Lawman (TV series)
Lawman is an American Western television series originally telecast on ABC from 1958 to 1962, starring John Russell as Marshal Dan Troop and Peter Brown as Deputy Marshal Johnny McKay. The series was set in Laramie, Wyoming, during 1879 and the 1880s. Warner Bros. already had several Western series on the air at the time.
Prior to the beginning of production, Russell, Brown, and producer Jules Schermer made a pact to maintain the quality of the series so that it would not be seen as "just another Western". At the start of season two, Russell and Brown were joined by Peggie Castle as Lily Merrill, the owner of the Birdcage Saloon, and a love interest for Dan.
The main sponsor of the series was the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company through their Camel cigarettes brand. The alternate sponsor was General Mills. The two main stars did spots endorsing Camel cigarettes and Cheerios breakfast cereal.
Premise
Dan Troop leaves Abilene, Kansas, for the town of Laramie, Wyoming. He is offered the town marshal's job after the previous marshal, David Lemp, is murdered. On the way into town, he meets Johnny McKay, who is placing a tombstone on Lemp's grave. Johnny mistakes Dan for a crook, but they meet again at the cafe owned by Lemp's widow Dru where Johnny works as a dishwasher. Dan puts a sign in the window of the marshal's office that reads, "Deputy Wanted".Johnny applies for the job but Dan turns him down, believing that 19-year-old Johnny is too young. Dan later comes across Lacey Hawks in the Bluebonnet Saloon. Lacey tries to coax Dan into a gunfight, but Dan arrests him instead. Lacey promises Dan that his two brothers Flynn and Walt will come after him. Johnny tells Dan that Flynn is the one who killed Marshal Lemp; the whole town saw him do it but were too afraid to stand up to him. He again volunteers to help Dan take them down, but Troop refuses. Johnny tells him that he cannot take both Hawks brothers alone. Dan goes out to face them anyway. Dan shoots Flynn, but then hears another shot from behind him. Dan sees Walt fall dead, and then turns around to see Johnny with a rifle in his hand. Dan motions for Johnny to follow him back into the office, and then takes down the "Deputy Wanted" sign.
During the course of season one, Troop teaches Johnny the fundamentals of law enforcement. Frequently, while Troop is pursuing outlaws, Johnny remains behind to guard the town. In seasons two through four, though, Johnny becomes more involved in the action and carries some entire episodes by himself. During season one, the episodes maintain a serious tone, but when Lily arrives at the start of season two, the scripts begin incorporating some comedic elements that lighten the tone, as well as some elements of romance, as Dan Troop and Lily Merrill's friendship grows. Johnny always addressed Marshal Dan Troop as "Mr. Troop" or "Sir" throughout the series run. Throughout season one, Troop usually called Johnny "Boy" with a tone indicating that it was aimed at Johnny's age; as the series progressed, Troop called Johnny by name more often than not, and only occasionally called him "Boy", though now with a tone indicating it was a term of friendship.
Cast
Main
Dan Troop, played by John Russell, is the town marshal of Laramie. Russell based the character on an officer that he knew in the United States Marine Corps. Dan is a hardnosed, by-the-book, seasoned lawman, who is quick with a gun, and also good with his fists. Russell, who was 37 years old when he got the part, theorized that Dan would have to be older to have this much experience as a lawman. After the third episode, Russell had white streaks added to his hair to make him appear older. In addition to being marshal, Dan was both a mentor and friend to his deputy, Johnny McKay. According to Peter Brown on his website, Dan and Johnny's relationship mirrored the relationship that he had with Russell. While Dan was teaching Johnny how to be a lawman, Russell was teaching Brown how to be an actor. Dan also had a romantic relationship with saloon owner Lily Merrill. Dan cared for Lily very deeply, but his job often thwarted their happiness. He had one brother, Clay Troop, played by James Drury, four years before the premiere of The Virginian. Clay Troop was killed in the season one episode, "The Gang". It was revealed that the woman Dan loved and wanted to marry, before her death, had instead wed Clay, a gunfighter and an outlaw. Clay said that his wife "couldn't resist trying to reform" him though she had loved Dan a little more. There were times when the townspeople would second guess Troop, but he always stuck to his guns and was determined to do the right thing.Johnny McKay, played by Peter Brown, is the deputy marshal of Laramie. Dan had been hesitant to hire Johnny as his deputy, because of his young age, but he later proved his worth. Johnny was orphaned at age ten in Kansas. His father was killed by raiders, and his mother died on a wagon train. The season one episode, "The Joker," dealt with Johnny's origin when an outlaw named Barney Tremain, played by Jeff York in the first of two appearances on the series, rides into Laramie and claims to be Johnny's real father. It was never revealed whether or not he was telling the truth. Johnny was more easy going, but he was also brave, extremely fast with a gun, and loyal to Dan, whom he always referred to as "Mr. Troop." He was like a younger brother to Lily. In the first season, Dan many times left Johnny behind while he left Laramie to pursue criminals. In the later years, Johnny got more involved in the action as Dan began to see him more as a partner in the fight against crime than as his humble apprentice. Johnny actually quit three times. Once because if Tremain was his father, he thought that meant he had outlaw blood in him. The second time, he thought Dan was taking credit for a kill he made, but he later found out Dan was trying to protect him. The third time, Johnny had to shoot a friend of his, and lost his nerve to be a lawman. Somehow though, he would eventually come back.
Dan's first love interest was Dru Lemp, widow of the previous town marshal. Dan admitted in the first episode he had a previous relationship with a woman who was killed by a stray bullet. Midway through the first season.
Later in the first season, Barbara Lang was brought in as Julie Tate, the daughter of Harry Tate, played by Jon Lormer, who was the editor of the town newspaper. She and Dan did not hit it off right away, because she felt he was not doing enough to find her father's killer. After four episodes, Lang's character is not seen again.
Lily Merrill then came to town as the owner of the Birdcage Saloon. Lily had been run out of Billings, Montana, by a crooked sheriff. At first she and Dan thought each other were crooked. After finding out that they were both wrong, Dan and Lily became very close during the remainder of the run of the series. As their relationship grew, Lily often dropped hints about wanting to marry Dan, and he would pretend that he did not hear. Lily was formerly married to outlaw Frank Quinlaven, played by Mike Road in the season two episode, "The Exchange." They had a son named Tommy, played by Bryan Russell, who lived with her sister. Frank tried to use Tommy as a bargaining chip to get Lily to help him rob the Laramie bank, but Dan stopped him at the last minute. Dan and Johnny often used Lily as a sounding board whenever they had a problem. Lily is beautiful, feisty, courageous, extremely loyal, and occasionally even uses a gun herself to help Dan and Johnny when no one else will. In addition to running her saloon, Lily was also elected the town fire chief, and briefly filled in as schoolmarm.
Recurring characters
- Dru Lemp appeared in eight episodes of season one. She owns a local cafe and is the widow of the previous town marshal, David Lemp.
- Judge Trager appeared in fifteen episodes over all four seasons, with nearly half being in Season 4; episode list just below in explanation of character's surname. He oversees all of the court cases in Laramie. Judge Trager is a member of the town council and a close friend of Dan's.
- Harry Tate appeared in five episodes in season one as the editor of the town newspaper, the bi-weekly "Laramie Free Press", and a close friend of Dan's. He was killed by mistake when wearing the hat of the intended victim. Tate had a daughter, Julie.
- Julie Tate appeared in four episodes of season one. She takes over as editor for the newspaper after her father was killed.
- Tom Pike appeared in four episodes of season one. He is a member of the town council and was constantly second guessing Dan's decisions.
- Hank the Bartender, appeared in eleven episodes of the first two seasons. He is the bartender at the Bluebonnet Saloon, a precursor to the Birdcage.
- Doc Stewart, the town physician, is initially portrayed by James Bell and for seven other episodes by Tom Palmer.
- Timmo McQueeney appeared in fifteen episodes in season two. He is Lily's main bartender, a big burly guy, who talks with a thick Irish accent.
- Jake Summers appeared in thirty-eight episodes in seasons three and four. Jake became Lily's main bartender who informs Dan and Johnny if any strangers come into town. Prior to becoming Jake, Sheridan guest starred twice in two separate roles.
- Owny O'Reilly appeared three times in seasons 2-4. In the episode "The Salvation of Owny O'Reilly", Grey, at twenty-eight, plays the teenager Owny O'Reilly, who is befriended by Deputy McKay. After he finds gold thrown into a well by the partner of his outlaw brother, Owny decides to return the money but only after coming into the crossfire of the marshal and the outlaws. In time, Owny becomes close friends with Dan and Johnny. In the season 3 episode "The Return of Owny O'Reilly", he plays a comical sidekick as Dan's deputy while Johnny is away. Finally, in the season 4 episode "Owny O'Reilly, Esq.", Grey's character blunders his way yet again into catching an escaped criminal.
- Jack Stiles appeared in four episodes of season two as the clerk at the Hotel Laramie and one of Dan and Johnny's informants.
- Oren Slauson appeared in nine episodes of seasons 2-4. He is the manager of the Laramie Bank, which seemed to get robbed regularly.
- Ben Toomey appeared in twelve episodes of seasons 3-4. He took over as clerk at the Hotel Laramie and like Jack before him gave Dan and Johnny information on a regular basis.