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Read Jenny Gibbs' 8/19/1995 interview with Robert Conrad
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Artemus Gordon - Ross Martin
Tennyson - Charles Davis (1st season only)
Jeremy Pike - Charles Aidman (last season)
Dr. Miguelito Loveless - Michael Dunn
In September of 1965, a new television show hit the air on Friday nights on CBS, and in the process confused those who attempted easy catagorization. Was it a Western? Was it a spy thriller? Perhaps it was a SciFi fantasy show...
In reality, The Wild Wild West had elements of all three. Set in the 1870's, James West and his sidekick Artemus Gordon worked for the United States Secret Service, and it was their duty to keep the country safe from a large assortment of evil geniuses and their wicked schemes. Blending elements from The Man from U.N.C.L.E., James Bond, and the ever popular western, our two heroes rode the rails in a private train fighting many a bad guy. And did they fight! Robert Conrad remembers that the fight sequences were more then the ordinary one or two punches, these were carefully choreographed bar-room brawls that tended to last a significant amount of air time, only to be repeated again in some other location a few scenes later. It was this violent content that led to its downfall after four seasons. The Wild Wild West was not cancelled due to ratings. Dr. Frank Stanton, then President of CBS, ordered the program off the air in 1970 due to his pledge to Congress to reduce television violence. In a recent interview (aired on TNT) Robert Conrad states that this was probably a good thing, for the rigors of the stunts had caused many injuries, and perhaps it was better to quit while everybody was mostly still healthy. Even Ross Martin performed some of his own stunts, as did Michael Dunn. (in an unrelated health problem, Ross sufferred a heart-attack during the show, and was temporarily replaced). In his book on television dramas, Larry James Gianakos writes:
"The principal creative significance of this series rests in its construction of offbeat villains, who served as a perfect foil for the resourceful youthful protagonist. In their maleficent glory, madness became stylish; a sophistication to be intensely studied, if not--let the puritans gasp--emulated. Veteran Hollywood character actors went about their craft with a precision that could only have come from an adoration of inspired typecasting."
Truly this show exemplifies escapism at its best.
First Run: September 1965 - April 1969 CBS Friday
Rebroadcasts: June 1970 - September 1970 CBS Monday 10-11
Syndication: January 1994 - TNT Network
Produced by: Bruce Lansbury
Created by: Michael Garrison
Story Consultant: Henry Sharp
Music: Richard Markowitz
Music Supervision: Morton Stevens
Director of Photography: Ted Voigtlander, A.S.C.
Film Editor: Grant K. Smith, Alan J. Jaggs
Art Director: Gibson Holley, Albert Heschong
(*and many others!)
2 hrs CBS 5-9-79
In 1885, James West comes out of retirement in Mexico to reunite with his old partner, Artemus Gordon (now an actor with the Deadwood Shakespearian Strolling Players travelling tent show), to stop the diabolical plans of Miguelito Loveless Jr., the son of their old adversary.
Loveless is attempting to control the world with perfect clones of heads of states. A running side story concerns the attempts of a kid who is gunning for West. This movie is lighter and much less serious than the original series.
| James T. West | Robert Conrad |
| Artemus Gordon | Ross Martin |
| Robert T. Malone | Harry Morgan |
| Miguelito Loveless Jr. | Paul Williams |
| Carmelita Loveless | Jo Ann Harris |
| Hugo Kaufman | Jeff McKay |
| Sir David Edney | Rene Auberjonois |
| Penelope | Trisha Nobel |
| Gabrielle Jackson | Susan Blu |
| Alan (Miguelito's $600 bionic man) | Robert Shields |
| Sonia (Miguelito's $600 bionic woman) | Lorene Yarnell |
| Showgirl | Joyce Jameson |
| Kid gunning for West | Jeff Redford |
| Executive Producer | Jay Bernstein |
| Producer | Robert L. Jacks |
| Director | Burt Kennedy |
| Music | Jeff Alexander |
| Music "The Wild Wild West Theme" | Richard Markowitz |
| Writer | William Bowers |
| Photography | Robert Houser |
2 hrs CBS (Aired in 2 parts)
Part 1 10-7-80
Part 2 10-8-80
5 years after their reunion (1890), West and Gordon team again to defeat Professor Albert Pardine II, a brilliant madman who seeks to rule the world with his evil weapons of doom.
| James T. West | Robert Conrad |
| Artemus Gordon | Ross Martin |
| Robert T. Malone | Harry Morgan |
| Sir David Edney | Rene Auberjonois |
| Albert Paradine II | Jonathan Winters |
| Dr Messenger | Victor Buono |
| Juanita | Liz Torres |
| Yvonne | Randi Brough |
| Daphne | Candi Brough |
| Russian Ambassador | Avery Schreiber |
| Bystander | Dr. Joyce Brothers |
| Jack LaStrange | Jack LaLanne |
| Spanish Ambassador | Hector Elias |
| Italian Ambassador | Joe Alfasa |
| German Ambassador | Dave Madden |
| French Ambassador | Gino Conforti |
| Executive Producer | Jay Bernstein |
| Producer | Robert L. Jacks |
| Director | Burt Kennedy |
| Music | Jeff Alexander |
| Music "The Wild Wild West Theme" | Richard Markowitz |
| Writer | William Bowers, Tony Kayden |
| Photography | Chuck Arnold |
On page 165 of his book Television Series Revivals 1993, Lee Goldberg writes:
"In January 1992, Variety reported that Warner Bros. was planning to produce a theatrical version of The Wild Wild West, directed by Richard Donner, written by Shane Black, and starring Mel Gibson as James West. Two months later, Mel Gibson announced his intention to star in a movie version of Warner Bros. Maverick series as well."
There is indeed a movie under discussion... It is in the development stage, with actor Tom Cruise mentioned as the lead. More info as it develops...
The Wild Wild West: The Series Susan E. Kesler, Arnett Press, 1988. ISBN # 0-929360-00-1
Television Drama Series Programming: A Comprehensive Chronicle; 1959-1975; Larry James Gianakos, 1978.
The Complete Actors' Television Credits; 1948-1988 2nd Edition, James Robert Parish & Vincent Terrace, 1989.
The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows, 1946-Present, Tim Brooks & Earle Marsh, 1979.
Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials; 1974-1984, Vincent Terrace, 1985.
Television Series Revivals: Sequels or Remakes of Cancelled Shows, Lee Goldberg, 1993.
Copyright (c) 1994,1997,1999 Gary Lambert.
No changes can be made to this document without the author's
written permission. Reproduction/Distribution for non-profit purposes
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