"Branded" (1965)TV series 1965-1966

Creator:

Larry Cohen

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

24 January 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Western

Plot:

In the 1880s Jason McCord travels the country trying to prove he's no coward. He needs to do this because...

Plot Keywords:

Army | Cavalry | Civil War | Cowardice

Cast

Chuck Connors	...	Jason McCord (48 episodes, 1965-1966)
John Howard	...	Cavalry Colonel (Opening Credits Court Martial Scene) (35 episodes, 1965-1966)

Runtime:

30 min (48 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Kanab Movie Fort, Kanab, Utah, USA

Company:

Madison Productions

Trivia:

Jason's horse was Domino.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in An Opera of Violence (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Branded

A rarely lost series starring Chuck Connors

Even though this series is rarely shown in some areas,Chuck Connors follows up on his "Rifleman" series with a western that only ran two seasons on NBC-TV from January 24,1965-April 23,1966 producing 48 episodes and afterwards was never heard from again..until now. "Branded" was the type of show that gave Chuck Connors astounding ability to pass as both hero and villain,but in this one he is regarded as a coward for deserting his troops during an Indian attack,and that is just half on if,but we viewers know differently. I had a chance to check out one of the episodes watching a late night flick on TV,and in this episode Connors is captured by hostile Indians,gagged and bound while being forced to duel to the death,and in another one Connors fights off a gang of outlaws who want to turn him in for money which they want to hang him,but he manages to escape from great danger(this episode was in black and white). All of the scenes have Connors barechested and this a far cry from his days as Lucas McCain on "The Rifleman". However some of the episodes were in color(and they're on videocassette),and it was that macho crap that underlay some westerns and this was one of those shows that didn't last very long.

NOTE: During the show's first season,the episodes were shot in black and white(1965-66)while the second season episodes were in color(1966). The show was produced by NO other than game show veterans Mark Goodson and Bill Todman(the guys behind "The Price Is Right")and this was their first try at a weekly series(and the last time they will ever do so).