The Classic TV Archive - TV Western series
Walter Brennan TV Series
The Real McCoys (ABC/CBS)(1957-63) Comedy series starring Walter Brennan & Richard Crenna
The Tycoon (ABC)(1964-65) Comedy series starring Walter Brennan
The Guns of Will Sonnett (ABC|)(1967-69) Western series starring Walter Brennan & Dack Rambo
The Guns of Will Sonnett (1967-69)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by:
Louis H. Allgood, Rina Fox, James Beer
references:
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://www.imdb.com)
Thomas-Spelling-Brenco production
(Danny Thomas/Aaron Spelling/Walter Brennan)
for
ABC (Fridays 9:30 EST)
Executive Producer Danny Thomas
Produced by Aaron Spelling
Associate Producers Andrew Brennan, Shelley Hull
US Western series 1967-69 50 episodes x 30 min color
release date 08Sep67
starring
Walter Brennan as Will Sonnett
Dack Rambo as Jeff Sonnett
Jason Evers as Jim Sonnett (occasional)
Premise:
Last TV series for Walter Brennan ("The Real McCoys'). This western series
followed grandfather Will Sonnett and his grandson Jeff in search of
the boy's pa - a no-good gunslinger named Jim Sonnett. They travelled
from place to place, encountering hostile townspeople that had been
wronged by the guy they were searching for.
Background:
Walter Brennan previously starred in the comedy series "The Real McCoys"
1957-62 224 episodes x 30 min
"The Guns of Will Sonnett" theme:
We searched for a man named Jim Sonnett.
And the legends folks tell may be true;
Most call him gunman and killer.
He's my son, who I hardly knew.
I raised Jim's boy from the cradle,
Till the day he said to me,
"I have to go find my father."
And I reckon that's how it should be.
So we ride, Jim's boy and me.
########## The Guns of Will Sonnett ##########
############# season 1 1967-68 ###############
##############################################
26 episodes
ABC Fridays 9:30 pm Eastern
[01] The Guns of Will Sonnett: RIDE THE LONG TRAIL
08Sep67 ABC Fri
directed by Bernard L. Kowalski
Guest Cast:
Claude Akins ........... Turnbaugh
Paul Fix ............... Olen Haussen, Stableman
J. Pat O'Malley ....... Peter Pun, Drummer
Rex Holman ............. Mase
Perry Cook ............. Hotel Clerk
Brandon Carroll ........ Bartender
[02] The Guns of Will Sonnett: A BELL FOR JEFF SONNETT
15Sep67 ABC Fri (Rerun 15Mar68 ABC Fri)
Directed by Jean Yarbrough
Guest Cast:
Charles Grodin ...... Bells Pickering
Ford Rainey ......... Doc Sales
Paul G. Wexler ......... Cal Jessup
Jeff Sonnett is facing his first gunfight alone. His opponent is deadly Bells Pickering, who sews
a tiny silver bell on his holster for every victim. [JB]
[03] The Guns of Will Sonnett: A GRAVE FOR JAMES SONNETT
22Sep67
directed by Jean Yarbrough
Guest Cast: [LHA]
Donald Alan Diamond .... Drigo
[04] The Guns of Will Sonnett: THE NATURAL WAY
29Sep67
directed by Thomas Carr
Guest Cast: [LHA]
Wendell Red Corey .... Sheriff Morg Braham
Bartlett Robinson
[05] The Guns of Will Sonnett: OF LASTING SUMMERS
6Oct67 ABC Fri (Rerun 22Mar 68 ABC Fri)
Directed by Richard Sarafian
Guest Cast: [LHA]
Paul Richards .......... Prisoner
Peter Whitney ........ Lasting Summers
James Anderson ....... Sheriff
Jeff must decide whether to help a man destined to hang. The prisoner claims he is Jeff’s father;
old Will says the man is lying. [JB]
[06] The Guns of Will Sonnett: MESSAGE AT NOON
13Oct67 ABC
Directed by Richard Sarafian
Guest Cast:
Jason Evers .......... James Sonnett (recurring)
Strother Martin
Sam Melville ......... Kirk
Owen Bush ............ Telegraph Operator
Michael Greene ....... Deputy
Justin Smith ......... Townsman
Lonny Chapman ........ Sheriff Tom Landry
Bob Hoy .............. Macey
[07] The Guns of Will Sonnett: A SON FOR A SON
20Oct67 ABC Fri (Rerun 12Apr68 ABC Fri)
Directed by Richard Sarafian
Guest Cast:
Royal Dano ........... Vance Murdock
Virginia Gregg ....... Mrs. Murdock
Jack Elam ............ Sheriff
Byron Foulger ........ Storekeeper
Jack Nicholson ....... Tom Murdock
Sandy Kevin .......... Ben Murdock
Bing Russell ......... Bartender
Paraphrasing a Biblical maxim, rancher Lance Murdock demands a son for a son. He insists that Jeff take the
place of his own boy, who was killed by James Sonnett. [JB]
[08] The Guns of Will Sonnett: MEETING AT DEVIL'S FORK
27Oct67 ABC Fri (Rerun 17May68 ABC Fri)
Directed by Irving Moore
Guest Cast:
James Best ........... Rake Hanley
Dean Stanton ......... J.J. Kotes
Bill Foster .......... Pev Williams
Tom Reese ............ Lando
Will uses divide-and-conquer strategy to trip a trap that four gunmen have set for James Sonnett. [JB]
[09] The Guns of Will Sonnett: FIRST LOVE
03Nov67 ABC
Directed by Jean Yarbrough
Guest Cast:
Cherie Latimer ........ Diantha
James Westmoreland .... Lafe
Harry Harvey, Sr. ..... Sheriff
Hank Patterson ........ Stableman
Pitt Herbert .......... Clerk
[10] The Guns of Will Sonnett: THE FAVOR
10Nov67 ABC
Directed by Jean Yarbrough
Guest Cast:
Stephen McNally ...... Ben Colter
Tom Tully ............ Corky Dobbs
Bill Smith ........... Spence
Bruce Glover ......... Billy
Jonathan Hole ........ Clerk
Synopsis:
In a ghost town, the Sonnetts lay their lives on the line to defend a wounded outlaw from
a murderous trio of bounty hunters. [JB]
[11] The Guns of Will Sonnett: RIDE THE MAN DOWN
17Nov67 ABC
Directed by Jud Taylor
Guest Cast:
Kevin McCarthy ....... Sheriff
Vaughn Taylor ........ Evans
Charlie Briggs ....... Peevee
Don Wilbanks ......... Morgan
Chuck Horn ........... Hawkins
Jim Jameson .......... Townsman
Peter Hale ........... Wounded Man
Bud Walls ............ Jonas
[12] The Guns of Will Sonnett: THE TURKEY SHOOT
24Nov67
directed by Thomas Carr
Guest Cast: [LHA]
R.G. Armstrong ....... Collin Atwood
David Macklin ........ Cleve Atwood
William Mims ......... Sheriff
Paul Sorenson ........ Ben Archer
[13] The Guns of Will Sonnett: A KILLING RODE INTO TOWN
01Dec67
directed by Jean Yarbrough
guest star: [LHA]
Cloris Leachman ..... Vera
[14] The Guns of Will Sonnett: FIND A SONNETT, KILL A SONNETT
08Dec67 ABC
Directed by Jean Yarbrough
Guest Cast: [LHA]
J.D. Cannon ......... Pat Bridges
Dennis Hopper ....... Vern Reed
Rex Holman .......... Truitt Reed
Jim Boles ........... Preacher
Robert Karnes ....... Sheriff McCall
James McCallion ..... Bartender
[15] The Guns of Will Sonnett: SUNDAY IN PARADISE
15Dec67
directed by Jean Yarbrough
guest star: [LHA]
Joan Blondell ....... Miss Lottie
[16] The Guns of Will Sonnett: SECRET OF HANGTOWN MINE
22Dec67 ABC
Directed by Chris Nyby
Guest Cast: [LHA]
Jean Willes ......... Ellie
Norman Alden ........ Clay
Sam Gilman .......... Sheriff
Ruben Moreno ........ Vasquez
Ceil Cabot .......... Dressmaker
Synopsis:
The Sonnetts gratefully accept lodging from a man and woman who are awfully glad to see them.
The pair just happen to need a corpse, and Will Sonnett fits the bill. [JB]
1.17 [--] The Guns of Will Sonnett: THE HERO
29Dec67 ABC Fri
Directed by Tom Carr
guest cast: [LHA]
Patricia Barry ....... Alice Butler
Robert J. Wilke ...... Sheriff Dan Butler
Dennis Cross ......... Milt
Synopsis:
Jeff rides into hostile Apache country, determined to track down the bank robbers who gravely wounded his grandfather.
He's joined by Sheriff Dan Butler, who seems surprisingly indifferent to bringing in the fugitives. [RF]
[18] The Guns of Will Sonnett: WHAT'S IN A NAME?
5Jan68
directed by Jean Yarbrough
guest cast:
Edward Andrews
Laurence Gordon
[19] The Guns of Will Sonnett: END OF THE ROPE
12Jan68
directed by Jean Yarbrough
guest cast: [LHA]
Richard Devon ........ Crawford
[20] The Guns of Will Sonnett: AND HE SHALL LEAD THE CHILDREN
19Jan68
directed by Jean Yarbrough
guest cast: [LHA]
Ann Doran ........... Margaret
Julia Ann Benjamin
[21] The Guns of Will Sonnett: LOOK FOR THE GROUND HOG
26Jan68
directed by Michael O'Herlihy
guest cast: [LHA]
Robert Donner ......... Parkin
[22] The Guns of Will Sonnett: STOPOVER IN TROUBLE TOWN
2Feb68
directed by Thomas Carr
guest cast: [LHA]
Anna Capri ........... Laurie
[23] The Guns of Will Sonnett: ALONE
09Feb68 ABC
Directed by Michael O'Herlihy
guest cast: [LHA]
Jason Evers ........... James Sonnett (recurring)
Norm Pitlik ........... John Darby
Patrick Horgan ........ Captain Darby
John Alderman ......... Officer
Pepper Martin ......... Ed Collins
[24] The Guns of Will Sonnett: SINS OF THE FATHER
23Feb68
directed by Jean Yarbrough
guest cast: [LHA]
Annette Andre ........ Leah
Don Knight
[25] The Guns of Will Sonnett: THE WARRIORS
01-Mar-1968 ABC Fri
Directed by Jean Yarbrough
Guest Cast: [LHA]
Jim Davis ............ Sheriff Hawks
Denver Pyle .......... Sam Cochran
Richard Webb ......... Captain Bodeen
Anthony Caruso ....... Red Leaf
Gene Shane ........... Sergeant
Jack Catron .......... Operator
Chuck Horne .......... Jacks
Synopsis:
The Army gives Will Sonnett a chance to exercise his acting talents. Posing as a prisoner,
Will must find out where two jailed gunrunners have hidden their rifles. [JB]
[26] The Guns of Will Sonnett: A FOOL AND HIS MONEY
08-Mar-1968 ABC Fri
Directed by Jean Yarbrough
Guest Cast:
Paul Brinegar ....... Charlie Moss
Heather Angel ....... Miss Barlow
Nina Shipman ........ Peg
Walter Burke ........ Loomis
Hal Baylor .......... Colter
Mauritz Hugo ........ Driver
Synopsis:
Will tries to help an old friend wiggle out of a masquerade that promises nothing but heartaches and headaches.
Charlie Moss has passed himself off as wealthy, gained the interest of a young woman---and incurred the wrath
of two ex-partners who think Charlie’s been welshing on them. [JB]