If you thought the idea of Rod Serling creating a Western was odd, then one such series that came from Jack Webb might be just as, well, daunting, for lack of a better term.
Hec Ramsey was part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie anthology wheel with Columbo, McCloud, & McMillian & Wife, but lasted just 10 episodes over 2 seasons (1972-4), which, when you think about it, would represent the beginning of the end for Webb at NBC. Ramsey joined Adam-12 (4th season) and Emergency! (2nd season) on the NBC schedule, but unlike the others, due to the Mystery Movie format, it aired less frequently.
Ramsey was a comeback vehicle for Richard Boone (ex-Have Gun, Will Travel), and would be his last series. Ramsey was a different sort of Western hero. What Webb intended to do was fuse together the procedural investigative format of Dragnet with the Western genre, as Ramsey used the latest crime solving techniques, unique to the turn of the 19th century to the 20th. He comes to the aid of the Chief of Police (Rick Lenz) of a small town in Oklahoma, who most certainly needs his help.
Let's take a look at the series opener. Harry Morgan (ex-Dragnet), listed as a guest star, is also the narrator, and would direct 2 subsequent episodes.
In doing research, I also discovered that future 80's icon Nicholas Colasanto (later of Cheers) directed one episode. Small world, no?
No rating.
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