Law of the Plainsman
Encyclopedia
Law of The Plainsman is a Western
television series starring Michael Ansara
that aired on the NBC
television network
from October 1, 1959, until May 5, 1960. The character of Native American
U.S. Marshal
Sam Buckhart was introduced in two episodes ("The Indian" and "The Raid") of the popular ABC
Western television series The Rifleman
starring Chuck Connors
as Lucas McCain
.
Law of The Plainsman is distinctive in that it was one of the few television programs that featured a Native American as the lead character. Ansara had earlier appeared in the series Broken Arrow
, having portrayed the Apache
chief, Cochise
. Ansara, however, was not Native American but of Syria
n descent.
Ansara played Sam Buckhart, an Apache Indian who saved the life of a U.S. Cavalry
officer after an Indian ambush. When the officer died, he left Sam money that was used for an education at private schools and Harvard University
. After school, he returned to New Mexico where he became a Deputy Marshal working for Marshal Andy Morrison (Dayton Lummis
). He lives in a boarding house
run by Martha Commager (Nora Marlowe
). The only other continuing character was 8-year old Tess Logan (Gina Gillespie
), an orphan who had been rescued by Buckhart. Robert Harland
, later of Target: The Corruptors!
starred in seven episodes as Deputy Billy Lordan.
and was filmed at CBS Studio Center
.
The show only lasted one season. For syndicated reruns it was grouped with three other short-lived Western series from the same company, Black Saddle
starring Peter Breck
, Johnny Ringo
starring Don Durant
and Sam Peckinpah
's critically acclaimed creation, The Westerner
starring Brian Keith
, under the umbrella title The Westerners, with new introductions and wrap-ups by Keenan Wynn
.
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 Michael Ansara
Michael Ansara
Michael Ansara is a Syrian-born American stage, screen, and voice actor best known for his portrayal of Cochise in the American television series Broken Arrow, Kane in the 1979-81 series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and Commander Kang on three different Star Trek TV series.- Early life and...
that aired on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
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 October 1, 1959, until May 5, 1960. The character of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
U.S. Marshal
United States Marshals Service
The United States Marshals Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice . The office of U.S. Marshal is the oldest federal law enforcement office in the United States; it was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789...
Sam Buckhart was introduced in two episodes ("The Indian" and "The Raid") of the popular 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...
Western television series The Rifleman
The Rifleman
The Rifleman is an American Western television program that starred Chuck Connors as homesteader Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son, Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show, filmed in black-and-white with a half hour running time, ran...
starring Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors was an American actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player. His best known role from his forty-year film career was Lucas McCain in the 1960s ABC hit Western series The Rifleman....
as Lucas McCain
Lucas McCain
Lucas McCain is the rancher and widowed father with a penchant for using his Winchester firearm -- as a last resort -- in the Western television series, The Rifleman, which ran on ABC from 1958-1963. The part was portrayed by the former athlete-turned-actor Chuck Connors...
.
Law of The Plainsman is distinctive in that it was one of the few television programs that featured a Native American as the lead character. Ansara had earlier appeared in the series Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow (TV series)
Broken Arrow is a Western series which ran on ABC-TV in prime time from 1956 through 1958 on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Repeat episodes were shown by ABC on Sunday afternoons during the 1959–60 season...
, having portrayed the Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
chief, Cochise
Cochise
Cochise was a chief of the Chokonen band of the Chiricahua Apache and the leader of an uprising that began in 1861. Cochise County, Arizona is named after him.-Biography:...
. Ansara, however, was not Native American but of Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n descent.
Ansara played Sam Buckhart, an Apache Indian who saved the life of a U.S. Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
officer after an Indian ambush. When the officer died, he left Sam money that was used for an education at private schools and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. After school, he returned to New Mexico where he became a Deputy Marshal working for Marshal Andy Morrison (Dayton Lummis
Dayton Lummis
Dayton Lummis. Sr. , was an American actor of film and television who specialized in the genre of anthology and western series, often playing authority figures. From 1959-1960, he appeared as Marshal Andy Morrison in nine episodes of NBC's Law of the Plainsman western, with Michael Ansara and...
). He lives in a boarding house
Boarding house
A boarding house, is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide "bed...
run by Martha Commager (Nora Marlowe
Nora Marlowe
Nora Marlowe was an American film and TV character actress from Worcester, Massachusetts best known for her role as Flossie Brimmer on the CBS drama The Waltons and as Sara Andrews on the CBS sitcom The Governor and J.J. and for her roles in films including The Thomas Crown Affair and...
). The only other continuing character was 8-year old Tess Logan (Gina Gillespie
Gina Gillespie
Gina Gillespie is a former American actress who had a brief but extensive career in television and film during her childhood and youth.- Early life :...
), an orphan who had been rescued by Buckhart. Robert Harland
Robert Harland
Robert "Bob" Harland is a retired American actor whose principal work was done on television in the late 1950s and 1960s...
, later of Target: The Corruptors!
Target: The Corruptors!
Target: The Corruptors! is a 35-episode crime drama starring Stephen McNally as newspaper reporter Paul Marino, which aired on ABC from September 29, 1961 to June 8, 1962. The character Jack Flood, Marino's undercover agent, was portrayed by Robert Harland...
starred in seven episodes as Deputy Billy Lordan.
Guest stars
- Chris AlcaideChris AlcaideChristopher "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...
appeared three times, including the role of Charlie Wolf in "Blood Trails" (1960). - Jean Allison appeared twice.
- John AndersonJohn Anderson (actor)-Biography:Born in Clayton, John Anderson grew up in Quincy and Adams County, Illinois.Prior to a prolific acting career, Anderson served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II where he met artist Orazio Fumagalli who became one of his best lifelong friends.He was known for several...
appeared three times. - Richard AndersonRichard AndersonRichard Norman Anderson is an American actor in film and television, known to TV audiences as Steve Austin's and Jaime Sommers' boss, Oscar Goldman, in both The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman TV series and their three subsequent TV movies: The Return of the Six-Million-Dollar Man...
- Lane BradfordLane Bradford- Career :Born in Yonkers, New York, U.S.. He has appeared in many television series and b western movies. On stage, he co-starred in Desperadoes' Outpost , The Great Sioux Uprising , Apache Warrior .....
- Paul CarrPaul CarrPaul Carr is a British writer, journalist and commentator, based in San Francisco. He has also - as Carr writes on his official website - "edited various publications and founded numerous businesses with varying degrees of abysmal failure."-Memoirs:Carr's first autobiographical book Bringing...
- Roberto ContrerasRoberto ContrerasRoberto Contreras is an American actor best known for playing Pedro in the TV western series The High Chaparral. His film and television career spanned nearly 40 years from 1954 to 1993. He is also the father of actor Luis Contreras....
appeared twice. - Richard DevonRichard DevonRichard Devon was an American character actor best known for his roles in television and film.-Career:Devon was born in Glendale, California...
- Paul FixPaul FixPaul Fix was an American film and television character actor, best known for his work in westerns. Fix appeared in more than a hundred movies and dozens of television shows over a 56-year career spanning from 1925 to 1981...
- William FawcettWilliam FawcettWilliam Fawcett may refer to:* William Fawcett , former Adjutant-General to the Forces* William Fawcett , British botanist and co-author of the Flora of Jamaica...
- Dabbs GreerDabbs GreerRobert William "Dabbs" Greer was an American actor who performed many diverse supporting roles in film and television for some fifty years. His distinctive, southern-accented voice fitted well in shows featuring rustic characters, such as westerns...
- Ray KelloggRay KelloggEdgar Ray Kellogg was an American film director from Iowa.During World War II, Kellogg was a US Navy Lieutenant with the O.S.S. Field Photographing Branch where he became acquainted with John Ford....
appeared twice. - Jess Kirkpatrick appeared twice.
- Scott MarloweScott MarloweScott Gregory Marlowe was a versatile American actor of film, television, and stage, who was born and died in Los Angeles, California.-Early film career:...
as Clancy Jones in the episode "The Show-Off" - Tyler McVeyTyler McVeyTyler McVey was an American character actor.-Early life and career:McVey was born in Bay City on Saginaw Bay in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. His first screen role, uncredited, came at the age of 39 in 1951, when he portrayed Brady in the The Day the Earth Stood Still...
as Marshal Penrose in "The Imposter" - John MilfordJohn MilfordJohn Milford was an American actor in theatre, television, and films, playing scores of roles, often as a western villain....
appeared twice. - Gene NelsonGene NelsonGene Nelson was an American dancer, actor, screenwriter, and director.-Biography:Born Leander Eugene Berg in Astoria, Oregon, he moved to Seattle when he was one year old. He was inspired to become a dancer by watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films when he was a child...
- J. Pat O'MalleyJ. Pat O'MalleyJames Patrick O'Malley was an English singer and character actor, who appeared in many American films and television programs during the 1940s–1970s, using the stage name J. Pat O'Malley...
appeared twice. - Michael PateMichael PateMichael Pate was an Australian actor, writer and director.-Early life:He was born Edward John Pate in Drummoyne, Sydney...
- Joseph V. PerryJoseph V. PerryJoseph V. Perry was an American actor possibly best known for his role as Nemo in Everybody Loves Raymond.-Career:...
appeared twice - Denver PyleDenver PyleDenver Dell Pyle was an American film and television actor. He is best remembered for playing Uncle Jesse in The Dukes of Hazzard .-Early life:...
- Robert F. SimonRobert F. SimonRobert F. Simon was an American character actor, often portraying military or authority figure roles. Though his face was recognized by audiences, he was mostly unknown by name...
as Frank Keller in the episode "The Gibbet" - Hope SummersHope SummersHope Summers was an American character actress known for her work on The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry RFD, portraying Clara Edwards.-Career:...
- Wayne Tucker appeared three times.
- Lee Van CleefLee Van CleefLee Van Cleef was an American film actor who appeared mostly in Western and action pictures. His sharp features and piercing eyes led to his being cast as a villain in scores of films such as High Noon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Good The Bad and the Ugly.-Early life:Van Cleef was...
- Robert VaughnRobert VaughnRobert Francis Vaughn, , is an American actor noted for stage, film and television work. His best known roles include the suave spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., wealthy detective Harry Rule in the 1970s television series The Protectors, Albert Stroller in...
appeared twice. - Peter WhitneyPeter WhitneyPeter Whitney, was an American actor in film and television. Born as Peter King Engle in Long Branch, New Jersey, Whitney's corpulent, heavy build qualified him to play villains in many Hollywood movies in the 1940s and 1950s.From the late 1950s, he was more prolific playing character roles in...
appeared three times. - Robert J. WilkeRobert J. WilkeRobert J. Wilke was a prolific American film actor noted primarily for his villainous roles, mainly in westerns.Wilke started as a stuntman in the 1930s and his first appearance on screen was in San Francisco...
The Westerners
The series was produced by Four Star TelevisionFour Star Television
Four Star Television, also called Four Star International, was an American television production company. Founded in 1952 as Four Star Productions by prominent Hollywood actors Dick Powell, David Niven, Ida Lupino, and Charles Boyer, the company produced many well-known shows of the early days of...
and was filmed at CBS Studio Center
CBS Studio Center
CBS Studio Center is a television and film studio located in the Studio City district of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley. It is located at 4024 Radford Avenue and takes up a triangular piece of land, with the Los Angeles River bisecting the site...
.
The show only lasted one season. For syndicated reruns it was grouped with three other short-lived Western series from the same company, Black Saddle
Black Saddle
Black Saddle is an American Western series that ran for forty-four episodes on ABC from January 10, 1959 to May 6, 1960. The series was produced by Dick Powell's Four Star Television, and the original pilot was an episode of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater, with Chris Alcaide playing Culhane.For...
starring Peter Breck
Peter Breck
Joseph Peter Breck is an American prolific character actor of stage, who has played roles on television and in film...
, Johnny Ringo
Johnny Ringo (TV series)
Johnny Ringo is a Western television series starring Don Durant that aired on CBS from October 1, 1959, until June 30, 1960. It was loosely based on the life of the notorious gunfighter Johnny Ringo, who tangled with Wyatt Earp, John "Doc" Holliday, and "Buckskin" Franklin Leslie.This fictional...
starring Don Durant
Don Durant
Don Durant was an American actor and singer, best known for his role as the gunslinger-turned- sheriff in the CBS Western series Johnny Ringo, which ran on Thursdays from October 1, 1959 - June 30, 1960....
and Sam Peckinpah
Sam Peckinpah
David Samuel "Sam" Peckinpah was an American filmmaker and screenwriter who achieved prominence following the release of the Western epic The Wild Bunch...
's critically acclaimed creation, The Westerner
The Westerner (TV series)
The Westerner is a 1960 Four Star Television Western series on NBC created by Sam Peckinpah. The series stars Brian Keith as Dave Blassingame and features John Dehner as semi-regular Burgundy Smith...
starring Brian Keith
Brian Keith
Brian Keith was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his four decade-long career gained recognition for his work in movies such as the 1961 Disney family film The Parent Trap, the 1966 comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and the 1975 adventure saga The Wind and...
, under the umbrella title The Westerners, with new introductions and wrap-ups by Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn was an American character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts....
.