The Virginian

[mrsl]

.

This morning I watched the episode I DVR'd last week named A Father for Toby. Toby being Kurt Russell at his cutest - about 10 years old. I recall being surprised at many big movie stars who deigned to appear on the dreaded TV box, although that fear relaxed quite quickly. The odd thing about this episode, which I would never have paid attention to at the time, is who was in the supporting cast. Toby was an orphan who was sure his criminal father (Rory Calhoun) would return for him some day. The day did come, but two prison buddies got involved and tried to force old dad to tell where he had hidden the stolen loot. One of the buddies was Bing Russell - Kurt's dad. I recognize him quite quickly now because I don't understand why he accepted supporting roles as a career instead of aiming for the A list. Ron Howard's dad (Rance), did the same thing, but Bing was much better looking, in fact he definitely had leading man looks. Rance once explained that by supporting, he was almost always guaranteed a job, but waiting for starring roles could make you go broke and he had a family to support. Both guys are equal in the acting talent division, but as I said, Bing was quite a looker. No conclusions to make, just curiosity talking out loud, although it made it easier for their boys not to have a superstar career to overcome, like Michael Douglas, and any of the Mitchum boys.
.

[stuart.uk]

Anne

Spoiler Alert

Bing Russell, as well as his character roles in movies like The Magnificent Seven, was also deputy Sherif Clem Foster in Bonanza. I got the impression he was the legs for the aging Ray Teal, who played Sherif Roy Coffee, though I don't think they appeared often together

In at least one episode, The Night Virginia City Died, he had the featured role. However, not being a main character didn't save him from the usual tv western love story. There was an arsonist on the loose, burning down much of the town. It turned it out to be Clem's fiance, who bumped him over the head and started a fire. She got trapped and killed, but Ben managed to drag Clem out to safety.
The episode is on you tube

Just thinking many of the Virginian stars didn't set the world alight after they left the show, including star James Drury, Roberta Shore and Sarah Lane. Doug McGlure did a couple of British Hammer movies and Tim Matheson had his moments with Bonanza and The Quest. The funny thing about The Quest, was Tim's co-star Kurt Russell became a big star, while his pal made a career in tv movies

[klondike]

Hey, Stu!
Solid observations, to which I'll just footnote that although Tim Matheson has assembled a pretty shallow portfolio for nearly forty years in the biz, when he does hit the mark, it's pretty solid, like his quasi-cult status for supporting roles in rude-boy comedies like Animal House, Black Sheep & Van Wilder . . though to me, his greatest achievement will always be from voicing the eternally heroic Jonny Quest, in the original, animated prime-time TV series . .

P.S: Ray Teal played Sheriff Roy Coffee on "Bonanza".

[stuart.uk]

Thanks for correcting my mistake. There's a Brit entertainer called North, and I simply forgot about Coffee as Roy's surname

[mrsl]

.
Watching these reruns every day has made me curious about how each person left the show and how it was explained if at all. I missed how Lee J. Cobb took over, but today I saw that they married Betsy off to Glenn Corbett (a minister), and sent them off to Pennsylvania to a small church there. Randy Boone must have gone directly to Cimarron Strip or worked on both shows for a while. I'll have to look that up on the old western shows site. Jim Drury and Doug McClure were on the show from the very beginning to the very end, so perhaps the reason they didn't go farther is possibly good investments, and other money managment.

.

[stuart.uk]

Anne

I doubt if the series would have lasted it's 9 yrs if either McLure or Drury left earlier.

I was wondering if Tim Mattheson left to join the Bonanza cast or whether he had gone earlier.Actually I've found it there was a gap of 2 yrs between shows

I think not having a famale regular in the last series Men Of Shiloh was a mistake. In the begining we had Molly and Betsey, another girl, whom I don't remember, Elizabeth Grainger followed as did her grand aunt Holly

[Lzcutter]

Ann,

I, too, am enjoying The Virginian reruns on the Encore Western channel. Steve left because as Gary Clarke now admits he got into his head that he was much better on his own than as part of the ensemble of the show. He got an offer to star in another Western and jumped at the chance. Everyone from Drury to the execs of the show tried to caution him that it was a mistake but his ego wouldn't allow him to hear them. They wrote Steve out by having a US Marshal offer him a job. It was the episode where Steve reconnected with a childhood girl friend who was now working the wrong side of the law and her real true love was the head of a gang of robbers. Steve was deputized to infiltrate the gang and get the goods on them. At the end of the episode, the Marshal (played by Don Collier who would go onto the High Chaparral, offered Steve the job permanently.

Betsy, as you noted, met a young minister in an upcoming episode. The Judge's niece, Jennifer, came to Shiloh shortly thereafter. I think it was explained why the Judge ultimately leaves and that episode should be in the next month. After that, John Dehner took over as Morgan Starr (There's a whole episode devoted to his arrival). I don't think it was explained why Starr left Shiloh but John Grainger (Charles Bickford) then arrived. His grandchildrenm Stacey (Don Quine) and Elizabeth, came to Shiloh as well

After Bickford's untimely death, I think the show explained why Clay Grainger (John McIntire) came to own Shiloh. Stacey and Elizabeth, stayed on. Soon afterwards,Clay's wife, Holly (Jeanette Nolan, McIntire's real-life wife) arrives.

They stayed with the show until it went a complete make-over and becomes The Men of Shiloh. I don't know if it was explained why the Graingers and Elizabeth leave and the owner, Alan MacKenzie, played by the actor Stewart Granger takes over.

I don't know if it was explained why Randy left but Randy Boone stayed through the Morgan Starr ownership which was at least a season and a half after Betsy left.

I also don't know if they explained why Ryker ultimately left.

[moirafinnie]

You might find the book A History of Television's The Virginian by Paul Green & Frank Price, most of which you can search through Google Books, helpful and informative about this long-running program. The creators of the program detail many of the reasons for the changes made in the cast.

You can access it here.

[Lzcutter]

Moira,

Thanks for the link. Looks like you can purchase the e-book via Google Books or my Kindle for less than $15. Hmmmmm.........

[moirafinnie]

Moira,

Thanks for the link. Looks like you can purchase the e-book via Google Books or my Kindle for less than $15. Hmmmmm.........

Some are free too. I find that there are many books that you can access substantial portions of at Google Books. They even have a Find in a Library feature that can help you get a copy locally if more portions of the book are needed.

[klondike]

Hey, just happened to think, anybody ever noticed that "The Virginian" was the second golden age Western TV series on which John McIntire joined the cast to fill a void left by the death of a regular played by a Classic Hollywood star?
Or . . if that's just commonly-known small potatoes, well, in the words of Roseanne Rosannadanna:
"Never mind!"

[Lzcutter]

Okay, it looks like that book on the history of the Virginian series is my next Kindle book. I am watching The Brothers and it has the new season 4 open with Diane Roter in the credits but Betsy hasn't left the series yet and Roter's character has yet to be introduced.

I guess there has to be a story behind that.

I guess Kate Atkinson's Case Histories will have to wait. That's the one where she introduced her character, Jackson Brodie, and I need to read that one before I read her latest Started Out, Took the Dog. I got hooked on her writing last year on vacation with MrC.

But, Jackson Brodie will have to wait. Luckily, the Virginian book isn't a weighty tome so it should be quick airline reading!

[stuart.uk]

Robert Fuller starred in 2 big westerns Laramie and Wagon Train

Tim Matheson The Virginian, Bonanza and maybe not such a big show The Quest

Michael Landon Bonanza and Little House On The Prairie

James Arness Gunsmoke and How The West Was Won

Lee Majors The Big Valley and The Virginian;The Men From Shiloh

Gary Clarke was in the short lived Hondo tv series as well as The Virginian

[pvitari]

I just saw the episode ("Jennifer") where Diane Roter is introduced. It was on Encores Westerns a couple of days ago. She plays Judge Garth's niece who comes to live at Shiloh after her parents (the Judge's sister and her ne'er do well husband) are killed in an accident. I confess I recorded it on the DVR because James MacArthur was the guest star, as a handsome fella who is actually a killer with a bounty on his head. He woos Jennifer hoping to get her to steal some money from the Judge and help him get out of town.

In addition to troubles with the bad boyfriend, Jennifer is resentful of the Judge because he didn't approve of his sister's marriage and they became estranged. So Jennifer has never been out west before and had never met her uncle before, and she's angry at him because of his dislike of the father she loved, whatever his flaws. Fortunately they work things out. :)

[stuart.uk]

I just watched Nightmares with Joan Crawford guest starring. Though 65, she didn't look out of place playing a newly wed to a much younger actor by 20-yrs Michael Conrad, who went on to play the first Sargeant in Hill Street Blues in the 1980s. In fact Joanie looked terrific.

The odd thing was the story covered a lenghty period of time yet the only regulars were Tim Matheson, Sara Lane and James Drury