The Six Shooter; a re-listen

Over the past month, I took  the time to re-listen to the entire run of The Six Shooter.

The first time through, I really enjoyed it.  For a while I had the program as #1 on my list of favorite shows. 

A re-listen to the series was enjoyable but it doesn't seem to hold such a prestiged place in my heart as it did during the first listen.  While James Stewart is perfect as the part of Brit Ponsett and the character actors who make up the rest of the different cast each week is also fine, I find the writing isn't as strong as I thought it was the first listen.

There's nothing wrong with the writing but it just doesn't hold up the second time through, at least through some of the episodes.  Yes, I was listening for flaws as I knew what was going to happen the second time through the story. 

Certainly, some episodes are strong - especially the very last episode - which I won't tell you about because if you haven't heard the series, you will want that pleasant surprise at the very end.

And there other strong episodes as well.  But not all are as strong as I remember.

Still, a show worthy of your attention.

Cool photo dump

Mercedes McCambridge (1936)

Orson Welles on the right

J-J-Jimmy Stewart

Red!

Agnes Moorehead (1935)

1935

One of the best: The Six-Shooter

The man in the saddle is angular and long-legged. His skin is sun-dyed brown. The gun in his holster is gray steel and rainbow mother-of-pearl; it's handle unmarked. People call them both, "The Six Shooter."

The Six Shooter, Brit Ponset

The Six Shooter was a one-year Western radio series that came out in September of 1953 and lasted until June of the next year. It starred one of the screen's biggest stars, James Stewart, who I used to note before I heard this radio series, "Couldn't act."

Stewart, who made more than a couple of handfuls of Westerns on celluloid, plays easy-going Brit Ponset.  He's not out to hurt or malign anyone and always leans on the side of caution.  Everyone he meets up with seems to know him and though his reputation is flawless, the townsfolk usually expect him to go kill the show's bad guy for them.

Ponset was a peaceful man who used violence at the last resort - and even then, he would only shoot for the shoulder or hand.  He was like Roy Rogers for the adult without the singing voice.  He wandered from town to town and job to job, enjoying the countryside and people he met along the way.

He wasn't easily ruffled - that is unless he was met with the task of finding the church a new organ or being forced to eat a 4th helping of freshly-baked cornbread.  It seems most of the situations he ran up against were more milquetoast than harmful.  The show wasn't always about "bad guys."  There's an episode about someone setting Brit up with a gal to marry.  Another has him acting a in play to help out a couple of old friends.   These non-violent episodes add to the show's charm as Ponset seems more like an everyday fellow and is easy to relate to.  I think this - more than anything else - is why this is such a wonderful show.

The show's theme song was a slow, peaceful (almost sad) piece of music that I feel reflects the character, Brit Ponset perfectly.

The show was created by Frank Burt and he wrote most of the episodes.   You won't find a bad script in the entire show's run.  The sound quality for the series is very good.   This is easily my favorite radio show.  5 of out of 5 stars.

Hodge-podging [#03]

Time for me to shoot from the hip.

Fred Allen wasn't funny.  Ever.  He was interesting and brilliant but not funny.  He was usually the straight man.  Great timing - just not funny.

No OTR show was better than "The Six Shooter", the James Stewart vehicle.  Everything about the show is smooth, easy and as professional as you could possible expect.  Every episode is really worth listening to, even if you don't like Westerns.

Bea Benaderet

The early days of Gunsmoke make for a different listening experience than the later episodes.  In the early episodes, Doc is greedy and it appears for all the world that Matt Dillon only "puts up with him" because he has to.

Jack Benny as "Buck Benny" isn't funny. Ever. And there are more than 10 Benny episodes about Buck Benny. Maybe it was funny then but it sure doesn't hold up today. That doesn't mean I don't listen to them, because I do. I just don't laugh...

I hold "I Was a Communist for the FBI" in almost the same esteem as I do, "The Six Shooter."

The early Whistler episodes are boring to me because I'll bet the same cast is used in 15 of the first 25 episodes.

I really wish there were more "People Are Funny" episodes available to listen to. By my count there are only 22 of them out there. Art Linkletter and the writers came up with some fun bits.

I don't own a television set.

One of the most versatile actresses of radio (and early TV) was Bea Benaderet.  But as the maid/cook on the early days of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, I just dislike her character (Gloria) so much that I often pass up the episode.

Did you ever wonder what kind of sickness kept Marian Jordan (Molly) off of Fibber McGee and Molly for 18 months (1937-1939)?  According to Greg Bell, it was alcoholism.

Does anyone really listen to Life With Luigi, Alan Young and Jimmy Durante?

Is there anyone funnier than Groucho Marx?

If you have never heard the early and hilarious Bill Cosby talk about The Lone Ranger on radio, now is your chance. And don't miss this 1966 clip of Cosby yukking it up about Lights Out.