Tales of Wells Fargo

Tales of Wells Fargo is an American Western television series starring Dale Robertson that ran from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until its final season when it expanded to an hour and switched from black and white to color.

Tales of Wells Fargo
Dale Robertson as Jim Hardie, 1958.
Genre	Western
Created by	James Brooks Frank Gruber Gene Reynolds
Directed by	Earl Bellamy William F. Claxton Lewis R. Foster Jerry Hopper Leslie H. Martinson Gene Reynolds Sidney Salkow R. G. Springsteen George Waggner William Witney
Starring	Dale Robertson William Demarest Virginia Christine Jack Ging
Theme music composer	Mort Greene Harry Warren Stanley Wilson
Composer(s)	Paul Dunlap Michael Greene Melvyn Lenard Morton Stevens Harry Sukman John Williams
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	6
No. of episodes	200 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s)	Nat Holt Earle Lyon
Running time	30 mins, (1957-1961) 60 mins. (1961-1962)
Production company(s)	Overland Productions Revue Studios
Distributor	MCA TV (1964-1966) NBCUniversal Television Distribution (2004-2011)
Release
Original network	NBC
Picture format	Black and white (1957-61) Color (1961-62)
Audio format	Monaural
Original release	March 18, 1957 (1957-03-18) – June 2, 1962 (1962-06-02)

Synopsis

Set in the 1870s and 1880s, the series starred the Oklahoma native Dale Robertson as special agent Jim Hardie, noted at the time as "the left-handed gun". The series development was influenced by the biography of Wells Fargo detective Fred J. Dodge. The concept of Tales of Wells Fargo, a company troubleshooter in the American West, was also adapted by the syndicated series Pony Express, co-starring Grant Sullivan as detective Brett Clark, which aired in the 1959-1960 season, nearly coinciding with the centennial of the Pony Express. Even earlier, from 1954 to 1955, Jim Davis had starred as a railroad investigator, Matt Clark, in the syndicated Stories of the Century. Davis and Robertson, both of whom had unusual but similar-sounding speaking voices, each did the narration for their respective series. (And each actor later landed roles in 1980's primetime soaps: Davis on Dallas and Robertson on Dynasty.)

In the 1957 Christmas episode entitled "Laredo", Jim Hardie must track gunrunners across the United States/Mexican border in Laredo, Texas, a quest which keeps him from spending the holiday with friends as he had intended. Guest stars include Henry Rowland, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Karl Swenson and Pierre Watkin.[1]

Jim Hardie usually rode a chestnut horse with a white blaze on his face and four white stockings. The horse actually belonged to Dale Robertson, and was named "Jubilee." In at least one episode in season four, Jubilee came when Hardie whistled and called his name.

Cast

• Dale Robertson as Jim Hardie, Wells Fargo agent
• William Demarest as Jeb Gaine (1961–1962)
• Virginia Christine as Ovie (1961–1962)
• Jack Ging as Beau McCloud
• Lory Patrick as Tina (1961–1962)

Notable guest stars

Nick Adams Stanley Adams Claude Akins, five times, once as John L. Sullivan Rico Alaniz Eddie Albert Morris Ankrum Roscoe Ates Roy Barcroft Trevor Bardette Hugh Beaumont as Jesse James John Beradino, three times Lyle Bettger as John Wesley Hardin Dan Blocker Lane Bradford Johnny Mack Brown Edgar Buchanan Walter Burke Steve Brodie Charles Bronson as Butch Cassidy Harry Carey Jr. James Coburn Chuck Connors twice, once as Sam Bass Ben Cooper Jeanne Cooper as Belle Starr Ellen Corby Walter Coy Royal Dano as Cole Younger Cesare Danova as Tiburcio Vasquez Jim Davis John Dehner Francis De Sales Richard Devon Brad Dexter John Doucette Buddy Ebsen Frank Ferguson Paul Fix three times, once as Philip Sheridan Ron Foster

Byron Foulger Beverly Garland as Pearl Hart Anthony George Bruce Gordon Leo Gordon Tom Greenway Dabbs Greer Ron Hayes Myron Healey Anne Helm as Nellie Bly Kelo Henderson as Ike Clanton Tom Hennesy Rodolfo Hoyos Jr. Clegg Hoyt Richard Jaeckel Brad Johnson I. Stanford Jolley Bobby Jordan as Bob Ford Robert Karnes DeForest Kelley Douglas Kennedy George Keymas Wright King Jack Lambert Martin Landau as Doc Holliday Michael Landon, three times, twice as a Wells Fargo rider Wesley Lau Tom Laughlin Tina Louise Barbara Luna Barton MacLane[2] Carole Mathews Ann McCrea Frank McGrath Steve McQueen as Bill Longley Tyler McVey Don Megowan as Ben Thompson Jan Merlin Robert Middleton, four times

John Milford James Millhollin Ewing Mitchell George Mitchell Gerald Mohr Alan Napier Ed Nelson Jack Nicholson Leonard Nimoy Simon Oakland Warren Oates J. Pat O'Malley Dennis Patrick John M. Picard Phillip Pine as Kid Curry Edward Platt as Tom Bell Sydney Pollack Mike Ragan Gilman Rankin Addison Richards as Lew Wallace Paul Richards as Johnny Ringo Jason Robards Sr. Vito Scotti Dan Sheridan Warren Stevens as Clay Allison Guy Stockwell Barbara Stuart Olive Sturgess Grant Sullivan William Tannen Vaughn Taylor Ray Teal Russell Thorson Lee Van Cleef Robert Vaughn as Billy the Kid Gregory Walcott Adam West Peter Whitney Robert J. Wilke Guinn Williams

Broadcast history

The pilot for Tales of Wells Fargo originally premiered as an episode of the anthology series Schlitz Playhouse of Stars.

In the 1960-61 season, Wells Fargo was scheduled opposite ABC's detective series Surfside 6 and CBS's new sitcom Bringing Up Buddy, starring Frank Aletter. Wells Fargo and Surfside 6 survived another year, but Bringing Up Buddy was cancelled. Wells Fargo was the lead-in that year to a new NBC Western, Klondike, but that series, set in the gold rush town of Skagway, Alaska, survived only seventeen episodes.

Ratings

For its first two years, the series was in the top ten of the Nielsen Ratings. During the 1957-58 season, it was ranked #3,[3] and during the 1958-59 season, it was ranked #7.[4]

Home media

Timeless Media Group released the first two seasons on DVD in Region 1.[5]

DVD name	Ep #	Release date
The Complete First and Second Seasons	52	October 25, 2011

Merchandise

The television series also spawned a number of publications for young readers, including the hardcover book Danger at Dry Creek (Golden Press, 1959), a series of Dell Comics and Little Golden Books. One of the artists who created this comic book adaptation was Russ Heath.[6]

References

1. "Laredo; Tales of Wells Fargo". Internet Movie Database. December 23, 1957. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
2. CTVA.biz
3. "TV Ratings: 1957-1958". classictvhits.com.
4. "TV Ratings: 1958-1959". classictvhits.com.
5. Lambert, David (September 9, 2011). "Tales of Wells Fargo - 'The Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons' 6-DVD Tin". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on September 3, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
6. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/h/heath_russ.htm

External links

• Tales of Wells Fargo on IMDb
• Tales of Wells Fargo at TV.com
• Tales of Wells Fargo at epguides.com