In the late 50's and early 60's American TV became awash with western themed TV series and some big stars made their names appearing in them. Steve McQueen in Wanted Dead or Alive, Chuck Connor's was The Rifleman, Clint Walker gave us Cheyenne, Nick Adams was The Rebel (with a cause) and Clint Eastwood showed us his Rawhide. These shows were in addition to the equally popular Gunsmoke and Wagon Train. However, by far the most light hearted and entertaining of the bunch was Maverick created by Roy Huggins for Warner Brothers.
First shown in 1957, it introduced us to our protagonist Bret Maverick played brilliantly by James Garner. Maverick is a poker player and an habitual trouble magnet, as everywhere he goes, he gets roped into some sticky situation that he spends the span of each episode trying to either resolve or extricate himself from. One week could see Maverick trying to save a town from the clutches of a corrupt authority figure and the next could see him helping an innocent person wrongfully accused of a crime by solving the said crime and bringing the true perpetrators to justice.
The truly great thing about Maverick, was that you would never know what you were getting from one week to the next with the series alternating between serious and dark subject matters to outright comedy. This juxtaposition can be seen when you compare episodes like the tense 'Stage West' and 'The Ghost Soldiers' with fan fave 'Shady Deal at Sunny Acres' and the outright hilarious 'Greenbacks Unlimited', (my pick for funniest episode).
Not long after the series began, it was apparent that James Garner would not be able to keep up with the rapid shooting schedule of the series on his own without serious danger to his health and/or sanity, so a second Maverick was introduced in the form of Bret's brother Bart played by Jack Kelly. For the next few years the leads would alternate between Bret and Bart and occasionally, the audience would be treated to a story that included both and it was these 'double Mav' episodes that were the real ratings winners.
In the first two series, the Mavericks would find help on their adventures with a plethora of recurring characters such as 'Big' Mike McComb, Samantha Crawford, 'Dandy' Jim Buckley and 'Gentleman' Jack Darby, but sadly none of these characters would make appearances in later seasons.
Garner too would fold his hand in 1960 at the end of the third season and would only appear once more in a season 4 episode, entitled 'The Maverick Line' which had been recorded for the previous season, but never aired.
Garner was replaced on the show by Sir Roger Moore who played Maverick, Beau Maverick a cousin of Bret and Bart's who had returned from an extended stay in England that had left him with a 'slight' English accent. However, although Moore's episodes were indeed entertaining, his character disappeared without explanation mid way through the season never to be mentioned again in the show's run.
Towards the end of the fourth season we were introduced to yet another Maverick. However, Robert Colbert only played the character of Brent Maverick twice before being ditched entirely. Had he been given more of a chance and some character development, who knows, he could have become a mainstay. However, from here on out it was Jack Kelly's show all the way. The show limped into a 5th 'half season' before sadly getting canned for good. As someone who has watched every episode of this series, I struggle to see why it was cancelled as there was certainly no noticeably fall in quality and the western TV genre was still hugely popular given that Rawhide was still being aired and would continue until 1965 and Gunsmoke would continue until the mid 1970's and Bonanza and The High Chaparral had become huge rating successes.
An attempt to reboot Maverick in the late 1970's with Garner and Kelly introducing 'The New Maverick', never got further than an average TV movie pilot and an eight episode season called 'Young Maverick' starring Charles Frank as Ben Maverick, the son of cousin Beau, (a show that seems to have been memory holed as I am unable to find ANYWHERE!).
In 1981 Garner briefly reprised the role that had made him famous in a new series simply entitled 'Bret Maverick' which detailed the now middle aged Bret's attempts to settle down in one place. Sadly only one season was produced.
It would be another 13 years before the character of Maverick would be revived for a big budget movie with Mel Gibson taking on the titular role in a straight up zany comedy with Garner taking the significant role of of Marshal Zane Cooper...or is he?.....no spoilers here.
Maybe one day we can see another reboot of the Mavericks as these characters were just darn good to just be consigned to history and it was this show that made them that way.
Enjoy!
First shown in 1957, it introduced us to our protagonist Bret Maverick played brilliantly by James Garner. Maverick is a poker player and an habitual trouble magnet, as everywhere he goes, he gets roped into some sticky situation that he spends the span of each episode trying to either resolve or extricate himself from. One week could see Maverick trying to save a town from the clutches of a corrupt authority figure and the next could see him helping an innocent person wrongfully accused of a crime by solving the said crime and bringing the true perpetrators to justice.
The truly great thing about Maverick, was that you would never know what you were getting from one week to the next with the series alternating between serious and dark subject matters to outright comedy. This juxtaposition can be seen when you compare episodes like the tense 'Stage West' and 'The Ghost Soldiers' with fan fave 'Shady Deal at Sunny Acres' and the outright hilarious 'Greenbacks Unlimited', (my pick for funniest episode).
Not long after the series began, it was apparent that James Garner would not be able to keep up with the rapid shooting schedule of the series on his own without serious danger to his health and/or sanity, so a second Maverick was introduced in the form of Bret's brother Bart played by Jack Kelly. For the next few years the leads would alternate between Bret and Bart and occasionally, the audience would be treated to a story that included both and it was these 'double Mav' episodes that were the real ratings winners.
In the first two series, the Mavericks would find help on their adventures with a plethora of recurring characters such as 'Big' Mike McComb, Samantha Crawford, 'Dandy' Jim Buckley and 'Gentleman' Jack Darby, but sadly none of these characters would make appearances in later seasons.
Garner too would fold his hand in 1960 at the end of the third season and would only appear once more in a season 4 episode, entitled 'The Maverick Line' which had been recorded for the previous season, but never aired.
Garner was replaced on the show by Sir Roger Moore who played Maverick, Beau Maverick a cousin of Bret and Bart's who had returned from an extended stay in England that had left him with a 'slight' English accent. However, although Moore's episodes were indeed entertaining, his character disappeared without explanation mid way through the season never to be mentioned again in the show's run.
Towards the end of the fourth season we were introduced to yet another Maverick. However, Robert Colbert only played the character of Brent Maverick twice before being ditched entirely. Had he been given more of a chance and some character development, who knows, he could have become a mainstay. However, from here on out it was Jack Kelly's show all the way. The show limped into a 5th 'half season' before sadly getting canned for good. As someone who has watched every episode of this series, I struggle to see why it was cancelled as there was certainly no noticeably fall in quality and the western TV genre was still hugely popular given that Rawhide was still being aired and would continue until 1965 and Gunsmoke would continue until the mid 1970's and Bonanza and The High Chaparral had become huge rating successes.
An attempt to reboot Maverick in the late 1970's with Garner and Kelly introducing 'The New Maverick', never got further than an average TV movie pilot and an eight episode season called 'Young Maverick' starring Charles Frank as Ben Maverick, the son of cousin Beau, (a show that seems to have been memory holed as I am unable to find ANYWHERE!).
In 1981 Garner briefly reprised the role that had made him famous in a new series simply entitled 'Bret Maverick' which detailed the now middle aged Bret's attempts to settle down in one place. Sadly only one season was produced.
It would be another 13 years before the character of Maverick would be revived for a big budget movie with Mel Gibson taking on the titular role in a straight up zany comedy with Garner taking the significant role of of Marshal Zane Cooper...or is he?.....no spoilers here.
Maybe one day we can see another reboot of the Mavericks as these characters were just darn good to just be consigned to history and it was this show that made them that way.
Enjoy!