Judge Roy Bean was a syndicated Western television series based very loosely on the life of a Texas justice of the peace. Edgar Buchanan played Roy Bean, known as "the only law west of the Pecos."[1] The series was originally broadcast during the 1955 television season.
The series was set in Langtry, Texas, and starred Buchanan as Judge Roy Bean, Jackie Loughery as his niece Letty Bean, and Jack Buetel as Jeff Taggert, Bean's deputy. Russell Hayden had a recurring role as Steve, a Texas Ranger. Hayden was also the series’ producer.[2] Guest stars included Tris Coffin, Myron Healey, X Brands, Glenn Strange and Lash LaRue.[3]
The self-appointed[4] Judge Bean held court in his combination general store and saloon[3] and often assigned Jeff Taggert to investigate crimes. Bean was an admirer of actress Lillie Langtry, and claimed that the town of Langtry was named in her honor, though the Southern Pacific Railroad had given the town the name of one of their dignitaries.[5]
There were 39 half-hour episodes, shot in color in Pioneertown, California.[4] In the mid-1950s most television stations only broadcast black-and-white programing, and during the series's original run only five stations aired Judge Roy Bean episodes in color. The remaining stations showed the syndicated series in black-and-white.[6]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Judge of Pecos Valley" | William Berke | Rik Vollaerts and R.M. Hayden | September 1, 1955 | |
| The Judge captures a train robber and hands him over to the Texas Rangers. X Brands played Dan Wiler. | |||||
| 2 | "Family Ties" | Derwin Abbe | Orville H. Hampton | September 8, 1955 | |
| The Judge helps a family being forced off their land by men who know the railroad wants to buy the property. | |||||
| 3 | "The Horse Thief" | Derwin Abrahams | Buckley Angell | September 15, 1955 | |
| A rancher is accused of stealing horses, and townspeople want to lynch him. X Brands played Hackett. | |||||
| 4 | "Sunburnt Gold" | Derwin Abbe | Orville H. Hampton | September 22, 1955 | |
| Criminals are trying to make stolen gold coins look like mined gold nuggets.Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 5 | "The Wedding of Old Sam" | Derwin Abbe | Russell Hayden & Jack Jacobs & Malvin Wald | September 29, 1955 | |
| The Judge helps a friend and becomes involved in a marriage proposal and an impersonation. Tris Coffin played Sam, X Brands was the stage driver, and Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 6 | "The Runaway" | Derwin Abrahams | Buckley Angell | October 6, 1955 | |
| A boy thinks his father a coward for taking abuse from his boss in order to provide for his family. X Brands played Dallas. | |||||
| 7 | "Slightly Prodigal" | Derwin Abrahams | George Van Marter | October 13, 1955 | |
| Mrs. Brown comes to Langtry in search of her son, and learns he was one of the outlaws who robbed the stagecoach she was on. X Brands played Jim Brown. | |||||
| 8 | "Black Jack" | Derwin Abbe | Orville H. Hampton | October 20, 1955 | |
| The Judge pursues a train robber who escaped from prison and murdered the man who betrayed him. X Brands played Rev. Peter Cable. | |||||
| 9 | "Judge Declares a Holiday" | Derwin Abrahams | Roy Erwin | October 13, 1955 | |
| Con men come to town, arranges horse races, then leave with all money that was bet. | |||||
| 10 | "Citizen Romeo" | Reg Browne | Orville H. Hampton | November 3, 1955 | |
| The Judge learns of a scheme to smuggle guns to the Indians, and he encounters an unlikely pair of allies to stop the smuggling: an organ grinder and his monkey. Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 11 | "Connie Comes to Town" | Derwin Abbe | Milton M. Raison | November 10, 1955 | |
| When Connie Ward comes to town Letty is harassed by villains seeking to learn her whereabouts. X Brands played Daniels | |||||
| 12 | "The Fugitive" | Derwin Abrahams | Buckley Angell | November 17, 1955 | |
| The Judge helps a rancher who is being blackmailed by crooks wanting to steal his land. X Brands played Hickey and Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 13 | "Letty Leaves Home" | Derwin Abrahams | Buckley Angell | November 24, 1955 | |
| Letty wants to leave Langtry for she believes her tomboy ways are keeping her from being seen as a lady. X Brands played Klondike. | |||||
| 14 | "Murder in Langtry" | Reg Browne | Al Frank | December 1, 1955 | |
| The Judge helps Jeff Taggart, who is framed for murdering the horse trader who cheated him. | |||||
| 15 | "Vinegarone" | Derwin Abrahams | Orville H. Hampton | December 8, 1955 | |
| The Judge helps a young man who con men claim doesn’t have legal title to the silver mine he inherited. X Brands played Buck Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 16 | "Ah Sid Cowboy" | Nate Watt | David Dixon | January 1, 1956 | |
| The Judge helps his friend Ah Sid, who is being forced to translate a map stolen from Chinese gold miners. Sammee Tong played Ah Sid and Glenn Strange played Fallon. | |||||
| 17 | "Checkmate" | Unknown | Orville H. Hampton | January 8, 1956 | |
| The Judge is almost fooled by a phony death and funeral of a wanted killer. Myron Healey played Reno and Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 18 | "Desperate Journey" | Reg Browne | Buckley Angell | January 15, 1956 | |
| A young man seeking his birthright is accused of murder and makes a run for it. | |||||
| 19 | "Eyes of Texas" | Reg Browne | Orville H. Hampton | January 22, 1956 | |
| Crooked ranchers attempt to steal land from an Indian tribe, and kills an Indian brave. The Judge must prevent a massacre. | |||||
| 20 | "The Gunman’s Bargain" | Nate Watt | Virginia M. Cooke | January 29, 1956 | |
| John Wesley Hardin rides into Langtry just as Judge Bean receives a wanted poster on him. X Brands played Tyler | |||||
| 21 | "The Hidden Truth" | Nate Watt | John Ward | February 6, 1956 | |
| The Judge tries to clear an ex-convict who was innocently involved in murder and robbery. X Brands played Grover. | |||||
| 22 | "The Judge’s Dilemma" | Nate Watt | Sloan Nibley | February 12, 1956 | |
| The Judge goes after swindlers trying to take control of Langtry. The swindlers bring false charges of misconduct against Judge Bean. Glenn Strange played Mason and X Brands played Danning. | |||||
| 23 | "The Katcina Doll" | Nate Watt | James L. Henderson | February 20, 1956 | |
| A Mexican Indian village have their sacred idol stolen. Neither the Judge nor Deputy Jeff have jurisdiction across the border, but Letty agrees to help lure the criminals back to Texas. Lash LaRue played Storts. | |||||
| 24 | "Outlaw’s Son" | Nate Watt | Oliver Drake | February 27, 1956 | |
| The Judge helps an outlaw’s son choose between right and wrong after his father is murdered. Lash LaRue played Matt Logan, X Brands played Ben Logan and Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 25 | "The Reformer" | Nate Watt | Buckley Angell | March 6, 1956 | |
| The Judge confronts a female reformer determined to remake Langtry to her liking. Bernadene Hayes played Dolly Mason, Lash LaRue played Duke Castle and X Brands played Jonas. | |||||
| 26 | "The Travelers" | Reg Browne | Charles R. Mariion | March 13, 1956 | |
| The Judge and Jeff Taggert go after a killer, and they are joined by a rancher who wants a lynching. Bernadene Hayes played Mrs. Atkins. | |||||
| 27 | "The Elopers" | Thor L. Brooks | Unknown | March 20, 1956 | |
| Sharon intends to marry Adam over the objections of her wealthy father. | |||||
| 28 | "Spirit of the Law" | Reg Browne | Bea Lisse | April 3, 1956 | |
| The Judge goes after twin brothers who give each other alibis for their holdups. Lash LaRue played Todd Malone and Will Malone. | |||||
| 29 | "Bad Medicine" | Reg Browne | Bea Lisse | April 3, 1956 | |
| The Judge suspects that Doc Malone’s Medicine Show is hiding a killer. Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 30 | "The Defense Rests" | Reg Browne | Buckley Angell | April 10, 1956 | |
| Deputy Jeff Taggert’s brother is accused of robbing a bank, and the deputy is suspected of being involved with the crime. Lash LaRue played the bank cashier. | |||||
| 31 | "Deliver the Body" | Nate Watt | Buckley Angell | April 17, 1956 | |
| Sheriff Blade arrives to arrest Del Randall on what the Judge considers trumped up charges. Judge Bean and Jeff Taggert put Del in jail to protect him. | |||||
| 32 | "The Hypnotist" | Nate Watt | Sloan Nibley | April 24, 1956 | |
| Letty is hypnotized to recall past events connected to the legend of the Haunted Hills. Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 33 | "Terror Rides the Trail" | Nate Watt | Oliver Drake | May 1, 1956 | |
| Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 34 | "Border Raiders" | Reg Browne | Buck Angell | May 8, 1956 | |
| The Judge and Jeff Taggert go after a band of marauding Apaches led by a white man. Tris Coffin played Kenyon, Glenn Strange played Tom Holman and Russell Hayden played Steve. | |||||
| 35 | "The Cross-Draw Kid" | Reg Browne | Oliver Drake | May 15, 1956 | |
| The Judge and Jeff Taggert take on the richest man in the valley over water rights. Tris Coffin played Jim Sabine and Glenn Strange played King Lonagan. | |||||
| 36 | "Four Ladies From Laredo" | Thor Brooks | Buckley Angell | May 22, 1956 | |
| Four beautiful ladies come to Langtry and the Judge and Jeff Taggert go courting, instead of paying more attention to a local robbery. A Texas Ranger is suspicious of the women’s behavior. Russell Hayden played Steve, the Texas Ranger. | |||||
| 37 | "Luck o’ the Irish" | Thor Brooks | John Ward | May 291, 1956 | |
| Pat O’Hara and his much younger bride comes to town. Pat’s drinking and gambling gets him involved with the town’s rowdies. | |||||
| 38 | "The Refugee" | Reg Browne | Unknown | June 5, 1956 | |
| Glenn Strange played Nolan. | |||||
| 39 | "Lone Star Killer" | Reg Browne | Buckley Angell | June 13, 1956 | |
| When a Texas Ranger is murdered the Judge and Jeff Taggert vow to bring the killer to justice. Lash LaRue played Bass. | |||||
Reception
Joseph Landau of the Louisville, Kentucky The Courier-Journal stated that "the only similarity between Judge Roy Bean of television and the real Roy Bean is the TV boys got the name right."[5]
References
- ^ Judge Roy Bean Subject of New Television Show, The Sedalia Democrat (Sedalia, Missouri), October 30, 1955, page 13
- ^ Marill, Alvin H., Television Westerns: Six Decades of Sagebrush, Sheriffs, Scalawags, and Sidewinders, page 44, Scarecrow Press, 2011
- ^ a b Rowan, Terry, Character-Based Film Series, Part 3, page 125, Lulu Books, 2016
- ^ a b Summers, Neil and Crowley, Roger M., The Official TV Western Round-Up Book, page 85, The Old West Shop Publishing, 2002
- ^ a b Joseph Landau, Judge Roy Bean’s Name Is About The Only Fact The TV Writers Retain, The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY), May 13, 1956, page 74
- ^ Sneak Preview, Billboard, March 31, 1956, page 9