Curses on banansa

[375supermag]

I recall an episode of Paladin where he was told to drop his gun by a bad guy. He said " You can have it, but I'm not going to drop it, and you keep it clean."

Way to go!

IIRC, that was the same Richard Boone who once said in an episode of "Have gun, will travel" that rifled barrels in revolvers were rare.
Actors say whatever the writer writes...and do whatever the director says.

[DoubleAdobe]

We watched Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Virginian and other westerns on TV at my house as a kid. My Dad wouldn't say too much about the many inaccuracies of ranch life generally. What did drive him crazy was the way that everyone would never get on a horse and walk him out. It was always from dead still to a dead run. That was a big old no-no on a ranch. Hard on horses, and it just looks amateurish,lol.
ETA, oh, that and the never ending six-shooter,haha. When it just became ridiculous, my Dad would have to comment.

[TNsailorman]

I have listened to the anti-gun drivel in westerns for 70 years now and it continues today in movies. Back in the hay day of westerns on television and movies, I remember the old anti-gun line "the only guy who carries one needs one" , meaning that if you didn't own or carry a gun nobody would bother you. Guns were always depicted as evil, no guns, no violence. Nothing has changed in Hollywood or is likely to change. Common sense doesn't matter, only emotional drivel. But I still like westerns, warts and all. james

[izzyjoe]

I still watch westerns for entertainment, I was raised up watching them with my dad, but he was quick to point out what was wrong, and what not to do. But I'd rather watch any old western than anything on tv nowadays. To much garbage!

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Early in life I knew people who had done hard campaigning on horseback (which rather dates me), and have read memoirs of many more. The experience on numerous continents is that horses get used up faster than men. Big, fast horses in particular can live on grass but only do long and heavy work on hard feed. Even the cowboys used to work a rotation of modestly sized SUV horses which were at least part-way expendable. I don't think many relied on one fast horse that would chew through bonds for them.

[jsn]

I'm sure there were a lot of inaccuracies and poor practices being shown by Hollywood in both Bonanza and the Big Valley ,two of my favorites, but no social commentary?

Really? You and I didn't watch the same episodes.

[robg]

I preferred the HigH chaparral myself and the 1st series of alias smith and Jones with Pete duel.

[Drm50]

Some years back I had a Berreta 380, that had MGM markings. It was modified to a Dewat. The
gun came with solid brass cartridges in the magazine. I still have them, HPs. The barrel had been
machined at breech and inserted so no cartridge could be chambered. Gun had no firing pin and
slide had been filled so it couldn't be replaced. I didn't have much in it, was surprised it bought
so little at auction, $40.

[10x]

I have listened to the anti-gun drivel in westerns for 70 years now and it continues today in movies. Back in the hay day of westerns on television and movies, I remember the old anti-gun line "the only guy who carries one needs one" , meaning that if you didn't own or carry a gun nobody would bother you. Guns were always depicted as evil, no guns, no violence. Nothing has changed in Hollywood or is likely to change. Common sense doesn't matter, only emotional drivel. But I still like westerns, warts and all. james

My dad was born in 1913. American and Canadian Cowboys would visit their farm in Southern Alberta in the late teens and twenties. Almost all carried a handgun. Either a Colt peacemaker or a Smith & Wesson third model
most were used to dispatch injured livestock. It was great to watch TV westerns with my dad. The gentlemen he described who rode the range back then matched the men in Lonsome Dove
Most good, some scoundrels, and a couple who were downright evil.
The life of a rancher was very hard work unless they had a wealthy backer. And even then they got slickered or just plain ran out of money

[John Taylor]

Late 50s, early 60s it was the fast draw artist. All were bragging about how fast they could draw until one guy comes along and said " when I make my move I gain time". Must have been Chuck Noris. I saw a picture a while back of my older brother and I in our cowboy outfits at Christmas. Probably taken about 1952.

[BAGTIC]

Most movies of whatever nature are filled with inaccuracies. They are not history. They are entertainment.

[Bazoo]

I dont watch much of the old western tv shows. I didnt care for rifleman much. I liked rawhide okay. Bonanza was okay. Any of it is better than most anything on tv now.

[smokeywolf]

Never knew much about Lorne Greene or Pernell Roberts, but heard Dan Blocker was apparently very nice. Mom ran into him in a supermarket one time and had a few words with him. Said he had a warmth that just put people immediately at ease.
Did know something about Michael Landon. Post Bonanza, he was one of the best producers in Hollywood to work for. His people were obsessively loyal to him because he was unquestionably loyal to them. Nobody on the MGM lot had a bad thing to say about him and nobody dared, cuz if one of his employees overheard, they'd take you out behind the wood shed.

Although it bothers me to see Model '92s being used in supposed 1860s, '70s and '80s scenes, I still get great pleasure from the Hollywood westerns.

For the most part, the westerns that tend toward greater accuracy in firearms tend to be those based on Louis L'Amour's stories and a few of the Clint Eastwood and Tom Selleck westerns.

[OverMax]

Not one Marlin ended up in the Bonanza movie set dumpster. How unfair was that!!