became territorial governor and Collier got Bruce Yarnell as a deputy. It didn't help, The Outlaws got canceled after two seasons.

One thing the show did do was give Don Collier a long career in westerns. Take a look at that man's credits, I don't think you'll find three non-western films there. He was certainly a familiar presence in many a horse opera. Collier was probably born thirty years too late, he would have made a great B picture cowboy hero.

I've often wondered though, did MacLane or Collier have a certain one eyed marshal named Rooster Cogburn working for them?

This was one of the better westerns. I forget the main star's name who, with head sheriff Barton McClaine, were the setting for each week's new bad guy's story. Yes, Slim Pickens was in it. And in an odd twist late in the series, there were a few episodes of great comedy and adventure with Neville Brand and 2 other guys as cavalry soldiers. These segments had nothing in common with the regular series of Outlaws but were introduced with a story, as I recall. Too bad TVLand doesn't bring this back plus the even older Cimarron City.

This has to be my favorite TV western series. The first season was the better season, as it was rough, tough, and action-packed, with great guest stars (Cliff Robertson, Jack Lord, Jack Chaplain, Martin Landau, Robert Culp, Dean Jones, Robert Lansing, James Coburn, Dean Stockwell, Steve Forrest, etc). My favorite episode from the entire series was Sam Bass. Since I tended to favor the bad guys, this series was right up my alley, as it focused on the bad guys in every episode. The guys at Timeless Media tell me that they are trying to get this series for DVD release, so I can only hope that I live long enough to enjoy it again, after all these years. It will make a terrific box-set.