Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

[MissGoddess]

Hi kingme,
I prefer "Gunsmoke" overall, too. have you ever seen the beginning seasons in black and white? They're on DVD and Encore Westerns airs the hour-long black-and-white episodes on weeknights. I've enjoyed getting to know these, as I grew up on the 1967 + re-runs.

"Bonanza" is pleasant though, and I like the characters.

[Rita Hayworth]

Hi kingme,
I prefer "Gunsmoke" overall, too. have you ever seen the beginning seasons in black and white? They're on DVD and Encore Westerns airs the hour-long black-and-white episodes on weeknights. I've enjoyed getting to know these, as I grew up on the 1967 + re-runs.

"Bonanza" is pleasant though, and I like the characters.

Miss Goodness - thank you for telling me about Encore Westerns - I did not know this until now. I only saw the Color Version of Gunsmoke, but never the Black and White - the beginning seasons that you mentioned earlier. Gee, thanks for the heads up - I did not know this at all. I watch Encore Westerns on the weekends - but never on weeknights. Miss Goodness - thanks for the info. I really mean it!

[MissGoddess]

You are very welcome. If I may, I highly recommend "Have Gun, Will Travel" which is on at 6:39 p.m. (EST) just before "Gunsmoke", since you said you admire more complex and interesting plots and characters. That show is really first rate and very unique if you have not seen it.

The afternoon/evening line-up starts with "The Virginian", followed by "Wagon Train", "Have Gun, Will Travel" and finally "Gunsmoke" (black-and-white).

[JackFavell]

I'll second Miss Goddess' endorsement of Have Gun Will Travel. It's an excellent show.

[stuart.uk]

I've been comparing the early Bonanza's to the latter ones. It was it was interesting to see Adam and litle Joe have a fist-fight about their different mothers. I also think Pernel Robert's was impressive as Adam, though I think at the begining of the series he was the biggest star of the 4 actors with classic films like Ride Lonesome and The Sheepman to his credit.

However, I still prefer the later ones. Joe, Hoss and even Ben seemed to have matured, each becoming wiser with age

[klondike]

However, I still prefer the later ones. Joe, Hoss and even Ben seemed to have matured, each becoming wiser with age

I think that was reflective, in part, from the often iron-fisted David Dortort (series creator & frequent micro-manager) having finally relaxed his grip on script approval, and allowing a broader, more varied spectrum of stories to be performed, adding more textures & hues to the "Bonanza" mythology.
Although I prefer the first four or five seasons for reasons of personal nostalgia, I have to admit that the story arcs of many of those early episodes were really quite redundant, and frequently shallow & moralistic.

[stuart.uk]

There was also the growing genuis that was Michael Landon, who began writing, directing as well as acting in those latter shows

[mrsl]

.
I've read that more than David Dortort, Lorne Greene, after a few seasons became more active in the production of Bonanza and was partly responsible for some of the scripts, settings, and guest actors. It was also about the second half of the third season where the four guys settled down into their weekly 'uniforms' as such.
.

[MissGoddess]

Today's "Gunsmoke" is one of my tippy top favorites. It always makes me cry at the end. It's very like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
Called, "Chicken", it's from Season 10 and stars pretty-eyes Glenn Corbett (Shenandoah).

FYI, it's available at Netflix for instant viewing.

[movieman1957]

I just watched it. Never saw it before. A nice turn by Corbett. I thought he was better here than some movies he made. Nice to see L.Q. Jones play a rather normal character. Also a rather robust arrangement of the closing theme.

[MissGoddess]

I just watched it. Never saw it before. A nice turn by Corbett. I thought he was better here than some movies he made. Nice to see L.Q. Jones play a rather normal character. Also a rather robust arrangement of the closing theme.

Me, too! Though I liked his character (and Ben Johnson's) best in Chisum. I didn't notice the music at the end, but I'll pay more attention next time. I wish I had recorded it, as it's not likely to ever make it to DVD.

"Sometimes a man's arm will reach farther than he thinks." I liked that last line of Matt's.

[klondike]

Nice to see L.Q. Jones play a rather normal character.

Did you catch LQ opposite Anthony Hopkins in The Edge?
It was a small role, but he was thoroughly convincing as a charming yet manipulative resort-owner.

[MissGoddess]

I definitely prefer L.Q. "normal" to crazy, ha. He appeared several times on "Cheyenne" as a similar character as in this "Gunsmoke". Very funny but much smarter than he pretends. And very cute!

[MissGoddess]

I just realized the actress in "Chicken" was Gigi Perreau, who was in some classics as a child actress, most notably Enchantment, with David Niven. She played Teresa Wright as a child.

[movieman1957]

Did you catch LQ opposite Anthony Hopkins in The Edge?
It was a small role, but he was thoroughly convincing as a charming yet manipulative resort-owner.

It's been years and I don't remember his part so much. He sure played crazy in "Zorro" with Banderas though.