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A Western with a sense of humor, MAVERICK featured a "hero" who was mercenary, self-centered, sensibly cowardly, and intelligent. When trouble arose, Bret Maverick (James Garner) wanted no part of it, and episodes sometimes ended with him swindled or kicked out of town.
Bret Maverick was born April 7, 1847.
His horse was Lo Ball.
Bret (and his relatives) tended to quote Pappy often; he seems to have established their anti-hero characters early in life.
Bret's younger brother was Bart Maverick, played by Jack Kelly.
Roger Moore played their cousin, Beau Maverick.
In the new series (all of 17 episodes), Bret ran the Red Ox Saloon, and Tom Guthrie was his buddy.
Set in the 1880's, ranging from San Antonio, Texas, to Sedalia, Kansas. They herded 3000 head of cattle.
Gil Favor was the tough, taciturn trail boss, played by Eric Fleming.
Second-in-command and hot-headed punk Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood) rode Midnight.
George Washington Wishbone (Paul Brinegar) was the eccentric cook.
Pete Nolan (Sheb Wooley) was the trail scout.
Other characters: Hey Soos, Harkness "Mushy" Mushgrove, Clay Forrester, Joe Scarlett, Jim Quince, Ian Cabot (David Watson), Simon Blake (Raymond St. Jacques).
Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) and son Mark (Johnny Crawford) lived in North Fork, New Mexico. Lucas, a widower, was trying to live down his fame as a gunman. His late wife was Ellen.
The Rifleman used a model 1892 Winchester carbine fitted with a large loop lever that enabled it to be spun and cocked like a six-gun; supposedly Lucas could fire in 1/4th of a second.
Mark's horse was Blue Boy.
Sweeney was the bartender in the Last Chance Saloon.
Lucas's homestead was the Old Dunlop Ranch
The general store was run by Millie Scott.
Marshall Micah Torrance was played by Paul Fix.
Jim's horses were Duke and Cacao.
Jim was born 2 July 1842, and named for his father's brother.
Jim's gun has silver snakes on the grips.
Jim has a derringer in his boot heel.
Artemus Gordon was an only child. He went to high school with actress Lily Fortune. Her mom, who was widowed 20 years ago, in one episode eloped with Lyle Peters, Artie's friend and boss. Artie can never get enough turkey and giblet gravy. He gets a Mona Lisa smile when thinking. Can hypnotize or resist hypnotism; can telegraph; speaks but cannot read Russian; speaks Spanish; can work the telegraph. Has colorful smoke bombs in vest pocket. His gun handle has his initials on it. Might wear string tie, boots, light corduroy jacket with leather lapels.
Their special train has "5" on front. There are three cars. West's car is Nimrod. The engineer is Orrin Cobb.
Miguelito Loveless's middle name is Quixote.
LINKS:
THE WILDEST PAGE IN THE WEST gives you articles on the series and original fan fiction.
The Chamber of Commerce of Wildside, who took on special cases for the Governor, were rather unusual: BRODIE HOLLISTER (William Smith, formerly of LAREDO) rides a pinto. He has brown hair and a mustache; a sober weathered face with downturned eyes; a growly baritone; a silver ring on his left little finger; and wears a floppy dark hat with an Indian band, dark cuffed/lapeled grey jacket.
SUTTON HOLLISTER has a lot of rivalry with his dad. His brown hair is parted in the middle. He wears a floppy hat like his dad's but with a snakeskin band., and a short leather jacket.
PROMETHEUS JONES is the town vet and has a pet monkey. He has light brown curly hair, a brown beard and mustache, a round face, and a wrestler's build. He wears ropes criss-crossed over his chest, homespun wool shirt with sleeves rolled up, big boots, leather vest, studded leather wristbands, a floppy white hat, and has a sawed off rifle strapped to his leg. Prometheus doesn't know his own strength.
VARGAS, the town gunsmith, uses bolos. He has dark brown eyes, hair, and sideburns, but is clean-shaven. He speaks with a rolling, fluid Spanish accent. He tends to wear a white shirt with puffy sleeves, open down the chest and revealing a gold medallion given to him by his mother, with a poncho thrown back. He is superb with knives. He owns a horse with a white blaze on its forehead.
BANNISTER SPARKS (Howard Rollins): An elegantly dressed, cultured black man, he wears a white shirt with ruffled French cuffs, a silver patterned vest with silver watch-chain, and can make signals with his watch. He lights dynamite with a slim cigar. He rides a blonde horse with a dark mane and tail. (Yeah, okay, it's probably a palomino.)
CALLIE OAKES writes for the DAILY FLASH. Callie has short-cropped platinum hair, cocks her head on one side a lot, and is slender, coltish, and enthusiastic.
ALICE FRAZEE is the town mortician; plainspoken and very cheerful, she absolutely loves her job. She plays poker. She has auburn hair pulled back in a tight bun with tendrils curling before each ear, and often wears a blue gown and pearl earrings.
ELLIOT is a photographer, a catty, waspish man with wimpy mannerisms. He has balding brown hair, carries a little white notebook, and wears a gray suit.
FATHER CREWE, clad all in black and one of those dorky broad-brimmed black hats, is blind but has incredibly sharp hearing.
J.W.SUMMERHAYES, the governor, has receding graying hair and a mustache.
LINKS
Although there were only six episodes, you can find illustrated episode guides at http://www.williamsmith.org/wildside.html, with links to their LAREDO site, too.
Pardner, let's vamoose to HOW TO WRITE ALMOST READABLE FAN FICTION.
Hop on your horse and ride hell for leather to Jane Leavell's Fan Fiction Page to read fan fiction about shows like these.