Yancy Derringer

Yancy Derringer was different from all other westerns on the air during the late '50's in that it was set in New Orleans rather than a dusty old west town. Yancy Derringer, as played by former stuntman Jock Mahoney, did not carry the traditional six shooter, he packed a pistol in his hat. Yancy Derringer was a dapper, smooth, suave gambler who, along with his Pawnee Indian companion Pahoo, assisted Commissioner John Colton in keeping the peace in a wide-open city.

Yancy Derringer had a different "feel" to it as compared to the other westerns on the air during the later '50's and was a very welcome change during its too short one season run on CBS.

. . . they speak of Yancey D."

So went the theme song to this undeservedly short-lived series. Nominally billed as a "western" (Yancey did, after all, wear a broad-brimmed hat, there were horses about, and his best friend was an Indian), this show was hard to categorize, even in the era of the so-called "adult western."

There was always the hint of a dark side to Yancey, all things considered; a feeling that tucked away behind his reserved manner lay a past that may not always have been too cool (or, alternately, as a friend of mine once suggested, perhaps a bit TOO cool). Moreover, unlike most of his contemporary action heroes, Mr. D. didn't always fight fair: forced into a bare-knuckles match against an huge opponent, Yancey took advantage of his knowledge that the guy had spent the previous night guzzling beer, hammering him into collapse with a series of belly punches you could almost feel through the TV screen.

Not the nicest guy in town, in other words. But eminently effective. And thoroughly watchable. A great series.

Richard Sale (pulp writer and movie writer and movie producer) teamed up with his wife Anita Loos (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) to produce 39 episodes of a syndicated show. Jock Mahoney, the stunt man extraordinary and THE RANGE RIDER, was casted as a ex-confederate soldier coming back to a Yankee controlled New Orleans after the war. Opening episode, he and Pahoo were waving a Confederate Flag in the middle of the river to hitch a ride on a riverboat. Audacious and charming was Yancy.

Sonmetimes it is hard to understand just why a television series is so short lived.Lack of popularity is the most common reason of course;sometimes the death of a star ends its run prematurely.In the case of Yancy Derringer, it was corporate greed.Originally financed and owned by the writers and Jock Mahoney, it was so successful in its initial season that the network insisted on buying it.Jock Mahoney and the others refused;the network responded by concealing it.End of Yancy Derringer.

The theme song was one of the most distinctive of 1950's television.It outlived its series,and can be frequently heard as b background music on episodes of "The Rifleman" made in the early 1960's.

It is certainly strange that, considering how many fine TV series were made in the first 20 years of TV, so very few are ever shown,except for "I Love Lucy" and a few others.

This was another good western back in the '50s which gives me fond memories. I remember how me and my pals thought this hero was "cool," something like Richard Boone was in "Have Gun, Will Travel."

The main differences in this western as opposed to most was that the title character

packed a little derringer in his hat, and the setting was New Orleans instead of the old west. Otherwise, he was, like Boone's "Paladin" a smooth, dapper and cool customer.

Jock Mahoney ("Yancy Derringer") was the rugged, silent type, if I remember correctly. The shows were very interesting and we looked forward to them each week. Why this show only lasted on year is a real mystery to me. I don't remember anyone who didn't enjoy it. The mid-to-late '50s was a fabulous era for westerns on TV. If this ever came out on DVD, I would buy it immediately.