Boots and Saddles (1957– )Creator:Robert A. Cinader |
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Boots and Saddles (1957– )Creator:Robert A. Cinader |
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| Series cast summary: | |||
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John Pickard | ... |
Capt. Shank Adams
(38 episodes, 1957-1958)
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Patrick McVey | ... |
Lt. Col. Wesley Hayes
(38 episodes, 1957-1958)
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Gardner McKay | ... |
Lt. Dan Kelly
(38 episodes, 1957-1958)
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Dave Willock | ... |
Lt. Binning
(38 episodes, 1957-1958)
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John Alderson | ... |
Sgt. Bullock
(38 episodes, 1957-1958)
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Michael Hinn | ... |
Luke Cummings, Scout
(38 episodes, 1957-1958)
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From the opening lines of the theme song (a ghostly, echoing bugle version of "Boots and Saddles") the show kept its implied promise by evoking the gritty loneliness, danger and drama of life on a frontier army post. The cast-from Captain Shank Adams (West Point class of '73) through the gruff (but decent) Sgt. Bullock and the comical Private Hatfield and his fellow private buddy (whose name escapes me)- formed an army family not equaled until the advent of "Mash" in the 1970s.
My personal favorite among the episodes was the one in which Capt. Adams was wounded and a rancher (who had once been an officer in the Prussian army) took over command. Another episode, about a wounded trooper with a pathological jealousy about his wife, showed psychological depth. Somehow the show was able to step deftly from comedy to pathos to epic adventure in a bare half hour. It gave some of the satisfaction one could derive from John Ford's cavalry trilogy (at a much more modest budget). The theme music was always effective in matching the mood of the material.