Have Gun, Will Travel
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV-G | 14 September 1957 (USA)
SEASON & EPISODES
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  • Reviews
    Actuakers

    One of my all time favorites.

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    Dynamixor

    The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

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    Invaderbank

    The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

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    Usamah Harvey

    The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

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    MiddleRowAisleSeat

    Richard Boone is one of a kind, a screen icon. Like so many of a small select group of actors who graced both the small and big silver screen, he had a compelling presence, enormous charisma, and a face the camera loved. In addition, as an actor, he could hold his own with anyone in Hollywood, from Broadway, or abroad, which allowed many outstanding character actors to be seen on his show in scenes with him without them being able to upstage him.Like fellow actors Bruce Dern and Jack Elam, he was equally effective as the bad guy. No one would ever describe him as having a pretty face. But he had an expressive face with a strong, masculine, dimpled chin, deep set eyes, a broad, intelligent forehead and brow below a head of curly dark hair; and that face many of his fans and admirers described as ruggedly handsome. When he was on screen, all eyes were drawn to him, anxious to see what he would do or say next.He made a great antagonist to actors like John Wayne who had enormous presence and could fill the screen, an accomplishment that allowed us, the audience a chance to relish some truly intense and exciting physical and verbal interactions between them.Have Gun - Will Travel is iconic in itself. It was sharp, well written, taut, well acted and, most often, well directed. As at least one other reviewer has mentioned, many of the episodes were darker than your average western series. It suited the name of the show, the way Paladin dressed and talked (including the poetry and prose he frequently quoted), and the subjects and themes of many of those episodes, where the B&W cinematography often had scenes filmed half in deep shadow, emphasizing and reflecting the darkness of the subject matter or underlying theme. It was both timely and timeless. Many of its episodes have contemporary themes and deal with social and ecological problems we are still dealing with today. Occasionally, the scripts were pedantic or preachy in a very small way for only a moment or two, just long enough for the writer or producer to get their point across. Fortunately, none of the shows I have seen ever lapsed into diatribes. The social or ecological consciousness of some shows remained in the shadows or within the underlying theme, showing up only in a short speech of a very few words at the beginning and/or end of an episode, where all such subjects should be kept in shows that are primarily entertainment in nature. I like this show very much and am glad I am getting a chance to see on the Western Channel of Starz Encore a series that I mostly missed as a child in the '50's and '60's. The series and Mr. Boone are well worth watching for the first time…and again.Richard Boone was perfect in this iconic role that he defined. He was and will remain unique, incomparable, and will never walk this way again. Thank our lucky Starz for the preservation of film, video, and all the other wonderful media where our cinematic memories are kept and treasured.*As a footnote, DirecTV shows Have Gun – Will Travel on Channel 538 at 1:52 pm CDT on weekdays and 9:00 am CDT on Saturdays. **For those interested in old classic westerns, on the Western Channel (Channel 538), you can also find Marshal Dillon (the half-hour episodes of Gunsmoke). Then there's Gunsmoke itself (the B&W hour-long episodes of the longest running dramatic series on television, which ran from 1955–1975. There was a reason it lasted as long as it did! Next is Rawhide, which had the best theme song of all time (sung by Frankie Laine). It was also one of the best westerns on television, featuring Eric Fleming as the trail boss, Gil Favor, and launched the career of a young Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates (who sings a tune every now and again). I almost forgot Wagon Train, an anthology show concerning different characters, and their lives, on their way west on a wagon train lead by regulars Ward Bond and Robert Horton, and later, John McIntire and Robert Fuller, among others. Two other excellent western series, not currently running on the Western Channel at this time, are Cheyenne with tall, broad-shouldered, narrow-hipped, iconic Clint Walker and Maverick, with America's favorite television actor, James Garner who played Bret, and Jack Kelly who played his brother, Bart, both series of which ran earlier and can be seen in special marathons you have to keep on the watch for. Fortunately, the Western Channel repeats episodes and does a lot of advertising at the end of classic series episodes where you can find out, far in advance, what's coming up. These are all early classic western series I recommend for anyone interested in, just discovering, or rediscovering the genre. There has always been good television and westerns, in particular, if you knew where to find them and what you were looking for. Good hunting and good watching!

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    martin-fennell

    Hi. I listened to two episodes of the radio version this morning. They were heyboy's revenge, and Winchester quarantine. In the former, we learn heyboy's real name. Although I wonder why he couldn't have been called by his real name. I'm guessing calling the character Heyboy would be seen as pretty un pc these days. I did notice that in the radio version he was played by a white actor (ben wright) who was English and had a talent for accents and in the TV version by an Asian actor Kam Tong. In Bonanza they had an Asian actor playing hop sing (Victor Sen Yung) whereas in movies (correct me if I'm wrong here) white actors were still playing orientals, Indians etc. Does this mean that TV was more progressive in it's outlook than radio or movies? I have done very little research, so am prepared to be shot down for that comment. In the second episode Paladin helps out an Indian who has been educated in the ways of the white man. The character and his wife are treated with dignity. When i think of John Dehner, and Richard Boone, I think of them primarily as villainous characters; Dehner in TV series and Boone in movies. so it's interesting to me at least, that their most famous roles was as good guys. Dehner did mention in The story of Gunsmoke, that he much preferred his time on Gunsmoke than he did on HGWT. Oh, by the way, I used to think the character's name was Will Travel :) M

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    bkoganbing

    Running for six years on television after many years on radio Have Gun Will Travel was one of the most popular westerns ever on television. Richard Boone never got a role quite the equal of it in his distinguished career.We never learned his real name, he was simply Paladin and on his business card was the chess symbol of the knight. His services didn't come cheap, but if you had a problem he'd definitely take care of it. And he was particular about who he worked for.He had to charge dear because Boone as Paladin liked to live high on the hog in San Francisco. I'm sure the education he had which he showed off when not on the job didn't come cheap and he was as comfortable in a Nob Hill drawing room as out on the trail.On the job he was skilled with all kinds of weapons, a deadly rife shot, a fast draw with a colt, and in a pinch his derringer got him out of a few bad situations. And he could make his point with language that you didn't hear on Nob Hill.I've always thought the modern day equivalent of Have Gun - Will Travel was Edward Woodward's famed Equalizer series from the Eighties. If Richard Boone had lived until then, I'll bet he would have seen the resemblance.Boone was an incredible actor as good at playing the cowboy hero in Have Gun - Will Travel as playing some of the nastiest villains in film such as in Big Jake or Hombre. He was loquacious in San Francisco or laconic on the trail as the situation called for it.Have Gun - Will Travel came over from radio where John Dehner starred as Paladin. But for me Richard Boone got his career role from this show. Would that we all could send a wire to Paladin and have all our problems solved.

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    animal_8_5

    Richard Boone was brilliant as Paladin and the opening where he draws his gun to tension-building music was one of the best of any program made during the late-fifties. The half hour programs were always socially and politically poignant, with the hero always prevailing over injustice, discrimination and hate.The craggy-faced Boone dresses in black, making him a possible icon for the motorcycle sub-culture of our society. A typical "anti-hero"....establishing his OWN justice and being an avenging angel, tormenting those who have been unjust. Seemingly of the opinion that less is more, Paladin never EVER used his gun unless absolutely necessary and somehow, in the process, scared all malefactors crap-less. We could use more of that humbleness today.Shows like "Dog - Bounty Hunter" and "Orange County Chopper" once had the potential to be modern versions of Paladin, but are quite lost on me, due to today's propensity away from mental and moral stability and toward "quirkiness." Today producers feel more is best and less is nothing. This disease is epidemic in the entertainment productions of the early 21st century. Television was truly meant for great programs like Have Gun - Will Travel.

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