Destry (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Destry is a Western
television series starring John Gavin
that aired on the ABC
television network
from February 14, 1964 until May 8, 1964. Destry was based on the classic James Stewart
Western, Destry Rides Again
, and a subsequent remake, Destry
, starring Audie Murphy
.
In the original films, the main character was Tom Destry, a Western lawman who was a crack shot, but who preferred non-violent solutions to problems with outlaws. In the television series, Gavin played Harrison Destry, son of Tom, who had himself been a lawman until he was framed for a crime and sent to prison. The show followed Harrison Destry upon his release from prison as he wandered the West looking for the people that framed him. Just like the feature films, many comedic situations arose because Destry went to great lengths to avoid violence even though he was always running into trouble.
Destry never caught on with television, especially since the popularity of the Western genre
had begun to wane, and the series only lasted for thirteen episodes.
Among the guest stars were Chris Alcaide
, Ron Hayes
, and Barbara Stuart
.
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
television series starring John Gavin
John Gavin
John Gavin is an American film actor and a former United States Ambassador to Mexico. Gavin is half Mexican and fluent in Spanish....
that aired on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
from February 14, 1964 until May 8, 1964. Destry was based on the classic James Stewart
James Stewart (actor)
James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
Western, Destry Rides Again
Destry Rides Again
Destry Rides Again is a western starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart. The supporting cast includes Mischa Auer, Charles Winninger, Brian Donlevy, Allen Jenkins, Irene Hervey, Billy Gilbert, Bill Cody, Jr., and Una Merkel. The original Max Brand novel was translated into an "oater" with the...
, and a subsequent remake, Destry
Destry (film)
Destry is a 1954 western starring Mari Blanchard, Audie Murphy, and Thomas Mitchell. The third and final film version of Max Brand's Destry Rides Again, this 1954 version is closer to the 1939 Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart film version than it is to the Brand original. Indeed Halliwells film...
, starring Audie Murphy
Audie Murphy
Audie Leon Murphy was a highly decorated and famous soldier. Through LIFE magazine's July 16, 1945 issue , he became one the most famous soldiers of World War II and widely regarded as the most decorated American soldier of the war...
.
In the original films, the main character was Tom Destry, a Western lawman who was a crack shot, but who preferred non-violent solutions to problems with outlaws. In the television series, Gavin played Harrison Destry, son of Tom, who had himself been a lawman until he was framed for a crime and sent to prison. The show followed Harrison Destry upon his release from prison as he wandered the West looking for the people that framed him. Just like the feature films, many comedic situations arose because Destry went to great lengths to avoid violence even though he was always running into trouble.
Destry never caught on with television, especially since the popularity of the Western genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
had begun to wane, and the series only lasted for thirteen episodes.
Among the guest stars were Chris Alcaide
Chris Alcaide
Christopher "Chris" Alcaide was an American actor particularly known for his role in television westerns. He surfaced to national attention as Deputy Joshua Tate in the 1956 film Gunslinger, co-starring Beverly Garland as a woman marshal.In 2003, Alcaide was among recipients, including the Sons of...
, Ron Hayes
Ron Hayes
Ronald G. Hayes was an American television actor who, as an activist in the environmental movement, worked for the establishment of the first Earth Day, observed on April 22, 1970. He was a member of the Sierra Club and a founder of the ecological interest group Wilderness World...
, and Barbara Stuart
Barbara Stuart
Barbara Ann Stuart was an American actress.-Major roles:Stuart portrayed "Miss Bunny", the girlfriend of Sergeant Vincent Carter, played by Frank Sutton, on three seasons of CBS's Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C....
.