This two-season western aired from 1960 - 62. For the first season Barton MacLaine played Marshal Frank Caine. He had two deputies, Will Forman (Don Collier) and Heck Martin (Jack Gaynor). In the second season, the cast was re-vamped with Will Forman taking over as Marshal with a new deputy, Chalk Beeson (Bruce Yarnell). All the action still took place in Stillwater, OK.
2. Annie Oakley
Answer: Sheriff Lofty Craig
This was a highly-fictionalized portrayal of the legendary female sharpshooter and mainly aimed at children. Annie (Gail Davis) lived in Diablo with her younger brother, Tagg (Jimmy Hawkins). Of course, she had to have a love interest. This was in the person of Sheriff "Lofty" Craig (Brad Johnson). They all worked together to maintain law and order. This series ran from 1954 to 1956.
3. The Deputy
Answer: Marshal Simon Fry
Movie legend Henry Fonda made a foray into television with this western drama. Marshal Fry often came into conflict with some of the townspeople of Silver City, AZ since he was a pacifist and refused to carry a gun which made him seem ineffective as a lawman.
He was often at loggerheads with hot-headed resident, Clay McCord (Allen Case). Marshal Herk Lamson (Wallace Ford) was frequently on hand to fill in when Fry happened to be out of town. This series ran from 1959-61.
4. The Virginian
Answer: Sheriff Abbott
A long-running series (1962-71), "The Virginian" was also the first 90-minute western on American TV. James Drury led a large cast as the laconic and mysterious "Virginian" whose real name was never revealed. Other prominent actors in the show were Doug McClure as Trampas, Lee J. Cobb as Judge Henry Garth, Pippa Scott as Molly Wood, and Clu Gulager as Emmett Ryker among many others.
Sheriff Abbott (Ross Elliott) was the town lawman, but seldom called on since the Virginian seemed to be able to keep peace in the Wyoming territory.
5. The Legend of Jesse James
Answer: Marshal Sam Corbett
This western presented Jesse (Christopher Jones) and his gang as sympathetic characters; victims of their circumstances and driven to crime against their will like 19th Century Robin Hoods. Of course, there had to be a lawman to keep law and order, Marshal Sam Corbett (Robert Wilke). This series ran from 1965-66.
6. Pistols 'N' Petticoats
Answer: Sheriff Harold Sikes
This was more of a sitcom than a western, but involved the Hanks family - Grandpa (Douglas Fowey), Grandma (Ruth McDevitt) and their granddaughter Henrietta (Ann Sheridan). All were expert shooters and could outdraw any gunslinger or outlaw. The local law was represented by Sheriff Harold Sikes (Gary Vinson), but was portrayed as a bumbler, thus making the Hanks the primary law enforcement in Wretched, CO.
This show aired for one season (1966-67).
7. Tombstone Territory
Answer: Sheriff Clay Hollister
A more traditional western had Sheriff Clay Hollister (Pat Conway) keeping the peace in the notorious town of Tombstone, AZ. Also in the cast were newspaper editor Harris Claibourne (Richard Eastham) and, for the first season, Gil Rankin as Deputy Riggs. "TT" aired for two seasons in 1957 and 58.
8. The Lawman
Answer: Marshal Dan Troop
Set in Laramie, WY, Marshal Troop (John Russell) portrayed the role as a square-jawed, taciturn, string tie-wearing, fatherly figure. Looking up to him was his deputy, Johnny McKay (Peter Brown). In the second season, the character Lily Merrill arrived to open the saloon and perhaps pique the interest of the straight-laced marshal. This series aired from 1958 to 62.
9. Bonanza
Answer: Sheriff Roy Coffee
Almost everyone has heard of this long-running western drama about widower Ben Cartwright Lorne Greene) and his three adult sons Adam (Pernell Roberts), Eric a.k.a. "Hoss" (Dan Blocker), and "Little" Joe (Michael Landon) living on and working the Ponderosa ranch in Virginia City, NV. Each episode had the Cartwrights interacting with other citizens or transients who presented various troublesome situations. From time to time, Sheriff Coffee (Ray Teal) stepped in to lend a hand. "Bonanza" ran a remarkable 14 seasons from 1959 to 1973.
It underwent many cast changes including Pernell Roberts's exit in 1965 and Dan Blocker's sudden death in 1972. The show didn't seem the same without Hoss and it was cancelled the next season.
10. The Rifleman
Answer: Marshal Micah Torrance
Another western about a widower was "The Rifleman". Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) was trying to raise his young son Mark (Johnny Crawford) in the rough-and-tumble setting of North Fork, NM. Many episodes involved Mark learning an important life lesson from his incredibly patient and wise father who also helped Marshal Micah Torrance (Paul Fix) in difficult situations. So much so that some would almost think McCain was the marshal and Micah was his deputy.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
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