Death Valley Days (1952–1970)

Western stories and legends based, and filmed, in and around Death Valley, CA. One of the longest-running Western series, originating on radio in the 1930s. The continuing sponsor was "20 Mule Team" Borax, a product mined in Death Valley.

Stars:

Stanley Andrews, Don Haggerty, John Pickard

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Stanley Andrews	...	Host (27 episodes, 1952-1963)
Don Haggerty	...	Aaron (14 episodes, 1961-1969)
John Pickard	...	Baldy Johnson (13 episodes, 1958-1969)
Gregg Palmer	...	Gabe (13 episodes, 1956-1969)
Roy Engel	...	Brigadier General Kearny (12 episodes, 1959-1970)
Lisa Gaye	...	Delores (11 episodes, 1960-1969)

Storyline

Western stories and legends based, and filmed, in and around Death Valley, CA. One of the longest-running Western series, originating on radio in the 1930s. The continuing sponsor was "20 Mule Team" Borax, a product mined in Death Valley.

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Plot Keywords:

death valley | borax | americana | outlaw | gunfighter | 

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Details

Official Sites:

Borax Inc [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 March 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Call of the West

Filming Locations:

Apacheland Studios - 4369 S. Kings Ranch Road, Gold Canyon, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmaster Productions, Flying 'A' Productions, Madison Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

25 min 25 min (532 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During its run, the series was also honored with awards from the Governors of three states (California, Nevada, and Utah), the University of Washington, and historical societies such as the Native Daughters of the Golden West.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theatre 3000: Teenagers from Outer Space (1992)

User Reviews

Tales Told At The Fireside

Somewhere in the offices of the 20 Mule Team Borax company sits some television gold. Death Valley Days, the longest running syndicated show on television contains some fine dramas, made better by the fact that these were true western stories, no frills added. Take a look at the directors and writers lists for the show. You'll find in the credits any number of B picture western directors who found work as the B western died out on the big screen, same with the writers.

Not to mention the players and for a real western feel the show had as its first host character actor Stanley Andrews known as the Old Ranger. Andrews brought a real feel of the old west to his job as host. Even when some rather more well known Hollywood names like Ronald Reagan, Robert Taylor and Dale Robertson took over the hosting duties, you always knew you were watching three well known movie stars. With Andrews it was like sitting by the fireside listening to tales from the past from a beloved relative.

Robertson was from Oklahoma and could never shake the western image no matter how hard he tried in his career and he eventually went with the flow. Taylor and Reagan were both leading men, Taylor of A films and Reagan of B films from their respective studios. But both had a real love of horses and the west and would just as soon have been cowboy heroes at their studios instead of the career paths that were chosen for them by Louis B. Mayer and Jack Warner respectively. All of them fit the role of host well because of their backgrounds.

This is another show that TV Land channel ought to grab. Or at least the country music channel which has now taken to showing films occasionally. They can't do better than this.