Colt .45 (TV series)

*Colt .45*
Colt .45
	Wayde Preston as Christopher Colt, 1959
Genre	Western
Created by	Based on the film by; Thomas W. Blackburn
Developed by	Roy Huggins
Starring	Wayde Preston; Donald May; Kenneth MacDonald
Theme music composer	Mack David; Jerry Livingston
Opening theme	Performed by Hal Hopper
Composers	Paul Sawtell; Bert Shefter
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	67
Production
Executive producer	William T. Orr
Producers	Roy Huggins; Harry Tatelman; Cedric Francis; Mack David; Joseph Hoffman; Oren W. Haglund (production manager); Gordon Bau (make-up)
Editor	James Moore
Running time	24 mins
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	October 18, 1957 –; September 27, 1960
Related
	Maverick; Shotgun Slade; Sugarfoot

Colt .45 (also known as The Colt Cousins) is an American Western series which aired on ABC between October 1957 and September 1960.^[1]

The half-hour program is loosely based on the 1950 Warner Bros. film of the same name, starring Randolph Scott. Colt .45 was part of the William T. Orr-produced array of westerns which Warner produced for ABC in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Overview

Roy Huggins developed the series with Wayde Preston in the part of undercover government agent Christopher Colt, who takes the cover of a traveling Old West pistol salesman, hence the title of the series. Colt .45 also featured fictionalizations of actual historical characters including Edwin Booth (brother of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln), Sam Bass, Billy the Kid, Lew Wallace, Judge Roy Bean, Buffalo Bill Cody, Ned Buntline, and Calamity Jane.

During this period of time, Colt .45 was one of several ABC/WB western productions, along with Cheyenne, Sugarfoot, Lawman, Maverick and Bronco. Various series leads occasionally did crossover episodes on some of the other WB programs. One of the most imaginative was the "Hadley's Hunters" episode of Maverick, in which Bart Maverick (Jack Kelly) comes upon Christopher Colt's sales satchel, abandoned in a room and covered with dust since the series had been cancelled the previous season.

Cast change

In 1958, series star Wayde Preston left the series because he claimed he was made to do stunts that required a stunt man. Preston was also reportedly unhappy with the show's low budget which caused other problems. Because of Preston's departure, producers were forced to air repeats of the series along with a few new episodes to complete the 1958-1959 season.^[1]

In 1959, Donald May assumed the lead role as Sam Colt, Jr., the cousin of Christopher Colt.^[2] After leaving the series, Warner Bros. prevented Preston from obtaining other acting jobs. He eventually returned briefly to the series but was demoted to a co-starring role with May.^[3]

Guest stars

Reception and cancellation

Upon its debut in October 1957, Colt .45 was a respectable ratings draw for ABC. It helped ABC win its timeslot against NBC and CBS.^[4]

By season two, however, behind the scenes problems caused a dip in viewership. After series star Wayde Preston left the series due his dissatisfaction with working conditions, producers were forced to repeat episodes to fill out the second season. There were also problems with the show's sponsorship which changed repeatedly. According to author Alvin H. Marill, the choice to cast Donald May in the lead role after Preston's departure was not explained in the storyline.^[5] Wayde Preston eventually returned to the series but by then, ratings had dropped off and ABC canceled the series in 1960. The final episode aired on September 27, 1960.

Production notes

Theme song

The Colt .45 opening theme music was composed by Hal Hopper with lyrics by Douglas Heyes.

References

^ ^a ^b Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (17 October 2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present (9 ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 273. ISBN 0-345-49773-2.
^ Abbott, Doug; Jackson, Ronald (2009). 50 Years of the Television Western: A Pictorial History. AuthorHouse. p. 80. ISBN 1-434-35925-5.
^ Moore, Barbara A.; Bensman, Marvin R.; Van Dyke, Jim (2006). Prime-Time Television: A Concise History. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 146. ISBN 0-275-98142-8.
^ "Sunset Trailblazer in All-Out Race to Grab Adult Western Pull". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 2 28 October 1957. ISSN 0006-2510.
^ Marill, Alvin H. (2011). Television Westerns: Six Decades of Sagebrush Sheriffs, Scalawags, and Sidewinders. Scarecrow Press. p. 46. ISBN 0-810-88132-2.

External links

Colt .45 at IMDb
Colt45 at epguides.com

[brooks-1] Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (17 October 2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present (9 ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 273. ISBN 0-345-49773-2.

[2] Abbott, Doug; Jackson, Ronald (2009). 50 Years of the Television Western: A Pictorial History. AuthorHouse. p. 80. ISBN 1-434-35925-5.

[3] Moore, Barbara A.; Bensman, Marvin R.; Van Dyke, Jim (2006). Prime-Time Television: A Concise History. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 146. ISBN 0-275-98142-8.

[4] "Sunset Trailblazer in All-Out Race to Grab Adult Western Pull". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 2 28 October 1957. ISSN 0006-2510.

[5] Marill, Alvin H. (2011). Television Westerns: Six Decades of Sagebrush Sheriffs, Scalawags, and Sidewinders. Scarecrow Press. p. 46. ISBN 0-810-88132-2.

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