User reviews

With no less than the presidential imprimatur of Theodore Roosevelt on the novel by his good friend Owen Wister, many consider The Virginian to be the first realistic western novel. Before that the rather discredited prose of people like Ned Buntline dominated the field and none of their 'literature' survives today.

This television series takes the basic characters of The Virginian, Trampas, Steve, and Molly Wood from the novel and makes them all friends. The guys are foreman and his two best buddies all working at Shiloh Ranch. They're played by James Drury, Doug McClure, and Gary Clarke. Pippa Scott plays Molly Wood, school teacher in the novel, but in the TV series newspaper editor of the Medicine Bow periodical. The Shiloh ranch is owned by Judge Garth who lives there with his daughter Roberta Shore.

That's how it started but regulars came and went. The Shiloh ranch changed hands first to John McIntire and his real life wife Jeanette Nolan. Later on it went to Stewart Granger and the series changed its name to Men Of Shiloh as the women regulars were all eliminated. And we never learned what The Virginian's real name was or his past as in the novel.

The Virginian had the distinction of being the first 90 minute series on television. It must have been grueling shoot, it's like shooting several feature films in a year. It also had some name guest stars like that other series from Revue Productions Wagon Train.

The Virginian ran for 9 seasons before NBC pulled the plug. But in that time it gave us good and memorable television western shows.

Compared to other Westerns, the Virginian was a latecomer to British television screens. Preceding it from the late 1950s were Cheyenne, Wagon Train, Rawhide and the like. Initially, all were shown in black and white on very small screens. Although the Virginian was novel in being 75 minutes long and in colour, the team which created it seems to have come from the former era. Blips overlooked in monochrome stand out like a sore thumb in colour, particularly now, when played on the huge screens we have in our homes.

Watching Seasons 3 and 4 (on DVD) for the first time in 50 years, and catching up on Seasons 1 and 2 on Freeview, I was intrigued by the contradictions. There was the ambitious use of acting royalty like Bette Davis and George C Scott, and yet for interior shots, the scenes of the outside world as seen through open doorways, are painted backdrops which look amateurish.

Given my love of Westerns, it's surprising just how unengaged I was initially with the Shiloh regulars. Betsy was close to my age at the time but I didn't identify with her at all. It's like when you read a novel - there needs to be a character with whom you can empathise, one you trust to lead you into the story. For me, that did not happen until Season 3 when Emmett Ryker rode into town. The experience was like Guy Fawkes night, the fireworks those of wit and humour. It was such a clever script. In those days, with no internet to consult, there was no way of finding out if he would appear the following week. There were no video recorders either so if you missed a programme that was it - gone. But he did become a regular, and therefore so did I.

Why Ryker? Sure, Clu Gulager is easy on the eye, but being handsome doesn't necessarily make a person or a character attractive. He was intriguing. Ryker's awkward childhood, his chequered history, are laid bare in that first episode, giving his character instant depth. You understand how his experiences have sharpened his survival instincts and his intellect. At a turning point in his life, he hits the ground running, inner conflict hot wired into him. The mystery is not who he was in the past but who he is going to become in the future as he takes on the role of upholding the law he was sometimes on the wrong side of. In later episodes the scriptwriters refrained from throwing him into doomed love affairs like the ones Doug McClure and James Drury had to endure, which was another huge plus.

With Gulager driving the performance, Ryker is never, ever boring. He had two good years on the Virginian, but then when Season 5 opened on tv, he just wasn't there. For weeks and weeks he was a no show. My interest in watching dwindled and I sought solace with Manolito Montoya over at the High Chaparral. I never went back. Until now.

Watching The Virginian episodes again, knowing how little time the actors and production team were given to create them, it's truly amazing what they managed to achieve. Season 3 in particular is very good. But the gruelling schedule must have taken a toll because from Season 4 onwards, the turnover of regular cast members is constant. Some long absences and disappearances remain unexplained which, with time invested following the story arcs of certain characters, can be frustrating for the viewer. If you've never see the Virginian before, you could do worse than start with Season 3 and see where you want to go from there.

I'm not going to try to sound like a broken record and repeat what the other reviewers have already said about the show, but in hindsight about this series, the people who made this show basically had EVERY single intention to bring you a 90 minute color Western film each week with Commercials. So because of this, the plots aren't always exciting/filled with LOADS of action packed adventure and there is often LOTS of character drama in the series (which honestly makes it seem a little soapy, but then again, art is in the eye of the beholder, if your into that kind of thing, this show is for you) but the one thing to keep mind about this series is that it is TOTALLY for you if you are a fan of 60's Western Films. The 90 minute time slot for this show basically allowed more time for plot & character development, and the people behind this show were fully aware of that and they took full advantage of that. If your into 60's Western Films and have the patience to sit through them then this show is for you. This show is almost like the diet version of 60's Western Theatrical Movies (often with BIG movie stars as guest stars, too many to name in just one review).With the only difference being each episode clocks in at about an hour and fifteen minutes without commercials vs the 2 hour and often times 2 and a half hour or 3 hour Color Western Films of the same era this show was in. Also the show looks INCREDIBLE if you can watch it now if you have a STARZ account (the color on this series EASILY has Feature Film Quality or the equivalent to that). Now I will say that a series like this COULD NOT be done today (a 90 minute weekly episode series where each season produces about 30 episodes a year? Forget about it!). But that's why it's so amazing to watch now! To think that that is how ambitious they were back then to do stuff like that, AND this show lasted for 9 Seasons On top of all of that! Of course the series went through several cast changes over the course of it's 9 year run, with it's only two consistent characters and cast members throughout the entire run of the show being The Virginian (James Drury) and Trampas (Doug McClure). I can't recommend this show enough to ANYONE who enjoys watching 60's Theatrical Western Films. If that's not your thing, I would personally skip this series if I were you.

"The Virginian" was without a doubt one grand amazing ambitious series which made use of its first class actors and some of the most magnificent piece of location Technicolor photography ever assembled for a brilliant television series which kept its viewers tuned in for 90 minutes during the impressive nine seasons that it stayed on the NBC-TV network from its premiere in 1962 until its final episode in 1971.

Based on the classic novel by Owen Winsler,the series is set on the Shiloh Ranch in the Wyoming Territory of the 1800's and the goings on within the town of Medicine Bow. In its early years,and within the first five seasons,the series had five main characters:Judge Henry Garth(Lee J. Cobb),the owner of the Shiloh Ranch,which was a great big cattle ranch in Wyoming who was also the not only the town Judge but the District Attorney as well;his innocent young teenage daughter Betsy (Roberta Shore);the Virginian(James Drury),his heroic foreman Trampas (Doug McClure),and the assistant ranch hand Steve(Gary Clarke). The relationship between these five individuals,as they were developed and testing were providing the most affecting and amusing moments,and later on during this series new characters would be added on to provide support. It was also during the early years of the show that "The Virginian" was rise to the top of the Nielsen ratings,and to anyone's surprise rack up several Emmy nominations for actors Lee J. Cobb and James Drudy not to mention the show's theme song for musical composer Percy Faith. During its initial run,the show was always in the top ten and it stood shoulder to shoulder among the television Western giants like "Gunsmoke","Bonanza",not to mention "Rawhide",and the courtroom drama "Perry Mason".

The series gave us strong,intelligent stories,which could be either tragic or light-hearted,and most often the direction was either imaginative,and sometimes even poetic,but still this series was one action-packed show full of unexpected excitement and breathtaking suspense along with some comedical support in some of the episodes which were directed with excellent timing by some of the best in the business. However,throughout its entire run,only actors James Drudy and Doug McClure stayed on the series until the final episode in 1971. As for the special guest stars on this series,this show had them,and some of them appear in either one or two episodes within the 90 minute time frame. In some of the episodes you got to see Hollywood greats like Bette Davis and Lee Marvin and in some episodes you get Charles Bronson, James Coburn,Richard Anderson,Telly Savalas,Arthur Hunnicutt,John Dehner,David Hartman,Lee Majors,Pippa Scott,Stewart Granger,Diane Baker, Inger Stevens,Harry Morgan,Brian Keith,George C. Scott,Pete Duel,Hari Rhodes,Harrison Ford,and the list of the guest star roster goes on and on with very familiar actors doing the "Stagecoach" routine each week.

As the series went on the issues of the day were very informal subjects ranging from injustice,racial prejudice,individual responsibility and the necessary for compromise were explored,and during the final years of the series the name of "Shiloh" came to stand for something for the virtues of tolerance,compassion,and courage and optimism as well the respect of mankind were the objectives of the day,and this show delivered the goods. Compared to other Western shows of that era,"The Virginian" was well acted and for one,it had a lot of heart and like other shows it knew exactly when to call it quits beforehand. Most recently,this series is now on The Hallmark Channel,and for those who never seen this series,it is a worth seeing every weekend where Hallmark shows back to back episodes of this series. Not to missed!

NOTE:"The Virginian" was produced by Revue Studios/Universal Television and it produced an astounding 249 episodes,all in color during its impressive nine year run on the NBC Network.

This is yet another series that I remember being devoted to as a kid, but some 40+ years later I of course didn't remember any real details of the series, its guest stars, or episodes.

When in January 2010 Encore Westerns began showing it, I was amazed.

First, when it originally aired my family didn't have a color television. The cinematography in The Virginian is amazing for a series that started in 1962. Not only was filming a TV series in color unusual at that early time, but the quality of color is outstanding ... each episode looks virtually like a technicolor movie.

Second, most of the scripts are quite compelling. Unlike some Western films, where an complex adventure has to be squeezed into 90 to 120 minutes, the writers of The Virginian knew they had a series of shows to work with. Therefore they opted for somewhat more simple, yet strong, stories that they could explore at a more leisurely pace. It doesn't mean the shows are slow moving ... quite the opposite. It means they have more time for character study, and for the most part this is a real strength of the show.

Finally, the acting is very good. Each show has strong guest stars, a real Who's Who of television and movie actors. The cast also gives strong performances, including an amazing job by James Drury. Why he wasn't treated to more long term starring roles after this is a mystery to me. Even Doug McClure, who walked thru most of the rest of his career trading on his popularity as Trampus, gave strong and believable performances in this series.

Obviously, I highly recommend The Virginian to any fan of westerns. Whether you are a younger viewer discovering this show for the first time, or someone like me 'rediscovering it', you'll experience a true delight.

This series (The Virginian) is truly amazing. It ran for 9 long seasons, a total of 249 episodes. The Virginian (James Drury) and Trampas (Doug MaClure) stayed through the entire series. There were a number of Owners of the 'Shiloh Ranch' located near Medicine Bow, Wyoming in the late 1800's. The daughters and/or nieces of the owner were a series of lovely actresses. Owners included Lee J. Cobb, Charles Bickford, and John McIntyre (and his real-life wife, Jeanette Nolan). John Dehner was also the owner for a (mercifully) short period.

Although there were many, many writers and a very long list of directors, the series was very fluid. Top name actors were guest stars week after week, and somehow the episodes were always very enjoyable. When you stop to think that they basically produced a 90 minute movie every week, 30 weeks a year, it is remarkable that each week was unique and entertaining. Various sensitive topics were handled in a real-to-life manner.

This series remains, in my opinion, one of if not the greatest series ever presented on TV. I would watch every episode again, and with great enjoyment!

Set in the 1890s at the Shiloh Ranch and in fictitious town of Medicine Bow, Wyoming - The Virginian is quite a well-produced TV Western from 1962 that chronicles the lives of the struggling pioneers who had travelled west to this untamed land where they settled and eked out a living as best they could.

Filmed in living-colour - This once-popular "Wild West" production geared all of its story-telling to 90-minute episodes. It starred actors James Drury and Lee J. Cobb. Many of the programs featured celebrity guest-spots from the likes of such performers as George C. Scott. Eddie Albert, and Ricardo Montalban (to name but a few).

The Virginian first aired in September of 1962. It was the only western at the time to be in color with a full 90 minute format. It's lengthy time slot allowed for extensive character development and deep plots. The show attracted many famous guest stars of the time because of the amount of screen time that each would be allotted. Because of the shorter time of many westerns, guest stars were not allowed much screen time, as the time was badly needed for developing the central characters. However in The Virginian, there was plenty of time for everyone. The Virginian (James Drury) is the tough minded foreman of Shiloh Ranch, Medicine Bow, WY. He and his top hands especially Trampas are friends who help each outer out in times of trouble. Being weighted down with his many responsibilities, the foreman generally has a more serious nature to his character, and at a glance, might even seem standoffish. However, at heart, he was really a kind and generous person. *His true name was never revealed in the run of the show, which allowed for a sense of mystery to his character.

Trampas was the fun loving cowboy who was the top hand at Shiloh for the entire 9 years of the show's run. Doug McClure succeeded in playing his role to perfection. He was an underrated actor who really did quite well. He was by far the most developed character in the series, and McClure was so popular that he along with James Drury were the only characters to appear as regulars for the entire run of the series.

There were many more characters. A total of five ranch owners owned the ranch from 1962-1971. Their families came and passed with them, and many of them left no explanation as to their leaving. The producers rather chose to let the viewers imagine what might have been the destiny - or fate of the characters.

The Virginian was the third longest running western in television history. Unfortunately, this show is overshadowed by the more famous and popular shows, Bonanza and Gunsmoke. Thanks to syndication by popular channels and DVD releases by Timeless Media Group, this show can now be enjoyed by people of all ages from everywhere.

Was there a episode with the Virginian and Trampas going to fight in the Spanish American War?

From my perspective - If this TV Western's episodes had been just 45 minutes in length (rather than being a grueling 75 minutes), then, I think that that would've proved to be of much greater appeal to me than this whole series inevitably was.

And, with that in mind - Even though "The Virginian" (1962-1971) clearly had above-average production values - I found that (far too often) its episodes contained way too many filler scenes which frequently deteriorated into long-winded soap opera as a means to pad-out the 75-minute running times of its extended episodes.

Anyway - Even with that complaint voiced - I'd say that "The Virginian" did, indeed, feature some very enjoyable moments which were a real credit to its overall entertainment value.

This was an ambitious series, which made use of first class actors and magnificent location photography.

In its early years the series had five main characters: Judge Garth, owner of Shiloh, a great cattle ranch in Wyoming; his innocent young daughter Betsy; the Virginian, his heroic foreman; and two likeable ranch hands, Trampas and Steve. The relationships between these five, as they were developed and tested, provided the most affecting and amusing moments.

The series gave us strong, intelligent stories, which could be tragic or light-hearted, and often the direction was imaginative, sometimes even poetic. Issues such as injustice through prejudice, individual responsibility and the necessity for compromise were explored, and 'Shiloh' came to stand for the virtues of tolerance, compassion, courage and optimism. Compared with earlier Western series, The Virginian was amazingly deep yet subtle.

As the series ran on over the years it created a hopeful vision of a society slowly progressing towards order and peace.

The Virginian is still a classic story within a story and a story. The characters are real and the life lessons we learned are still with us.So if you're willing ,hop up that horse there and let's go for a ride.The sun's out and we might just come across a man who sez when you say that,smile or just another interesting person with a story to tell.

Having watched The Virginian growing up, I was thrilled to purchase the entire 9 series on DVD. Watching them through in 2020/2021, the stories hold up surprisingly well, the production values are excellent considering when this was made, and the speed they made them. Drury is superb as The Virginian, and Doug MaClure is equally excellent as Trampas. If you like Westerns, try and find this series on DVD or on TV re-runs. No silly stunts, no over the top computer graphics, just good acting, by an excellent cast of regulars and guests, and well written stories which often make you think. Forget the reviews on here which say this is too long as the 75 minute format give stories and characters time to develop. Easily my personal favourite Western series, and much better than 90% of Western films out there.

This is a much underappreciated question. Doesn't get the same press as Bonanza and Gunsmoke but is just as good. When the good guys for good guys and the bad guys were really bad .

The Virginian (later renamed The Men From Shiloh) became television's first prime time series to run 90 minutes(with commercials) and the first series to be filmed in color airing on NBC's Wednesday night lineup for the nine seasons it was on the air producing 249 episodes. From 1962 until 1963 the series was produced by Revue Studios. From 1963 until 1971 the series was produced by Universal Television (Filmed at Universal City). Airing from September 19, 1962 until the final episode of the series on March 24, 1971. For the nine seasons it was on the air it was network television's third-longest running Western behind Bonanza and Gunsmoke where it was one of the top ten shows on television during its long phenomenal run.

Based on the the 1902 novel by Owen Wister and produced under executive producers Charles Marquis Warren, Norman MacDonnell, Frank Price, and Roy Huggins, the series revolved around the tough foreman of the Shiloh Ranch and his assistant Trampas along with the owner Judge Henry Garth(Lee J. Cobb in Seasons 1-4) and later on other previous owners like Judd Starr(John Dehner midway through Season 4) and later on the Grainger Brothers(Charles Bickford in Season 5 and John McIntire In Seasons 6-8),and later Colonel McKenzie (Stewart Grainger in the final season of the series). Other colorful characters also included Gary Clarke(Seasons1-3), Roberta Shore(Seasons 1-4), Randy Boone(Seasons 3-5), Diane Roter(Season 5), Don Quine (Seasons 5-7), Sara Lane (Seasons 6-8), David Hartman (Seasons 7-8),Tim Matheson(Season 8), and Lee Majors(Season 9). Other characters included Deputy Emmett Ryker played by Clu Gulager(Seasons 3-7) and Sheriff Mark Abbott (Ross Elliott from Seasons 1-8 and also in Season 9).

And the town of Medicine Bow, Wyoming during the mid 1800's where most of the episodes were involved. Only actors James Drury and Doug McClure were the only two actors that stayed with the series throughout it's entire run. Several cast changes were made during the series run especially with new characters added to the cast.(during the 1966-1967 season and the 1970-1971 season). This was a series that had a vast array of guest stars on board each week with fantastic storytelling from some of the best writers in the business along with some top notch directors from Hollywood's best. This was a brillant achievement even after 60 years it still entertains.

The production quality of this series was top notch in every way. The detailed sets, the on location scenes, the writing with compelling storytelling interweaving action, drama, and comedy, the talented cast and notable guest stars, catchy theme song by Percy Faith, the composition of the music scores for each episode all contributed to its 249 episode longevity. It was a big show for the small screen, but viewing on a big HDTV screen now makes it even more vibrant and entertaining. It does however take awhile, and a suspension of disbelief, to get used to the fact that no one the Virginian encounters or interacts with cares, or finds it unusual, that he doesn't have a name.

I never did love this show. 90 minutes is too long for a TV western Series. I gave it chance after chance after chance over the last 60 years, and always found it tedious. Always around the half way point my mind would start to wander and after about another 15 minutes later I was done. Gunsmoke and Bonanza were miles ahead of this Western soap opera bore. I don't think I ever sat through a whole episode even once. It was that boring and talkie.

This was my favourite TV western when I was a child, and I believe it was much more superior than the other TV westerns of the 70s. The casting and acting was first rate, so to was the cinematography. The story lines were realistic, gritty and strong. The character of the Virginian and Trampas worked well together and the chemistry between the actors was evident. While the Virginian was the strong silent type, Trampas was the wild and reckless one. Each episode had a wide array of character actors who began their acting careers on this show. I find it strange that of all the TV westerns this seems to be the only one that is not available on either VHS and/or DVD. I only wish the entire series plus The Men from Shiloh were available on DVD.

I'm really enjoying the reruns of The Virginian on GRITTV. The main characters, James Drury, Doug McClure, Clu Gulager and the Great Lee J. Cobb are outstanding. Great acting, great story, great show. However, the later episodes seem to feature Randy Boone and Roberta Shore. IMO, these two are not of the same caliber and are very weak and irritating. I usually flip the channel when their story line occurs. Further, Randy Boone's singing and playing is as boring and mediocre as a Holiday Inn Lounge Act. I can't endure 2 bars of his voice! But I guess it pays to have famous relatives!

Good variety of stories and storylines. The characters are well-developed and given opportunities to show their character and values in multiple episodes.

I do believe that the stories did not need to be 75 minutes. Many episodes did drag at multiple stages.

To the extent that the long episodes caused featured stars to skip many episodes, the shows were diminished by their absence. Great actors (Lee J Cobb - On The Waterfront, Twelve Angry Men) and likeable characters (Doug McClure, Jane's Drury) were critical to the appeal of The Virginian, and their frequent absences definitely lessened the enjoyment of watching.

I'm 63. As a child and then a teenager in the 1960's and 1970's I was familiar with many of the westerns of the day. My dad got me hooked on Gunsmoke, Bonanza and Big Valley...

This year I discovered a Western TV series from the 1960's that I had never even heard of before. I began streaming the series on Freevee on my Roku TV. I was addicted immediately and watched every season, every episode. Wow! Amazing series. It was done very well with just the right characters. I especially love The Virginian and Trampas. I can't believe I never knew about this great program! The color and clarity of the film is superb, no doubt a remastering. And 90 minute episodes too! Great binge watching! I recommend The Virginian to any person who loves a good old fashioned Western.

Loved all the characters .. Especially Trampassand the sheriff(Clu Gulagar It was not only funny but it had very little swear words!!I watch the reruns daily!! :)

At a time when there were many Western series on Network TV, "The Virginian" usually had better scripts than most of the competition. Another strong point of the series was the outdoor settings. The original cast was also a strong one in most instances, but the frequent series cast changes were disconcerting to the point where trying to keep a continuing thread over the years became less and less convincing.. The Morgan Starr character was a mistake, which the producers fortunately recognized after part of one season. I never understood the inclusion of Randy Boone for Seasons. 2-4, where plot lines frequently found some reason for him to sing. This series wasn't a Gene Autry Horse Opera, so it was totally out of place. My guess is he was related to a producer of the series or somebody at the Network. A sign of the times is when episodes are now aired on TV, the original 90-minute episodes are 2 hours long. Why? Commercials, of course!

The show, since it's on all the time, is stupid. I liked it as a child because it came on just one a week and I only had one channel...not counting PBS. I liked Trampus more than the Virginian back then, because I thought it was stupid to have a main character with no given name. He could've been named Arnie Fife, Barney Fife's great grandfather, for all we know. I got tired of all the pretty girls dying or getting on stagecoaches at the end of every romantic show...but the real stupidity was when I grew up and realized the happy-go-lucky Trampus, with that boyish and amicable charm of his...had practically killed twenty or more men while he was working at Shiloh...if you count all the various episodes. He would've lost that smile if that were true. Yet he was always joking. It's unrealistic.