A Look at TV Westerns - Yancy Derringer

 

 Post by Doris McCraw aka Angela Raines

Photo property of the author 

I am continuing my year-long look at TV Westerns, primarily the lesser-known shows that we may have missed, or were before some of us were born. This time I'm looking at the fringe Western, Yancy Derringer. I've written about his show before, but it bears another look. 

The show was set in New Orleans at the time of reconstruction after the Civil War and ran for one season. The star is someone I spoke of in the last post, Jock (Jack) Mahoney. I confess I'm a fan. Tall, 6'4", with amazing blue eyes, and a stunt man to boot, he was a devastating combination.

Photo of Jock Mahoney from
Find a Grave

Some would say his portrayal of Derringer, a former Confederate soldier, captures the concept of the classic Western hero - a man of honor, quick wit, and ability to deal with danger.

The co-stars were no slouches either. Kevin Hagen as the assigned Northern administrator for New Orleans, was also tall, 6'2", and a perfect 'foil' for the antics of Derringer. 

The other male co-star was X Brands, also 6'2" and a part-time stuntman. Although of European Heritage he played the part of Pahoo-Ka-Wah (Wolf Who Stands in Water), a Pawnee who never said a word, and had a shotgun as his weapon of choice. Watching Brands and Mahoney is a joy. Their chemistry s what helped make the show so fun to watch.

Photo of X Brands from
Find a Grave

I loved the attention to detail, and authenticity the show strived for. When I re-watch the shows I really feel like I'm in New Orleans during the reconstruction era. To me, this show is just plain fun and a testament to the Westerns of that bygone era.

Attached is a link to the first episode. Watch for the interaction between Brands and Mahoney as they're stranded on the river waiting for a boat to come along. Yancy Derringer - Season 1 Episode 1

Here's a link to last month's post. Range Rider

See you next time for another exciting adventure tale from Western TV shows I have and continue to enjoy.

Make sure to check out the other posts on this blog. The information and topics are as diverse as the stories the authors here tell.

Doris

A look at TV Westerns - The Range Rider

 Post by Doris McCraw aka Angela Raines

Photo property of the author

Cue music: "Home on the Range" and 

Voice over: "And who could be more at home on the range than the Range Rider? With his thrilling adventures of the great outdoors. His exciting experiences, rivaling those of Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, Buffalo Bill, and other pioneers of this great country of ours. And Dick West, All American Boy."

This began the syndicated show "The Range Rider" 

Jock Mahoney as the Range Rider
from Wikipedia

This and future post is a look at some of the early TV Westerns. First up is "The Range Rider".

The official IMDb site displays the following: "The Range Rider had a reputation for fairness, fighting ability, and accuracy with his guns and was known far and wide, even by the Indians."

The show ran in syndication for three seasons from 1951-1953 for a total of seventy-nine, thirty-minute episodes. It was from Gene Autry's 'Flying A Productions' and its theme song was the familiar "Home on the Range."

The stars of the show were: Jack 'Jock' Mahoney and Dick Jones. 

Dick Jones 

Tell me who could ever forget the feline grace of Mahoney and the horsemanship of West. I swear in all the episodes I've seen I've never once seen Mahoney use a stirrup. He's beside the horse and then in one smooth motion, he's atop the animal. And the much shorter Jones was not far behind when it came to getting into the saddle. 

I always found it fascinating that the 'Range Rider' never wore boots but used moccasins instead. Perhaps that contributed to the feline grace of the character. 

Both Mahoney and Jones did most of their own stunts. In fact, Mahoney was a stuntman and stood in for Charles Starrett in "The Durango Kid" movies. The other standout was the chemistry between the two men and the humor that they played so well off of each other. 

Mahoney, born in Chicago, IL. in 1919, was 6'4".  Dick Jones, born in Snyder, TX in 1927, was 5'7". Although only eight years younger, Jones passed as a teen in the show. 

For more about Jock Mahoney: Wikipedia - Jock Mahoney

For more information on Dick Jones' career: Wikipedia - Dick Jones

And, of course, if you'd like to check out an episode: Range Rider- Marshal From Madero

See you next time for another exciting adventure tale from the shows I have enjoyed.

Make sure to check out the other posts on this blog. The information and topics are as diverse as the stories the authors here tell.

Doris