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The Restless Gun is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War.
- John Payne got his start as a singer. After studying voice at New York’s Julliard School, the Virginia native was hired by the Shubert Organization as a stock player for touring theatrical productions.
- He saved Santa Claus. Ironically, the film Payne is best remembered for at Fox is one in which he didn’t sing. In Miracle On 34 Street, he plays young lawyer Fred Gailey, the man who proves that Edmund Gwenn is Santa Claus and wins the heart of Maureen O’Hara.
- He’s a film noir icon. After 34 Street, Payne asked Fox to release him from his contract, and the actor became a freelancer at age 35. Over the next decade, he reinvented his screen persona in gritty crime films often made for independent producers.
- The Restless Gun was based on a radio show. With his movie career slowing, Payne did what many film stars of the era did: he moved to television. On March 23, 1957, he headlined an episode of the CBS anthology series The Schlitz Playhouse of Stars entitled The Restless Gun.
- Overview
- Connections to the Bonanza TV series
The Restless Gun is a western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne, a Virginia native, in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an idealistic person who prefers peaceful resolutions of conflict wherever possible. He is gregarious,...
•Alan W. Livingston of NBC hired David Dortort to write the screenplay for the pilot episode of Bonanza. He did it at night, while producing The Restless Gun by day.
•Michael Landon appeared in a supporting role in the pilot for The Restless Gun that aired on March 19, 1957.
•Dan Blocker played multiple roles in The Restless Gun in the first season.
•Edward Ludwig was also one of the directors of The Restless Gun (1957-1959).
The Restless Gun: With John Payne, Leonard P. Geer, Dan Blocker, Jeanne Bates. The adventures of Vint Bonner, a cowboy in the post Civil War era.
- (290)
- 1957-09-23
- Western
- 30
- Duel At Lockwood (Season 1, Episode 1 — Airdate: Sept 23, 1957) The series begins with no origin story, just Bonner getting shot at while riding his trusty horse Scar.
- Trail To Sunset (Season 1, Episode 2 — September 30, 1957) Episode two establishes the “different town every week” format, as Bonner encounters on-the-lam Link Jerrod (Jack Elam) on the trail to Sunset.
- Jody (Season 1, Episode 7 — November 4, 1957) If you’re going to buy the premise of The Restless Gun, you have to accept this: Bonner has a ton of friends he keeps up with, despite having no permanent address where he receives mail about their major life events.
- Imposter For A Day (Season 1, Episode 22 — Feb 17, 1958) Bonner rides into the town of Grizzly Hill looking for a relaxing shave (from Vince Barnett, doltish Angelo in the 1932 Scarface) and discovers that someone masquerading as him has killed a man.
The pilot aired 3/29/57 on the 6th season of CBS’ “Schlitz Playhouse of the Stars” (coincidentally guest starring Michael Landon whom Dortort would later bring to “Bonanza”). The actual half-hour series aired 77 b/w episodes over two seasons on NBC Monday nights, 8-8:30ET, from 9/23/57 - 9/14/59 (with weekday reruns on ABC ‘59-‘60).
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How many episodes of 'the Restless Gun' did Vint Bonner have?
S1.E12 ∙ Thicker Than Water. Mon, Dec 9, 1957. Bonner intercedes in a delicate family situation when a wandering gambler returns to reconcile with the young son he abandoned eight years earlier. The boy believes his daddy is dead, and Bonner believes it's best to keep it that way.
