My very first memory of colour TV was watching The High Chaparral at my pals house at the age of 11 in 1967. I never forgot it and now over 50 years later I still remember the impact it had on me back then. Nothing has ever come close to the colour, the drama and the brilliant theme music of this legendary series. Buck, Blue, Manolito and Big John were indelibly imprinted on my young mind and I've loved westerns ever since. Revisiting the episodes now has been better than I could have imagined.
The wonderful Linda Cristal, as Victoria was my first screen crush and watching her again now I can see why. She was absolutely beautiful. Her presence made the series perfect.
Leif Erickson always embodied the archetypal strong 1870's western ranch owner for me in the same way that John Wayne did on the big screen. The superb Cameron Mitchell was the TV equivalent of Clint Eastwood; the hard as nails, no nonsense ranch hand throwing caution to the wind and always standing up for what was right whatever the consequences.
Great performances in every episode from Henry Darrow and Mark Slade add immeasurably to the sensitivity and feeling of each episode rounding out the storyline whatever the content.
From the moment David Rose's epic signature tune cranks up with it's iconic graphic only title sequence to the reprise and end credits it's action all the way with the storyline being carried purely by the skill of the actors. No special effects, no cleverness or camera trickery, just a plot with a beginning a middle and an end making each different story a mini movie in it's own right, with a huge canvass being painted in just an hour, something which is difficult to achieve with this level of characterisation.
The High Chaparral remains the iconic western tv series, often imitated back then but in my view, never bettered.
The wonderful Linda Cristal, as Victoria was my first screen crush and watching her again now I can see why. She was absolutely beautiful. Her presence made the series perfect.
Leif Erickson always embodied the archetypal strong 1870's western ranch owner for me in the same way that John Wayne did on the big screen. The superb Cameron Mitchell was the TV equivalent of Clint Eastwood; the hard as nails, no nonsense ranch hand throwing caution to the wind and always standing up for what was right whatever the consequences.
Great performances in every episode from Henry Darrow and Mark Slade add immeasurably to the sensitivity and feeling of each episode rounding out the storyline whatever the content.
From the moment David Rose's epic signature tune cranks up with it's iconic graphic only title sequence to the reprise and end credits it's action all the way with the storyline being carried purely by the skill of the actors. No special effects, no cleverness or camera trickery, just a plot with a beginning a middle and an end making each different story a mini movie in it's own right, with a huge canvass being painted in just an hour, something which is difficult to achieve with this level of characterisation.
The High Chaparral remains the iconic western tv series, often imitated back then but in my view, never bettered.