"Have Gun - Will Travel" (1957)TV series 1957-1963

Creators:

Herb Meadow
Sam Rolfe

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

14 September 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Professional gunfighter Paladin was a West Point graduate who, after the Civil War, settled into San...

Plot Keywords:

Gunfighter | Cult TV | Cult Favorite | Cult Western

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Richard Boone	...	Paladin / ... (226 episodes, 1957-1963)
Kam Tong	...	Kim "Hey Boy" Chan / ... (97 episodes, 1957-1963)

Runtime:

30 min (226 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Agua Dulce, California, USA

Company:

CBS Television

Trivia:

Although the series title had a hyphen, Paladin's business card did not.

Quotes:

Paladin: I don't think you got a very good look at this gun while you had it. The balance is perfect. This trigger responds to a pressure of one ounce. If you look carefully in the barrel you'll see the lines of the rifling. It's a rarity in a hand weapon. This gun was handcrafted to my specifications and I rarely draw it unless I mean to use it. Would you care for a demonstration?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Homicide: Life on the Street: Wanted Dead or Alive: Part 1 (#7.6)" (1998)

Proves what a great storytelling medium television can be

As the proud owner of both the first and second seasons of "Have Gun - Will Travel", I am continually impressed with the quality and complexities of this "forgotten" treasure. Created during an age of western storytelling that was inundated with cardboard, do-gooders that were so clean they squeaked when they walked, Paladin stands out as an effective genre bridge between the over idealistic cowboy typified in John Wayne and the anti-hero "The Man With No Name" Clint Eastwood. "Have Gun - Will Travel" is a series that remembers the key to great storytelling is a believable character being true to himself at all times. Paladin is a combination rogue who works within the system, Robin Hood, and a crusader for the downtrodden. Quick with both a gun and a sarcastic wit, this professional problem solver is as at home in a drawing room as he is around a campfire. While this may sound hokey if you are as cynical as I am, I can assure you it is not. Besides casting the perfect actor for the role, the late Richard Boone, the creators used a talented group of writers {including Gene "Wagontrain to the Stars" Roddenberry} who used every second of screen time to move you through story lines that were frequently only westerns in their setting. I particularly enjoy the fact that you are never given more than an occasional hint as to Paladin's back-story. While this may frustrate some viewers, I find the air of mystery that it lends to the character adds to his complexity. For anyone that truly enjoys well crafted escapism or simply wonders if new life can be brought to an already overworked concept, you could not find a finer example of the true artistic potential of cinema's "bastard" child than "Have Gun - Will Travel".