"Law of the Plainsman" (1959) TV series

Writer:

Milton S. Gelman (writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

1 October 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Sam Buckhart was an Apache Indian who had saved the life of a U.S. Cavalry officer after an Indian ambush...

Cast

Michael Ansara	...	Deputy U.S. Marshal Sam Buckhart (30 episodes, 1959-1960)
Gina Gillespie	...	Terry 'Tess' Wilkins (15 episodes, 1959-1960)

Also Known As:

The Westerners (USA) (syndication title)

Runtime:

USA:30 min (30 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Company:

Cardiff Productions

Trivia:

Michael Ansara first played his character in this series on 17 Feb 1959 in the episode "The Indian" and again on 9 June 1959 in the episode "The Raid," both on the series "The Rifleman" (1958), but neither actually plays like a pilot for this program.

Movie Connections:

Spin off from "The Rifleman" (1958)

Music

The Score for Law of the Plainsman was composed by Leonard Rosenman (also composed theme). This information comes from a classic TV Western web site. This show was a fun show to watch and my first exposure to Michael Ansara as a performer and actor. The character originality and plots using a native American character in this show were to me the first sign that the 1960's and the decades following were not going to be just, Old Anglo Saxon knockoffs with guns, on the little or big screen any more. Typically Hollywood: a Syrian, playing a native American. The opening screen of the main character riding across the western plains on a pure white horse still holds my imagination.