Johnny Ringo (TV series)

infobox television
show_name = Johnny Ringo
format = Western
picture_format = Black and white (1959-1960)
runtime = 30 minutes
starring = Don Durant
Mark Goddard
Karen Sharpe
country = United States
network = CBS
first_aired = October 2,1959
last_aired = June 3, 1960
num_seasons = 1
num_episodes = 38
imdb_id = 0052478|

"Johnny Ringo" was a Western television series starring Don Durant that aired on CBS from October 1, 1959, until June 30, 1960. It was loosely based on the life of the notorious gunfighter Johnny Ringo, who tangled with Wyatt Earp, John "Doc" Holliday, and "Buckskin" Franklin Leslie.

This fictional account had Ringo putting aside his gunfighting ways to become the sheriff of a small town. He had a deputy named Cully, played by Mark Goddard, and a girlfriend, Laura Thomas, portrayed by Karen Sharpe.

The program was an early creation of Aaron Spelling for Four Star Television. Spelling created "Johnny Ringo" at the specific request of Dick Powell as a role for Durant. It was filmed at CBS Studio Center.

"Johnny Ringo" scored good ratings in its Thursday competition with ABC's "The Real McCoys" with Walter Brennan, sometimes reaching into the Top Twenty. The program was dropped at the request of its sponsor, Johnson Wax Company, which wanted a sitcom, rather than a western. At the time there were thirty Western series on the networks. For syndicated reruns, the show was combined with three other short-lived Western series from the same company, "Black Saddle" starring Peter Breck, "Law of the Plainsman" starring Michael Ansara, and Sam Peckinpah's critically acclaimed creation, "The Westerner" starring Brian Keith, under the umbrella title "The Westerners", with additional hosting segments featuring Keenan Wynn.

External links

*

References

* McNeil, Alex. "Total Television" (1996). New York: Penguin Books ISBN 0-140-24916-8
* Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows"(1999). New York: Ballantine Books ISBN 0-345-42923-0