Match the Classic Westerns Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

"The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955-1961) starred Hugh O'Brian in the title role of Marshal Earp who brought law and order to the old west with the help of his long-barrelled Buntline special hand gun. That's how the story goes, anyway. An episode in the first season, titled "The Buntline Special" featured Lloyd Corrigan as Ned Buntline and recounts how Earp came to have his trademark weapon.

Answer: The Wild Wild West

From 1965-69, Robert Conrad and Ross Martin portrayed Secret Service Agents James West and Artemus Gordon, who travelled around "The Wild Wild West" in their private train, outfitted with enough gadgets to make James Bond jealous. They thwarted criminals and saved their country weekly with the help of these gizmos and their own ingenuity.

Answer: Maverick

As much comedy as western, "Maverick" (1957-62) starred James Garner and Jack Kelly as brothers Bret and Bart Maverick, who earned their living playing cards and were always nattily dressed, whether at the gambling table or travelling from town to town. They were joined by their English cousin Beau (Roger Moore) in later seasons.

Answer: Kung Fu

In "Kung Fu" (1972-75), David Carradine played Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who fled from China to the US after killing a murderer who was related to the Emperor. He put his martial arts skills to good use whilst evading bounty hunters and searching for family in the new land, righting wrongs whenever he encountered them.

Answer: Bonanza

"Bonanza" (1959-73) was about Pa (Ben) Cartwright and his sons Adam, Hoss and Little Joe who lived and worked on the Ponderosa, their ranch in Nevada. Lorne Greene was Pa, with Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon as the three grown sons. Victor Sen Yung played their cook, Hop Sing and Ray Teal was Sheriff Roy Coffee. Adam left after a few seasons and other regulars were brought in - all male.

A few townswomen and others made brief appearances, but the cast was largely male.

Answer: Wagon Train

Cook Charlie Wooster, played by Frank McGrath, appeared in more episodes of "Wagon Train" (1957-1965) than any other character (271 of 284). Major Seth Adams first led the wagon train as it travelled from Missouri to California, but he had to be replaced when the actor who played him, Ward Bond, died in 1960. Responsibility for the wagon train passed to Christopher Hale (John McIntire) who carried on until the series ended.

Answer: F Troop

"F Troop" (1965-67) was a half hour comedy western about a corrupt army sergeant (Forrest Tucker), his sidekick corporal (Larry Storch), their very naive commanding officer (Ken Berry) and the chief of the (fictional) Hekawe tribe with whom the sergeant had a lucrative deal regarding the sale of souvenirs. Frank DeKova played the chief, and the action took place in and around Fort Courage.

Answer: Rawhide

"Rawhide" (1959-65) might be most famous for the appearance of the young Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates, second in charge of the cattle drive to trail boss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming). The almost entirely male cast included Sheb Wooley, Paul Brinegar and James Murdock, with minor appearances by the like of Claude Akins, L.Q. Jones and John Ireland.

Answer: Bat Masterson

As the title character of "Bat Masterson" (1958-61), Gene Barry carried this half hour show, appearing in every episode (and over 100 more than any other actor). Masterson, as portrayed in the series, was a gambler and lawman, who dressed smartly, carried a cane and wore a derby hat.

He was just as likely to poke a bad guy with his cane as he was to draw a gun on him, and he took care of a different situation in every episode. (Personal note: As a kid I had a Bat Masterson cane, with a toy compass in the head!)

Answer: Branded

The opening sequence of "Branded" (1965-66) showed McCord (Chuck Connors) being drummed out of the army in disgrace, wrongly convicted of cowardice, with buttons and insignia being ripped from his uniform and thrown in the dust. His hat was tossed aside, and his officer's sword broken over another officer's knee.

As the theme song said, McCord would have to "prove he's a man" for if not "the rest of his life", at least for 30 minutes a week for 48 episodes. Connors was the only regular, as McCord travelled around a lot, but appearances were made by John Carradine, Lee Van Cleef and Michael Pate, amongst many others.