The Adventures of Jim Bowie

The Adventures of Jim Bowie is an American Western television series that aired on ABC from 1956 to 1958. Its setting was the 1830s-era Louisiana Territory.[1] The series was an adaptation of the book Tempered Blade, by Monte Barrett.[2]

The Adventures of Jim Bowie
Genre
StarringScott Forbes
Theme music composerKen Darby
Opening theme"Jim Bowie" by The King's Men
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes76
Production
Executive producerLouis F. Edelman
Producers
EditorJohn Woodcock
Running time25 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseSeptember 7, 1956 (1956-09-07) 
August 29, 1958 (1958-08-29)

Synopsis

The series stars Scott Forbes as the real-life adventurer Jim Bowie. The series initially portrayed Jim Bowie as something of an outdoors-man, riding his horse through the wilderness near his home in Opelousas, where he would stumble across someone needing his assistance. He was aided by the Bowie Knife, his ever-present weapon. He designed it in the first episode, The Birth of the Blade. Although Bowie used the blade quite a bit in early episodes, its prominence was downplayed as the show went on.

Gradually the series shifted from the country to the city, having Bowie instead spend the majority of his time in New Orleans. He was frequently shown looking to invest his money in real estate, or coming to the aid of someone who had been swindled.

Storylines focused on the exploits of Bowie before he moved to Texas (then part of Mexico), and his death at the Alamo in 1836. During the series's two season run, Bowie encountered many historical figures of the era, such as President Andrew Jackson, Jefferson Davis, John James Audubon, Sam Houston, and Davy Crockett.

Production

Among the actors and actresses who guest-starred more than once on the series were William Schallert, Denver Pyle, Michael Landon, Chuck Connors, Walter Coy, June Carter Cash, and Lurene Tuttle. Jimmy Noel made walk-on appearances in six episodes. Those making single guest appearances included Yvonne Lime Fedderson, Douglas Kennedy, and Carole Mathews.

Jim Bowie did not appear in the last episode of the series. Instead, he was said to be away on an important assignment, and the attention was placed on criminal Jess Miller. Miller was given the task to retrieve a great sum of money, and the episode focused on whether Miller would complete his assignment or take the money for himself. At the end there is an indication that Miller would join up with Bowie on further adventures, but no further episodes were produced.

Douglas Brode wrote in his book, Shooting Stars of the Small Screen: Encyclopedia of TV Western Actors, 1946–Present, that Scott Forbes, who had the title role, "stormed off the set" when he learned that the series was being canceled after two seasons, when he had understood that it would run for five seasons.[3] He added, "In desperation, the writers fashioned the final script" without the star.[3]

The program was sponsored by Chesebrough-Ponds.[4]

Reception

Use of the knife in the initial episode led a reviewer for The New York Times to write, "[I]t would seem like a wise idea for parents to keep young viewers away from the television set when the show is on."[5] The show was one of the first TV programs criticized for on-screen violence.[6]

Episodes

Season 1 (1956-57)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"The Birth of the Blade"UnknownUnknownSeptember 7, 1956 (1956-09-07)
2"The Squatter"UnknownUnknownSeptember 14, 1956 (1956-09-14)
3"An Adventure with Audubon"UnknownUnknownSeptember 21, 1956 (1956-09-21)
4"Deputy Sheriff"UnknownUnknownSeptember 28, 1956 (1956-09-28)
5"Trapline"UnknownUnknownOctober 5, 1956 (1956-10-05)
6"Broomstick Wedding"UnknownUnknownOctober 12, 1956 (1956-10-12)
7"Natchez Trace"UnknownUnknownOctober 19, 1956 (1956-10-19)
8"Jim Bowie Comes Home"UnknownUnknownOctober 26, 1956 (1956-10-26)
9"The Ghost of Jean Battoo"UnknownUnknownNovember 2, 1956 (1956-11-02)
1010"The Secessionist"UnknownUnknownNovember 9, 1956 (1956-11-09)
1111"Land Jumpers"UnknownUnknownNovember 16, 1956 (1956-11-16)
1212"The Select Females"UnknownUnknownNovember 23, 1956 (1956-11-23)
1313"Bowie and His Slave"UnknownUnknownNovember 30, 1956 (1956-11-30)
1414"Outlaw Kingdom"UnknownUnknownDecember 7, 1956 (1956-12-07)
1515"The Swordsman"UnknownUnknownDecember 14, 1956 (1956-12-14)
1616"The Return of the Alcibiade"UnknownUnknownDecember 21, 1956 (1956-12-21)
1717"Monsieur Francois"UnknownUnknownDecember 28, 1956 (1956-12-28)
1818"A Horse for Old Hickory"UnknownUnknownJanuary 4, 1957 (1957-01-04)
1919"The Beggar of New Orleans"UnknownUnknownJanuary 11, 1957 (1957-01-11)
2020"Osceola"UnknownUnknownJanuary 18, 1957 (1957-01-18)
2121"Master of Arms"UnknownUnknownJanuary 25, 1957 (1957-01-25)
2222"Convoy Gold"UnknownUnknownFebruary 1, 1957 (1957-02-01)
2323"Spanish Intrigue"UnknownUnknownFebruary 8, 1957 (1957-02-08)
2424"Bayou Tontine"UnknownUnknownFebruary 15, 1957 (1957-02-15)
2525"German George"UnknownUnknownFebruary 22, 1957 (1957-02-22)
2626"An Eye for an Eye"UnknownUnknownMarch 1, 1957 (1957-03-01)
2727"The Captain's Chimp"UnknownUnknownMarch 8, 1957 (1957-03-08)
2828"Jackson Assassination"UnknownUnknownMarch 15, 1957 (1957-03-15)
2929"Rezin Bowie, Gambler"UnknownUnknownMarch 22, 1957 (1957-03-22)
3030"Thieves' Market"UnknownUnknownMarch 29, 1957 (1957-03-29)
3131"The Pearl and the Crown"UnknownUnknownApril 5, 1957 (1957-04-05)
3232"The General's Disgrace"UnknownUnknownApril 12, 1957 (1957-04-12)
3333"The Lottery"UnknownUnknownApril 19, 1957 (1957-04-19)
3434"The Intruder"UnknownUnknownApril 26, 1957 (1957-04-26)
3535"Country Cousin"UnknownUnknownMay 3, 1957 (1957-05-03)
3636"The Bound Girl"UnknownUnknownMay 10, 1957 (1957-05-10)
3737"Bounty Hunter"UnknownUnknownMay 17, 1957 (1957-05-17)
3838"Gone to Texas"UnknownUnknownMay 24, 1957 (1957-05-24)

Season 2 (1957-58)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
39"Epitaph for an Indian"UnknownUnknownSeptember 6, 1957 (1957-09-06)
40"Flowers for McDonough"UnknownUnknownSeptember 13, 1957 (1957-09-13)
41"The Irishman"UnknownUnknownSeptember 20, 1957 (1957-09-20)
42"Counterfeit Dixie"UnknownUnknownSeptember 27, 1957 (1957-09-27)
43"Bullet Metal"UnknownUnknownOctober 4, 1957 (1957-10-04)
44"Quarantine"UnknownUnknownOctober 11, 1957 (1957-10-11)
45"A Fortune for Madame"UnknownUnknownOctober 18, 1957 (1957-10-18)
46"House Divided"UnknownUnknownOctober 25, 1957 (1957-10-25)
47"The Whip"UnknownUnknownNovember 1, 1957 (1957-11-01)
4810"Pearls of Talimeco"UnknownUnknownNovember 8, 1957 (1957-11-08)
4911"Charivari"UnknownUnknownNovember 15, 1957 (1957-11-15)
5012"Hare and Tortoise"UnknownUnknownNovember 22, 1957 (1957-11-22)
5113"The Bridegroom"UnknownUnknownNovember 29, 1957 (1957-11-29)
5214"The Alligator"UnknownUnknownDecember 6, 1957 (1957-12-06)
5315"Country Girl"UnknownUnknownDecember 13, 1957 (1957-12-13)
5416"Mexican Adventure"UnknownUnknownDecember 20, 1957 (1957-12-20)
5517"Silk Purse"UnknownUnknownDecember 27, 1957 (1957-12-27)
5618"Choctaw Honor"UnknownUnknownJanuary 3, 1958 (1958-01-03)
5719"Close Shave"UnknownUnknownJanuary 10, 1958 (1958-01-10)
5820"Pirate on Horseback"UnknownUnknownJanuary 17, 1958 (1958-01-17)
5921"Curfew Cannon"UnknownUnknownJanuary 24, 1958 (1958-01-24)
6022"Home Sweet Home"UnknownUnknownJanuary 31, 1958 (1958-01-31)
6123"Deaf Smith"UnknownUnknownFebruary 7, 1958 (1958-02-07)
6224"Ursula"UnknownUnknownFebruary 14, 1958 (1958-02-14)
6325"Apache Silver"UnknownUnknownFebruary 21, 1958 (1958-02-21)
6426"A Grave for Jim Bowie"UnknownUnknownFebruary 28, 1958 (1958-02-28)
6527"Up the Creek"UnknownUnknownMarch 7, 1958 (1958-03-07)
6628"The Lion's Cub"UnknownUnknownMarch 14, 1958 (1958-03-14)
6729"Horse Thief"UnknownUnknownMarch 21, 1958 (1958-03-21)
6830"Jim Bowie, Apache"UnknownUnknownMarch 28, 1958 (1958-03-28)
6931"The Brothers"UnknownUnknownApril 4, 1958 (1958-04-04)
7032"Patron of the Arts"UnknownUnknownApril 11, 1958 (1958-04-11)
7133"Bad Medicine"UnknownUnknownApril 18, 1958 (1958-04-18)
7234"A Night in Tennessee"UnknownUnknownApril 25, 1958 (1958-04-25)
7335"Bowie's Baby"UnknownUnknownMay 2, 1958 (1958-05-02)
7436"The Cave"UnknownUnknownMay 9, 1958 (1958-05-09)
7537"Man of the Streets"UnknownUnknownMay 16, 1958 (1958-05-16)
7638"The Puma"UnknownUnknownMay 23, 1958 (1958-05-23)

Theme Music

The theme song was "Adventurin' Man", performed by the Ken Darby Singers.[7] The series' music was unusual in that it was primarily vocal, provided by Ken Darby and The King's Men (save for a few episodes in season two).

Recurring cast members

Home media

A two-DVD set containing 13 episodes of the program has been published.[6]

Merchandising

The TV show was also adapted into a comic book by Dan Spiegle, distributed by Dell Comics.[8]

References

  1. West, Richard (1987). Television Westerns: Major and Minor Series, 1946-1978. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. pp. 12–13. ISBN 0-7864-0579-1.
  2. "'Bowie' Series Now on KGNC". The Amarillo Globe-Times. Texas, Amarillo. December 11, 1956. p. 23. Retrieved January 31, 2017 via Newspapers.com. open access
  3. Brode, Douglas (2010). Shooting Stars of the Small Screen: Encyclopedia of TV Western Actors, 1946–Present. University of Texas Press. ISBN 9780292783317. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  4. "Closed Circuit Sells 'Bowie'" (PDF). Billboard. May 12, 1956. p. 3. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  5. Shanley, J. P. (September 8, 1956). "Television: Knife Play: 'Adventures of Jim Bowie,' New Western Series, Not Cut Out for Children". The New York Times. p. 37. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  6. Guide, T. V. (October 2005). TV Guide: TV on DVD 2006: The Ultimate Resource to Television Programs on DVD. Macmillan. p. c. ISBN 978-0-312-35150-2. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  7. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. P. 14.
  8. "Dan Spiegle". Lambiek Comiclopedia. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.

Sources

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