Hondo (TV series)

Hondo
Taeger as Hondo Lane.
GenreWestern
Developed byAndrew J. Fenady
Written by
Directed by
Starring
Theme music composerRichard Markowitz
ComposersRichard Markowitz
Vic Mizzy (one episode)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes17
Production
ProducerAndrew J. Fenady
Running time60 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseSeptember 8 (1967-09-08) –
December 29, 1967 (1967-12-29)

Hondo is an American Western drama series starring Ralph Taeger that aired on ABC from September 8 until December 29, 1967 during the 1967 fall season. The series was produced by Batjac Productions, Inc., Fenady Associates, Inc., and MGM Television.

Overview

Taeger as Hondo
Taeger in Hondo

Hondo is based on the 1953 3D film of the same name starring John Wayne and Geraldine Page, which was in turn an offshoot of a July 5, 1952 Collier's short story "The Gift of Cochise". Below the name of the teleplay author, each episode states, "Hondo" based on a screen play by James Edward Grant / from a story by Louis L'Amour.

The storyline concerns Hondo Lane, a former Confederate cavalry officer who had moved west following the Civil War and taken an Indian bride, only to see her killed as part of a massacre of Indians conducted by United States Army troops. Now Hondo and his dog, Sam, travel alone and seek to prevent further trouble between the Army and the remaining Indians. They also fight to counter land grabbers and other outlaws.[1]

Noah Beery Jr. portrays Hondo's frequent sidekick, Buffalo Baker, who had been played by Ward Bond in the original movie version with John Wayne. The little boy, Johnny Dow, is played by Buddy Foster, older brother of Jodie Foster.

While the Wayne film had been fairly successful, this series, airing against the hit sitcom Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. on CBS and Star Trek on NBC, was soon canceled, with the last broadcast occurring on December 29, 1967.[2]

The rule of thumb for broadcast syndication is at least 100 episodes, but Hondo, with only seventeen segments, became popular after it left the air and became the subject of an article in the Wall Street Journal.[3] One venue for broadcasting Hondo during early 2020s has been GetTV.[4]

The first two episodes were edited together to form the feature film Hondo and the Apaches, which was released theatrically outside of North America.

Cast

Actor Role
Ralph Taeger Hondo Lane
Kathie Browne Angie Dow
Noah Beery Buffalo Baker
Gary Clarke Captain Richards
Michael Pate Chief Vittoro
William Bryant Colonel Crook
Buddy Foster Johnny Dow

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Hondo and the Eagle Claw"Lee H. KatzinAndrew J. FenadySeptember 8, 1967 (1967-09-08)

starring Ralph Taeger. Kathie Browne. Michael Rennie as Tribolet. co–starring Noah Beery, Gary Clarke, Michael Pate, William Bryant, Buddy Foster. guest stars Gary Merrill as General Sheridan. Randy Boone as Sean. and John Smith as Ed Dow. with Victor Lundin as Silva, Jim Davis as Krantz, John Pickard as Lieutenant, Steve Marlo as Reese. special guest appearance Robert Taylor as Gallagher. Uncredited: William "Bill" Walker, Hank Worden [miners]

Hondo searches for Apache chief Vittoro in order to invite him to a peace parley with General Sheridan.
2"Hondo and the War Cry"Lee H. KatzinAndrew J. FenadySeptember 15, 1967 (1967-09-15)

starring Ralph Taeger. Kathie Browne. Michael Rennie as Tribolet. co–starring Noah Beery, Gary Clarke, Michael Pate, William Bryant, Buddy Foster. guest star Randy Boone as Sean. with Victor Lundin as Silva, Jim Davis as Krantz, Don Collier as Drover, Abel Fernandez as Indian. special guest appearance Robert Taylor as Gallagher. Uncredited: Red Morgan [drover], Noble Chissell [bar patron], Hank Worden [miner]

Captain Richards leads his troops against Vittoro, who has agreed to peace talks.
3"Hondo and the Singing Wire"William WitneyGeorge SchenckSeptember 22, 1967 (1967-09-22)

starring Ralph Taeger. guest stars Pat Conway as Redell, Perry Lopez as Delgado, Donald Woods as Stanton. co–starring Kathie Browne [credited but does not appear], Noah Beery, Gary Clarke, Michael Pate, William Bryant, Buddy Foster. with Iron Eyes Cody as Chief, Red Morgan as Morgen, Stan Barrett as Diamond and Donald Barry as Sergeant Daniels.

Hondo becomes embroiled in a feud between a renegade Apache and the hot-tempered foreman of the crew erecting telegraph wires near Fort Whipple.
4"Hondo and the Superstition Massacre"Lee H. KatzinAndrew J. FenadySeptember 29, 1967 (1967-09-29)

starring Ralph Taeger. guest stars Robert Reed as Frank Davis. Nancy Malone as Mary Davis. co–starring Kathie Browne, Noah Beery, Gary Clarke, Michael Pate, William Bryant, Buddy Foster. with Willard Sage as Sgt. Able, Michael Lane as Moon Dog, Claude Hall as Unwashed, Ed McCready as Sergeant. Uncredited: Red Morgan [trooper]

Superstition Mountain may hold a possible gold lode and the Army sends for surveyor whom Hondo recognizes as leader of the massacre that included his Indian wife among the victims.
5"Hondo and the Savage"Michael MooreFrank ChaseOctober 6, 1967 (1967-10-06)

starring Ralph Taeger. guest stars Nico Minardos as Ponce. Charles McGraw as General Rutledge. co–starring Kathie Browne [credited but does not appear], Noah Beery, Gary Clarke, Michael Pate [credited but does not appear], William Bryant, Buddy Foster [credited but does not appear]. with Bill Henry as Sand, Tom Monroe as Dink, James Beck as Sergeant, Carmelita Acosta as Canoa, Iron Eyes Cody as Elderly Brave [credited but does not appear].

Indian-fighting General Rutledge arrives at Colonel Crook's fort and threatens to disrupt the delicate peace that Hondo had arranged.
6"Hondo and the Apache Kid"William WitneyFrank L. MossOctober 13, 1967 (1967-10-13)
7"Hondo and the War Hawks"Michael D. MooreDonn MullallyOctober 20, 1967 (1967-10-20)
A new colonel (John Carroll) wants to retrieve hunting weapons given to Vittoro's people.
8"Hondo and the Mad Dog"Arthur H. NadelNathaniel TanchuckOctober 27, 1967 (1967-10-27)
A killer tries to prove witness Sam has rabies; with James MacArthur, Royal Dano.
9"Hondo and the Judas"Lee H. KatzinStory by : Andrew J. Fenady
Teleplay by : Frank Chase		November 3, 1967 (1967-11-03)
William Quantrill (Forrest Tucker) reconvenes his Raiders and asks Hondo to join; with Rick Nelson, John Agar, John Carradine.
10"Hondo and the Comancheros"Michael D. MooreFrank ParisNovember 10, 1967 (1967-11-10)
11"Hondo and the Sudden Town"Harry HarrisPalmer ThompsonNovember 17, 1967 (1967-11-17)
12"Hondo and the Ghost of Ed Dow"Harry HarrisStanley Adams and George F. SlavinNovember 24, 1967 (1967-11-24)
13"Hondo and the Death Drive"William WitneyPeter B. GermanoDecember 1, 1967 (1967-12-01)
14"Hondo and the Hanging Town"Alan Crosland Jr.Stanley Adams and George F. SlavinDecember 8, 1967 (1967-12-08)
15"Hondo and the Gladiators"Eddie SaetaTurnley WalkerDecember 15, 1967 (1967-12-15)
16"Hondo and the Apache Trail"Michael CaffeyWilliam FrougDecember 22, 1967 (1967-12-22)
17"Hondo and the Rebel Hat"Michael D. MooreMax HodgeDecember 29, 1967 (1967-12-29)

Home media

On June 13, 2017, Warner Bros. released the entire series on DVD via their Warner Archive manufacture-on-demand service.[5]

References

  1. ^ Hondo at John Wayne Message Board
  2. ^ Magers, Boyd. "Hondo" (Western Clippings / Do You Remember?)
  3. ^ "HONDO (1967): TV's Unlikely Syndication Success" (The Horn Section, April 13, 2015)
  4. ^ "Hondo — 10 Facts About the 1960s Western TV Series Based on the John Wayne Film"
  5. ^ Spun Off from the John Wayne Film, The Complete Series is Coming to DVD! Archived 2017-05-22 at the Wayback Machine
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