Old West TV helped shape my idea of right and wrong

During a recent surfing expedition (on the Internet) I came across a slice of a segment from the Lone Ranger TV series that ran from 1949-57. What I saw reminded me of the many Old West series that fortunately (or unfortunately) shaped my character (such as it is).

In a brief view of the masked man, he and his “faithful Indian companion, Tonto” came across a bison fighting with a stallion. The ranger told Tonto that he would protect the horse because he’d like it for his ride. So he pulled one of his .45s and fired a single shot that felled the horned bison. Wow. One shot. Must have been so lethal due to the silver bullets that he always used.

Anyway, the whole deal got me thinking about my days of watching Old West TV series. Many out there likely are too young to remember when all such programs were in black and white. And there was limited programming, so it was important to know what time and day you’d see the Lone Ranger, the Cisco Kid (‘50-’56), the Range Rider (‘51-’53), Hopalong Cassidy (‘49-’52) or The Sheriff of Cochise (‘56-’57).

It is wholly possible and entirely true that lots of folks have never seen any of those. But those of us who were born in ‘44 or thereabouts recall many moments as Good triumphed over Evil. And in those early days of TV, neither the good guys in their white hats nor the bad dudes in their black hats ever ran out of bullets. That’s right, a six-gun could fire, oh ... probably at least 12 or 18 times. I mean, who was counting?

Also, there was never any blood. A guy could get shot two or three times and fall flat, dead, but there was no blood, unlike now when in series or movies of many genres there’s blood everywhere. And guts. Yes, it was quite different Back Then. In fact, the Lone Ranger never drew blood because he always used his silver bullets to shoot the gun from the hand of the other fellow. He was polite and a fantastic shot.

As well, the ranger and Cisco, and his faithful companion, Pancho, never lost their sombreros, even in a rough-and-tussle fist fight. Amazing. Even the King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers in his series, never lost his Stetson in a fight, whether he used a pistol or his fists. Of course not, because he was a good guy and good guys always win.

Some of my other favorite Western TV series were Have Gun, Will Travel (‘57-’63), Trackdown (‘57-’59), Wanted Dead or Alive (‘58-’61), Tales of Wells Fargo (‘57-’62) and The Rifleman (‘58-’63).

At this time it is important (or Old West fans might challenge me to draw) to also list the following. They expanded the Western theme and provided good entertainment, too. Here goes: Gunsmoke (‘55-’75), Rawhide (‘59-’65), Wagon Train (‘57-65), Bonanza (‘59-’73), Wild Wild West (‘65-’69) and, of course, Maverik (‘57-’62).

Ah yes, the fight for law and order reigned, as the good guys stood to protect the weak and innocent from the mean and nasty. Rustlers, false accusers, murderers, claim jumpers and all the rest of the unjust never had a chance. All that I watched helped shape my idea of right and wrong. Now, if I could just find my silver bullets.