- The Six Shooter
"The Six Shooter" was a weekly
old-time radio program in theUSA . It was created by Frank Burt, who also wrote many of the episodes, and lasted only one season of 39 episodes onNBC (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 thewild 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 includedParley Baer ,Virginia Gregg ,Harry Bartell ,Howard McNear ,Jeanette Nolan ,Dan O'Herlihy ,Alan Reed , Marvin Miller andWilliam 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 composor Basil Adlam.
[SPOILER ALERT] 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.
List of all known shows:
Six Shooter 00 1952 04 13 Hollywood Star Playhouse
Six Shooter 00 1953 07 15 Audition Program
Six Shooter 01 1953 09 20 Jenny
Six Shooter 02 1953 09 27 The Coward
Six Shooter 03 1953 10 04 The Stampede
Six Shooter 04 1953 10 11 Silver Annie
Six Shooter 05 1953 10 18 Rink Larkin
Six Shooter 06 1953 10 25 Red Lawson's Revenge
Six Shooter 07 1953 11 01 Ben Scofield
Six Shooter 08 1953 11 08 Capture Of Stacy Gault
Six Shooter 09 1953 11 15 Escape From Smoke Falls
Six Shooter 10 1953 11 22 Gabriel Starbuck
Six Shooter 11 1953 11 29 Sheriff Billy
Six Shooter 12 1953 12 06 A Pressing Engagement
Six Shooter 13 1953 12 13 More Than Kin
Six Shooter 14 1953 12 20 Britt Ponset's Christmas
Six Shooter 15 1953 12 27 Cora Plummer Quincy
Six Shooter 16 1954 01 03 A Friend In Need
Six Shooter 17 1954 01 10 Hiram's Goldstrike
Six Shooter 18 1954 01 17 The Silver Buckle
Six Shooter 19 1954 01 24 Helen Bricker
Six Shooter 20 1954 01 31 Trail To Sunset
Six Shooter 21 1954 02 07 Apron Faced Sorrel
Six Shooter 22 1954 02 14 Quiet City
Six Shooter 23 1954 02 21 Battle At Tower Rock
Six Shooter 24 1954 03 07 Cheyenne Express
Six Shooter 25 1954 03 14 Thicker Than Water
Six Shooter 26 1954 03 21 Duel at Lockwood
Six Shooter 27 1954 04 01 Aunt Em
Six Shooter 28 1954 04 08 General Gillford's Widow
Six Shooter 29 1954 04 15 Crises At Easter Creek
Six Shooter 30 1954 04 22 Johnny Springer
Six Shooter 31 1954 04 29 Revenge At Harness Creek
Six Shooter 32 1954 05 06 Anna Norquest
Six Shooter 33 1954 05 13 The Double Seven
Six Shooter 34 1954 05 20 The Shooting Of Wyatt King
Six Shooter 35 1954 05 27 Blood Relations
Six Shooter 36 1954 06 03 Silver Threads
Six Shooter 37 1954 06 10 The New Sheriff
Six Shooter 38 1954 06 17 When The Shoe Doesn't Fit
Six Shooter 39 1954 06 24 Myra BarkerTrivia
* A pilot for the show entitled simply "The Six Shooter" was broadcast April 13, 1952 as an episode of the anthology Baker’s Theater Of Stars (formerly Hollywood Star Playhouse) on NBC. This used the "Ben Scofield" script which was also used for the audition episode and (with a slightly different opening) the seventh episode of the series.
* The audition episode, recorded July 15, 1953, includes a personal message by James Stewart in the middle and end trying to sell the program.
* Stewart revived the Ponsett character for the Feb. 10, 1957 episode of the television anthology programGeneral Electric Theater titled "The Town with a Past". The script was based on the "Silver Annie" episode of the radio show.
* The Dec. 15, 1957 episode of G.E. Theater "The Trail to Christmas" was based on the radio episode "Britt Ponset's Christmas Carol", although in this instance Stewart's character was renamed Bart. And the Dec. 15, 1959 episode of the television anthology program Startime "Cindy's Fella" was based on the radio episode "When the Shoe Doesn't Fit." Stewart took the role of peddler Azel Dorsey whileGeorge Gobel played an unnamed drifter in place of Ponsett.
* Ponsett's horse was named Scar.External links
*InternetArchiveOTR|id=OTRR_The_Six_Shooter_Singles|title=The Six Shooter
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