| Laramie |
 |
| NBC Network |
| 1959 - 1963 |
| Drama |
| 60 Minutes |
The story of the Sherman brothers, Slim (John
Smith), a 28-year-old Civil War veteran, and
Andy (Bobby Crawford, Jr.), a free-spirited
14-year-old who
inherited their father's (Matthew) Wyoming cattle ranch
after he'd been killed by land-grabbers in the
1870s.
The Sherman's supplemented their income by
using their ranch as a way station for the Great
Central Overland Mail stagecoaches traveling in
and out of nearby Laramie. The Sherman Ranch
(aka "Twelve-Mile House") is located twelve
miles west of Laramie. The ranch supplies
horses for the relay teams, and meals for
the passengers passing through.
Friends of the Sherman family included:
- Robert Fuller as Jess Harper, a drifter who threw in with the
brothers to make the ranch a success. Jess had been a gunfighter
and had fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. When Jess
first met Slim he was sleeping by a lake on Slim's property. Slim
chased him off and later got into a fist fight with Jess before
Slim asked Jess to stay on at the ranch. Jess left home at sixteen
after his parents were killed when his family farm and homestead
was raided and burned by the Bannister gang. Jess has a sister
named Francie whose husband Gil Brady (Clu Gulager) died.
- Hoagy Carmichael as Jonesy, the chief ranch hand and
family cook. He plays the piano,
has a bad back, isn't very good with horses and acts as a father
figure for the Sherman boys. Jonesy accompanied Andy to school in
St. Louis and never returned to the ranch. Daisy Cooper took over
his domestic responsibilities.
- Spring Byington as Daisy Cooper, a strong-willed widow
from the east who intended to buy a store but was swindled out of
her money. Slim and Jess hired her to be housekeeper/cook (she
makes a great apple pie) and surrogate mother for the male's only
ranch, especially, Mike, a boy new to the ranch.
- Dennis Holmes as Mike Williams, an orphaned
nine-year-old whose parents were killed by Indians. He took up
residency at the ranch after Andy went to school in St. Louis,
Missouri. Mike had a pony named Flash that he later had to turn
loose.
- Stuart Randall as Sheriff Mort Corey, the law in
Laramie
- Eddy Waller as Mose Shell, a stage driver
Slim, Jess,
Jonesy and Andy
Listen to Theme Music
During their careers as ranchers and relay station operators,
the Sherman family and partner Jess Harper had many adventures.
Here are some of them:
- When the Sioux Indians threaten to go on
the warpath, Slim and Jess volunteer to lead
forces to defend the territory. Jess scouts
for General Custer and Slim and others block
the Indians retreat through a mountain pass.
- Slim and Jess offer a group of stage
passengers protection from a tornado as it
passes through the Laramie area.
- Cattlemen are importing gunman to attack
farmers and Slim and Jess intervene to stop a
bloody range war.
- To earn extra money Slim and Jess take
jobs as lawmen in a small town outside of
Laramie.
- A competing stage line wants Slim and Jess
to cancer their contract with Central Overland
Overland Mail and Stage.
- Slim agrees to showdown (pistol duel) to
save Jess whose been taken hostage by the
feuding Parkinson family whose patriarch
blames Slim for killing his son.
- Slim saves an Indian girl from danger and
suddenly she becomes his property, to the
chagrin of an Indian brave who loves her.
- Outlaws hide a time bomb onboard the stage
that Jess if riding shotgun.
- Slim and Jess hire on as bodyguards to
protect General George Barton, who just might
be the next US president.
- Outlaws bent on stealing an incoming gold
shipment hold Slim and Daisy hostage at the
ranch.
Memorabilia
TRIVIA NOTE: In 2007, John Smith was
posthumously awarded the Cowboy Spirit Award at
the Festival Of The West in Arizona.
Bobby Crawford, Jr. was
the brother of Johnny Carwford who played the
Mark McCain on western series THE RIFLEMAN
starring Chuck Connors.
Hoagy Carmichael was a veteran singer-composer
of such tunes as "Stardust" (1927), "(Up
a) Lazy River" (1931) and "Ole Buttermilk Sky"
(1946).
Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison
expressed a fondness for Carmichael's musical
and song writing skills.
On episodes "Glory Road", and "The Legend of
Lily" Carmichael's character Jonesy sang the
song "Marry Me in Laramie."
In the James Bond novels "Casino Royale" and "Moonraker",
author Ina Fleming described his iconic British
spy 007 as resembling Carmichael (with a scar on
his cheek).
Robert Fuller also appeared as trail scout
Cooper Smith on the western series WAGON
TRAIN/NBC/1957-1965. Years later, Fuller starred
Dr. Kelly Brackett on EMERGENCY/NBC/1972-79 and
made an appearance as Wade Harper, a descendant
of Jess Harper on the police drama WALKER, TEXAS
RANGER/CBS/1993-2001.
Obituaries: John Smith: 01/25/1995; Spring
Byington: 09/07/1971; Stuart Randall: 06/22/1988;
Hoagy Carmichael: 12/27/1981; Eddy Waller: 08/20/1977;
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