Colt .45
Almost from the outset Colt .45 was beset by creative problems, line-up roulette, roller coaster ratings, sponsor turnover and a talent eruption. The show starred Wayde Preston as Chris Colt, an undercover government agent, posing as a sales representative for the Colt firearms company. Not a bad premise for a series based on a Warner Brothers film starring Randolph Scott. Scripts too featured encounters with interesting historical characters including Edwin Booth (John Wilkes Booth’s brother), two of my friends Sam Bass and Billy the Kid along with Lew Wallace, Judge Roy Bean, Buffalo Bill, Ned Buntline and Calamity Jane. So what could possibly go wrong with that?
Line-up roulette drove the ratings rollercoaster and likely the revolving door in sponsorship. In its first season the show lined up opposite The Lineup on CBS and Friday Night Fights on NBC- remember those? I think they called it boxing. Mid-season they moved the show to a new time slot where it ran into Zane Grey Theater and the Life of Riley. The show was cancelled the first time when the sponsor dropped it after twenty six episodes. ABC brought the show back in reruns while new episodes were shot. The Sunday night time slot opposed Dinah Shore in color on NBC and GE Theater on CBS. The new episodes aired with a new look Chris Colt wearing a mustache. The mustache lasted half a season. In October 1959 the show lined up opposite Lassie and Riverboat, warm up for a final season against Arthur Murry and Red Skelton.
Wayde Preston left the show in March 1960 in a dispute with the studio. The exact nature of the dispute depends on who you ask. Preston felt the series ran low budget from the beginning. Perhaps it did in terms of his compensation, though you wouldn’t guess that from a list of guest stars that included Dan Blocker, Charles Bronson, Angie Dickenson, Troy Donahue, Sandy Koufax (no runs, no hits, no errors in five and two thirds), Leonard Nimoy and Adam West. Nonetheless, Preston was disgruntled. He claimed he left over being forced to do scenes that required a stuntman. Donald May, the actor who replaced Preston in the role of Sam Colt Jr., Chris’ cousin, claims it was money and that Preston was grossly underpaid.
Next Week: Maverick
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Ride easy,
Paul
Line-up roulette drove the ratings rollercoaster and likely the revolving door in sponsorship. In its first season the show lined up opposite The Lineup on CBS and Friday Night Fights on NBC- remember those? I think they called it boxing. Mid-season they moved the show to a new time slot where it ran into Zane Grey Theater and the Life of Riley. The show was cancelled the first time when the sponsor dropped it after twenty six episodes. ABC brought the show back in reruns while new episodes were shot. The Sunday night time slot opposed Dinah Shore in color on NBC and GE Theater on CBS. The new episodes aired with a new look Chris Colt wearing a mustache. The mustache lasted half a season. In October 1959 the show lined up opposite Lassie and Riverboat, warm up for a final season against Arthur Murry and Red Skelton.
Wayde Preston left the show in March 1960 in a dispute with the studio. The exact nature of the dispute depends on who you ask. Preston felt the series ran low budget from the beginning. Perhaps it did in terms of his compensation, though you wouldn’t guess that from a list of guest stars that included Dan Blocker, Charles Bronson, Angie Dickenson, Troy Donahue, Sandy Koufax (no runs, no hits, no errors in five and two thirds), Leonard Nimoy and Adam West. Nonetheless, Preston was disgruntled. He claimed he left over being forced to do scenes that required a stuntman. Donald May, the actor who replaced Preston in the role of Sam Colt Jr., Chris’ cousin, claims it was money and that Preston was grossly underpaid.
Next Week: Maverick
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
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Paul
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Dec 30, 2017 07:26AM
Happy New Year all!
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