Lancer

Lancer has been compared to Bonanza. But I did not find it to be anything like Bonanza. It definitely had its own style and the characters were varied and interesting in their personalities. Lancer was down to earth in its approach to each problem presented in the episodes. Each character was flawed in some way, which made them more interesting. There was humor in the show, but the show was not clownish. There was believable drama, not stereotypical scenarios that were boring and unsatisfying. The father let his sons be themselves and treated them with respect and dignity. The fact that they had not been together as a family for many years was a major factor in a much more interesting interaction between the characters. Each character, whether in a leading role or not, had his own unique style of presenting the role in a believable way. I especially enjoyed Paul Brinegar. It was very disappointing to me when the show went off the air and I am always looking for it to reappear on the channels which feature reruns of older shows.

This was one of my favorite shows of the 60's. I especially liked James Stacy's portrayal of Johnny Lancer. He was a very fine actor. The show was much more realistic than some of the TV westerns such as Bonanza. Had a good cast and the location shots were great. Would love to see it back on reruns. Many of the story lines focused on the conflict between the father, Murdoch Lancer, and his sons, Scott and Johnny. But the best shows featured the character of Johnny, as portrayed by James Stacy. Unlike some other TV westerns which also took place on ranches, this show actually was a realistic portrayal of everyday life on a ranch. You actually saw cattle, which I don't recall ever seeing on Bonanza. If you get a chance to see this show on cable, don't miss it.

This is a excellent western. I grew up watching it and I still love to watch it. James Stacy is my favorite actor and his portrayal of Johnny Lancer was really good. Any one who likes westerns should enjoy this show too!!! This program did not last long enough in my opinion. If anyone gets a chance to see this western on the western channel or TV land if it is ever offered again should do so. I believe that all western fans will enjoy this program. If you want to find a place to buy this old TV series check out Classic Video LLC on the internet. That is where I am purchasing mine at. Check out this great program. All the characters on the show are good, but the character of Johnny Lancer portrayed by James Stacy is the best.

Widower Murdoch needs his sons to return home to help him protect the ranch - but he needs detectives to find them! Scott, the elder, is a city boy brought up by his maternal grandpa in refined Boston following the death of his mother in childbirth. Johnny is a gunfighter south of the border, the result of a liaison with a Mexican beauty who hid her son from his father. What will lure them to a different life of cattle ranching in the west? How will these different men get on together? Throw into the mix a pretty young ward and a host of guest appearances and the outcome is a sensational TV western series with great scripts, strong performances and superb plot lines that truly shape out character as well as move the story along.

Just wanted to say, I had the good fortune of being on the Ranch in Carmel, California when they filmed the series. My Uncle was Foreman of the Ranch. I made lifelong friends with several of the cast. Mostly the stuntmen, as that's where my heart lies. We wrote letters for years. Especially Jack Williams. We actually dated, and called each other on the phone. He was an amazing man ! I dated one of the stuntmen named Mike Spencer. I have many pictures of the whole experience. One is a picture of Joe Don Baker standing with me. He had kissed me on the head and bent his head over on top of mine. Swoon ! (Joe Don, or anyone else in the cast, if you read this I'd be happy to send you copies of the pictures). For a teenager this whole thing was so special. Being there while they were filming was such a treat ! I wish everyone could have this experience. Just hanging around the stars, eating with them, being so quiet when they were filming. Nothing like it. Memories I'll never forget. Thanks for letting me share my experience~~~