24 classic episodes from a 50's western gem!
I'm surprised and quite pleased that this often forgotten 1957-59 western has found it's way to a DVD release by Timeless Media Group. Rugged John Payne stars as Vint Bonner in the "Restless Gun." Bonner travels the southwest trying to live down his reputation as one of the fastest guns in the post-Civil War era. Bonner tries to avoid trouble, but it most often finds him. The set starts out with the 30-minute pilot episode first aired on "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars." Payne is surrounded by one terrific set of supporting players in the pilot -- William Hopper ("Perry Mason"), Michael Landon ("Bonanza"), and Andrew Duggan ("Lancer"). Many TV western icons guest star in the remaining 23-episode set, including Morgan Woodward ("Wyatt Earp"), Dan Blocker ("Bonanza"), Claude Akins, Jack Elam ("The Dakotas"), Ben Johnson, Robert Fuller ("Laramie"), James Coburn, Royal Dano, Edgar Buchanan, and Denver Pyle. The prints drawn from the Universal/NBC archives are not pristine (some...
Classic John Payne Western Available in DVD
The Restless Gun only aired for two seasons (1957-1959), and was caught up in the glut of Western television programming that occurred in the 1950s. But it is wonderful news that Timeless Media has released episodes of this series on DVD because this is another example of a great show that has not received its due.
The series starred and was co-produced by John Payne, who was transitioning his career from motion pictures to television after a long film career capped by his performance as the defense attorney in the classic Christmas film, "Miracle On 34th Street." Payne played Vint Bonner, a former gunfighter who has retired from the trade and wanders the West. Bonner is more reticent than most heroes to use his gun, and has sensitivity and compassion that is expected from Western heroes, but more fully realized here than in most Westerns.
The series had all the hallmarks of great television - great lead character, great performances, great writing, and great...
Happy Trails -- and then some!
I was much too young to remember this program because it aired from 1957 to 1959. However, just because I don't remember it certainly doesn't mean that I don't enjoy this type of television - and much better than some of the junk aired today!. The 3 disc DVD set features 24 out of the 78 aired episodes. It stars handsome John Payne as the amiable Vint Bonner, former Civil War soldier and hired gunslinger who wanders from town to town in the old west. It is fast paced with good writing, making this program one of the more enjoyable series of it's time. Some of the film quality isn't up to today's standards but considering the film stock is 50 years old, it's kind of to be expected. I can't imagine that anyone in 1957 would have thought that people of 2007 would be watching this so naturally, the film stock isn't as well preserved as, say, a major motion picture. Thanks for making this available and please consider releasing the other 54 episodes.
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