Take a ranch, a stage stop, two brothers and a crusty philosopher. Throw in a hip-shooting drifter who may be a high-line rider, plenty of action and there’s the basis for a television series. Running from September 15, 1959 to May 21, 1963 (on Tuesdays) on the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) at 7:30 PM (EST), Laramie chronicled the adventures of two men in the Old West.

 

The major recurring theme of the Laramie series was renewal and rebirth, which may be why every live title sequence included some form of water imagery. Water has often been used as a symbol of passage and transition and was therefore important in establishing the show’s identity. Nature related imagery was used repeatedly throughout the series to establish time (sunsets, sunrises, changes in seasons), harbinger danger (dust storms) and symbolize anger and passion (fire).

 

Laramie explored a number of social issues. Among them were adoption, aging, class discrimination, community support of law enforcement, criminality, criminal justice reform, cultural diversity, education, equality, feminism, genocide, gun control, honesty in politics, interracial relationships, justice, juvenile delinquency, laws of war, maturation, mental health (with numerous examples of psychopathic and sociopathic behavior), racism, religious tolerance, the Robin Hood effect, substance abuse, unlawful military orders and vigilante justice, all of which were heavily laced with the interaction of the seven deadly sins.

 

There are a few incongruities in the stories. Of course, history does sometimes change a bit in the telling and the viewpoint of the presenter. The show also rounded up its own versions of And Then There Were None (“Strange Company” Season 2 Episode 32), The Maltese Falcon (“The Lost Dutchman” Season 2 Episode 18) and the perennial favorite television theme of Lancelot escorting Guenivere to King Arthur (“Trial by Fire” Season 3 Episode 27).

 

Balancing the fist fights and gunfights were moments of comedic interaction such as Jess’ unique method of washing his clothes, the nearly simultaneous dunking in the water trough, and the reaction to a particular bouquet.

 

The epilogue provided the “sunset” for each episode. Generally, the characters were safely ensconced at home and wrapped up the action on a positive note with hope flying as high as Mike’s kite.

 

To see information about the individual episodes, click on the links below:

 

Season 1

Stage Stop

Glory Road

Circle of Fire

Fugitive Road

The Star Trail

The Lawbreakers

The Iron Captain

General Delivery

The Run to Tumavaca

The General Must Die

Dark Verdict

Man of God

Bare Knuckles

The Lonesome Gun

Night of the Quiet Men

The Pass

Trail Drive

Day of Vengeance

The Legend of Lily

Death Wind

Company Man

Rope of Steel

Duel at Alta Mesa

Street of Hate

Ride or Die

Hour After Dawn

The Protectors

Saddle and Spur

Midnight Rebellion

Cemetery Road

Men of Defiance

 

Season 2

Queen of Diamonds

The Track of the Jackal

Three Rode West

Ride the Wild Wind

Ride Into Darkness

The Long Riders

The Dark Trail

.45 Caliber

License to Kill

Drifter’s Gold

No Second Chance

Duel at Parkison Town

A Sound of Bells

The Passing of Kuba Smith

Man from Kansas

Killer Without Cause

Stolen Tribute

The Lost Dutchman

Cactus Lady

Riders of the Night

The Mark of the Manhunters

Rimrock

Run of the Hunted

Two for the Gallows

The Debt

Killers’ Odds

Bitter Glory

The Tumbleweed Wagon

Trigger Point

Badge of the Outsider

Men in Shadows

Strange Company

Widow in White

 

Season 3

Dragon at the Door

Ladies’ Day

Siege at Jubilee

The Mountain Men

The Fatal Step

The Last Journey

Deadly is the Night

The Accusers

Wolf Cub

Handful of Fire

The Killer Legend

The Jailbreakers

The Lawless Seven

The Perfect Gift

The Barefoot Kid

Shadows in the Dust

The Runaway

The Confederate Express

The High Country

A Grave for Cully Brown

The Runt

The Dynamiters

Day of the Savage

Justice in a Hurry

The Replacement

The Turn of the Wheel

Trial by Fire

Fall into Darkness

 

Season 4

Among the Missing

War Hero

The Fortune Hunter

Shadow of the Past

The Long Road Back

Lost Allegiance

The Sunday Shoot

Double Eagles

Beyond Justice

Bad Blood

Time of the Traitor

Gun Duel

Naked Steel

Vengeance

Protective Custody

The Betrayers

The Wedding Party

No Place to Run

The Fugitives

The Dispossessed

The Renegade Brand

The Violent Ones

The Unvanquished

The Sometime Gambler

Edge of Evil

Broken Honor

The Last Battleground

The Stranger

The Marshals

Badge of Glory

Trapped

The Road to Helena

 

Laramie Theme Music

 

Filming Locations

Apacheland Studios, 4369 S. Kings Ranch Road, Gold Canyon, Arizona, USA

Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA

Kanab, Utah

Laramie Street, Warner Brothers Studios, 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Old Tucson, 201 S. Kinny Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Red Rock Canyon State Park, Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA

Revue Studios, 6121 Sunset Boulevard (at El Centro Avenue), Hollywood, California, USA

Six Points Texas, Backlot, Universal Studios, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Stage 36, Universal Studios, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Thousand Oaks, California, USA

Western Street, Universal Studios, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA