The Californians (TV series)

The Californians is a half-hour American Western television series, set during the California Gold Rush of the 1850s, which was broadcast by NBC from September 24, 1957, through August 27, 1959.

Premise
The series was set in San Francisco, with episodes focusing on "honest men trying to clean up a wild city overrun by criminals and con men". When episodes began, Sam Brennan owned a newspaper for which Dion Patrick worked as a reporter. Patrick also sought to maintain law and order as a member of a group of vigilantes headed by storekeeper Jack McGivern.

Because the program's sponsors "were uneasy about glorifying vigilantes", the producers changed the characters and cast. In March 1958 Matthew Wayne came to San Francisco. He bought a saloon and soon was elected as the city's sheriff. Wayne became the main character, with McGivern and Patrick being phased out.

The second season began with Wayne as the city marshal, whose efforts were supported by a police department of 50 people. New characters in that season were Wilma Fansler, a widowed young operator of a gambling establishment, and Jeremy Pitt, an attorney who was "friend and foil to the marshal".

Cast

 * Dion Patrick - Adam Kennedy
 * Jack McGivern - Sean McClory
 * Martha McGivern - Nan Leslie
 * Sam Brennan - Herbert Rudley
 * Matthew Wayne - Richard Coogan
 * Schaab - Howard Caine
 * Wilma Fansler - Carole Mathews
 * Jeremy Pitt - Art Fleming

Guest stars

 * Charles Aidman
 * Frank Albertson
 * Chris Alcaide
 * Fred Aldrich
 * John Anderson
 * John Archer
 * R.G. Armstrong
 * Rayford Barnes
 * Whit Bissell
 * Robert Blake
 * Willis Bouchey
 * George Brenlin
 * Edgar Buchanan
 * James T. Callahan
 * James Coburn
 * Fred Coby
 * Mike Connors
 * Hans Conried
 * Russ Conway
 * Bill Coontz
 * Robert O. Cornthwaite
 * Ted de Corsia
 * Robert L. Crawford, Jr.
 * Frank Dekova
 * Troy Donahue
 * John Doucette
 * Douglass Dumbrille
 * Douglas Fowley
 * Robert Fuller
 * Bruce Gordon
 * Herman Hack
 * Don Haggerty
 * James Hong
 * Russell Johnson
 * Allyn Joslyn
 * Robert Karnes
 * Stacy Keach, Sr.
 * Ray Kellogg
 * Tommy Kirk
 * Gail Kobe
 * Michi Kobi
 * Ethan Laidlaw
 * Lyle Latell
 * Keye Luke
 * Patricia Medina
 * Don Megowan
 * Gerald Mohr
 * Jimmy Noel
 * Robert Osborne
 * J. Pat O'Malley
 * Richard Reeves
 * Stafford Repp
 * Addison Richards
 * Carlos Romero
 * Vito Scotti
 * James Seay
 * Alex Sharp
 * Quentin Sondergaard
 * Arthur Space
 * Bob Steele
 * John Sutton
 * Ray Teal
 * Joan Tompkins
 * Sammee Tong
 * Audrey Totter
 * Maria Tsien
 * Lurene Tuttle
 * James Westerfield
 * Peter Whitney
 * Jean Willes
 * Marie Windsor

Production
Producer Louis F. Edelman initially offered The Californians to ABC-TV. After that network was unable to obtain sponsors, Edelman offered it to NBC. Robert Bassler was the show's first producer. Felix Feist replaced him in January 1958. The Californians initially was broadcast on Tuesdays from 10 to 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time. In April 1959 it was moved to 9 - 9:30 p.m. E. T. on Tuesdays, and in July 1959 it was moved to Thursdays from 7:30 to 8 p.m. E. T.

The Californians theme song, "I've Come to California", was sung by the Ken Darby Singers. Darby also scored the program.

The Californians had competition from The West Point Story, which was broadcast by the American Broadcasting Company, and The $64,000 Question by CBS. In its second season, the western competed with The Garry Moore Show on CBS and the crime/police reality show Confession, hosted by Jack Wyatt, on ABC.