Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

I remember watching this program as a kid. There were no fancy special effects, no blood and gore, just edge of your seat excitement. There was a clear distinction between the good guys and the bad guys, and the good guys won. The dedicated Sargent Preston, and his faithful dog King, fighting the elements and the bad guys. You always knew who the hero was, and the bad guys always got what they deserve. Perhaps if there were shows like this today, children would have a better sense of right and wrong. Clear definitions of right and wrong, where the objective is to bring the wrongdoer to justice, not smash, mutilate or destroy them. No super powers, no high technology, just plain old fashioned using your brain. Clear values and no gratuitous violence.

I happened to tune into the Norm McDonald TV show for the first time last week (9-99). In it someone made a passing reference to Sgt. Preston. (It's how I ended up on the IMDb reading about it and writing this.) A comment I'm sure was not noticed by many. It hit home with me. I used to love catching the re-runs of Sgt. Preston and his dog, Yukon King. I couldn't have been more than 6 or 7 but I loved the show. My memories aren't as clear as BOOKWUS (another commenter), but I would like to compliment BOOKWUS on wonderful and complete comments that really bring the show back into view for us Sgt. Preston fans. Great job and I can't add anything else. I would love to see the show again to see what passed for entertainment to me as a child. The simplicity of old TV is lost now, but man, we were "living".

The 78 half-hour episodes of the "kiddie" television adventure series "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" were originally broadcast on CBS during the 1955 to 1958 broadcast seasons; and in syndication for many years after.

This was one of many transplants to early television from network radio. It was created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker who also put together both the radio and television versions of "The Lone Ranger" and the radio version of "The Green Hornet".

At a time of look-alike westerns filmed on the back-lots of Hollywood, "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" offered viewers the white landscape of Canada's Yukon Territory. It was actually filmed each winter in the mountains of Big Bear Lake, in southern California.

Like "The Lone Ranger", each week the story's setting and characters were described by the narrator in the opening credits: "Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police with Yukon King, swiftest and strongest lead dog breaking the trail in the relentless pursuit of lawbreakers, in the wild days of the Yukon. Back to the days of the Gold Rush, as Sergeant Preston, with his wonder dog, Yukon King, meets the challenge of the Yukon".

The gold rush he is talking about occurred in the 1890's as Canada's desolate western frontier found itself suddenly occupied by a swarm of gold crazed miners, cutthroats, and tenderfeet. It was up to Sgt. Preston (his first name is never used) to track down thieves, murderers, and claim jumpers. The job left him no time for romance even though his Boston Blackie mustache, red uniform, puffed-out trousers, and DI hat must have driven the ladies crazy.

No doubt the education of baby boomers on NWMP lore was responsible for the successful introduction of "Dudley Do-right" to "Rocky and and His Friends/The Bullwinkle Show" (1959-1964).

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Here is another old television show that brings back fond memories. My dad used to get a special charge out of this show, yelling "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" after the introduction. All of kids would excited.

What I remember most, to be honest, is Preston's dog, "King" and our hero, played by Dick Simmons, who looked like an honest-to-goodness Mountie, telling the dog at the end of many episodes, "Well, King, this case is closed."

If I recall, there was nothing supernatural about this, no Superman or Batman stuff, just a straight action story that most times involved the great scenery of the North. That also made it different as most of the stuff we watched was the either the above or the many good westerns that were available in the '50s. This show offered a totally different atmosphere, although it was the same simple good guys-vs.-bad guys stuff, easy to follow and easy to like.

Sergeant Preston Of The Yukon like The Lone Ranger created from the minds of George W. Trendle and Fran Striker was a staple of radio for many years. When series radio was coming to an end, the Sergeant brought his team of huskies led by his lead dog King to television and week and after week for three years kids got snow blind watching those wintry episodes. Of course in the tradition of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the sergeant never failed to get his man.

As it was from the folks who gave you the Lone Ranger the show did emphasize clean living and strict family values. Of course what those folks in the frozen north did to get a little comfort on those cold winter nights is best left unsaid.

King was as helpful to Preston as Rin Tin Tin was to Rusty and the rest of the US Cavalry. And during the winter months he was essential. I can't conceive of Richard Simmons ever being forced to eat King as say Polar explorers like Scott, Nansen, Peary, and Amundsen being forced to eat their transportation to prevent starvation.

I may be a bit to jocular and humorous, but Sergeant Preston Of The Yukon was a decent show and for more than just the kid trade. It did evoke some fond memories after seeing some episodes recently.

And still he and Nelson Eddy have in their images set a kind of standard for the men of the RCMP to live up to.