When I was a child, watching The High Chaparral was something the whole family was looking forward too. We would sit on the couch at least 15 minutes before the broadcast started and were 'glued' to the screen during the whole show. The rest of the week we would talk about what happened. Almost 40 years later the show hasn't lost anything of it's charm, my children love it. It is not just an 'adventure' western. Teenagers identify themselves with the troublesome relationship of Blue and his father John. There is something in it for everyone.
It has a wonderful cast, Leif Erickson as patriarch John Cannon, Cameron Mitchell as his brother Buck, Mark Slade as his handsome blue-eyed son Blue, Henry Darrow is a playful Manolito, and Linda Cristal the beautiful Victoria. The Bunkhouse boys add a little extra to this series, Don Collier, Bob Hoy, Ted Markland, Roberto Contreras and Jerry Summers are a treat to watch.
All actors are outstanding and their characters are so believable, that you forget you are watching a TV series. You are 'there', with the heroes in the Arizona Territory , fighting their fights, crying their tears, and laughing their laughs.
It was and is one of the most realistic Westerns series. Apaches were often played by Apaches, Mexicans by Spanish speaking actors. The heroes sweat, get tired, upset and the aren't infallible.
