CTVA
The Classic TV Archive - TV Western series

"The Gene Autry Show " (1950-55)  "The Range Rider" (1951-53)
  "Annie Oakley" (1953-57)    "Buffalo Bill Jr." (1955-56)
   "Adventures of Champion"  (1955-56)
Horse Series:
  "Adventures of Champion"(1955-56)    "My Friend Flicka"(1956-57)
"Fury"(1955-60)      "National Velvet"(1960-62) 
Dog Series:
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (US)(1954-59)  -  Lassie (US)(1954-73)
The Littlest Hobo (Canada)(1963-65)  -   The Littlest Hobo (Canada)(1979-85)
The Adventures of Champion (1955-56)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive [Updated July 2015]
with contributions by:
Sal Crisanti, Dennis Atkinson <dennis@encorehomevideo.com>
references:
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://imdb.com)



Champion Enterprises, Inc.
Produced through the facilities of
Flying 'A' Pictures, Inc. Productions (Gene Autry)
for
CBS (Fridays 7:30 pm)
Executive in Charge of Production, Armand Schaefer
Producer, Louis Gray

US Family Western series 1955-56   26 episodes x 30m bw
30Sep55-03Feb56 (19 Network Slots)
20 eps. list with Prod. nos. + 6 eps. prod. nos. NOT known
with:
Barry Curtis as "Ricky" North (age 12)
Jim Bannon as Uncle "Sandy" North
and
Rebel, the Alsation Dog
starring
Champion, The Wonder Horse (Gene Autry's horse 'Champion')
recurring:
Francis McDonald as Will Calhoun
Ewing Mitchell as Sherriff Powers
Stunts: (some stuntmen also appear in various roles)
Bob Woodward (stunts) * Robert "Buzz" Henry (stunts) * John Day (stunts)
*
Directors Included
George Archainbaud, Ford Feebe, Thomas Carr, John English, Frank McDonald
*
Writers Included
Paul Franklin, Orville H. Hampton, Paul Gangelin, Oliver Drake
*
Director of Photogrphy: William Bradford, A.S.C., Harry C. Neumann, A.S.C.
Supervising Film Editor: Anthony Wollner
Music Editor:
Erma E. Levin from Original Music by Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter (uncreditd)
Assistant Director: Stanley Neufield
*
FILMING LOCATIONS INCLUDED:
ANDY JAUREGUI RANCH, MELODY RANCH AND WESTERN STREET,WALKER RANCH
*
Theme Song 'Champion the Wonder Horse'
music by Norman Luboff  /  words by Marilyn Keith  /  sung by Frankie Laine

 "LIKE A STREAK OF LIGHTENING FLASHING 'CROSS THE SKY
LIKE THE SWIFTEST ARROW WHIZZIN' FROM A BOW
LIKE A MIIIIGHTY CAAAAANONBALL HE SEEMS TO FLY
YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT HIM EVERWHERE (sic) YOU GO
THE TIME WILL COME WHEN EVERYONE WILL KNOW THE NAME OF
CHAMPIOOOOON..." ETC.

Directors include:
George Archainbaud, Ford Beebe

Scheduled against ABC's "Rin Tin Tin", "The Adventures of Champion"
was replaced mid-season by "My Friend Flicka"

######### The Adventures of Champion #########
############### season 1955-56 ###############
##############################################
CBS Fridays 7:30 pm Eastern
30Sep55-03Feb56 (19 network slots) [network airdates to be verified]

[01] Adventures of Champion: THE SADDLE TRAMP   [verified on film]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 804 (c) 1955 (copyright date 23Sep55)
 30-Sep-1955 CBS Fri
Producer, Louis Gray
Teleplay by Robert Schaefer and Eric Freiwald
Directed by George Archainbaud
director of photography, William Bradford, A.S.C.
Guest Cast:
Francis McDonald ......... Will Calhoun
William Tannen .......... Cole
Chris Alcaide ............ Frank
Ewing Mitchell ........... Sheriff Tom Powers 

[02]  Adventures of Champion: CROSSROAD TRAIL [Debut ?]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 801 (copyright date 01Oct55)
07-Oct-1955 CBS Fri

[03] Adventures of Champion: SALTED GROUND  [verified on film]
Prod. no. NOT KNOWN (c) 1955 (copyright date 08Oct55)
14-0ct-1955 CBS Fri
Producer, Louis Gray
Teleplay by Orville H. Hampton
Directed by Forde Beebe
Guest Cast:
Hal K. Dawson ............. Jim Custer
Tris Coffin ............... Tom Bennett
George J. Lewis ........... Bert Hollis  
Melinda Plowman ........... Sally Custer  
*
Director of Photography .... William Bradford, ASC
Supervising Film Editor ... Anthony Wollner
Film Editor ............... Jack Wheeler
Music Editor .............. Erma E. Levin
Sound Editor .............. Arthur E. Klein
Story Editor .............. Paul Gangelin
Assistant Director ........ Stanley Neufeld
Recorded by Glenn Sound Company

[04] Adventures of Champion: THE MEDICINE MAN MYSTERY [verified on film]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 811 (c) 1955 (copyright date 15Oct55)
 21-Oct-1955 CBS Fri
Producer, Louis Gray
Teleplay by Peter Dixon
Directed by George Archainbaud
Director of Photography, William Bradford, A.S.C.
Guest Cast:
Myron Healey ........... Jake Webster
Harry Harvey, Sr. ...... Doc Terwilliger
House Peters, Jr. ...... Ote Bledsoe
Johnny Dallas .......... Sheriff Dawson

 [05] Adventures of Champion: LOST RIVER [verified on film]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 803 (c) 1955 (copyright date 23Oct55)
28-Oct-1955 CBS Fri
Producer, Louis GrayTeleplay Paul Gangelin
Directed by Ford Beebe
Director of Photography, William Bradford, A.S.C.
Guest Cast:
Ed Hinton .......... Rex Baggot
Rick Vallin ........ Ledoux
Edna Holland ....... Susan Hilliard
Rhodes Reason (not Rex) ..... Molson

[06] Adventures of Champion: RENEGADE STALLION
Flying "A" Prod. no. 802 (copyright date 29Oct55)
04-Nov-1955 CBS Fri
Chris Alcaide
Rex Lease    
William Tannen

   [07] Advs. of Champion: CANYON OF WANTED MEN [ verified on film]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 806 (c) 1955 (copyright date 07Nov55) 
11-Nov-1955 CBS Fri
Teleplay by Paul Franklin
Directed by Ford Beebe
director of photography, William Bradford, A.S.C.
Starring:
Barry Curtis (as Ricky North), Jim Bannon (as Sandy North)
Guest Cast:
Tris Coffin .......... Wally Brighton
George J. Lewis ...... Faro Slaughter
Melinda Plowman ...... Lorna Brighton
John Day ............. Ansco
Synopsis 1:
Sandy and Ricky North get involved with two shady men asking local ranchers to sign a petition so they can round-up a herd of
wild horses grazing on public land. Their real intentions are to sell the horses for a large sum of money. [SC]
Synopsis:
An unscrupulous horse trader attempts to get Sandy North to sign a crooked petition. Sandy's signature
would enable the hoodlum to round up a herd of wild horses at a fat profit to himself. [RF]

[08] Adventures of Champion: THE OUTLAWS SECRET [verified on film]
 Flying "A" Prod. no. 815 (c) 1955 (copyright date 15Nov55)
18-Nov-1955 CBS Fri
Producer, Louis Gray
Teleplay by Maurice Geraghy
Directed by George Archainbaud
director of photography, William Bradford, A.S.C.
Guest Cast:
Leonard Penn ........... Reverend Thomas
Howard J. Negley ....... Macmillan
Glenn Strange .......... Gringo
Gregg Barton ........... Lawson
Charlie Hayes .......... Sheriff
Grace Field ............ Mrs. Tilford

[09] Adventures of Champion: HANGMAN'S NOOSE [verified on film]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 818 (c)1955 (copyright date 22Nov55)
25-Nov-1955 CBS Fri
Produced by Louis Gray
Teleplay by J. Benton Cheney
Directed by Ford Beebe
director of photography, Harry C. Neumann, A.S.C.
Guest Cast:
Hank Patterson ........ Trem Holt
Frank Fenton .......... Sheriff Bilson
Keith Richards ........ Idaho
Mauritz Hugo .......... Stacey Ward
I. Stanford Jolley .... George Marlowe
Stanley Blystone ...... Joe Spencer

[10] Adventures of Champion: KING OF THE RODEO [verified on film]
Prod. no. Not Known (c) 1955 (copyright date 29Nov55)
02-Dec-1955 CBS Fri
Producer, Louis Gray
Directed by Ford Beebe
Teleplay by Oliver Drake
Guest Cast:
Ed Hinton .......... Joe Bates
Rick Vallin ........ Mort Dickson
Edna Holland ....... Aunt Emily
Rhodes Reason ...... Young Cowboy
Tex Palmer ......... Bucking Cowpoke
Synopsis:
Ricky discovers that the owner of a traveling carnival has captured Champion and is uding him as a side show. [SC]

[11] Adventures of Champion: A BUGLE FOR RICKY [verified on film]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 816 (c) 1955 (copyright date 06Dec55)
09-Dec-1955 CBS Fri
Producer, Louis Gray
Teleplay by Ty Cobb
Directed by George Archainbaud
Guest Cast:
Harry Lauter .......... Hank Elwood
Edgar Dearing ......... Sarge Elwood
Lane Bradford ......... Carr Preston
Gregg Palmer .......... Jack Preston
Terry Frost ........... Mitch
John Parrish .......... Sheriff Ray Thomas

[12] Adventures of Champion: THE STONE HEART
Flying "A" Prod. no. 813 (copyright date 13Dec55) 
16-Dec-1955 CBS Fri
James Best
Don C. Harvey
William Henry

[13] Adventures of Champion: THE DEER HUNTERS [verified on film]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 814 (c) 1955 (copyright date 20Dec55) 
23-Dec-1955 CBS Fri
Producer, Louis Gray
Teleplay by Oliver Drake
Directed by George Archainbaud
director of photography, William Bradford, A.S.C.
Guest Cast:
Leonard Penn ........... Jonah Mattson
Howard J. Negley ....... Bentley Cameron
Glenn Strange .......... Dodge Kelley
Gregg Barton ........... Bundy
Kenne Duncan ........... Craig Barkley
Synopsis:
Champion comes to the aid of Ricky, when some deer hunters become angry when the boy rescues a fawn. [SC]  

 [14] Adventures of Champion: THE GOLDEN HOAX
Prod. no. Not Known (copyright date 27Dec55)
30-Dec-1955 CBS Fri

[15] Adventures of Champion: JOHNNY HANDS-UP (1956) [verified on film]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 821 (c) 1956 (copyright date 05Jan56)
06-Jan-56 CBS Fri
Produced by Louis Gray
Teleplay by Robert Schaefer & Eric Freiwald
Directed by George Archainbaud
director of photography, Harry C. Neumann, A.S.C.
Guest Cast:
Harry Lauter ......... Johnny Gray
Edgar Dearing ........ Will Brady
Lane Bradford ........ Jay Bayless
Greg Palmer .......... Al
Terry Frost .......... Fred Carter
John Parrish ......... Townsman

 [16] Adventures of Champion: BLACK KACHINA [verified on film - some cast cut off]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 805 (c) 1956 (copyright date 12Jan56)
13-Jan-1956 CBS Fri
Producer, Louis Gray
Teleplay by Samuel Newman & Dick Morgan
Story by Samuel Newman
Directed by George Archainbaud
director of photography, William Bradford, A.S.C.
Guest Cast:
John War Eagle ......... Chief Thunder Sky
Marshall Bradford ...... Simeon Baxter
Glenn Strange .......... Long Horn
[cast in complete]

[17] Adventures of Champion: MYSTERY MOUNTAIN
Prod. no. NOT KNOWN (copyright date 17Jan56)
20-Jan-1956 CBS Fri
Guest Cast:
Duane Grey 
John McKee
Walter Reed
Duncan Richardson
Fred Sherman
Bob Woodward

[18] Adventures of Champion: RAILS WEST [verified on film]
Prod. no. Not Known (c) 1956 (copyright date 26Jan56)
27-Jan-1956 CBS Fri
Teleplay by Polly James
Directed by George Archainbaud
director of photography, William Bradford, A.S.C.
Guest Cast:
Roy Barcroft ......... Matthew McNab
Mark Dana ............ George McNab
Robin Short .......... Mark Jessup
Buzz Henry ........... Landers
John Cason ........... Burke

[19] 03-Feb-1956 CBS Fri [Final Network Slot]

 [--] Adventures of Champion: CHALLENGE OF THE WEST [verified on film - cast cut off]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 807
Telplay by J. Benton Cheney
Directed by George Archainbaud
(No Guest Cast Details)
     
######### The Adventures of Champion #########
#################### 1956 ####################
####### First-Run Syndication Episodes #######

 [20] Adventures of Champion: THE REAL UNFRIENDLY GHOST
Prod. no. NOT KNOWN (copyright date 06Feb56)

[21] Adventures of Champion: ANDREW AND THE DEADLY DOUBLE [verified on film]
Flying "A" Prod. no. 820 (c) 1956 (copyright date 13Feb56)
Teleplay by Joe Richardson
Directed by John English
director of photography, William Bradford, A.S.C.
Guest Cast:
Bill Henry ........... Tom French
Don C. Harvey ........ Sam Bixby
Bob Bice ............. Andrew Ormsby
Mary Jane Saunders ... Mary Jane
James Best ........... Mace Kincaid
Jack Mulhall ......... Hugh MacNeill 

[22] Adventures of Champion: BAD MEN OF THE VALLEY
Flying "A" Prod. no. 810 (copyright date 14Feb56)
Ray Bennett
John Cliff
Sally Fraser
Morgan Jones
Sandy North's new neighbour seems to bring trouble to the
town. But Rebel and Champion help Ricky to find the real villains.

[23] Adventures of Champion: THE RETURN OF RED CLOUD (1956)
Flying "A" Prod. no. 825 (copyright date 24Feb56)
Teleplay by Oliver Drake
Directed by George Archainbaud
Guest Cast:
Alan Wells (as Red Cloud)
Glenn Strange
Henry Rowland
Marshall Bradford
John War Eagle
Bob Swan
Mike Ragan (a.k.a. Holly Bane)
Synopsis 1:
An Indian leader's return to his people threatens trouble for Ricky, Sandy and Champion. [SC]
Synopsis 2:
Is there one law for the Paleface and one law for the Redskin? In this fast-moving story of the West, Red Cloud is
framed for murder. Rick and Uncle Sandy have "heap big medicine" of their own, however, and uphold the white man's law.
But the Indians are on the warpath ...
(13Aug59 BBC UK, Thursday, 5:35pm)

[24] Adventures of Champion: BRAND OF THE LAWLESS
Flying "A" Prod. no. 826 (copyright date 27Feb56)
Jack Daly
Ann Doran
Sam Flint
Duane Grey
Belle Mitchell
Hank Patterson
Walter Reed

[25] Adventures of Champion: THE DIE-HARDS
Flying "A" Prod. no. 822 (copyright date 03Mar56)
Roy Barcroft
John L. Cason
Kathleen Crowley
Mark Dana
Robert 'Buzz' Henry
William Phipps
Robin Short

[26] Adventures of Champion: CALHOUN RIDES AGAIN
Flying "A" Prod. no. 824 (copyright date 10Mar56)
Steve Conte
John Damler
Larry Hudson
An old pal visits Ricky and Sandy North and lands in some trouble. It's lucky for him that Champion is on hand.

######### The Adventures of Champion #########
############### season 1955-56 ###############
####### Flying "A" Prod. no. Order ###########

801 Crossroads Trail (30Sept55)
802 Renegade Stallion
803 Lost River
804 The Saddle Tramp
805 Black Kachina (13Jan56)
806 Canyon Of Wanted Men
807 Challenge of the West
808 - not known
809 - not known
810 Bad Men Of The Valley
811 The Medicine Man Mystery
812 - not known
813 The Stone Heart
814 The Deer Hunters
815 The Outlaw's Secret
816 A Bugle For Ricky
817 - not known
818 Hangman's Noose
819 - not known
820 Andrew And The Deadly Double
821 Johnny Hands Up
822 The Die-Hards
823 - not known
824 Calhoun Rides Again
825 The Return Of Red Cloud
826 Brand Of The Lawless

######### The Adventures of Champion #########
################# feedback #################
##############################################

You list 26 episodes for Champion, we have 4 more that are not listed!
Have not viewed them (possible reissues) or never aired?
But each have a production number that fits in the series. Any Idea?
Thanks, Dennis Atkinson
<dennis@encorehomevideo.com>(Dec 2003)

######### The Adventures of Champion #########
################# the end ##################
##############################################

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