Have Gun, Will Travel (1957)
The classic CBS Western following Paladin, a cultured gunfighter-for-hire navigating justice and morality across the frontier West.
Have Gun, Will Travel - Series Information
- Original Title: Have Gun, Will Travel
- First Air Year: 1957
- Last Air Year: 1963
- Created by: Sam Rolfe, Herb Meadow
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Western, Action, Adventure, Drama
- Content Rating (US): TV-G
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode: 25 minutes
- Number of Seasons: 6
- Number of Episodes: 225
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- First Air Date: September 14, 1957 (United States - TV-G), September 14, 1957 (Canada - PG)
- Networks: CBS
- Production Companies: Filmaster Productions, CBS
- Production Countries: United States of America
Have Gun, Will Travel - Plot
Have Gun – Will Travel is an American Western television series that aired on CBS from 1957 through 1963. It was rated number three or number four in the Nielsen ratings every year of its first four seasons. It was one of the few television shows to spawn a successful radio version. The radio series debuted November 23, 1958. The television show is presently shown on the Encore-Western channel. Have Gun – Will Travel was created by Sam Rolfe and Herb Meadow and produced by Frank Pierson, Don Ingalls, Robert Sparks, and Julian Claman. There were 225 episodes of the TV series, 24 written by Gene Roddenberry. Other contributors included Bruce Geller, Harry Julian Fink, Don Brinkley and Irving Wallace. Andrew McLaglen directed 101 episodes and 19 were directed by series star Richard Boone.
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Have Gun, Will Travel - Cast & Crew
Creator(s)
- Sam Rolfe
- Herb Meadow
Main Cast
- Richard Boone
- Kam Tong
- Hal Needham
- John George
- Herschel Graham
- Harry Carey, Jr.
- Lisa Lu
- Edward Faulkner
- Roy Barcroft
- Hank Patterson
Writers
- Gene Roddenberry
- Shimon Wincelberg
- Sam Rolfe
- Bruce Geller
- Don Brinkley
Have Gun, Will Travel - FAQs
Who played Paladin in Have Gun, Will Travel?
Richard Boone portrayed Paladin, the series’ central character — a well-educated, chess-playing gunfighter-for-hire who operated out of San Francisco’s Hotel Carlton. Boone’s commanding presence defined the role across all six seasons and 225 episodes, and he also directed 19 episodes himself.
Where can you stream Have Gun, Will Travel?
Have Gun, Will Travel is available to stream on Philo via a flat-rate subscription. The classic CBS Western can also be found on the Encore Western channel. For a full breakdown of current streaming and viewing options in your region, check JustWatch.
Did Gene Roddenberry write for Have Gun, Will Travel?
Yes. Gene Roddenberry — later the creator of Star Trek — wrote 24 of the series’ 225 episodes. His contributions to Have Gun, Will Travel are among his earliest television writing credits and helped establish his reputation as a skilled science-fiction and adventure storyteller.
When did Have Gun, Will Travel first air?
Have Gun, Will Travel premiered on September 14, 1957, on CBS. The series ran for six seasons, concluding in 1963 with a total of 225 episodes. During its first four seasons, it consistently ranked among the top four shows in the Nielsen ratings.
How many seasons does Have Gun, Will Travel have?
The series ran for six seasons on CBS. Seasons 1 through 3 each contained 39 episodes, Season 4 had 38 episodes, Season 5 had 38 episodes, and Season 6 wrapped up with 32 episodes, bringing the complete episode count to 225.
Is Have Gun, Will Travel based on a true story?
No. Have Gun, Will Travel is an original fictional creation by Sam Rolfe and Herb Meadow. The character of Paladin — a sophisticated, hired gunfighter roaming the post-Civil War West — was entirely invented, though the series drew on authentic historical atmosphere and frontier mythology of the era.
Did Have Gun, Will Travel also air as a radio show?
Yes. Have Gun, Will Travel was one of the rare television series to successfully spin off a radio adaptation. The radio version debuted on November 23, 1958, making it a notable example of a TV property generating a thriving parallel broadcast on a different medium.
Who composed the music for Have Gun, Will Travel?
The music for Have Gun, Will Travel was composed by Bernard Herrmann, the celebrated composer known for his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock on films such as Psycho and Vertigo. His work on the series brought a distinctive, dramatic musical identity to the show’s Western setting.
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