"The Wild Wild West" (1965) TV series 1965-1969

Creator:

Michael Garrison
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

17 September 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller | Western

Plot:

Two Secret Services agents, equipped with a wide array of gizmos, work for the government in the Old West.

Plot Keywords:

Gadget | Agent | Secret | Train | Spoof

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Robert Conrad	...	James T. West / ... (104 episodes, 1965-1969)
Ross Martin	...	Artemus Gordon (104 episodes, 1965-1969)
Whitey Hughes	...	Henchman / ... (47 episodes, 1966-1969)
Dick Cangey	...	Henchman / ... (46 episodes, 1966-1969)

Series Directed by
Irving J. Moore		(26 episodes, 1965-1969)
Alan Crosland Jr.		(11 episodes, 1965-1968)
Marvin J. Chomsky		(11 episodes, 1967-1969)
Robert Sparr		(5 episodes, 1966-1967)
Charles R. Rondeau		(4 episodes, 1967-1969)
James B. Clark		(4 episodes, 1967-1968)
Mike Moder		(4 episodes, 1968-1969)
Richard Donner		(3 episodes, 1966)
Michael Caffey		(3 episodes, 1967-1968)
Alex Nicol		(3 episodes, 1967-1968)
Richard C. Sarafian		(2 episodes, 1965)
Don Taylor		(2 episodes, 1965)
William Witney		(2 episodes, 1965)
Edward Dein		(2 episodes, 1966)
Lee H. Katzin		(2 episodes, 1966)
Ralph Senensky		(2 episodes, 1966)
Gunnar Hellström		(2 episodes, 1967)
Bernard McEveety		(2 episodes, 1968-1969)

Series Writing credits
Michael Garrison		(104 episodes, 1965-1969)
Henry Sharp		(10 episodes, 1965-1968)
John Kneubuhl		(8 episodes, 1965-1967)
Earl Barret		(7 episodes, 1966-1969)
Robert C. Dennis		(7 episodes, 1966-1969)
Ken Kolb		(7 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ken Pettus		(7 episodes, 1967-1969)
Leigh Chapman		(6 episodes, 1966-1968)
Robert E. Kent		(5 episodes, 1967-1969)
Calvin Clements Jr.		(4 episodes, 1966-1968)
Edward J. Lakso		(4 episodes, 1967-1968)
Paul Playdon		(3 episodes, 1968-1969)
Oliver Crawford		(2 episodes, 1965-1969)
Stephen Kandel		(2 episodes, 1965-1968)
Richard H. Landau		(2 episodes, 1965-1968)
Preston Wood		(2 episodes, 1965-1966)
Jackson Gillis		(2 episodes, 1966-1968)
Michael Edwards		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
Shimon Wincelberg		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
Kevin DeCourcey		(2 episodes, 1966)
Donn Mullally		(2 episodes, 1966)
David Moessinger		(2 episodes, 1967-1968)
Peter G. Robinson		(2 episodes, 1967)
Ron Silverman		(2 episodes, 1967)

Series Produced by
Leonard Katzman	....	associate producer (90 episodes, 1965-1969)
Bruce Lansbury	....	producer (69 episodes, 1966-1969)
Michael Garrison	....	producer / executive producer (36 episodes, 1965-1967)
Joe Kirby	....	assistant producer (25 episodes, 1968-1969)
Fred Freiberger	....	producer (10 episodes, 1965)
Richard H. Landau	....	associate producer (10 episodes, 1965)
Philip Leacock	....	executive producer (7 episodes, 1965-1966)
John Mantley	....	producer (7 episodes, 1965-1966)
Gene L. Coon	....	producer (6 episodes, 1966)
Bruce Fowler Jr.	....	associate producer (3 episodes, 1965)
Collier Young	....	producer (3 episodes, 1965)

Series Original Music by
Richard Markowitz		(29 episodes, 1965-1967)
Richard Shores		(14 episodes, 1966-1969)
Jack Pleis		(9 episodes, 1967-1969)
Harry Geller		(5 episodes, 1966-1968)
Robert Drasnin		(4 episodes, 1965-1966)
Robert Prince		(3 episodes, 1968-1969)
Morton Stevens		(2 episodes, 1966-1968)

Series Cinematography by
Ted Voigtlander		(55 episodes, 1965-1967)
Edward R. Plante		(28 episodes, 1967-1969)
Richard L. Rawlings		(19 episodes, 1967-1969)

Series Film Editing by
Alan Jaggs		(36 episodes, 1965-1969)
Grant K. Smith		(19 episodes, 1965-1967)
Frank Capacchione		(14 episodes, 1967-1969)
Byron Chudnow		(14 episodes, 1967-1969)
Robert Sparr		(7 episodes, 1965-1966)
Gene Fowler Jr.		(5 episodes, 1966-1967)
Robert B. Warwick Jr.		(3 episodes, 1965)
Ellsworth Hoagland		(2 episodes, 1969)

Series Casting by
James Lister		(33 episodes, 1965-1966)
William J. Kenney		(19 episodes, 1968-1969)
Edward F. Rhine		(17 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ethel Winant		(15 episodes, 1966-1968)
Al Onorato		(12 episodes, 1968-1969)

Series Art Direction by
Albert Heschong		(49 episodes, 1965-1967)
William Craig Smith		(45 episodes, 1967-1969)
Raymond Beal		(4 episodes, 1966)
Robert Crawley Sr.		(3 episodes, 1967-1968)
Gibson Holley		(3 episodes, 1967)

Series Set Decoration by
Ray Molyneaux		(103 episodes, 1965-1969)

Series Costume Design by
Jack Muhs		(31 episodes, 1967-1969)
Vou Lee Giokaris		(20 episodes, 1968-1969)
Paula Giokaris		(10 episodes, 1967-1968)

Series Makeup Department
Ken Chase	....	makeup artist (23 episodes, 1968-1969)
Don Schoenfeld	....	makeup artist (16 episodes, 1967-1968)
Lynn F. Reynolds	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1968)

Series Production Management
Cy Brooskin	....	unit production manager (27 episodes, 1965-1966)
Mike Moder	....	unit production manager (23 episodes, 1967-1968)
Sam Manners	....	unit production manager (15 episodes, 1968-1969)
Christopher N. Seiter	....	unit production manager (10 episodes, 1968-1969)
Lee H. Katzin	....	unit production manager (7 episodes, 1966)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles R. Scott Jr.	....	assistant director (37 episodes, 1966-1969)
Les Sheldon	....	second assistant director (32 episodes, 1966-1967)
Mike Moder	....	assistant director (15 episodes, 1966-1967)
Christopher Seitz	....	assistant director (13 episodes, 1967-1968)
Rowe Wallerstein	....	assistant director (10 episodes, 1965-1966)
Gordon A. Webb	....	assistant director (9 episodes, 1968-1969)
John W. Rogers	....	assistant director (8 episodes, 1965-1966)
Al Kraus	....	second assistant director (5 episodes, 1965-1966)
Norman August	....	second assistant director / assistant director (4 episodes, 1965)
Dick Gallegly	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1965)
Steve Siporin	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1968)
Leonard Katzman	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1965)
William Girdler	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Craig Binkley	....	leadman (24 episodes, 1968-1969)
Michael Baugh	....	set designer (5 episodes, 1965)
Arthur Friedrich	....	property master (3 episodes, 1965)
Allan Gordon	....	property master (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
James M. George	....	stunt double: Robert Conrad / stunt double: Perry Lopez / ... (8 episodes, 1968-1969)
Whitey Hughes	....	stunt double: J.S. Johnson / stunt double: Melinda Plowman / ... (5 episodes, 1967-1968)
Red West	....	stunt double: John Van Dreelen / stunt double: Ken Swofford (2 episodes, 1967-1969)
Jimmie Booth	....	stunt double: John Abbott / stunt driver: Robert Conrad and Ross Martin (2 episodes, 1967-1968)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Eddy Donno	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Bill M. Ryusaki	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Tony Van Renterghem	....	assistant camera: IATSE (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jack Muhs	....	costumer / costumes: mens (13 episodes, 1967-1969)
Paula Giokaris	....	costumer / costumes: womens (6 episodes, 1967-1968)
Vou Lee Giokaris	....	costumer (5 episodes, 1967-1969)
Frank Delmar	....	wardrobe (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Richard Markowitz	....	composer: theme music / conductor / ... (66 episodes, 1965-1969)
Morton Stevens	....	music supervisor / composer: stock music (32 episodes, 1966-1969)
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar (28 episodes, 1965-1966)
Martin L. Klein	....	music supervisor (24 episodes, 1968-1969)
Jack Pleis	....	conductor (9 episodes, 1967-1969)
Robert Drasnin	....	conductor / music conductor (4 episodes, 1965-1966)
Harry Geller	....	conductor (4 episodes, 1966-1968)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (2 episodes, 1969)

Series Other crew
Henry Sharp	....	story consultant / story editor (72 episodes, 1966-1969)
Joe Kirby	....	assistant to producer / assistant to producers (60 episodes, 1966-1969)
Preston Wood	....	story consultant / story editor (13 episodes, 1965-1966)
Don Leonard	....	assistant to producer (10 episodes, 1965)
Herbert DuFine	....	assistant to producers (7 episodes, 1965-1966)
Gene Fowler Jr.	....	production associate (7 episodes, 1965-1966)
William Koenig	....	story consultant (5 episodes, 1966)
Leonard Katzman	....	production associate (3 episodes, 1965)
Mark Weingart	....	story editor (3 episodes, 1965)
Harry Harvey Jr.	....	script supervisor (2 episodes, 1966)

Production Companies

• Bruce Lansbury Productions
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Michael Garrison Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1965-1969) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Fuji Television Network (1965) (Japan) (TV)
• Me-TV (????) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount Television
• Viacom

Other Companies

• CBS Studio Center  filming location

Also Known As:

Runtime:

50 min (104 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (season 1) | Color (seasons 2-4)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Bruce Lansbury Productions

Trivia:

Three veterans of "The Wild Wild West" (1965), stuntman Whitey Hughes, makeup artist Ken Chase and actor Richard Kiel, reminisce about the series and star Robert Conrad in the book "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" (McFarland & Co., 2010) by Tom Weaver.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Throughout the series various characters mispronounce "cavalry" as "calvary", confusing a pair of near-homonyms with Latin origins. Cavalry means soldiers on horseback. Calvary means something shaped like a skull.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Pioneers of Television: Westerns (#2.2)" (2011)

Hi-Tech Action Adventure set in Wild West...

At the peak of the 007 craze (1965), television was virtually inundated with 'secret agent' series, some clever ("The Man from U.N.C.L.E."), some dazzling ("The Avengers"), some novel ("I Spy"), and more than a few just bad ("Amos Burke, Secret Agent"). Yet the most unabashedly entertaining series of the genre was also the most far-fetched, set in the 1870s, with two Secret Service agents operating out of a private train. "The Wild Wild West" lived up to it's title, and had more imagination, action, and romance than any other series of it's time.

The brainchild of producer Michael Garrison, the Sci Fi/Western starred 30-year old TV veteran Robert Conrad ("Hawaiian Eye") as James West, an impossibly handsome, yet dedicated secret agent. While Conrad's acting skills were no threat to Olivier, as an ex-boxer, he was in superb physical condition, and performed nearly all of his own stunts, throughout the series' run. Dressed in a waist coat and tight toreador pants ("If I turned the wrong way, they'd split", he joked), he exuded a sex appeal that no other TV star of the sixties could match.

His partner, Artemus Gordon, was portrayed by respected character actor Ross Martin, a 45-year old with impeccable credentials ("Mr. Lucky", "The Twilight Zone") over a twenty-year career. He had begun acting on radio in the forties, playing a wide variety of characters, and his role as Gordon gave him a similar opportunity, as a master of disguise. Witty, and with a childlike thirst for knowledge, Martin and 'Gordon' had much in common, and he and Conrad quickly developed a friendship that would continue until his death, in 1981. The loyalty between the pair was so strong, in fact, that when Martin suffered a mild heart attack, during the series' run, the star and producers refused to write his character out of the show, but filled his 'position' with 'guest stars', until he was healthy enough to resume the role.

The premise of the show was simple; each week, in episodes always entitled "The Night of...", a megalomaniac would come up with a nefarious scheme, involving prototype weapons way ahead of their time, and West and Gordon would have to defeat him and his gang (a group of stuntmen who would reappear, every episode, in a variety of guises), while West would seduce the inevitably beautiful girl involved with the bad guys. Each episode would feature two spectacular brawls between West and the henchmen, one or two disguises for Gordon, and a climax where the heroes, held prisoner, would have to find a clever means to escape, and destroy the weapon. Many of Hollywood's legendary actors would guest as the villain, but the most popular, by far, who would reappear the most frequently, was the brilliantly funny, yet evil dwarf, Dr. Miguelito Loveless, portrayed by gifted actor Michael Dunn. A 31-year old best remembered for his work in the film, SHIP OF FOOLS, Dunn's 'Loveless' was as popular as Conrad and Martin, and his episodes were always the most stylish and entertaining.

Unlike the rest of television's 'spy genre', the cancellation of "The Wild Wild West" was not due to declining ratings, but to CBS' knee-jerk reaction to protests that the program was excessively violent. The network constantly badgered the producers to 'tone down' the show, and they finally refused to 'soften' the program any further, preferring to end the series 'on top' rather than see it lose the qualities that made it work.

Two high-rated TV 'reunion' movies were made, in 1979 and 1980, featuring the original stars, and more were planned, but, with the death of Ross Martin, Robert Conrad decided to 'retire' the franchise, out of respect to his friend.

The legendary status of the show led to an inevitable big screen adaptation, in 1999. While Conrad was invited to make a cameo, after reading the script, he publicly ridiculed it, saying it demeaned the memory of both Martin and Michael Dunn. George Clooney, who had signed to play Artemus Gordon, felt he had a point, and left the project, his role then filled by Kevin Kline. The resulting film, starring Will Smith as 'Jim' West, Kline, and Kenneth Branagh as a crippled Dr. 'Arliss' Loveless, was everything Conrad had said; tasteless, and totally lacking the chemistry and magic of the series. It quickly bombed at the box office, ending Smith's string of hit films.

"The Wild Wild West" maintains a unique position among 'spy' shows, and television in the 1960s, with a fan base that is extremely loyal, to this day. It is STILL one of the most entertaining series in syndication, and a tribute to Michael Garrison's vision, and Robert Conrad and Ross Martin's terrific chemistry together.

Accept no substitutes!