Mackenzie's Raiders

Mackenzie's Raiders
GenreWestern
Written by
Directed by
StarringRichard Carlson
Narrated byArt Gilmore
ComposerDavid Rose
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes39
Production
Producers
Cinematography
  • Robert Hoffman
  • Charles Van Enger
Editors
Running time30 mins. (approx)
Production companyZiv Television Programs
Original release
NetworkSyndication
ReleaseOctober 1, 1958 (1958-10-01) –
1959 (1959)

Mackenzie's Raiders is an American Western television series starring Richard Carlson that was broadcast in syndication and produced in 1958–1959.[1] The series is narrated by Art Gilmore, and was produced by Ziv Television Programs.

Synopsis

The basis for the program was Mackenzie's Raid, a book by Russell P. Reeder. It told about a 32-hour raid by Mackenzie and 550 cavalrymen to destroy a Mexican town that harbored kidnappers, rustlers, and arsonists.[2]

Set in the 1870s, Mackenzie's Raiders depicted activities of the Fourth Cavalry around the Rio Grande and the Mexican border.[3] Experiences of Union Army Col. Ranald S. Mackenzie formed the basis for episodes.[4]

Mackenzie, with orders from President Grant, operated out of Fort Clark, in Texas, "to rid the Southwest of Mexican marauders and renegade Indians, pursuing them across the Rio Grande if necessary."[5] If Mckenzie were to be caught in a foreign country, the United States would deny knowledge of his mission.[5]

Cast

  • Richard Carlson as Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie (39 episodes)
  • Kenneth Alton as Raider (11 episodes)
  • Morris Ankrum as Raider (12 episodes)
  • Charles Boaz as Corporal Dixon (11 episodes)
  • Jim Bridges as Private Lewis (11 episodes)
  • Louis Jean Heydt as Raider (11 episodes)
  • Brett King as Raider (11 episodes)

Guest stars

Critical response

John P. Shanley, writing in The New York Times, complimented the show's "realistic settings and good photography" and added, "It was a better-than-average adventure show."[3]

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal air date
1"Night Raid"October 10, 1958 (1958-10-10)
2"The Long Day"October 17, 1958 (1958-10-17)
3"Death by the Numbers"October 24, 1958 (1958-10-24)
4"Indian Agent"October 31, 1958 (1958-10-31)
5"Deadly Mirror"November 7, 1958 (1958-11-07)
6"Attack"November 14, 1958 (1958-11-14)
7"Hostage"November 21, 1958 (1958-11-21)
8"Eastern Colonel"November 28, 1958 (1958-11-28)
9"The Renegade (aka Pistol Whipped)"December 5, 1958 (1958-12-05)
10"Dream of Empire"December 13, 1958 (1958-12-13)
11"The Plague (aka Cholera)"December 20, 1958 (1958-12-20)
12"Broken Treaty (aka Quanah Parker)"December 27, 1958 (1958-12-27)
13"The Imposter"January 3, 1959 (1959-01-03)
14"Apache Boy"January 10, 1959 (1959-01-10)
15"Blood on the Rio"January 17, 1959 (1959-01-17)
16"Murder is the Bid"January 24, 1959 (1959-01-24)
17"Thunder Stick"January 31, 1959 (1959-01-31)
18"Terror in Chuma Valley"February 7, 1959 (1959-02-07)
19"Raid on San Rodrigo"February 14, 1959 (1959-02-14)
20"Violent Sanctuary"February 21, 1959 (1959-02-21)
21"The Scalp Hunters"February 28, 1959 (1959-02-28)
22"Son of the Hawk"March 7, 1959 (1959-03-07)
23"The Pen and the Sword"March 14, 1959 (1959-03-14)
24"The Poisoners"March 21, 1959 (1959-03-21)
25"The Lost Raider"March 28, 1959 (1959-03-28)
26"The Fast Gun"April 4, 1959 (1959-04-04)
27"Mutiny"April 11, 1959 (1959-04-11)
28"The Court Martial of Trooper Davis"April 18, 1959 (1959-04-18)
29"Joe Ironhat"April 25, 1959 (1959-04-25)
30"Drought"May 2, 1959 (1959-05-02)
31"Uprising"May 9, 1959 (1959-05-09)
32"Desertion"May 16, 1959 (1959-05-16)
33"Deadlock"May 23, 1959 (1959-05-23)
34"Lucinda Cabot"May 30, 1959 (1959-05-30)
35"Missing--Presumed Dead (aka Captured in Mexico)"June 6, 1959 (1959-06-06)
36"Death Patrol (aka Long Ride Home)"June 13, 1959 (1959-06-13)
37"Ambush"June 20, 1959 (1959-06-20)
38"Death Road"June 27, 1959 (1959-06-27)
39"Devil Trap"July 4, 1959 (1959-07-04)

Production notes

Prior to Mackenzie's Raiders, Carlson had previously starred in another Ziv Productions series, I Led Three Lives.[5]

The series was produced by Lou Breslow and Elliott Lewis.[6] Carlson also served as a writer and director.[7] Jim Thompson was credited with writing four episodes of the show.[5]

Location shots were filmed along the Santa Ana River in California, an area that resembles that of the Rio Grande.[8]

The series is currently being shown on the over the air channel ThisTV.

DVD release

On October 8, 2013, Timeless Media Group released Mackenzie's Raiders- The TV Series on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time.[9]

References

  1. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 830. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  2. ^ Irvin, Richard (October 28, 2022). Pioneers of "B" Television: Independent Producers, Series and Pilots of the 1950s. McFarland. pp. 113–114. ISBN 978-1-4766-8996-8. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Shanley, John P. (October 16, 1958). "'Mackenzie's Raiders'". The New York Times. p. 74.
  4. ^ Adams, Val (August 15, 1958). "Ford Will Sponsor TV Concert Series By Philharmonic". The New York Times. p. 45. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d Polito, Robert (October 1, 1996). Savage Art: A Biography of Jim Thompson. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. pp. 426–427. ISBN 978-0-679-73352-2. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  6. ^ Erickson, Hal (1989). Syndicated Television: The First Forty Years, 1947-1987'. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 98. ISBN 0-7864-1198-8.
  7. ^ Page, Don (July 12, 1959). "Raider Gets Top Brains". Los Angeles Times. p. 143. Retrieved March 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Ziv 'On Location' 60& of the Time". Variety. July 1, 1959. p. 31. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  9. ^ TMG's Package Art for 'The Television Series' on DVD Archived 2013-10-17 at the Wayback Machine
  • Alex McNeil, Total Television, New York: Penguin Books, 1996, 4th ed., ISBN 0-14-024916-8