"The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955) TV series 1955-1961

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | unknown

Release Date:

6 September 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Marshal Earp keeps the law, first in Kansas and later in Arizona, using his over-sized pistols and a variety of sidekicks...

Plot Keywords:

Marshal | Kansas | Wyatt Earp | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Hugh O'Brian	...	Wyatt Earp (225 episodes, 1955-1961)
Jimmy Noel	...	Townsman / ... (106 episodes, 1955-1960)
Buddy Roosevelt	...	Townsman / ... (96 episodes, 1955-1961)
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Townsman / ... (95 episodes, 1955-1961)

Series Directed by
Frank McDonald		(96 episodes, 1955-1959)
Paul Landres		(24 episodes, 1960-1961)
Roy Rowland		(8 episodes, 1959-1960)

Series Writing credits
Frederick Hazlitt Brennan		(104 episodes, 1955-1961)
Daniel B. Ullman		(9 episodes, 1955-1958)
John Dunkel		(6 episodes, 1957-1960)
Frank Gruber		(4 episodes, 1955-1960)
Maurice Tombragel		(4 episodes, 1955-1957)
Wells Root		(2 episodes, 1955-1956)

Series Produced by
Robert Sisk	....	producer / executive producer (53 episodes, 1955-1959)
Louis F. Edelman	....	executive producer / producer (49 episodes, 1955-1959)
Roy Rowland	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Herman Stein		(29 episodes, 1955-1959)

Series Cinematography by
Harold E. Wellman		(36 episodes, 1955-1956)
Robert B. Hauser		(5 episodes, 1959)
Howard Schwartz		(4 episodes, 1957-1958)
Henry Cronjager Jr.		(2 episodes, 1959)
Clark Ramsey		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
John Durant		(47 episodes, 1955-1959)

Series Casting by
Marjorie Benson		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Albert M. Pyke		(42 episodes, 1955-1959)
Richard Berger		(4 episodes, 1959)
Ralph Berger		(2 episodes, 1959)

Series Set Decoration by
Ted Offenbecker		(38 episodes, 1955-1959)
Jack Mills		(3 episodes, 1957)
Joseph W. Holland		(3 episodes, 1959)
Sandy Grace		(2 episodes, 1959)
John MacNeil		(2 episodes, 1959)

Series Makeup Department
Paul Malcolm	....	makeup artist (42 episodes, 1955-1959)
Donald W. Roberson	....	makeup artist (4 episodes, 1955)
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist (4 episodes, 1959)
Gustaf Norin	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1959)

Series Production Management
Argyle Nelson	....	production manager / production supervisor (49 episodes, 1955-1959)
Sydney M. Fogel	....	production manager / production supervisor (13 episodes, 1956-1959)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sydney M. Fogel	....	assistant director (35 episodes, 1955-1956)
Gary Nelson	....	second assistant director (29 episodes, 1955-1959)
Sid Sidman	....	assistant director (6 episodes, 1956-1959)
Bob White	....	assistant director (5 episodes, 1959)

Series Art Department
Kenneth L. Westcott	....	property master (5 episodes, 1959)
Carl Nugent	....	property master (3 episodes, 1958-1959)

Series Sound Department
Glen Glenn	....	sound recordist / recordist (48 episodes, 1955-1959)
Robert Reeve	....	re-recording editor / re-recording engineer / ... (45 episodes, 1955-1959)
Tommy Thompson	....	sound (44 episodes, 1955-1959)
Leon M. Leon	....	sound (5 episodes, 1959)
Jack Solomon	....	sound (4 episodes, 1955)
Jack Lowry	....	re-recording editor (4 episodes, 1959)

Series Stunts
Archie Butler	....	stunt double: John Craven / stunt double: Mike Connors (2 episodes, 1955-1956)
Jack N. Young	....	utility stunts (2 episodes, 1956)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Jim James	....	chief electrician (2 episodes, 1959)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Douglas Stevens	....	wardrobe / costume supervisor (45 episodes, 1955-1959)

Series Editorial Department
Dann Cahn	....	editorial supervisor / supervising editor (42 episodes, 1955-1959)

Series Music Department
Ken Darby	....	chorus / music by / ... (217 episodes, 1955-1961)
Harold Adamson	....	composer: theme music (48 episodes, 1955-1959)
Harry Warren	....	composer: theme music (48 episodes, 1955-1959)
E.C. Norton	....	music editor (5 episodes, 1956-1957)

Series Other crew
Stuart N. Lake	....	consultant (48 episodes, 1955-1959)
Wilda McGinnis	....	story editor (6 episodes, 1959)
Arvo Ojala	....	gun coach (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Wyatt Earp Enterprises

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1955-1961) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• SFM Entertainment (2005-) (USA) (TV) (syndication)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound recording by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (266 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Wyatt Earp Enterprises

Trivia:

This show, along with "Gunsmoke" (1955) helped launch a great era of the TV western. Westerns became so popular on TV that by the end of the 1950s, there would be as many as 40 Westerns in prime time.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Leave It to Beaver: Beaver's Fortune (#3.10)" (1959)

Soundtrack:

The Legend Of Wyatt Earp

Consistent , Absorbing Western Narratives; Memorable Action & Drama

This tremendously popular and long-running half-hour series featured changes of locale, added characters and deaths, and in several cases changes of the actors plying parts. Central to the proceedings from first to last from 1955--1961 was lean and athletic Hugh O/Brian as a plausible young Wyatt Earp. Into this the life of this fictionalized American icon, other characters real and imagined were introduced. The series was first located in Kansas cattle towns such as Wichita and Dodge City; then O'Brian moved to Tombstone, Arizona. He became and remained a town marshal during this time. Other regulars of note in this very intelligently-made, innovative and realistic series--one whose 'history' was decidedly not of a documentary variety--included Lloyd Corrigan as Ned Buntline, Alan Dinehart as Bat Masterson, several Doc Hollidays, Gloria Talbott, Don Haggerty, Denver Pyle, Damian O'Flynn, Carol Stone as Kate Holliday, Selmer Jackson, Randy Stuart, Wlliam Tannen, Paul Brinegar as Mayor "Dog" Kelly, Trevor Bardette as Old Man Clanton, Steve Brodie as Sheriff Johnnie Behan, Ross Elliott and others as Wyatt Earp's brothers, etc. The peculiar and memorable structure of the show allowed "changes" in character, relationships, locations, etc. when many series did not permit such alterations. In addition, the show's producers used some actors in guest roles many times, including Sam Flint, Steve Pendleton, Rico Alaniz and more. Guest stars of note included Anna May Wong, Arthur Space, Ann Robinson, Howard Petrie, George Wallace, Richard Travis, Robert Lowery, James Coburn, Peggy Knudsen, Fay Baker, Carolyn Craig, Jim Bannon, Nancy Hadley, Whitner Bissell, Angie Dickinson, Francis de Sales, Peter Mamakos, Ed Nelson, Richard Devon, Lane Bradford, Dorothy Green and John Vivyan, plus many more. Directors of record included Paul Landres and Frank McDonald. The staff of writers included Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, John Dunkel and Dan Ullman. These professionals kept up the show's very consistent quality throughout, I suggest. During its run, this series was shot by six cinematographers but only two art directors, by Ralph Berger and Albert M. Pyke, created its authentic western 'look'. Set decorations were done by Jack Mills and Kenneth W. Swartz. Bruce Bilson was second-unit director, with Hollywood veteran Roy Rowland as executive producer. The producers employed a gun expert, several production specialists and very good but less-expensive talents in order to keep up their high-standard of quality. The series ended with a memorable five-part but not-very-accurate gunfight at the OK Corral. This by my lights was a first-rate narrative TV series, I assert, one which was much imitated for decades afterward. Also of note was the show's theme song, whose picture of Earp set the tone for Eliot Ness, The Lawman, and Kojack among many other TV lawmen to come.