| My Friend Flicka |
 |
| CBS/NBC Network |
| 1956 - 1958 |
| Drama |
| 30 Minutes |
This western series followed the adventures of a young boy, Ken
McLaughlin (Johnny Washbrook) and his horse, Flicka who lived at the Goose Bar
Ranch in Coulee Springs, Montana in the early 1900s.Flicka is a Swedish word for "little girl."
Flicka was once a wild stallion until captured
by Ken's father who gave the horse to his son to
teach him responsibility.
When Ken wanted Flicka to come a running
he stuck his finger in his mouth and whistled a
special tune so his horse rushed to
his side.
Other friends of Flicka included:
-
Gene Evans as Rob McLaughlin, Ken's stern but
fair father and owner of the Goose Bar Ranch.
-
Anita Louise as Nell McLaughlin, Rob's
beautiful blond wife.
-
Frank Ferguson as Gus Broeberg, the ranchhand
-
Pamela Beaird as Hildy Broeberg, Ken's companion on the ranch.
-
Hugh Sanders/Sydney Mason as Sheriff Downey
-
Tudor Owen as Sergeant Tim O'Gara
-
Craig Duncan as the US Marshal
-
Phil Chambers as Doc Harrow
-
Guinn Williams as Jeb Taylor
Listen to Theme
Music
Flicka and her friends at the Goose Bar
Ranch had many adventures. Here are a few of
them:
Flicka
-
Flicka is stolen by an outlaw.
- Flicak is accidentally blinded and must be killed.
- Flicka runs off with Rebel the stallion.
- Flicak is stolen by strangers who wanted to buy him.
- Flicka helps a man escape from a local jail.
Ken
- Ken helps a disabled child who is afraid of horses.
- Ken is thrown from Flicka and stalked by a cougar.
-
Ken is held hostage by an escaped convict.
- Ken saved an Indian baby and trouble ensues.
- Ken is accused of releasing a horse so Flicka can win a race.
- Ken is trapped in a mine with another boy.
- Ken neglects his chores to hunt for gold with Gus.
- Ken tracks the trail of a mysterious ghost rider.
- Ken searches for a runaway horse.
- Ken befriends a child of homesteaders feuding with ranchers.
- Ken helps a horse trainer tame a powerful black stallion.
- Ken helps a little girl find her runaway dog.
- Ken meets Teddy Roosevelt who intervenes with local ranchers
and cattleman feuding over grazing rights.
- Ken prepares for the arrival of royal countess.
- Ken finds a stray white cold and brings it home.
- Ken hides Flicka in an abandoned barn that gets sold.
- Ken befriends a thief.
- Ken's ranch is taken over by escaped criminals.
- Ken rescues a puppy caught in a rabbit snare.
- Ken is cruel to an eccentric woman.
- Ken runs away form home but soon regrets his decision.
- Ken meets a little girl and her prize bull that soon cause
trouble.
Rob
-
Rob and rival rancher race to capture a wild stallion.
-
Rob is accused of poisoning a waterhole.
- Rob and family try to save a horse from the glue factory.
-
Rob's horses are gone and he decides to sell the ranch.
-
Rob save a photographer/thief? from stampeding horses.
-
Rob expects trouble when a former Indian Chief and his
grandson who ran away from the reservation.
-
Rob competes in a medicine show wrestling match.
- Rob get the hankering to re-enlist in the cavalry.
- Rob buys a stallion with a curse and soon strange things are
happing at the ranch. The horse bears a brand written in Chinese
that translates: "Evil comes to him who owns me."
- Rob and Ken track an escaped show horse.
Nell
-
Nell is sick but prejudiced locals won't let a young Indian
doctor treat her.
-
Nell is alone at home with Ken when escaped criminals tale
over the ranch.
TRIVIA NOTE:
Filmed in color, the original 39 episodes of MY FRIEND FLICKA
were broadcast in black and white on CBS and
then in color when they aired in reruns on NBC.
The series is based on the trilogy of novels
"My Friend Flicka," "Thunderhead, Son of Flicka" and
"Green Grass of Wyoming" by Mary O'Hara and the movie My Friend Flicka
(1941).
In the movie My Friend Flicka (1943), a ten-year-old Ken McLaughlin
(Roddy McDowell) tended to the wounds of a wild filly who hurt itself when trying to escape captivity.
Eventually the horse grew to trust the boy and they became fast friends.
The four-year-old Arabian Sorrel mare who played Flicka on the TV series was
called Wahama. She resembled Gene Autry's horse, Champion having white
stockings and a partially blazed face.
 Flicka and Goldie (Flicka's double") were trained by Les Hilton who trained
the horses in the original 1943 film My Friend Flicka. Goldie was used
for dangerous stunts and fast chases. Stephanie "Steffi" Epper was
Johnny Washbrook's stunt double. The horse that played Flicka was later sold
to rancher in New Mexico who then sold the horse to another rancher who bred
Flicka. Unfortunately, Flicka (Wahama) died from pregnancy
complications. Wahama was foaled 13 June 1950 (sired by Abu Farwa x
Mehana)
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