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Back in September 1953 Revue Productions created this 30
minute western program starring James Stewart. as Britt Ponset , the
“The Six Shooter,” an easy going drifter in the southwest.
I have all 39 broadcasts available for your listing pleasure here online
including the first time James Stewart played the role on the Hollywood
Star Playhouse and the original audition program.
CAST: James Stewart, Elvia Allman, Harry Bartell, B J Thompson, Jess
Kirkpatrick, Lou Merrill, Howard McNear, Shep Menken, Frank Gerstle, Sam
Edwards, Virginia Gregg, Bert Holland, Parley Baer.
The Six Shooter aired 1953-1954.
The bellow taken from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Six_Shooter
Britt Ponset, the six shooter, was a slow-talking, easy-going gentleman
drifter, but dangerous when pushed into a gunfight. He was well known
and well liked by people wherever he wandered - often in New Mexico.
They were usually humorous adventure stories.
The Six Shooter was a weekly old-time radio program in the USA. It was
created by Frank Burt, who also wrote many of the episodes, and lasted
only one season of 39 episodes on NBC (Sept. 20, 1953-June 24, 1954).
Through March 21, 1954 it was broadcasted Sundays at 8 p.m. Beginning
April 1, 1954 through the final episode it was on Thursday at 8 p.m.
James Stewart starred as Britt Ponsett, a drifting cowboy in the final
years of the wild west. Episodes ranged from straight western drama to
whimsical comedy. A trademark of the show was Stewart's use of whispered
narration during tense scenes that created a heightened sense of drama
and relief when the situation was resolved.
Some of the more prominent actors to perform on the program included
Parley Baer, Virginia Gregg, Harry Bartell, Howard McNear, Jeanette
Nolan, Dan O'Herlihy, Alan Reed, Marvin Miller and William Conrad. Some
did multiple episodes playing different characters.
Each episode opened with the announcer stating: The man in the saddle is
angular and long-legged. His skin is sun-dyed brown. The gun in his
holster is gray steel and rainbow mother-of-pearl, its handle unmarked.
People call them both "the Six Shooter".
The haunting theme music was "Highland Lament" by series
composer Basil
Adlam.
The final broadcast "Myra Barker" provided a satisfying (if melancholy)
finale to the series: Ponsett falls in love with Myra, and proposes
marriage. Myra, after thinking it over, appears to accept -- but then
tells Britt she's heard that Sheriff Jennings of Eagle Falls has asked
for his help, and Britt admits that he feels obligated to go. Myra tells
Britt to go and not come back -- telling him some adventure will always
call him, and he'll always go, or regret not going. Britt goes, resuming
his wanderings, but not before revealing to the audience that he knows
he was *not* needed in Eagle Falls -- and knows Myra knows that too. The
moment comes across of a moment of supreme self-realization by Britt
that he always will be a wanderer. |