Black stallion who belonged to an orphaned boy named Joey (Bobby Diamond)
who lived at the Broken Wheel Ranch near Capitol City with his foster father,
Jim Newton (Peter Graves) and the ranch foreman Pete Wilkey (William Fawcett).
Joey came from the city where he got into a street fight. Jim Newton who
had recently lost his wife and children decided to become the boy's guardian
and bring him to ranch where he could have a better life. Jim eventually
adopted Joey and gave him a horse named Fury to teach the boy about being
responsible.
Friends of the Broken Wheel Ranch included:
William Fawcett as Pete Wilkey, the ranch foreman
Roger Mobley as Packy Lambert, Joey's friend
Jimmy Baird as Rodney "Pee Wee" Jenkins, Joey's friend
Ann Robinson as Helen Watkins
Nan Leslie as Harriet Newton
William Hudson as Henry Jenkins
James Seay as Sheriff Davis
Guy Teague as Deputy Sheriff
Mike Taylor as Ted/Frankie
Lane Bradford as Bart/Verne Clancy
The program began with the narrator proclaiming "Fury!...the story of a
horse and the boy who loves him."
Narrator:
This is the range country where the
pounding hooves of untamed horses still thunder in mountains, meadows
and canyons. Every herd has its own leader, but there is only one Fury -
Fury, King of the Wild Stallions. And here in the wild west of today,
hard-riding men still battle the open range for a living - men like Jim
Newton, owner of the Broken Wheel Ranch and Pete, his top hand, who says
he cut his teeth on a branding iron.
Joey:
[Joey calls] Fury! Fury!
Narrator:
Wild as Fury is , that's the one human
voice he's learned to love and obey. The voice of the boy who once saved
his life. Jim Newton's boy, Joey.
Joey:
Fury! [Fury answers Joey's call]
Narrator:
Here's a mutual trust and affection that
everyone can understand. [shot of Helen on horse] Especially a woman
like Helen Watkins, Joey's school teacher and unfailing champion.
Joey:
Kneel down and let me get on you. [Joey
mounts Fury]
Narrator:
And there they are together, a great wild
horse and the only person on earth who can ride him. Joey and Fury.
Fury, Fury
Smartest stallion anywhere
Fury, Fury
Wwhere they need you
You're right there
Every time, I call you
I hear your call replin'
Then you gallop straight to me
With mane and tail a flyin'
Memorabilia
TRIVIA NOTE:
This live-action Saturday morning western adventure was syndicated from
1959 under the title "Brave Stallion" then rerun on NBC from 1960 - 1966.
In reality, Fury was a black American Saddlehorse from Missouri. Trained by
Ralph McCutcheon, Fury responded to both hand and voice commands/signals.
Originally named Highland Dale, Fury has also been called Beauty and Gypsy.
Fury debuted in the movie Black Beauty (1946), a screen adaptation of
Anna Sewell's novel and later was featured in Lone Star (1952),
Johnny Guitar (1954), Gypsy Colt (1955), Giant (1957), and
Wild is the Wind (1958).
Fury was raised/trained by Ralph McCutcheon, the same trainer of both the Lone
Ranger's "Silver" and the Cisco Kid's "Diablo." In 1960-61 Fury was recipient
of the PATSY Award for outstanding performances in a TV series.
Born March 4, 1943 (Sire: Liberty Dale; Dam: Marian Highland), Fury died at
the age of 29 years.
According to the book "The Gentle
Jungle" (1980) by Toni Ringo Helfer, Fury much older and mistreated was sold
by a cowboy to Helfer and his wife who owned Africa, USA an animal preserve in
Southern California.
However, according to the Fury web site Broken Wheel Ranch, the
stories of Fury being mistreated are erroneous. They point out (based on a
photo comparison) that the real Fury was well cared for and that the horse in
question referenced in the book was one of the several other horses used as
Fury during the series production.
