Wikipedia

26 Men

26 Men is a syndicated American Western television series about the Arizona Rangers, a law-enforcement group limited to 26 active members.[1] By March 1958, the program was carried on 158 stations in the United States.[2] The program was also broadcast on ATN-7 in Australia[3] and on ZBM-TV in Bermuda.[4]

26 Men
GenreWestern
Directed by
  • Franklin Adreon
  • Joseph Kane
  • Reg Browne
  • Oliver Drake
Starring
Theme music composer
Composers
  • Al Sack
  • Gordon Zahler
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes78
Production
Executive producerRussell Hayden
Producers
  • William Dennis
  • Russell Hayden
Cinematography
Editors
Running time25 minutes
Production companyRussell Hayden Productions
Original release
NetworkSyndication
ReleaseNovember 1, 1957 (1957-11-01) –
June 30, 1959 (1959-06-30)

Synopsis and background edit

The series is set in the Arizona Territory in the first decade of the 20th century.[3] The rangers were part of the group established by the Arizona Territorial Legislature in 1901.[1] The number of members was limited to 26 "to avoid vigilantism".[5] Information from government archives and newspapers provided the basis of the plots of episodes.[6]

Critical response edit

A review in the trade publication Variety said that the premiere episode had "clean action and plot situations", making it different from the era's trend toward adult westerns.[7] It commended the work of Tris Coffin and Kelo Henderson and the pacing of the direction but noted that production values appeared weaker than those of Western programs on networks.[7]

Cast edit

Main edit

Guest stars edit

 
Tex Palmer, Hal Hopper, Don Haggerty and William Murphy in 26 Men, 1957

Episodes edit

Series overview edit

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
139October 15, 1957 (1957-10-15)July 15, 1958 (1958-07-15)
239October 7, 1958 (1958-10-07)June 30, 1959 (1959-06-30)

Season 1 (1957–58) edit

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"The Recruit"Reg BrowneUnknownOctober 15, 1957 (1957-10-15)
22"Trouble at Pinnacle Peak"Reg BrowneSloan NibleyOctober 22, 1957 (1957-10-22)
33"The Wild Bunch"Reg BrowneBuckley AngellOctober 29, 1957 (1957-10-29)
44"Border Incident"Reg BrowneJoe RichardsonNovember 5, 1957 (1957-11-05)
55"Destination Nowhere"UnknownDwight V. BabcockNovember 12, 1957 (1957-11-12)
66"Incident at Yuma"Reg BrowneEd ReppNovember 19, 1957 (1957-11-19)
77"The Slater Brothers"Oliver DrakeTerence Maples & Sam Roeca & Tom HubbardNovember 26, 1957 (1957-11-26)
88"Dead Man in Tucson"Reg BrowneTom Hubbard & Sam RoecaDecember 3, 1957 (1957-12-03)
99"Man on the Run"Oliver DrakeSam Roeca & Tom Hubbard & Will GeorgeDecember 10, 1957 (1957-12-10)
1010"The Big Rope"Oliver DrakeJohn K. ButlerDecember 17, 1957 (1957-12-17)
1111"Valley of Fear"UnknownSloan NibleyDecember 24, 1957 (1957-12-24)
1212"Indian Gunslinger"Reg BrowneFrank GravesDecember 31, 1957 (1957-12-31)
1313"Trail of Darkness"UnknownJoe RichardsonJanuary 7, 1958 (1958-01-07)
1414"Trade Me Deadly"Oliver DrakeBuckley AngellJanuary 14, 1958 (1958-01-14)
1515"Violent Land"UnknownUnknownJanuary 28, 1958 (1958-01-28)
1616"Panic at Bisbee"UnknownUnknownFebruary 4, 1958 (1958-02-04)
1717"Insurrection"UnknownDwight V. BabcockFebruary 11, 1958 (1958-02-11)
1818"Slaughter Trail"UnknownUnknownFebruary 18, 1958 (1958-02-18)
1919"Gun Hand"UnknownUnknownFebruary 25, 1958 (1958-02-25)
2020"Cattle Embargo"UnknownUnknownMarch 4, 1958 (1958-03-04)
2121"Badge to Kill"UnknownUnknownMarch 11, 1958 (1958-03-11)
2222"Montezuma's Cave"UnknownUnknownMarch 18, 1958 (1958-03-18)
2323"Sundown Decision"UnknownUnknownMarch 25, 1958 (1958-03-25)
2424"The Parrish Gang"UnknownUnknownApril 1, 1958 (1958-04-01)
2525"Hoax at Globe"UnknownUnknownApril 8, 1958 (1958-04-08)
2626"The Bounty Hunter"UnknownUnknownApril 15, 1958 (1958-04-15)
2727"Apache Water"UnknownUnknownApril 22, 1958 (1958-04-22)
2828"Legacy of Death"Oliver DrakeOliver DrakeApril 29, 1958 (1958-04-29)
2929"Chain Gang"UnknownUnknownMay 6, 1958 (1958-05-06)
3030"The Bells of St. Thomas"Oliver DrakeOliver DrakeMay 13, 1958 (1958-05-13)
3131"Hondo Man"UnknownUnknownMay 20, 1958 (1958-05-20)
3232"The Vanquisher"UnknownUnknownMay 27, 1958 (1958-05-27)
3333"The Ranger and the Lady"UnknownUnknownJune 3, 1958 (1958-06-03)
3434"Idol in the Dust"UnknownUnknownJune 10, 1958 (1958-06-10)
3535"Runaway Stage"UnknownUnknownJune 17, 1958 (1958-06-17)
3636"Wayward Gun"UnknownUnknownJune 24, 1958 (1958-06-24)
3737"Hole Up"UnknownUnknownJuly 1, 1958 (1958-07-01)
3838"Unholy Partners"UnknownUnknownJuly 8, 1958 (1958-07-08)
3939"Killer's Trail"UnknownUnknownJuly 15, 1958 (1958-07-15)

Season 2 (1958–59) edit

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
401"The Glory Road"UnknownUnknownOctober 7, 1958 (1958-10-07)
412"Shadow of Doubt"UnknownUnknownOctober 14, 1958 (1958-10-14)
423"Man in Hiding"UnknownUnknownOctober 21, 1958 (1958-10-21)
434"Cross and Double Cross"UnknownUnknownOctober 28, 1958 (1958-10-28)
445"The Last Rebellion"UnknownUnknownNovember 4, 1958 (1958-11-04)
456"Brief Glory"UnknownUnknownNovember 11, 1958 (1958-11-11)
467"Dog Eat Dog"UnknownUnknownNovember 18, 1958 (1958-11-18)
478"Judge Not"UnknownUnknownNovember 25, 1958 (1958-11-25)
489"My Brother's Keeper"UnknownUnknownDecember 2, 1958 (1958-12-02)
4910"Run No More"UnknownUnknownDecember 9, 1958 (1958-12-09)
5011"The Manhunt"UnknownUnknownDecember 16, 1958 (1958-12-16)
5112"The Avenger"UnknownUnknownDecember 23, 1958 (1958-12-23)
5213"False Witness"UnknownUnknownDecember 30, 1958 (1958-12-30)
5314"The Torch"UnknownUnknownJanuary 6, 1959 (1959-01-06)
5415"Trail of Revenge"UnknownUnknownJanuary 13, 1959 (1959-01-13)
5516"The Hellion"UnknownUnknownJanuary 20, 1959 (1959-01-20)
5617"Ranger Without a Badge"UnknownUnknownJanuary 27, 1959 (1959-01-27)
5718"The Showdown"UnknownUnknownFebruary 3, 1959 (1959-02-03)
5819"The Long Trail Home"UnknownUnknownFebruary 10, 1959 (1959-02-10)
5920"Death in the Dragoons"UnknownUnknownFebruary 17, 1959 (1959-02-17)
6021"Ricochet"UnknownUnknownFebruary 24, 1959 (1959-02-24)
6122"House Divided"UnknownUnknownMarch 3, 1959 (1959-03-03)
6223"Profane Masquerade"UnknownUnknownMarch 10, 1959 (1959-03-10)
6324"Dead or Alive"UnknownUnknownMarch 17, 1959 (1959-03-17)
6425"The Has Been"UnknownUnknownMarch 24, 1959 (1959-03-24)
6526"The Unwanted"UnknownUnknownMarch 31, 1959 (1959-03-31)
6627"Live and Let Die"UnknownUnknownApril 7, 1958 (1958-04-07)
6728"Trial at Verde River"UnknownUnknownApril 14, 1959 (1959-04-14)
6829"Scorpion"UnknownUnknownApril 21, 1959 (1959-04-21)
6930"The Last Kill"UnknownUnknownApril 28, 1959 (1959-04-28)
7031"Redskin"UnknownUnknownMay 5, 1959 (1959-05-05)
7132"Cave-In"UnknownUnknownMay 12, 1959 (1959-05-12)
7233"Terror in Paradise"UnknownUnknownMay 19, 1959 (1959-05-19)
7334"Fighting Man"UnknownUnknownMay 26, 1959 (1959-05-26)
7435"Tumbleweed Ranger"UnknownUnknownJune 2, 1959 (1959-06-02)
7536"The Tiger"UnknownUnknownJune 9, 1959 (1959-06-09)
7637"Abandoned"UnknownUnknownJune 16, 1959 (1959-06-16)
7738"Bandit Queen"UnknownUnknownJune 23, 1959 (1959-06-23)
7839"Refuge at Broken Bow"UnknownUnknownJune 30, 1959 (1959-06-30)

Production edit

Russell Hayden was the producer[8] of the ABC Film Syndication series. Reg Browne was the director, Sloane Nibley was the writer, and Oliver Drake was the adapter.[9] The theme song was written by Hal Hopper.[5]

Facilities of Cudia City Studios, in Phoenix, Arizona, were expanded to handle filming of 26 Men.[6] When the series filmed on location, local residents often filled some roles in the cast.[5] It was "reportedly the first TV series ever to be filmed completely in Arizona."[10]

Sponsors edit

As a syndicated program, 26 Men had different sponsors in different parts of the United States. They included H. P. Hood and Sons (a dairy) for all of New England; Mrs. Smith's Pie Company and Freihofer Baking Company (alternating weekly) in four cities in Pennsylvania; Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company in Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Buffalo; and Standard Oil of Texas in eight markets in Texas and New Mexico.[11]

Release edit

Home media edit

Timeless Media Group released a 3-disc best-of set, featuring 20 episodes from the series on DVD in Region 1 on April 12, 2011.[12]

References edit

  1. ^ a b McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. pp. 870–871. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  2. ^ Stern, Harold (March 15, 1958). "26 Men Based on Fact". The Record. New Jersey, Hackensack. p. 37. Retrieved June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "More Western Series". The Sydney Morning Herald. June 16, 1958. p. 15. Retrieved June 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Film Clips" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 23, 1957. p. 64. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Erickson, Hal (1989). Syndicated Television: The First Forty Years, 1947-1987'. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 101. ISBN 0-7864-1198-8.
  6. ^ a b "'26 Men' - the Story of Arizona". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. August 2, 1958. p. 74. Retrieved June 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b "26 Men". Variety. October 16, 1957. p. 52. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  8. ^ "Russell (Lucky) Hayden, Romantic Film Cowboy". The New York Times. Associated Press. June 13, 1981. p. 16. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  9. ^ "George T. (2-gun) Shupert calls it a Western, son!" (PDF). Billboard. August 19, 1957. p. 10. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  10. ^ "'26 Men' Filming begins" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 2, 1957. p. 81.
  11. ^ "ABC Film's '26 Men' Racks Up $500,000 in Advance Sales" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 22, 1957. p. 62. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  12. ^ David Lambert (April 7, 2011). "26 Men - TMG Release a 3-DVD Set about the Old West's Arizona Rangers". Archived from the original on 2011-09-16. Retrieved 2012-05-01.

External links edit

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