ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

Good old FETV has allowed me to get reacquainted with the 1950s Western series Bat Masteron, which I have fond memories of from my childhood.

The suave and handsome Gene Barry makes this series an absolute joy to watch!

The scripts for the episodes are extremely intelligent and imaginative, and Mr. Barry plays the character with more pure heroism than James Bond himself. The way he handles a gun — and his famous gold-tipped cane — makes him seem like the coolest hero in Western history.

But is all this just Hollywood's exaggerated presentation of a historical figure? Is there any truth in Mr. Barry's portrayal?

I did some research and discovered that Bat Materson was even more amazing in real life than the the character in this wonderful series!

The Wikipedia article reveals that Bat Masterson was famous as a buffalo hunter, a civilian scout, and a Indian fighter on the Great Plains. He later earned fame as a gunfighter and a sheriff in Dodge City, Kansas, during which time he was involved in several notable shootout!

Later in his life (in 1902) he moved to New York City and spent his remaining years as a reporter and columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph. He frequently gave his opinions on crime, war, politics, and other topics as well.

So, the TV series does not just glorify a historic character with a lot of fictional accomplishments. Bat Masterson was everything the series presents . . . and much more!

Today I bought the box set of the entire series. But YouTube has numerous episodes you can enjoy. Here's one of them.

________ Bat Masterson - Stampede At Tent City


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

I'm also a huge western films and television fan, Bud.

"Laredo, (1965~'67) & "The High Chaparral," (1967~'71) being my very favorites. Neither ran nearly long enough.

"Paradise", later called "Guns of Paradise"premiered on TV in 1988 and was a decent western.

In the second season their first episode was "A Gathering of Guns."

Gene Barry would reprise his role as Bat Masterson and Hugh O'Brien would also do the same for Wyatt Earp.

The episode was high in action and it was a blast to see Gene & Hugh back in the saddle again as their legendary western characters they did for years on TV.

Nifty because the 2 of 'em never had appeared together as Bat & Wyatt before.

Bud, I see you have the "Bat Masterson" show listed as running from 1959~1961. IMDB lists it as running from 1958~1961 for a total of 108 episodes.

Trivia } Read actor James Best autobiography a few years ago and it was quite interesting. Jim worked with Gene and wrote that Barry was not a likable guy at all.

Singer Rosemary Clooney reported much the same about Barry when she did a movie with him.

[Bud Brewster]

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Mighty glad to hear yor' a saddle tramp just like me, pardner! 🤠

I fixed that thar mee-stake in the date above. Thankee!

I found one of them "box sets" on eBay for $39 and bought it so I kin enjoy the show without them dern kee-mercials! But both Amazon and eBay says one of the epee-sodes was left out 'cause-a some kinda legal reason.

So, there's only 107, dang it! 🌵

Never did trust them shifty lawyer fellas . . .
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But I'ma lookin' forward to gettin' it in a week 'er two when the Wells Fargo wagon comes through town. My old Pappy used to love them Westerns on Tee-livision when I was just knee high to runty coyote.

Yessiree, he was the rootin' tootin' toughest cowpuncher west of the Mississippi! Back when I was a tinhorn a-livin' in Georgia, I painted this here pit-chur of Pappy.*


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* Cowboy hat added from another feller's painting, using that new-fangled Paint.net.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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Well, it took me a lot longer to finally get that box set of the complete series than I expected, because after the arrival date passed and I still didn't have it, I discovered that my order had been cancelled and my payment had been refunded to Paypal.

No explanation by the seller was given, even when I sent him a message about it.

I ended up having to buy the box sets of seasons 1 & 2, but season 3 was not available from anybody at all! It was plum perplexin'! I was sure disappointed about not having those 34 episodes from season 3.

But a few days after season 1 and 2 arrived, I discovered that the complete series box set of all three season was listed again on eBay . . . but from a different seller! I order it, and it arrived on Tuesday — brand new DVDs still in the packages.

Gord has kindly accepted my offer to send him the two extra box sets, which means we can share a few episodes in All Sci-Fi's Chatzy room.

Yes siree, we'll be like two Western heroes, ridin' the cyber-range together — The Lone Brewster and his faithful companion Gordo!

"Hi yo, All Sci-Fi, away!"



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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I've made it up to disc 4 on season 1, and I'm still thrilled by the quality of this series!

As for the idea that I've watched a large part of season 1 before Gord Green and start sharing the series, I don't mind the fact that I've already seen some of the episodes on the discs I'll be sending him.

Here's why.

Whenever I attend a synchro-cinema in our chat room, I always spend more time chatting than watching the movies or the TV series. So, the fact that I'll be familiar with the episodes Gord and I will watch won't be a problem!

As I've stated before, a synchro-cinema chat is more "chat" than "cinema" — which is why we should always pick movies we've already seen fairly often!
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Eadie]

Dell comic showing Mr. Barry in the original blue vest:



Mr. Barry in the later vest worn in Paradise:



Gene Barry as Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921), Lee Horsley (star of Paradise) as Ethan Allen Cord and Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) ; all in the two-part episode A Gathering of Guns:


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Art Should Comfort the Disturbed and Disturb the Comfortable.

[Eadie]

Dell comic showing Mr. Barry in the original blue vest:



Mr. Barry in the later vest worn in Paradise:



Gene Barry as Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921), Lee Horsley (star of Paradise) as Ethan Allen Cord and Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) ; all in the two-part episode A Gathering of Guns and Home Again:



Synopses of the episodes;

A Gathering of Guns
S2, Ep1
10 September 10, 1989 1989

When a man thinks Ethan knows the location of a fortune, he kidnaps him and takes him to a prison where no man has ever escaped from. Amelia turns to her estranged husband, Pierce for help. He takes her to see Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and Pat Garrett who agree to help.

Home Again
S2, Ep2
September 16, 1989

After helping Ethan but because Wyatt Earp nearly got him killed Ethan pulled his gun on him but a reporter comes along who forces Ethan to put his gun away. Ethan goes back to Paradise and Wyatt follows him. The reporter follows them also. Eventually word of Wyatt's adventure reaches Sam Clanton who wants to get him so they seek out Ethan to find Wyatt.

I hope this is informative.
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Art Should Comfort the Disturbed and Disturb the Comfortable.

[Bud Brewster]