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Quiz about More Early Television Westerns
Quiz about More Early Television Westerns

More Early Television Westerns Quiz


In the early days of American television, westerns dominated what some critics called a wasteland. It was a stepping stone for many who became cultural icons. What do you remember about these beginnings?

A multiple-choice quiz by Rehaberpro. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
Rehaberpro
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
322,568
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
1366
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Guest 108 (8/10), Guest 174 (9/10), Guest 35 (9/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Although his television show was not initially designed for that medium, this western star captured the imagination of young boys in the late 1940s and early '50s. For the most part, this series was syndicated to local stations but often played in the late afternoon. The protagonist was a prematurely white haired cowboy whose name was William Boyd but he was known as______? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. "Death Valley Days" was a syndicated western that ran from 1952 to 1975. A 'host' introduced each episode and there were several in the run of the show. Who was never a 'host' of "Death Valley Days"? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. This TV western evolved from a short story by O'Henry. A villain in O'Henry version, he became a hero in other media including a syndicated television series. Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. "Stories of the Century" ran for only one year, but was awarded the 1954 Emmy as Best Western. Which actor from it went on to play Jock Ewing on the series "Dallas"? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. "Judge Roy Bean" was a successful film in 1972 starring Paul Newman in the title role. Who played Judge Bean in the short-lived 1958 television western? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. "The Deputy" ran for 78 episodes from 1959-1961. What star of this series went on to win an Academy Award in 1982? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. What World War ll decorated hero played the title role in a less than successful TV series "Whispering Smith"? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Will Hutchins starred in "Sugarfoot" from 1957 to 1961. What, according to the series, is a 'sugarfoot'? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. An actor named Clayton Moore played this character. So much so that he made personal appearances in costume long after the TV series had concluded. The owners of the franchise sued him to stop portraying the character, but he persisted and won the right to be the character. What was the name of this western hero? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Although the TV series was mainly fictional, it used the name of a man who had some association with the 'wild west', but actually was a sports writer for an eastern newspaper. What was the name of this series? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Dec 07 2024 : Guest 108: 8/10
Nov 30 2024 : Guest 174: 9/10
Nov 29 2024 : Guest 35: 9/10
Nov 27 2024 : Guest 104: 7/10
Nov 22 2024 : Linda_Arizona: 8/10
Nov 15 2024 : Guest 174: 10/10
Oct 23 2024 : Guest 92: 7/10
Oct 16 2024 : Guest 12: 9/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Although his television show was not initially designed for that medium, this western star captured the imagination of young boys in the late 1940s and early '50s. For the most part, this series was syndicated to local stations but often played in the late afternoon. The protagonist was a prematurely white haired cowboy whose name was William Boyd but he was known as______?

Answer: Hopalong Cassidy

Boyd had the wisdom and the foresight to purchase the 'B' westerns he made. In a media starved for programming in the early days of television, his old westerns became a fascination. Thus, he became quite wealthy with residuals.
2. "Death Valley Days" was a syndicated western that ran from 1952 to 1975. A 'host' introduced each episode and there were several in the run of the show. Who was never a 'host' of "Death Valley Days"?

Answer: Tyrone Power

"Death Valley Days" was a radio icon from 1930 to 1945. In 1952 it was revived as a syndicated television half-hour program in 1952 and endured until 1975. Stanley Andrews was the original host. Reagan quit to enter politics, Taylor became ill. Country singer Merle Haggard was the voice-over narrator. Gene Autry was the producer.
3. This TV western evolved from a short story by O'Henry. A villain in O'Henry version, he became a hero in other media including a syndicated television series.

Answer: The Cisco Kid

"The Caballero Way" by O'Henry portrayed a non-Hispanic man with a reputation for deception and murder. Through 28 movies, 600 radio dramas, and 158 television episodes, he became a dashing Mexican hero. Duncan Renaldo starred as Cisco and Leo Carrillo as his sidekick Pancho. Warner Baxter won an Oscar in 1928 for his turn as Cisco in the 1928 film "In Old Arizona".

The TV series was the first to be filmed in color although no one saw it in color until the 1960s.
4. "Stories of the Century" ran for only one year, but was awarded the 1954 Emmy as Best Western. Which actor from it went on to play Jock Ewing on the series "Dallas"?

Answer: Jim Davis

Although this series ran only a year (1954-1955) with 39 episodes, it was the first western to win an Emmy. Jim Davis played a railroad detective. His assistant was played by Mary Castle, the first woman to star in a TV western, considered a break-through role.
5. "Judge Roy Bean" was a successful film in 1972 starring Paul Newman in the title role. Who played Judge Bean in the short-lived 1958 television western?

Answer: Edgar Buchanan

Despite the lack of success accorded the Judge Roy Bean TV series, Buchanan was a much sought after character actor who had parts in over a hundred films. His TV appearances were also numerous including TV sitcoms "Petticoat Junction", "Green Acres", "Beverly Hillbillies", and "Leave It To Beaver". Bean was an eccentric judge of the west but the TV series and film were highly fictionalized.
6. "The Deputy" ran for 78 episodes from 1959-1961. What star of this series went on to win an Academy Award in 1982?

Answer: Henry Fonda

As Fred MacMurray had done in "My Three Sons", episodes were filmed around Fonda's schedule. He would be seen at the beginning and end with Deputy Clay McCord (Allen Case) carrying the action. Fonda was seen as a primary actor in only six of the seventy-five episodes. Fonda won an Oscar late in his life for "On Golden Pond" (1982).
7. What World War ll decorated hero played the title role in a less than successful TV series "Whispering Smith"?

Answer: Audie Murphy

First, co-star Guy Mitchell broke his shoulder which delayed shooting so long that Murphy ran into scheduling problems due to his film commitments. Actor Sam Buffington, a key player, committed suicide. There were time slot issues as it ran against the powerful Danny Thomas Show. To top everything off, Congress began an investigation of the show as it deemed it 'too violent'. Murphy played a police detective in Denver. Guest stars such Robert Redford, Richard Chamberlain, Clu Gulagar, Forrest Tucker, and Alan Hale could not save the show.

The show was based on a movie a few years earlier starring Alan Ladd.
8. Will Hutchins starred in "Sugarfoot" from 1957 to 1961. What, according to the series, is a 'sugarfoot'?

Answer: Inexperienced cowboy or tenderfoot

Will Hutchins played "Sugarfoot" in 69 episodes from 1957 to 1961. He was a correspondence school 'lawyer' who was naive about western ways, avoided guns but used them when he had to. Jack Elam was his co-star.
9. An actor named Clayton Moore played this character. So much so that he made personal appearances in costume long after the TV series had concluded. The owners of the franchise sued him to stop portraying the character, but he persisted and won the right to be the character. What was the name of this western hero?

Answer: The Lone Ranger

Moore so loved the character he played that, in essence, he became the Lone Ranger so much so, that he tried to pattern his life in the Lone Ranger's creed. The show lasted for 221 episodes from 1949 to 1957. John Hart played the Ranger during 1952-53 season due to contract dispute Moore had with the producers. Jay Silverheels played Tonto for the entire run.
10. Although the TV series was mainly fictional, it used the name of a man who had some association with the 'wild west', but actually was a sports writer for an eastern newspaper. What was the name of this series?

Answer: Bat Masterson

The 'real' Bat Masterson in his younger days was a buffalo hunter, army scout, gambler, and sometimes sheriff or marshall. Returning to the east coast he became the sports editor for the New York Telegram. Gene Barry played Masterson as an eastern dandy with fancy clothes and a walking stick who looked for female companionship and adventure in the old west. The real Masterson died at his desk at the New York Telegram of a heart attack at 67.
Source: Author Rehaberpro

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Gamemaster1967 before going online.
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