A Celebration of Western Movies… Pardner!
Found this clip today … when I shoulda found it yesterday!!
Anyway … nice clip on Garner and original Maverick Series.
Garner: Leaving things better than when he found it.
Garner: “I didn’t know what I was doing.”
That’s OK Jim … we did.
Maverick Theme Song
Written by composers David Buttolph (music) and Paul Francis Webster (lyrics).
Sung by ? “a male chorus”.
Maverick Lyrics
(Go ahead … sing along)
Who is the tall, dark stranger there?
Maverick is the name.
Ridin’ the trail to who knows where,
Luck is his companion,
Gamblin’ is his game.
Smooth as the handle on a gun.
Maverick is the name.
Wild as the wind in Oregon,
Blowin’ up a canyon,
Easier to tame.
Riverboat, ring your bell,
Fare thee well, Annabel.
Luck is the lady that he loves the best.
Natchez to New Orleans
Livin on jacks and queens
Maverick is a legend of the west.
Riverboat, ring your bell,
Fare thee well, Annabel.
Luck is the lady that he loves the best.
Natchez to New Orleans
Livin on jacks and queens
Maverick is a legend of the west.
Maverick is a legend of the west.
(Natchez is in SW Mississippi)
“Nuthin’ up my sleeve … ”
Garner never needed to cheat.
In the first 7 episodes of Maverick, James Garner starred alone. Then Jack Kelly was brought in. The series employed an unusual format: Garmer and Kelly appeared alone in some episodes – then together. Kelly was good, but there was never any doubt who had the charisma: Garner was the Star. And when he left during Season 3, the series definitely declined in popularity.
From the Golden Age of the 50’s era, “MAVERICK” can be classified as one of the best Western TV series during this period. ABC network channel produced the whole 5 season of this show from 1957-1962 with very outstanding and definitely top-class episodes every week. James Garner playing as Bret Maverick really portrayed his role very well as the smooth and stylish man of the Western culture. I remember, many girls fantasize him for being so attractive and all men want to be like him. His character as Bret was so modish, calm with no pressure that has great sense of humor, a poker champion, and most of all physically strong. What’s more interesting in his character is, he chose to use his intelligence over his power. Most episodes show the funny side of James Garner that why the public viewers commended his role as Maverick with these unique qualities! Review posted on Monday, July 15th 2013 at 1:53 am
Maverick wanabees ….
Not fast enough boys …
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Westerns – popular in the 50’s
Photo of all the Warner Brothers Studio television western stars who had programs on ABC. From left: Will Hutchins (“Sugarfoot” Brewster-Sugarfoot), Peter Brown (Johnny McKay-Lawman), Jack Kelly (Bart Maverick-Maverick), Ty Hardin (Bronco Laine-Bronco), James Garner (Bret Maverick-Maverick), Wayde Preston (Christopher Colt-Colt .45), John Russell (Dan Troop-Lawman).
I thought it would be rather easy to throw something together for James Garner. Not so !! Just the Maverick stuff itself seemed like a small industry – with TV Series, spin-offs, Movies, Mini Series … etc.
Let’s get started:
Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend with Randolph Scott / 1957
Garner’s first Western. Pretty well any Western with Randolph Scott is either very watchable or Classic.
Scott and Garner
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“Who is the tall dark stranger there … ??”
Why it’s Maverick of course ! Most likely Bret Maverick (James Garner)
After Garner left the show during the 3rd Season …
It just wasn’t the same.
Maverick – in Film and TV – went through a few permutations and convolutions over the years and will need to be covered in more depth later.
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Garner made a cameo appearance in the Bob Hope Western Comedy
Alias Jesse James.
Couldn’t find any pics of James so I’m inserting Gloria Talbott instead. Yeah.
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Duel at Diablo: Garner with Sydney Poitier / 1966
I don’t know much about this movie .. will have to catch up.
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One of My Favorites: Hour of the Gun / 1967
Garner is scary stern as Wyatt Earp
and Robards is brilliant as Doc Holliday.
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Support Your Local Sheriff / 1966
Garner’s comic talents were exploited often:
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Sledge / 1970
What happens when you mix spaghetti with beef?
You get Sledge.
Some decent people in here.
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More comedy …
Support Your Local Gunfighter / 1971
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Disney calls:
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Not everything worked:
Young Maverick – TV Show / 1979
Starred Charles Frank as Ben Maverick. Really.
Lasted 8 episodes.
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Then … suddenly:
Murphy’s Romance / 1985
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Was this a Western ? I believe I spot a car in there.
Garner as legendary lawman Wyatt Earp (again) and Bruce Willis as legendary Western actor Tom Mix,
but I’m not sure.
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Maverick – the movie / 1994
Garner, Gibson and Jodie Foster and James Coburn and Graham Greene
and others …
Garner appears as the much rumoured “Pappy” …
Gibson reprises Bret.
A fun movie – good cast
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Then …
Streets of Laredo – 3 part mini-series … also a Great Cast:
Garner, Sissy Spacek, Sam Shepard, Ned Beatty, Randy Quaid,
Wes Studi, Charles Martin Smith …
and Alexis Cruz does a good job as the villain.
______________________Shepard, Garner, Spacek_____________________
will cover this better – later.
Whew !!!
Upcoming:
Maverick: The TV Show
Hour of the Gun
Streets of Laredo
