THE SIX SHOOTER
Radio programas or shows is something of the past. And it has become just that, sadly, something never to go back too. But I loved those shows and still do. However, there are so many things today that occupies one’s mind with an endless bombardment of different media programs on the internet or mobile phone, that there seems to be never enough time for anything.
The Six Shooter is a United States western old-time radio program starring James Stewart as a gunfighter. It was created by Frank Burt, who also wrote many of the episodes, and lasted only one season of 39 episodes on NBC (Sept. 20, 1953–June 24, 1954). One old-time radio directory called the program “a last, desperate effort by a radio network (NBC) to maintain interest in adventure drama by employing a major Hollywood movie star in the leading role.”
The main character, Britt Ponset, a drifting cowboy in the final years of the wild west, was played by James Steward who’s voice you are about to hear. Episodes ranged from straight western drama to whimsical comedy. A trademark of the show was Stewart’s use of whispered narration during tense scenes that created a heightened sense of drama and relief when the situation was resolved.(wikipedia)
THE RADIO SHOW: SIX SHOOTER season 1 episode 1
Each episode opened with the announcer (Hal Gibney; John Wald in later episodes) stating: “The man in the saddle is angular and long-legged. His skin is sun-dyed brown. The gun in his holster is gray steel and rainbow mother-of-pearl, its handle unmarked. People call them both ‘the Six Shooter’.”
The haunting theme music was “Highland Lament”, arranged by series composer Basil Adlam and written by British film composer Charles Williams. Jack Johnstone was the producer-director for NBC Radio, in association with Revue Productions.
(2vid) https://youtu.be/AO9kG1rnXMg
James Stewart filmed a television pilot episode titled “The Windmill” featuring Barbara Hale, John McIntire and Edgar Buchanan but it somehow failed to sell. A perfect copy of the episode exists, however, which you can at the end of the paragraph.
WINDMILL. James Stewart, Barbara Hale
(3vid) https://ok.ru/video/5360758491699
(3vid) https://ok.ru/video/5360758491699
The program was later successfully adapted for television in 1957 with John Payne as the star; by that time, Stewart’s career had completely recovered from his initial postwar slump and he was no longer available. An article in a trade publication reported that 39 “half-hour tv films” would be produced “for a series titled The Six Shooter.” Frank Burt was the consultant for all episodes of the adaptation. The pilot episode, titled “The Restless Gun”, aired on 29 March 1957 as an episode of the anthology series Schlitz Playhouse of Stars. John Payne, who would go on to star in the series, played the lead character, Britt Ponsett. But by the time the series, also called The Restless Gun, debuted the following fall, the main character’s name had been changed to Vint Bonner, “a slightly altered rendition of Britt Ponset”.
THE RESTLESS GUN
Read more: The Restless Gun — Wikipedia
Ref:540 reblog: orginally posted March 16, 2023
#2623-mprm #reblogged#2023-03-16#ref. 540#radio show#the six shooter#1953#tv series#the restless gun#1957-1959#2026-07-22
