Laramie

Before Laramie became infamously known as the location of Matthew Shepard's murder it was best known as the title of a western set there in old west Wyoming. The premise was young Slim Sherman as played by John Smith and his younger brother Andy (Robert Crawford, Jr.) trying to hang on to the family ranch after their father had been murdered by a cattle baron trying to grab the land.

It was a tough go for the Sherman Brothers and the family cook Jonesy who was played by Hoagy Carmichael. But in that pilot episode a lone Shane like gunfighter Jess Harper showed up. The Shermans took him in and he became a family member with roots at the ranch. After that only fools messed with the Shermans especially if they knew that they had Robert Fuller to mess with as Jess Harper.

Laramie was one of many towns founded as a rail depot of the Union Pacific. But into the hinterlands of Wyoming still one of our most rural states you got some place on horseback or by stage. And the Shermans had a franchise way station at their ranch which I'm sure supplemented their income during a lean year for cattle. It allowed for a whole range of stories combining the stagecoach way station with the ranch.

Laramie had a respectable run of four years. Carmichael and Crawford dropped out and housekeeper Spring Byington and orphan Dennis Holmes joined the Sherman ranch. Bob Fuller went on to a good career, a stint on Wagon Train after Laramie was canceled and later a long run on the Jack Webb produced Emergency.

John Smith had done a few films before Laramie and got a second lead in the John Wayne film Circus World. He dropped out of sight after that and some thirty years later I read in an obituary that he had died of cirrhosis of the liver. There's probably one awfully tragic story there.

But I prefer to remember John Smith as Slim Sherman zealously guarding home and hearth with Jess Harper to back him up. Maybe we'll get to see Laramie again some day.

When it first premiered in 1959, Laramie seemed to be shaping up as something a bit different in what had become (quite quickly) the monotonous world of TV westerns, which had more or less degenerated into endless shows about either a loner or a couple of buddies riding the west. Here was an attempt to do something far more intriguing: a focus on two brothers, young Slim (John Smith), the nearest thing that the show had to a conventional lead, and confused kid brother (Robert Crawford, Jr., whose brother Johnny played Chuck Connors' son on the long-run Rifleman series). Their relationship was believable and complex and not quite like anything else on a western at that time, leading to many unexpected and intriguing plots. Also impressive were the two other main characters - Robert Fuller as a rather unpleasant loner who wandered in to the area and was accepted, with qualifications, as part of the group, though the brothers couldn't quite understand his melancholy personality, and Hoagy Charmichael, that wonderful musical star from the big band era, as a strangely cynical and always ironic Greek chorus-like commentator on the action. The show didn't quite take off, had only mediocre ratings, and NBC had to decide to either cancel it or 'reimagine' it. If they had done the latter, this might be recalled as one of those great one-season classics that was too 'different' to survive. Instead, NBC decided to keep it on the air but remove everything that made the show special. So gone were both the little brother and Hoagy; Slim, the conventional lead, was relatively unchanged, and Robert Fuller's "anger" was "toned down" to the point that it didn't really add up to anything any more. The show, now in color, was one more ordinary series about two cool guys riding the west together. If there was anything at all different about it now, that was the addition of Spring Byington as a sweet old lady who cared for them, like the aunt who oversees Batman and Robin in the mansion, though this only brought a 'December Bride' sentimentality to the series. Wouldn't you know it - the moment that the show became more conventional, it picked up in the ratings quite considerably and ran for three more mostly mediocre years.

We recently dumped cable; so much useless and never watched programming for too much dough. My wife installed (had it installed) an antenna and to my delight, through wafting around with the remote, I happened on a Laramie show in progress. I had never seen one. When all those westerns were popular, I was a teen and really didn't watch much TV then, and watched even less western type fare. Anyway, when I saw it recently, I was quickly riveted. I could not believe the verisimilitude of the show. All the little details of farm and ranch implements, the whole layout, including the period dress of the actors, the scenery, was perfect. Most of all, though, was the deep and gripping nostalgia for a time-and I remember it well- when the progeny of the people who conquered this land and made it fruitful, were portrayed without apology as the moral, strong, and brave souls they actually were. That time will come again, I'm sure, though I won't be here to see it, most likely. Laramie was neither Right nor Left. It was dramatized history, and done very very well. I receive it on a network called Gritz. I hope it stays on as long as possible. Hoagy Carmichael, a semi-regular on the show, apparently, wrote "Stardust," one of the most recorded songs ever. It bears no resemblance to what these sad days passes for music.

I was enthralled by this western and its two handsome heroes as a child and it was Laramie (and reading Shane as a kid!) that made me want to visit Wyoming and especially Laramie itself- which I did when I grew up! I remember having a drink in a Laramie bar with a mirror behind the bar said to be broken by a bullet :) and staying on a ranch way out in Wyoming (which was exactly how I'd imagined it). Anyhow..I recently got the dvds and have been enjoying the whole series. Very entertaining too! The action's there, the friendship's there, the sense of honour and decency's there with our two leads...but I have to keep reminding myself that "family shows" couldn't officially tread on other than very safe and acceptable ground then. Nonetheless it's not for nothing that Laramie has been described as the original of Brokeback Mountain. The relationship between the two leads is unique and hints at a closer one, shall I say, than normally is presented in the average Western ! This could account for its popularity in Japan. The producer (s) appear to have quietly encouraged this subtext in several ways. For instance, as mentioned, they were exceptionally close and bonded from the first episode and also when you look close, Jess Harper is well made up, mascara-ed eyelashes, eyeliner etc! His looks are really emphasised whereas John Smith's are not. There's a lot of physical touching, albeit perfectly innocent, too. Westerns aren't popular now but I'd love to see Laramie as it would be produced today :) A definite 10/10 I bet.

Marry me, marry me, way out in laramie. That was the first line in the song. Slim Sherman, with his white blonde hair, slow easy smile, and gentle ways.was wonderful, but it was Jess Harper who had my little five year old heart. Deep voice, wickedly mischievious eyes, and hey, he just looked great in a cowboy hat.The show was for families. Something you dont see much of anymore Spring Byington,as the somewhat flustered Aunt Daisy, was an anchor. A kind of ditzy but loving MOM figure. For me it rated right up there with the Rifleman, Bonanza, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke and The Virginian. They always had a message of love, loyalty,morals, human values and pride. Laramie was exciting.It had heart. It was serious, funny, a bit violent very much like real life is now, or then, or a hundred years ago. I miss Laramie I would love to see it amoung the western rerun line-up. making the rounds of nostalgia television.I feel it would fare just fine on todays T.V.It would'nt hurt to let our kids learn some of the charicture building examples,shows like Laramie can teach.