The Deputy

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"The Deputy" was the debut of LAWMAN, a half hour Western that lasted four seasons and 156 episodes (1958-1962), starring John Russell in the title role of Dan Troop, new Marshal of Laramie, a lawless town in need of a strong authority figure. Learning that the previous marshal was murdered, he comforts the young widow (Bek Nelson) while waiting for the killers to come to him. A better cast of villains couldn't have been cast, with Jack Elam and Lee Van Cleef sneering appropriately, yet taking a back seat to a surprisingly effective Edd (Kookie) Byrnes, definitely cast against type, the same year his series 77 SUNSET STRIP also debuted. The only disappointment is that the half hour running time means less screen time for any nefarious doings from the bad guys. The only other debut episode to feature such a high power cast is the following season's THE REBEL, starring Nick Adams as Civil War veteran Johnny Yuma (the subject of Johnny Cash's title theme song), dealing with Strother Martin as a cowardly deputy, villains Dan Blocker and Richard Bakalyan, and veteran scene stealer John Carradine as the town newspaper editor, who inspires Yuma to stick around and avenge his father's untimely death in yet another lawless Western town.