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Quiz about How Television Won the West
Quiz about How Television Won the West

How Television Won the West Trivia Quiz


Despite the history books, television has created its own historical record of how the wild west was interpreted and how some interesting events evolved. Here are ten examples.

A multiple-choice quiz by kingscourt. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
kingscourt
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
344,310
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
398
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. In the series 'Have Gun - Will Travel', the episode titled 'The Mark of Caine', the character Paladin, played by Richard Boone, references a western outlaw as being dead. The series took place around 1876. This outlaw lived until 1915 although his brother was murdered in 1882. Which outlaw was given an early death by television? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. This 1959 western television series saw a notorious outlaw hang up his life of crime to become the law in a small town. In the television show he had two deputies, a girlfriend and a trick gun. In truth this outlaw actually died shortly after the gunfight at the OK corral probably as a direct consequence of the fight. Whose criminal record did television erase? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The television series 'Little House on the Prairie' had a visit from two notorious outlaws in an episode from 1977. They posed as southern civil war veterans and won the sympathetic heart of Mary Ingalls. When discovered, they took Mary hostage and eventually escaped to reap more criminal mayhem. A young Walnut Grove resident would grow up to kill one of them. Who are the villains that television gave a brief respite to? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. This campy actor played OK corral hero Doc Holliday visiting Wyoming in the 1959 western series "Lawman". He was put in danger from vengeful brothers after killing their brother after a card game. This actor would go on to a future tv role as a costumed hero. Who played the dentist that television gave more adventures to than he had in real life? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In the late sixties-early seventies series "The Brady Bunch", little Bobby wrote an essay on his hero. As it was about a well known western outlaw, Mike and Carol were concerned. Although this man was a criminal and killer, who did television paint more as a sadistic, trigger-happy, ruthless, cold blooded, sociopathic, murderer? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Barry Sullivan played an almost paternal figure to Clu Gallagher's character. In this 1960-62 series these two had an uneasy friendship. They each anticipated that they must eventually collide, as they were on different sides of the law. Which real life characters from the series "The Tall Man" did television try to reconcile? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Paladin, in the series "Have Gun, Will Travel" tangled with a teenager named Dorateo Arango. Despite the fact the show supposedly took place approximately a decade after the civil war, the young Mexican was already a teenager. What Mexican revolutionary hero did television age by almost 20 years in this episode since he was actually only born in 1878? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Though more noted for battling criminals with his baton, this real-life western hero fought for women's rights in a television episode of his series called "The Inner Circle", in Wyoming in 1869. Despite the good deed portrayed in the episode, the real life individual at that time would have only been 16 years old! What character played by Gene Barry did television age so he could fight for the fairer sex? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. On "Bonanza", a famous writer met the Cartwrights in the episode, "A Passion for Justice". Though this writer of "Great Expectations" traveled the eastern American coastal cities, he never visited the west. Who did television bring further west than he really travelled and make him Hoss Cartwright's hero? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. In an episode of "Bonanza" entitled "Enter Mark Twain", Hoss befriends Sam Clemens. During a shootout with land grabbers, Sam decides to create a new pseudonym for himself after writing a newspaper article. What pseudonym did television have Hoss help Clemens abandon before deciding on Mark Twain? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In the series 'Have Gun - Will Travel', the episode titled 'The Mark of Caine', the character Paladin, played by Richard Boone, references a western outlaw as being dead. The series took place around 1876. This outlaw lived until 1915 although his brother was murdered in 1882. Which outlaw was given an early death by television?

Answer: Frank James

Frank James retired from crime after serving his time in prison. He gave tours of his farm to the public and died at age 72 leaving behind a wife and son. Butch Cassidy allegedly died with The Sundance Kid in Bolivia in 1908 during a shootout. Doc Holliday died from Tuberculosis in 1887. Bat Masterson died in 1921.
2. This 1959 western television series saw a notorious outlaw hang up his life of crime to become the law in a small town. In the television show he had two deputies, a girlfriend and a trick gun. In truth this outlaw actually died shortly after the gunfight at the OK corral probably as a direct consequence of the fight. Whose criminal record did television erase?

Answer: Johnny Ringo

Though affiliated with the Clanton gang, Ringo never took part in the OK Corral incident, he was found dead with a bullet hole in his right temple. He was the victim of murder or suicide. Don Durant played the hero-Ringo in the series. Michael Biehn played the sociopath-Ringo in the 1993 movie 'Tombstone' beautifully. Ike Clanton, Virgil Earp and Frank Stillwell were all participants in the Earp/Clanton incident of 1881 in one way or another.
3. The television series 'Little House on the Prairie' had a visit from two notorious outlaws in an episode from 1977. They posed as southern civil war veterans and won the sympathetic heart of Mary Ingalls. When discovered, they took Mary hostage and eventually escaped to reap more criminal mayhem. A young Walnut Grove resident would grow up to kill one of them. Who are the villains that television gave a brief respite to?

Answer: Jesse and Frank James

On the "Little House" episode entitled 'The Aftermath' from 1977, Frank and Jesse James hold up in Walnut Grove thereby affecting the lives of all residents. Mary Ingalls especially is touched by the meeting. When the James brothers are found out, a posse attempts to capture them but are obstructed by the local residents.

In this way, television allows the criminal careers of the James' to continue. Also the story made Bobby Ford a former Walnut Grove resident who grows up to attempt to join Jesse James in his gang and ultimately kills the outlaw.
4. This campy actor played OK corral hero Doc Holliday visiting Wyoming in the 1959 western series "Lawman". He was put in danger from vengeful brothers after killing their brother after a card game. This actor would go on to a future tv role as a costumed hero. Who played the dentist that television gave more adventures to than he had in real life?

Answer: Adam West

In "Lawman", Adam West as Holliday wins at cards and is shot by one of the losers. He returns fire and kills the man. Even though it is in self-defense the mans brothers come to town to seek revenge. John Russell stars as Marshal Dan Troop in the series. Adam West also played Holliday twice before that in the western series "Sugarfoot" in 1957. George Reeve was "Superman", Burt Ward, Robin in the "Batman" series and Clayton Moore, "The Lone Ranger".
5. In the late sixties-early seventies series "The Brady Bunch", little Bobby wrote an essay on his hero. As it was about a well known western outlaw, Mike and Carol were concerned. Although this man was a criminal and killer, who did television paint more as a sadistic, trigger-happy, ruthless, cold blooded, sociopathic, murderer?

Answer: Jesse James

At the end of the episode, Mike brings home a boy whose father was one of Jesse James' victims. The old man describes the event as a bloody slaughter. This makes Bobby dream of his family being on the train Jesse James robs and his family being murdered. Suddenly he realizes there are better heroes in his life to admire.
6. Barry Sullivan played an almost paternal figure to Clu Gallagher's character. In this 1960-62 series these two had an uneasy friendship. They each anticipated that they must eventually collide, as they were on different sides of the law. Which real life characters from the series "The Tall Man" did television try to reconcile?

Answer: Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid

During the 75 episodes of this series, Garrett and "The Kid", worked together from different sides of the law. A showdown was coming between them though that would happen beyond the two year run of the show. Barry Sullivan and Clu Gallagher portrayed the leads in the series.
7. Paladin, in the series "Have Gun, Will Travel" tangled with a teenager named Dorateo Arango. Despite the fact the show supposedly took place approximately a decade after the civil war, the young Mexican was already a teenager. What Mexican revolutionary hero did television age by almost 20 years in this episode since he was actually only born in 1878?

Answer: Pancho Villa

In the episode "Pancho", this Mexican is already a teenager but the show is from about a decade after the Civil War. Villa was actually born nearly 13 years after the war. Being a teenager would put the timeframe about 1895. This would make Richard Boone's character Paladin closing in on his 70's! Pancho Villa was part of the revolution against Mexican dictator Huerta. Though he retired as a revolutionary in 1920, Villa was assassinated in 1923.
8. Though more noted for battling criminals with his baton, this real-life western hero fought for women's rights in a television episode of his series called "The Inner Circle", in Wyoming in 1869. Despite the good deed portrayed in the episode, the real life individual at that time would have only been 16 years old! What character played by Gene Barry did television age so he could fight for the fairer sex?

Answer: Bat Masterson

The series "Bat Masterson" ran form 1959-61 with 107 episodes. The real Bat Masterson was born in 1853. Like most television shows, liberties are taken to best provide for a shows success and popularity.
9. On "Bonanza", a famous writer met the Cartwrights in the episode, "A Passion for Justice". Though this writer of "Great Expectations" traveled the eastern American coastal cities, he never visited the west. Who did television bring further west than he really travelled and make him Hoss Cartwright's hero?

Answer: Charles Dickens

Dickens comes to Virginia City to promote his novels and is arrested. Hoss befriends him and becomes interested in his works. Dickens is disgusted in the west and threatens to kill "Tiny Tim" in his novel "A Christmas Carol" in protest. Dickens is played by Jonathan Harris of "Lost in Space" fame, where he played Dr. Smith.
10. In an episode of "Bonanza" entitled "Enter Mark Twain", Hoss befriends Sam Clemens. During a shootout with land grabbers, Sam decides to create a new pseudonym for himself after writing a newspaper article. What pseudonym did television have Hoss help Clemens abandon before deciding on Mark Twain?

Answer: Josh

Clemens used the name "Josh" until 1863 before deciding on the name Mark Twain. He took on this most famous pen name from an old term for the number two. Riverboats would call out the depths of the water by the mark on a line dropped to the bottom. Calling out, "By the mark twain", meant, by the mark on the line the depth is two fathoms. Clemens also used the name Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass for some humorous letters.
Source: Author kingscourt

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
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