Art and Politics in Have Gun - Will Travel: The 1950s Television Western as Ethical Drama

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From 1955-1964, American television was awash in adult Westerns, accounting for as much as one-quarter of all prime-time programming. During its six seasons (1957-1963), Have Gun - Will Travel was recognized as one of the best shows on television-politically the most liberal, and intellectually and aesthetically the most sophisticated, largely due to the influence of its star, Richard Boone.

Part 1 places the series in its larger historical context, exploring why the Western was so popular in this decade (Chapter 1), and examining how the early history of television as a medium and a business shaped the shows that were broadcast (Chapter 2). Chapter 3, a brief biography of Boone, reveals how his values and experiences shaped the series, while Chapter 4 describes behind-the-scenes life on Have Gun compared to its longest-running and most popular competitors: Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, and Bonanza. Part 2 turns to the specific episodes to analyze major themes and patterns, in particular the figures of the lawman (Chapter 5), gunfighters and outlaws (Chapter 6), racial and ethnic minorities (Chapter 7), and women (Chapter 8), again by comparison with its three competitors.