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{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
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{{Infobox television
{{Infobox television
| image = 1958 Gene Barry Bat Masterson.jpg
| image = 1958 Gene Barry Bat Masterson.jpg
| caption = Gene Barry as Bat Masterson, 1958
| caption = Gene Barry as Bat Masterson, 1958
| alt_name =
| alt_name =
| genre = [[Western (genre)|Western]]
| genre = [[Western (genre)|Western]]
| creator =
| creator =
| director =
| director =
| creative_director =
| creative_director =
| developer =
| developer =
| presenter =
| presenter =
| starring = [[Gene Barry]]
| starring = [[Gene Barry]]
| voices =
| voices =
| narrated = Bill Baldwin, Bob LeMond
| narrated = Bill Baldwin, Bob LeMond
| theme_music_composer = Havens Wray (David D. Rose)
| theme_music_composer = Havens Wray (David D. Rose)
| opentheme =
| open_theme =
| endtheme = [[Bill Lee (singer)|Bill Lee]] (Singer)
| endtheme = [[Bill Lee (singer)|Bill Lee]] (Singer)
| composer =
| composer =
| country = United States
| country = United States
| language = English
| language = English
| num_seasons = 3
| num_seasons = 3
| num_episodes = 108
| num_episodes = 108
| list_episodes = List of Bat Masterson episodes
| list_episodes = List of Bat Masterson episodes
| executive_producer =
| executive_producer =
| producer = {{Plainlist|
| producer = {{Plainlist|
* Frank Pittman
* Frank Pittman
* Andy White
* Andy White
* Frederick W. Ziv
* Frederick W. Ziv
}}
}}
| editor =
| editor =
| cinematography =
| cinematography =
| runtime = 30 minutes
| runtime = 30 minutes
| company = {{Plainlist|
| company = {{Plainlist|
* [[Ziv Television Programs]]
* [[Ziv Television Programs]]
* (1958-1960)
* (1958–1960)
* [[United Artists Television|Ziv-United Artists]]
* [[United Artists Television|Ziv-United Artists]]
* (1960-1961)
* (1960–1961)
}}
}}
| channel = [[NBC]]
| channel = [[NBC]]
⚫
| first_aired = {{Start date|1958|10|08}}
| picture_format = [[Black-and-white]]
| audio_format = [[Monaural]]
| last_aired = {{End date|1961|06|01}}
⚫
| first_aired = {{Start date|1958|10|08}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1961|06|01}}
}}
}}
'''''Bat Masterson''''' is an American [[Western (genre)|Western]] [[television series]] which was a fictionalized account of the life of real-life marshal, gambler, and journalist [[Bat Masterson]]. The title character was played by [[Gene Barry]], and the half-hour [[black-and-white]] series ran on [[NBC]] from 1958 to 1961.<ref name="Brooks_and_Marsh">{{Cite book |last1=Brooks |first1=Tim |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC |title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present |last2=Marsh |first2=Earle F. |publisher=[[Ballantine Books]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-345-49773-4 |location=New York |pages=106 |author-link=Tim Brooks (historian) |access-date=May 28, 2021}}</ref> The show was produced by [[Ziv Television Programs|Ziv Television Productions]]. "Bat" is a nickname for Masterson's first name, Bartholemew, although in both the 1958 pilot "Double Showdown" and 1961 episode "No Amnesty For Death", he says his name is William Barkley Masterson.<ref name="McNeil">{{cite book |last=McNeil |first=Alex |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dctkAAAAMAAJ |title=Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present |date=1996 |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |isbn=0-14-02-4916-8 |location=New York |pages=77 |access-date=May 28, 2021}}</ref>
'''''Bat Masterson''''' is an American Western television series which was a fictionalized account of real-life marshal, gambler, and journalist [[Bat Masterson]]. The title character was played by [[Gene Barry]], and the half-hour black-and-white series ran on [[NBC]] from 1958 to 1961.<ref name="Brooks_and_Marsh">{{Cite book |last1=Brooks |first1=Tim |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&dq=%22Bat+Masterson+Western%22&pg=PA106 |title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present |last2=Marsh |first2=Earle F. |publisher=[[Ballantine Books]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-345-49773-4 |location=New York |pages=106 |author-link=Tim Brooks (historian) |access-date=May 28, 2021}}</ref> The show was produced by [[Ziv Television Programs|Ziv Television Productions]]. "Bat" is a nickname for Masterson's first name Bartholemew, although the fictional Masterson says that his name is William Barkley Masterson.<ref name="McNeil">{{cite book |last=McNeil |first=Alex |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dctkAAAAMAAJ |title=Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present |date=1996 |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |isbn=0-14-02-4916-8 |location=New York |pages=77 |access-date=May 28, 2021}}</ref>


Although the series was fiction, it was based on the biography ''Bat Masterson'', by Richard O'Connor, as noted by the closing credits.<ref name="Yoggy">{{Cite book |last=Yoggy |first=Gary A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qSzuAAAAMAAJ |title=Riding the Video Range: The Rise and Fall of the Western on Television |date=1995 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company|McFarland]] |isbn=978-0-7864-0021-8 |language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|page=143}}<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/S1V7upBZp8w Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130305091121/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1V7upBZp8w Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://youtube.com/watch?v=S1V7upBZp8w| title = Bat Masterson - The Fighter, Full Episode Classic Western TV Series | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
The series was based on the biography ''Bat Masterson'' by Richard O'Connor, as noted in the closing credits.<ref name="Yoggy">{{Cite book |last=Yoggy |first=Gary A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qSzuAAAAMAAJ |title=Riding the Video Range: The Rise and Fall of the Western on Television |date=1995 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company|McFarland]] |isbn=978-0-7864-0021-8 |language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|page=143}}<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/S1V7upBZp8w Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130305091121/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1V7upBZp8w Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://youtube.com/watch?v=S1V7upBZp8w| title = Bat Masterson - The Fighter, Full Episode Classic Western TV Series | website=[[YouTube]]| date = January 4, 2012 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>


==Overview==
==Overview==
Barry's Masterson often dressed in expensive Eastern clothing and preferred to use his cane rather than a gun to get himself out of trouble. Masterson was also portrayed as a ladies' man who traveled the West looking for women and adventure. He also came to the aid of innocents wrongly accused of crimes.<ref name="Brooks_and_Marsh" />
The fictionalized Masterson dressed in expensive clothing, including a walking stick with a hidden sword.<ref name="McNeil" /> He preferred to use his cane rather than a gun to get himself out of trouble. He was portrayed as a ladies' man who traveled the West looking for women and adventure. He also came to the aid of innocents wrongly accused of crimes.<ref name="Brooks_and_Marsh" />

Masterson, like other heroes of television Westerns, had a gimmick weapon. His cane contained a hidden sword.<ref name="McNeil" />

The black [[Bowler hat|derby]], fancy decorative vest, black jacket, and elegant gold-topped cane were his trademarks. When dressed more casually in episodes centered on outdoor action, Masterson would sometimes wear an identical but gray derby in place of the black one.


<gallery widths="262px" heights="350px" perrow="3">
<gallery widths="262px" heights="350px" perrow="3">
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==Cast==
==Cast==
[[File:Allison Hayes-Gene Barry in Bat Masterson.jpg|262px|right|thumb|[[Allison Hayes]] appeared in 7 episodes (1958)]]
[[File:Allison Hayes-Gene Barry in Bat Masterson.jpg|right|thumb|[[Allison Hayes]] appeared in 7 episodes (1958)]]
[[File:Gene Barry-Jacqueline Scott in Bat Masterson.jpg|262px|right|thumb|With [[Jacqueline Scott]] in "The Black Pearls"]]
[[File:Gene Barry-Jacqueline Scott in Bat Masterson.jpg|right|thumb|With [[Jacqueline Scott]] in "The Black Pearls"]]
[[File:Patrick Waltz in Bat Masterson (The Fighter).jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Patrick Waltz]] in ''Bat Masterson'', 1958]]
[[File:Jean Willes-Gene Barry-Adele Mara in Bat Masterson.JPG|thumb|[[Jean Willes]], [[Gene Barry]] and [[Adele Mara]] in first series episode]]


===Main cast===
===Main cast===
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* [[Ken Drake (actor)|Ken Drake]] as Burdette (6 episodes)
* [[Ken Drake (actor)|Ken Drake]] as Burdette (6 episodes)
* [[Troy Melton]] as government agent (6 episodes)
* [[Troy Melton]] as government agent (6 episodes)

===Guest cast===
''Bat Masterson'' guest stars included the [[character actor]] [[Robert F. Simon]], who appeared as Harrison Whitney in the episode "Death by Decree", and [[Richard Eastham]], who appeared in the 1961 episode "A Lesson in Violence". [[Stefanie Powers]] appeared in the 1961 episode named "Dead Man's Claim" (using the name Taffy Paul) as Ann, the niece of the boarding house owner. [[George Macready]] appeared as Clyde Richards in the 1961 episode "Tempest at Tioga Pass". [[Quentin Sondergaard]] appeared in various roles on the series five times between 1958 and 1961. [[Dan Sheridan]] was cast as Joe Rankin in the 1959 episode "Election Day". Allison Hayes had a recurring role as card dealer Ellie Winters in 7 episodes.

[[Yvonne Lime Fedderson]] was cast as Lola White in the 1960 episode "The Snare". [[Ron Hayes]] appeared four times in the role of [[Wyatt Earp]]. [[Gary Vinson]] appeared as Billy Thompson in the 1958 episode "A Noose Fits Anybody". [[Tyler McVey]] appeared from 1958 to 1961 in different roles in three episodes ("Dynamite Blows Two Ways", "Incident at Fort Bowie", and "Dead Man's Claim"). [[Ron Foster (actor)|Ron Foster]] (1960) appeared twice as Toby Dawson in "Six Feet of Gold" and as Sheriff Buck Simpson in "Jeopardy at Jackson Hole" (1961). [[James Coburn]] also appeared in "Six Feet of Gold". [[Tom Greenway (actor)|Tom Greenway]] guest starred twice, as Charlie in "Buffalo Kill" (1959) and as Ben Pick in "Dagger Dance" (1961). [[Brett King]] appeared four times, beginning with the role of Hub Elliott in "License to Cheat" (1959); [[Douglas Kennedy (actor)|Douglas Kennedy]] was cast as Sheriff Jeb Crater in that same episode. [[William Tannen]] was cast in four episodes of ''Bat Masterson''.

[[Diane Brewster]] played the role of Miss Lynn Harrison in the 2-part episode "The Conspiracy" (1959). [[Kevin Hagen]] appeared as Ace Williams in "The Fourth Man" (1961). [[Lon Chaney Jr.]] played the role of Rance Fletcher in "Bat Trap" (1961). [[Patrick Waltz]], [[Ray Kellogg (actor)|Ray Kellogg]] and [[Marie Windsor]] had guest-starred in the episode "The Fighter". [[Donald Murphy (actor)|Donald Murphy]] made one appearance in 1960. [[Anna Navarro]] and [[George Sawaya]] both made one appearance in 1961.


== Episodes ==
== Episodes ==
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==Production==
==Production==
===Development===
===Development===
The series is a fictionalized account of the life of real-life [[Bat Masterson]], who had been an Army scout, Indian fighter, lawman, and a deputy of [[Wyatt Earp]].<ref name="Marill" />{{Rp|page=58}} It was produced by [[Ziv Television Programs|Ziv Television Productions]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Aaker |first=Everett |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Television_Western_Players_1960_1975/yXAkDwAAQBAJ |title=Television Western Players, 1960-1975: A Biographical Dictionary |date=2017-05-16 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-2856-1 |pages=26 |language=en}}</ref> and is loosely based on Richard O'Connor's 1957 biography of Masterson.<ref name="Yoggy" />{{Rp|page=143}} This was highlighted by the book's front cover being shown at the end of the closing credits with an onscreen notation "based on". A 1959 TV Guide article quoted the producer as stating they wanted the show to be as accurate as possible.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nadel |first=Alan |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Television_in_Black_and_white_America/5LhkAAAAMAAJ |title=Television in Black-and-White America: Race and National Identity |date=2005 |publisher=University Press of Kansas |isbn=978-0-7006-1398-4 |pages=87 |language=en}}</ref> The series was sponsored by Kraft.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McDonough |first=John |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Advertising_Age_Encyclopedia_of_Adve/HZLtCQAAQBAJ |title=The Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising |last2=Egolf |first2=Karen |date=2015-06-18 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-94906-8 |pages=913 |language=en}}</ref>
The series is a fictionalized account of the life of real-life [[Bat Masterson]], who had been an Army scout, Indian fighter, lawman, and a deputy of [[Wyatt Earp]].<ref name="Marill" />{{Rp|page=58}} It was produced by [[Ziv Television Programs|Ziv Television Productions]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Aaker |first=Everett |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yXAkDwAAQBAJ |title=Television Western Players, 1960-1975: A Biographical Dictionary |date=2017-05-16 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-2856-1 |pages=26 |language=en}}</ref> and is loosely based on Richard O'Connor's 1957 biography of Masterson.<ref name="Yoggy" />{{Rp|page=143}} This was highlighted by the book's front cover being shown at the end of the closing credits with an onscreen notation "based on". A 1959 TV Guide article quoted the producer as stating they wanted the show to be as accurate as possible.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nadel |first=Alan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5LhkAAAAMAAJ |title=Television in Black-and-White America: Race and National Identity |date=2005 |publisher=University Press of Kansas |isbn=978-0-7006-1398-4 |pages=87 |language=en}}</ref> The series was sponsored by Kraft.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=McDonough |first1=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HZLtCQAAQBAJ |title=The Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising |last2=Egolf |first2=Karen |date=2015-06-18 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-94906-8 |pages=913 |language=en}}</ref>


=== Casting ===
=== Casting ===
Gene Barry originally turned down the role of Bat Masterson because he preferred to stay working in film,<ref name=":0" /> and he did not like ordinary cowboys. But Barry, who wore a [[Homburg hat|homburg]] and [[chesterfield coat]] when looking for work as an actor in New York, found out the character carried a cane and wore a derby hat, he jumped at the opportunity.<ref name="Yoggy" />{{Rp|page=144}} Barry was selected for the part directly by [[Frederick Ziv|Fred Ziv]].<ref name=":0" /> Barry was the only regular cast member of the series, while guest stars each week included both name and soon-to-be-name performers.<ref name="Marill">{{Cite book |last=Marill |first=Alvin H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TrIspiOaqboC&newbks=0 |title=Television Westerns: Six Decades of Sagebrush Sheriffs, Scalawags, and Sidewinders |date=2011-06-01 |publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |isbn=978-0-8108-8133-4 |language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|page=58}}
Gene Barry originally turned down the role of Bat Masterson because he preferred to stay working in film,<ref name=":0" /> and he did not like ordinary cowboys. But when Barry, who wore a [[Homburg hat|homburg]] and [[chesterfield coat]] when looking for work as an actor in New York, found out the character carried a cane and wore a derby hat, he jumped at the opportunity.<ref name="Yoggy" />{{Rp|page=144}} Barry was selected for the part directly by [[Frederick Ziv|Fred Ziv]].<ref name=":0" /> Barry was the only regular cast member of the series, while guest stars each week included both name and soon-to-be-name performers.<ref name="Marill">{{Cite book |last=Marill |first=Alvin H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TrIspiOaqboC |title=Television Westerns: Six Decades of Sagebrush Sheriffs, Scalawags, and Sidewinders |date=2011-06-01 |publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |isbn=978-0-8108-8133-4 |language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|page=58}}


=== Production design ===
=== Production design ===
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=== Music ===
=== Music ===
The popularity of the [[singing cowboy]]s of the fifties led to several classic Westerns having themes resembling cowboy ballads, and Bat Masterson was no exception.<ref name="Marill" />{{Rp|page=vi}} According to BMI and the sheet music, the theme music was written by Havens Wray (although incorrectly spelled by BMI as Ravens Wray). However, it was likely written by [[David Rose (songwriter)|David Rose]], an ASCAP member who couldn't use his own name for a BMI composition.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bat Masterson |url=http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/batMasterson.html |website=classicthemes.com}}</ref> The words were by BMI writer Bart Corwin. The theme song was sung by [[Bill Lee (singer)|Bill Lee]], a member of the [[Mellomen]].
The popularity of the [[singing cowboy]]s of the fifties led to several classic Westerns having themes resembling cowboy ballads, and ''Bat Masterson'' was no exception.<ref name="Marill" />{{Rp|page=vi}} According to BMI and the sheet music, the theme music was written by Havens Wray (although incorrectly spelled by BMI as Ravens Wray). However, it was likely written by [[David Rose (songwriter)|David Rose]], an ASCAP member who couldn't use his own name for a BMI composition.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bat Masterson |url=http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/batMasterson.html |website=classicthemes.com}}</ref> The words were by BMI writer Bart Corwin. The theme song was sung by [[Bill Lee (singer)|Bill Lee]], a member of the [[Mellomen]].


=== Cancellation ===
=== Cancellation ===
Although Bat Masterson was positively reviewed by critics, the show was aired at a time when there were many other Westerns, and it was lost in the crowd. It never appeared in the Nielsen top 25. The show was cancelled after only three seasons.<ref name="Yoggy" />{{Rp|page=147}}
Although ''Bat Masterson'' was positively reviewed by critics, the show was aired at a time when there were many other Westerns, and it was lost in the crowd. It never appeared in the Nielsen top 25. The show was cancelled after only three seasons.<ref name="Yoggy" />{{Rp|page=147}}


==Release==
==Release==
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* October 1958{{Ndash}}September 1959, Wednesdays from 9:30{{Ndash}}10:00
* October 1958{{Ndash}}September 1959, Wednesdays from 9:30{{Ndash}}10:00
* October 1959{{Ndash}}September 1960, Thursdays from 8:00{{Ndash}}8:30
* October 1959{{Ndash}}September 1960, Thursdays from 8:00{{Ndash}}8:30
* October 1960{{Ndash}}September 1961, Thursdays from 8:30{{Ndash}}9:00
* September 1960{{Ndash}}September 1961, Thursdays from 8:30{{Ndash}}9:00


=== Home media ===
=== Home media ===
[[File:Barry e Goulart, 1961.pdf|thumb|Barry and Goulart in 1961]]
[[TGG Direct]] released the first and second seasons on DVD in Region 1 on January 29, 2013.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Bat-Masterson-Complete-Season-One/dp/B009OE2NS0 Bat Masterson Complete Season One]</ref><ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Bat-Masterson-Complete-Season-Two/dp/B009OE2NZI Bat Masterson Complete Season Two]</ref> The third and final season was released on November 5, 2013.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F6D62O4 Bat Masterson Season 3]</ref> Due to licensing issues, the episode ''Terror on the Trinity'' is not included.
[[TGG Direct]] released the first and second seasons on DVD in Region 1 on January 29, 2013.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Bat-Masterson-Complete-Season-One/dp/B009OE2NS0 Bat Masterson Complete Season One]</ref><ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Bat-Masterson-Complete-Season-Two/dp/B009OE2NZI Bat Masterson Complete Season Two]</ref> The third and final season was released on November 5, 2013.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F6D62O4 Bat Masterson Season 3]</ref> Due to licensing issues, the episode ''Terror on the Trinity'' is not included.


== Reception ==
== Reception ==
Prior to the ''Bat Masterson'' series, the character appeared in thirty-four episodes of the unrelated [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]/[[Desilu]] western series, ''[[The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp]]'', from 1955 to 1959. [[Mason Alan Dinehart]] played the role of Bat Masterson with [[Hugh O'Brian]] as the frontier peace officer [[Wyatt Earp]]. Dinehart was so associated with the role of Masterson, that it was difficult for television audiences to adapt to a different actor in the role in the unrelated series.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brode |first=Douglas |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Shooting_Stars_of_the_Small_Screen/o8uLbvRWBSAC |title=Shooting Stars of the Small Screen: Encyclopedia of TV Western Actors, 1946–Present |date=2010-01-01 |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=978-0-292-78331-7 |pages=116 |language=en}}</ref>
A fictional Bat Masterson appeared in 34 episodes of the unrelated [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]/[[Desilu]] western series ''[[The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp]]'' from 1955 to 1959. [[Mason Alan Dinehart]] played the role of Bat Masterson, with [[Hugh O'Brian]] as frontier peace officer [[Wyatt Earp]]. Dinehart was so associated with the role of Masterson that it was difficult for television audiences to adapt to a different actor in the role.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brode |first=Douglas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o8uLbvRWBSAC |title=Shooting Stars of the Small Screen: Encyclopedia of TV Western Actors, 1946–Present |date=2010-01-01 |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=978-0-292-78331-7 |pages=116 |language=en}}</ref>

The show was extremely popular in Brazil. Gene Barry visited the country in 1961, the year that the show was first broadcast there, and he was received by President [[João Goulart]] for a talk in [[Brasília|Brasilia]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ferreira |first=Jorge Luiz |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/875703572 |title=1964: o golpe que derrubou um presidente, pôs fim ao regime democrático e instituiu a ditadura no Brasil |last2=Gomes |first2=Angela Maria de Castro |date=2014 |publisher=Civilização Brasileira |isbn=978-85-200-1238-3 |edition=1a edição |location=Rio de Janeiro |page=91 |language=pt-BR |oclc=875703572}}</ref>


==Other media==
==Other media==
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[[Dell Comics]] issued nine issues of a quarterly ''Bat Masterson'' comic book between Aug./Oct. 1959 and Nov. 1961/Jan. 1962 with the initial issue a [[Four Color]] tryout (#1013).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Magers |first=Boyd |title=Comic Book Cowboys - Bat Masterson |url=http://www.westernclippings.com/comics/batmasterson_comicbookcowboys.shtml |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=westernclippings.com}}</ref>
[[Dell Comics]] issued nine issues of a quarterly ''Bat Masterson'' comic book between Aug./Oct. 1959 and Nov. 1961/Jan. 1962 with the initial issue a [[Four Color]] tryout (#1013).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Magers |first=Boyd |title=Comic Book Cowboys - Bat Masterson |url=http://www.westernclippings.com/comics/batmasterson_comicbookcowboys.shtml |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=westernclippings.com}}</ref>


===Comic Strip===
===Comic strip===
[[Columbia Features]] syndicated a comic strip from September 7, 1959 to April 1960 written by [[Ed Herron]] and drawn by [[Howard Nostrand]] (Sept. 1959–Dec. 1959) and [[Bob Powell]] (Dec. 1959–April 1960).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Apeldoorn |first=Ger |date=September 2, 2010 |title=The Badmouths of the West |url=http://allthingsger.blogspot.com/2010/09/badmouths-of-west-thursday-story-strip.html |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=The Fabuleous Fifties}}</ref> Nostrand was assisted (on backgrounds) by [[Neal Adams]] who had just graduated from the [[High School of Art and Design|School of Industrial Arts]]; it was among his first professional art jobs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Offenberger |first=Rik |date=2008-12-17 |title=Neal Adams: Renaissance Man Part I |url=http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/111086279993605.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217111703/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/111086279993605.htm |archive-date=2008-12-17 |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=comicsbulliten.com}}</ref>
[[Columbia Features]] syndicated a comic strip from September 7, 1959 to April 1960 written by [[Ed Herron]] and drawn by [[Howard Nostrand]] (Sept. 1959–Dec. 1959) and [[Bob Powell]] (Dec. 1959–April 1960).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Apeldoorn |first=Ger |date=September 2, 2010 |title=The Badmouths of the West |url=http://allthingsger.blogspot.com/2010/09/badmouths-of-west-thursday-story-strip.html |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=The Fabuleous Fifties}}</ref> Nostrand was assisted (on backgrounds) by [[Neal Adams]] who had just graduated from the [[High School of Art and Design|School of Industrial Arts]]; it was among his first professional art jobs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Offenberger |first=Rik |date=2008-12-17 |title=Neal Adams: Renaissance Man Part I |url=http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/111086279993605.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217111703/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/111086279993605.htm |archive-date=2008-12-17 |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=comicsbulliten.com}}</ref>


Line 139: Line 129:
* [http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/barry.htm Gene Barry Fan Page]
* [http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/barry.htm Gene Barry Fan Page]


[[Category:NBC original programming]]
[[Category:NBC television dramas]]
[[Category:1958 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1958 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1961 American television series endings]]
[[Category:1961 American television series endings]]

Latest revision as of 18:11, 30 September 2024

Bat Masterson
Gene Barry as Bat Masterson, 1958
GenreWestern
StarringGene Barry
Narrated byBill Baldwin, Bob LeMond
Theme music composerHavens Wray (David D. Rose)
Ending themeBill Lee (Singer)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes108 (list of episodes)
Production
Producers
  • Frank Pittman
  • Andy White
  • Frederick W. Ziv
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseOctober 8, 1958 (1958-10-08) –
June 1, 1961 (1961-06-01)

Bat Masterson is an American Western television series which was a fictionalized account of real-life marshal, gambler, and journalist Bat Masterson. The title character was played by Gene Barry, and the half-hour black-and-white series ran on NBC from 1958 to 1961.[1] The show was produced by Ziv Television Productions. "Bat" is a nickname for Masterson's first name Bartholemew, although the fictional Masterson says that his name is William Barkley Masterson.[2]

The series was based on the biography Bat Masterson by Richard O'Connor, as noted in the closing credits.[3]: 143 [4]

Overview

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The fictionalized Masterson dressed in expensive clothing, including a walking stick with a hidden sword.[2] He preferred to use his cane rather than a gun to get himself out of trouble. He was portrayed as a ladies' man who traveled the West looking for women and adventure. He also came to the aid of innocents wrongly accused of crimes.[1]

Cast

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Allison Hayes appeared in 7 episodes (1958)
With Jacqueline Scott in "The Black Pearls"
Jean Willes, Gene Barry and Adele Mara in first series episode

Main cast

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Episodes

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Main article: List of Bat Masterson episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
137October 8, 1958 (1958-10-08)July 29, 1959 (1959-07-29)
237October 1, 1959 (1959-10-01)July 1, 1960 (1960-07-01)
334September 29, 1960 (1960-09-29)June 1, 1961 (1961-06-01)

Production

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Development

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The series is a fictionalized account of the life of real-life Bat Masterson, who had been an Army scout, Indian fighter, lawman, and a deputy of Wyatt Earp.[5]: 58  It was produced by Ziv Television Productions,[6] and is loosely based on Richard O'Connor's 1957 biography of Masterson.[3]: 143  This was highlighted by the book's front cover being shown at the end of the closing credits with an onscreen notation "based on". A 1959 TV Guide article quoted the producer as stating they wanted the show to be as accurate as possible.[7] The series was sponsored by Kraft.[8]

Casting

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Gene Barry originally turned down the role of Bat Masterson because he preferred to stay working in film,[6] and he did not like ordinary cowboys. But when Barry, who wore a homburg and chesterfield coat when looking for work as an actor in New York, found out the character carried a cane and wore a derby hat, he jumped at the opportunity.[3]: 144  Barry was selected for the part directly by Fred Ziv.[6] Barry was the only regular cast member of the series, while guest stars each week included both name and soon-to-be-name performers.[5]: 58 

Production design

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While Bat Masterson's dapper attire and gold-tipped cane might not seem like the look of a typical Wild West hero, Bat Masterson's derby hat and cane were trademarks of the real-life Masterson, having been presented to him by the citizens of Dodge City and were thus incorporated into the character as portrayed in the series.[1][3]: 143  In the series, his cane contained a hidden sword.[2]

Music

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The popularity of the singing cowboys of the fifties led to several classic Westerns having themes resembling cowboy ballads, and Bat Masterson was no exception.[5]: vi  According to BMI and the sheet music, the theme music was written by Havens Wray (although incorrectly spelled by BMI as Ravens Wray). However, it was likely written by David Rose, an ASCAP member who couldn't use his own name for a BMI composition.[9] The words were by BMI writer Bart Corwin. The theme song was sung by Bill Lee, a member of the Mellomen.

Cancellation

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Although Bat Masterson was positively reviewed by critics, the show was aired at a time when there were many other Westerns, and it was lost in the crowd. It never appeared in the Nielsen top 25. The show was cancelled after only three seasons.[3]: 147 

Release

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Broadcast

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The show originally aired on NBC from October 8, 1958 to September 21, 1961. It was placed in a different time slot for each of its three seasons:[1]: 106 

  • October 1958–September 1959, Wednesdays from 9:30–10:00
  • October 1959–September 1960, Thursdays from 8:00–8:30
  • September 1960–September 1961, Thursdays from 8:30–9:00

Home media

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Barry and Goulart in 1961

TGG Direct released the first and second seasons on DVD in Region 1 on January 29, 2013.[10][11] The third and final season was released on November 5, 2013.[12] Due to licensing issues, the episode Terror on the Trinity is not included.

Reception

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A fictional Bat Masterson appeared in 34 episodes of the unrelated ABC/Desilu western series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp from 1955 to 1959. Mason Alan Dinehart played the role of Bat Masterson, with Hugh O'Brian as frontier peace officer Wyatt Earp. Dinehart was so associated with the role of Masterson that it was difficult for television audiences to adapt to a different actor in the role.[13]

The show was extremely popular in Brazil. Gene Barry visited the country in 1961, the year that the show was first broadcast there, and he was received by President João Goulart for a talk in Brasilia.[14]

Other media

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Front cover of Bat Masterson number 3 (Dell Comics, June, 1960)
Front cover of Bat Masterson number 3 (Dell Comics, June, 1960)

Guns of Paradise (1990)

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Barry recreated the role of Bat Masterson in an episode of the television series Guns of Paradise (1990), alongside Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt Earp.

The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991)

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In The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991) Barry played Masterson, also with O'Brian as Earp, as well as Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick and Clint Walker as Cheyenne Bodie.

Comic book

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Dell Comics issued nine issues of a quarterly Bat Masterson comic book between Aug./Oct. 1959 and Nov. 1961/Jan. 1962 with the initial issue a Four Color tryout (#1013).[15]

Comic strip

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Columbia Features syndicated a comic strip from September 7, 1959 to April 1960 written by Ed Herron and drawn by Howard Nostrand (Sept. 1959–Dec. 1959) and Bob Powell (Dec. 1959–April 1960).[16] Nostrand was assisted (on backgrounds) by Neal Adams who had just graduated from the School of Industrial Arts; it was among his first professional art jobs.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. New York: Penguin Books. p. 77. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e Yoggy, Gary A. (1995). Riding the Video Range: The Rise and Fall of the Western on Television. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-0021-8.
  4. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Bat Masterson - The Fighter, Full Episode Classic Western TV Series". YouTube. January 4, 2012.
  5. ^ a b c Marill, Alvin H. (June 1, 2011). Television Westerns: Six Decades of Sagebrush Sheriffs, Scalawags, and Sidewinders. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-8133-4.
  6. ^ a b c Aaker, Everett (May 16, 2017). Television Western Players, 1960-1975: A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. p. 26. ISBN 978-1-4766-2856-1.
  7. ^ Nadel, Alan (2005). Television in Black-and-White America: Race and National Identity. University Press of Kansas. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-7006-1398-4.
  8. ^ McDonough, John; Egolf, Karen (June 18, 2015). The Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising. Routledge. p. 913. ISBN 978-1-135-94906-8.
  9. ^ "Bat Masterson". classicthemes.com.
  10. ^ Bat Masterson Complete Season One
  11. ^ Bat Masterson Complete Season Two
  12. ^ Bat Masterson Season 3
  13. ^ Brode, Douglas (January 1, 2010). Shooting Stars of the Small Screen: Encyclopedia of TV Western Actors, 1946–Present. University of Texas Press. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-292-78331-7.
  14. ^ Ferreira, Jorge Luiz; Gomes, Angela Maria de Castro (2014). 1964: o golpe que derrubou um presidente, pôs fim ao regime democrático e instituiu a ditadura no Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese) (1a edição ed.). Rio de Janeiro: Civilização Brasileira. p. 91. ISBN 978-85-200-1238-3. OCLC 875703572.
  15. ^ Magers, Boyd. "Comic Book Cowboys - Bat Masterson". westernclippings.com. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  16. ^ Apeldoorn, Ger (September 2, 2010). "The Badmouths of the West". The Fabuleous Fifties. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  17. ^ Offenberger, Rik (December 17, 2008). "Neal Adams: Renaissance Man Part I". comicsbulliten.com. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
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