The Dakotas (TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name =The Dakotas


caption =
show_name_2 =
genre = western
creator =
director =
developer =
presenter =
starring = Larry Ward
Jack Elam
Chad Everett
Mike Greene
voices =
narrated =
theme_music_composer = Harold Levey and
Kenneth S. Webb [ [http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/dakotasThe.html "The Dakotas" at classicthemes.com] ]
opentheme =
endtheme =
composer =
country = USA
language = English
num_seasons = 1
num_episodes = 19 aired
(20 produced)
list_episodes =
executive_producer = William T. Orr
producer = Anthony Spinner
supervising_producer = Jules Schemer
asst_producer =
co-producer =
editor =
story_editor =
location = flagicon|California California
camera =
runtime = 60 mins.
network = ABC
picture_format = 1.33 : 1 monochrome
audio_format = monaural
first_run = Mondays at 7:30pm
first_aired = 7 January 1963
last_aired =
13 May 1963
preceded_by = "Cheyenne
followed_by =
related =
website =
imdb_id = 0056757
tv_com_id = 5829

"The Dakotas" is a western television series featuring Jack Elam and broadcast by ABC during 1963. The short-lived show is a spin-off of "Cheyenne", the first hour-long western in American television history. The series is perhaps most notable for the fact that it was cancelled one week after heavy viewer protest over an objectionable scene.

The series follows the efforts of Federal Marshal Frank Ragan (Larry Ward) and his three deputies, J.D.Smith (Jack Elam), Vance Porter (Mike Greene) and Del Stark (Chad Everett) as they try to keep order in the Dakota Territory during the Gilded Age.

eries history

All four characters initially appeared in an April, 1962 episode of "Cheyenne" called "A Man Called Ragan".

However, the degree to which this episode makes "The Dakotas" a spin-off of "Cheyenne" is debatable. In the pilot on "Cheyenne", the titular character of Cheyenne Bodie never appears. Also, the episode had followed five consecutive weeks of "Bronco" episodes, broadcast as a part of the wheel series that "Cheyenne" had effectively become. Moreover, the length of time between pilot and series—almost eight months—further weakened the link between "Cheyenne" and "The Dakotas". [ [http://aa.1asphost.com/CTVA/US/Western/Cheyenne.htm "Cheyenne" at Classic TV Archives] ] The biggest tip-off to viewers as to the show's parentage was probably that it had assumed the Monday 7:30pm time slot previously occupied by "Cheyenne" since 1959.

The program would only last there long enough to finish out "Cheyenne"'s abbreviated seventh season. When viewers saw the 18th episode, "Sanctuary at Crystal Springs", they were shocked by a scene that depicted the lawmen killing an outlaw in a church and causing injury to a pastor. [ [http://www.tv.com/the-dakotas/sanctuary-at-crystal-springs/episode/107801/summary.html?tag=ep_list;title;17 TV.com entry for "Sanctuary at Crystal Springs"] ] Calls for "The Dakotas" to end its run were answered virtually overnight. After just one more episode, the show was pulled. A 20th episode had been completed, but was never shown. [ [http://aa.1asphost.com/CTVA/US/Western/Dakotas.htm "The Dakotas" at Classic TV Archive] ]

External links

*
* [http://www.womenwritersblock.com/ourfavwest16.htm Show information at Women Writers Block]

References

"The Boys Western Television and Film Annual" (Purnell & Sons Ltd 1963)