American TV Western series (1959–1960)
Black Saddle is an American Western television series starring Peter Breck that aired 44 episodes from January 10, 1959, to May 6, 1960. The first season of 20 episodes aired on NBC from January 1959-September 1959. ABC picked up the second season in the 1959-1960 season with 24 new episodes produced. The half-hour program was produced by Dick Powell's Four Star Television, and the original backdoor pilot was an episode of CBS's "Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre", with Chris Alcaide originally portraying the principal character, Clay Culhane, in an episode entitled "A Threat of Violence." 
Synopsis.
Clay Culhane is a gunfighter who becomes a lawyer after his brothers are killed in a shootout. He carries his law books as he rides across the New Mexico Territory in the years following the Civil War, ready to help people who need help with the law. U. S. Marshal Gib Scott follows Culhane, dubious of Culhane's turning away from gunfighting. Nora Travers owns the town's hotel, and Kelly is the bartender at the saloon.
Cast.
Guest cast.
Some of the "Black Saddle" guest stars include Warren Oates, Chris Alcaide (who portrayed Clay Culhane in the original pilot), Fred Aldrich, John Anderson, Parley Baer, Raymond Bailey, Russ Bender, Paul Birch (in the role of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant in the episode "Mr. Simpson"), Lane Bradford, Paul Burke, Archie Butler, James Coburn, Dennis Cross, John Dehner, Frank Dekova, Alan Dexter, Buddy Ebsen, Hampton Fancher, Scott Forbes in Episode "Client: Steele"), James Franciscus, Jack Ging, Dabbs Greer, Robert Griffin, Clu Gulager, Robert Harland, Stacy Harris, Brett King, Jess Kirkpatrick, Robert Knapp, John Marley, Ken Mayer, Ann McCrea, Patrick McVey, James Parnell, Vic Perrin, Sam Reese, Stafford Repp, Bing Russell, Richard Rust, Simon Scott, Richard Shannon, Robert F. Simon, Quentin Sondergaard and Patrick Macnee.
Production.
Originally entitled "War Gun", but changed just prior to filming (presumably due to the similarity to Warner Brothers' "Lawman"), the series was created by executive producers Hal Hudson and John McGreevey. Antony Ellis was the producer. On NBC the show was broadcast on Saturdays from 9 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time. When it was moved to ABC it was shown on Fridays from 10:30 to 11 p.m. E. T.
The pilot for the series was "Threat to Violence", the May 23, 1958, episode of "Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre". Chris Alcaide portrayed Culhane in it, with Johnson and Anna Lisa in the roles that they had in the series. The change of stars occurred because the program's sponsor thought Alacaide "had become too familiar as a villain".
Filming.
The NBC episodes were filmed at Fox Movie Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains, while ABC's were shot at the Republic studio lot in Studio City.
Theme.
Although the "Black Saddle" TV series lasted less than two full seasons, its original theme tune—written by Jerry Goldsmith under the name of his then-brother-in-law, J. Michael Hennagin, because Goldsmith himself was still under contract to CBS—lives on. Several cover versions of the tune have been recorded, many of which have since become available on YouTube. Moreover, from February 1967 until at least the fall of 1992, the theme was frequently featured in the programs of marching bands and bugle corps.
Syndication as "The Westerners".
For syndicated reruns, "Black Saddle" was combined with"Law of the Plainsman", "Johnny Ringo", and "The Westerner", under the umbrella title, "The Westerners", with new hosting sequences by Keenan Wynn.
Critical response.
A review of the premiere episode in the trade publication "Variety" said that the script "did not stand up with the better westerns" and indicated that the pace of the episode should have been faster. The review called the characterizations of the sheriff and the villain "hard to swallow". Lisa was praised, primarily for her beauty, while Breck was said to be "okay in a flat sort of way", and the "Supporting cast was competent."
References.
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