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Post by topbilled on May 6, 2023 16:18:58 GMT
I recently purchased the complete series of Branded, a two-season western series from the mid-60s starring Chuck Connors. He had taken a few years away from TV after The Rifleman ended, to focus on his movie career. But he returned to the small screen in this series, produced by Andy Fenady.
The main reason I bought the series is because Fenady produced The Rebel with Nick Adams, which I just finished going through. That was also a two-season western series.
Fenady uses a lot of the same character actors in guest roles in Branded that he used in The Rebel. Among them are Claude Akins, John Carradine, L.Q. Jones, Jason Evers, etc.
Anyway, there are some interesting bonus features on the Branded DVDs. The first disc includes a special episode of The Rifleman. And the second disc, which I just started watching, has an interview with Johnny Crawford with a copyright of 2012.
I guess the reason they interviewed Crawford is because Connors was no longer around, having passed away in the 1990s, and in addition to playing Connors' son on the earlier series, Crawford guest stars in one of the first episodes of Branded as a young deputy marshal that Connors' character, Jason McCord, helps. It's nice to see them work together again, with Crawford now about 20 years old.
The interview with Crawford is conducted outdoors, in an equestrian park...and he demonstrates his skill of trick roping, which is fairly interesting. It's not a long segment...but he talks about his appearance on Branded, and his impressions of Chuck Connors.
Johnny Crawford was about 66 when he did this particular interview, and he looks great and has a good recollection of things from almost five decades before. Sadly, Crawford would be diagnosed with Alzheimer's a few years later, and he would die in 2021 at the age of 75 after suffering from Covid and pneumonia.
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Post by kims on May 6, 2023 20:45:19 GMT
I watched both series original run with antenna and rabbit ears on the tv along with the obligatory ceramic snarling black panther with the clock on its side. So many of my friends' tv's also had this figurine I wonder now if it was a promotional giveaway with the tv. Connors certainly had range-sniveling bully in THE FAR COUNTRY and dumb jock I think in PAT AND MIKE along with thug Charles Bronson.
Regarding Branded and THE RIFLEMAN, I always regretted the show openings. In THE RIFLEMAN Connors has that long upward sidelong look into the camera and in BRANDED that dramatic ripping off of the buttons etc. I always laugh. I guess combined with the shows' theme music I found it melodramatic? But then I also laugh at Westerns with opening theme songs with some deep voiced singer belting out some variation of "he's a man" I always start thinking "we need some stout hearted men who will fight for the right"
I admit to finding humor where there isn't any at times.
My favorite tv western was HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL. I like the sophisticated, well travelled and educated San Francisco swain as alter ego to hired gun. Some episodes were directed by Ida Lupino. Most episodes I've seen in rerun have an actor you recognize from film or tv. But it is a nostalgic choice also. I was in first grade, my sister was telling that Paladin was my favorite and a boy in my grade said no pile of beans is going to steal my girl. That was the first I knew I had a boyfriend!
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Post by topbilled on May 6, 2023 22:35:30 GMT
I watched both series original run with antenna and rabbit ears on the tv along with the obligatory ceramic snarling black panther with the clock on its side. So many of my friends' tv's also had this figurine I wonder now if it was a promotional giveaway with the tv. Connors certainly had range-sniveling bully in THE FAR COUNTRY and dumb jock I think in PAT AND MIKE along with thug Charles Bronson. Regarding Branded and THE RIFLEMAN, I always regretted the show openings. In THE RIFLEMAN Connors has that long upward sidelong look into the camera and in BRANDED that dramatic ripping off of the buttons etc. I always laugh. I guess combined with the shows' theme music I found it melodramatic? But then I also laugh at Westerns with opening theme songs with some deep voiced singer belting out some variation of "he's a man" I always start thinking "we need some stout hearted men who will fight for the right" I admit to finding humor where there isn't any at times. My favorite tv western was HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL. I like the sophisticated, well travelled and educated San Francisco swain as alter ego to hired gun. Some episodes were directed by Ida Lupino. Most episodes I've seen in rerun have an actor you recognize from film or tv. But it is a nostalgic choice also. I was in first grade, my sister was telling that Paladin was my favorite and a boy in my grade said no pile of beans is going to steal my girl. That was the first I knew I had a boyfriend! |
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Post by NoShear on May 7, 2023 2:38:35 GMT
I recently purchased the complete series of Branded, a two-season western series from the mid-60s starring Chuck Connors. He had taken a few years away from TV after The Rifleman ended, to focus on his movie career. But he returned to the small screen in this series, produced by Andy Fenady.
The main reason I bought the series is because Fenady produced The Rebel with Nick Adams, which I just finished going through. That was also a two-season western series.
Fenady uses a lot of the same character actors in guest roles in Branded that he used in The Rebel. Among them are Claude Akins, John Carradine, L.Q. Jones, Jason Evers, etc.
Anyway, there are some interesting bonus features on the Branded DVDs. The first disc includes a special episode of The Rifleman. And the second disc, which I just started watching, has an interview with Johnny Crawford with a copyright of 2012.
I guess the reason they interviewed Crawford is because Connors was no longer around, having passed away in the 1990s, and in addition to playing Connors' son on the earlier series, Crawford guest stars in one of the first episodes of Branded as a young deputy marshal that Connors' character, Jason McCord, helps. It's nice to see them work together again, with Crawford now about 20 years old.
The interview with Crawford is conducted outdoors, in an equestrian park...and he demonstrates his skill of trick roping, which is fairly interesting. It's not a long segment...but he talks about his appearance on Branded, and his impressions of Chuck Connors.
Johnny Crawford was about 66 when he did this particular interview, and he looks great and has a good recollection of things from almost five decades before. Sadly, Crawford would be diagnosed with Alzheimer's a few years later, and he would die in 2021 at the age of 75 after suffering from Covid and pneumonia. TopBilled, I wondered if Johnny Crawford came back for Ivan Tors' quasi-Chuck Connors western, COWBOY in AFRICA, but, unless I overlooked, he did not. |
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Post by topbilled on May 7, 2023 2:51:37 GMT
TopBilled, I wondered if Johnny Crawford came back for Ivan Tors' quasi-Chuck Connors western, COWBOY in AFRICA, but, unless I overlooked, he did not. |
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Post by kims on May 8, 2023 0:16:25 GMT
TB, 35 years and 12 states later I finally got around to marrying a man who also believed the only sport is hockey
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