One of the most popular genre from OTR is Westerns. The culture of the 1930's,40"s and 50's seemed to be fascinated with era, when people moved west to start new life on the frontier and the romance of the cowboys and their struggles.
I've nominated 5 Old West Series as the very best of the golden age. (See below for poll where you can vote for your favorite show!!)
Gunsmoke...To many OTR fans it's the best show period of the Golden Age...Well cast with William Conrad perfectly cast as Marshall Matt Dillon the law in Dodge City Kansas; the writing was top notch and acting by the cast (Howard McNare, Parley Bare and Georgia Ellis) and sound effects consider all to be the very best in the business. What Gunsmoke did was told great stories that just happened to be set in the Old West...Listen for yourself to this episode...One of the best episode....
The Lone Ranger wasn't just a hit old west kids show it was a industry on it's own. Created in Detroit on WXYZ it made Detroit, the station and eventually the network (Mutual) that was created around it a mecca for talent and success. The Lone Ranger started in 1933 and ran on radio until 1955. The show was a hit for it's entire run and eventually went to TV, movies, books, comic's etc... It maybe it's story which is steeped in legend or it's iconic theme song (William Tell Overture) or it's many catch phrases, "Hi Ho Silver!" or "Yes King'o'sabea", whatever it is The Lone Ranger stands alone as one the 20th Centuries most iconic characters. Here is the episode which tells how the legend started...Hi-Ho Silver away!! |
In my next post I'll share our 3 other entries for Best Old West Series...Frontier Gentleman starring John Dehner and Have Gun Will Travel also starring Dehner and the Jimmy Stewart classic The Six Shooter.