Overlooked TV: The Adventures of Jim Bowie

In the wake of Disney's pop-culture phenomenon, "The Adventures of Davy Crockett" (which lasted a measly  five episodes), TV production companies were rushing to capture some of the magic. While most subsequent shows mined the more familiar territory of the Old West, one program featured a contemporary - and an acquaintance - of Davy, and roamed the same territory, the Southeastern U.S. and the chunk of Mexico colonists called Texas.

The Adventures of Jim Bowie premiered in 1956 and ran two full seasons, churning out an amazing 76 half-hour episodes. Aside from the setting, the show's most distinguishing feature was the music, supplied in strictly acapella fashion by Ken Darby and the King's Men. I don't remember what I thought of it then, but today it sounds strange, and even a bit creepy. Desilu Studios used the same technique on its other major western show, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp.

Scott Forbes, the guy chosen to play Bowie, was born in England and began his film career there as "Julian Dallas" before making his way to the U.S. His early roles here were as a Brit, but he managed to adopt a pseudo-Southern accent for his role in the Bowie show. After Jim Bowie, he kept busy with film and TV roles for another twenty years, and was also credited with at least ten screenplays.

The whole series is now available in a 10-disc set of DVDs, packed with plenty of action and imaginative history. Among the folk Jim encounters in his travels are Sam Houston, Andy Jackson, Jean Lafitte, John James Adubon, and even the immortal Davy Crockett. In addition to the guest stars noted on the box below, the show played host to DeForest Kelly, Glenn Strange, Denver Pyle, William Schallert, Lurene Tuttle, Edgar Buchanan, Strother Martin, Hans Conried and Chuck Connors.

Thanks to YouTube, here's the entire first episode. This version of the Bowie Knife's origin more or less follows that told in Paul H. Wellman's novel The Iron Mistress, and the Monte Barrett novel the series is supposedly based on, The Tempered Blade. The truth is, there are many theories about the knife's invention, and many possible inventors. Most likely, Bowie had several knives, and several people contributed to what eventually became known as the "Bowie" knife.

THE BIRTH OF THE BLADE Part 1


THE BIRTH OF THE BLADE Part 2


THE BIRTH OF THE BLADE Part 3

For my review of the Jim Bowie Big Little Book by Lewis B. Patten, click HERE.

For links to more of today's Overlooked Films & Such, click HERE.

How I Came to Write THAT Story

Patti Abbott has done me the honor of posting a HOW I CAME TO WRITE THIS STORY entry on "Skyler Hobbs and the Rabbit Man." It appears today on pattinase, and reveals far more than you'll ever want to know about the genesis of that tale. The three folks pictured above all play vital roles. Who are they? Pop over to pattinase and find out!

Davy's Last Stand

On this day in 1836, Colonel David Crockett met his fate at the Alamo, cementing his place in the pantheon of great American heroes. Precisely how Davy died is the subject of much debate, and will likely remain so. Here are a few of the many artiistic interpretations of his last moments. The oldest illustrations - the woodcuts - are from early issues of the original Davy Crockett Almanacks.



EQMM Readers Choice Awards for 2010

The May 2011 issue of EQMM spilled the beans on the results of the 2010 Readers Choice poll, and Mr. Skyler Hobb and I extend a hearty hip, hip, hoorah to all the finalists. I'll be hunting down more work by all these folks posthaste. Here's the list:

1. Dave Zeltserman, "Archie's Been Framed" (Sept/Oct)
2. Doug Allyn, "The Scent of Lilacs" (Sept/Oct)
3. Doug Allyn, "Days of Rage" (March/April)
4. Lee Goldberg, "Mr. Monk and the Seventeen Steps" (Dec)
5. Brendan DuBois, "To Kill an Ump" (Sept/Oct)
6. Clark Howard, "Winter's End" (Dec)
7. Clark Howard, "Last Dance in Shanghai" (June)
8. Evan Lewis, "Skyler Hobbs and the Rabbit Man" (Feb)
9. Stephen Ross, "The Man With One Eye" (Dec)
10. Carol Biederman, "The Changelings: A Very Grim Fairytale" (Nov)

Hobbs pretends to be unfazed by his eighth place finish, but I snuck a peak at his journal and discovered he's actually quite pleased. He did grouse about me being a skinflint, though. If I'd simply bought 50 extra copies of the magazine, he says, sending in 51 ballots instead of one, it may have catapulted him into seventh place. Tsk tsk.

Anyway, if anyone besides me did happen to vote for Hobbs, we're both mighty grateful!

And thanks to ZooMystery author Ann Littlewood for the list!

Forgotten Books: The Adventures of Jim Bowie by Lewis B. Patten

Being that the 175th anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo is now in progress, and that was where such folk as Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie went to glory, it seemed a good time to review this book.

Most Big Little Books, and most Whitman book in general, were penned by folks specializing in children's books, but this one was written by a real Western writer - Mr. Lewis B. Patten. The illustrations (all 135 of them) are by a guy with the peculiar name of Tony Sgroi.

The book is a tie-in with the Desilu TV series than ran in 1958 and '59, starring Scott Forbes as Big Jim. If you'll mosey on back on Tuesday (Overlooked Films Day), I'll do a little yapping about the show.

Patten's story is a nicely built novelette. It's a good adventure saga, and a step above that found in most BLBs. But what I found most interesting was the way it toys with the truth. The result is a tale true to Bowie's spirit, but far more fiction than fact. Here's the lowdown:

BLB: In July of 1833, Sam Houston sends Bowie to the lost San Paulo silver mine. He wants Bowie to raise a party and bring the silver back to purchase supplies for the Texas Revolution.

FACT: Bowie was attracted by stories of the lost San Saba (not San Paulo) mine. He wanted to find the silver for himself. In November, 1831 (not July, 1833) he organized a party and rode out in search of the mine. At that time, Houston was drowning his sorrows with the Cherokees (who called him Big Drunk), Bowie was a semi-respectable Mexican citizen and the revolution was a dream in the hearts of radical "War Dogs" like William B. Travis.

BLB: Bowie goes to chief of the friendly Yaqui Indians in search of guides. The chief is glad to oblige.

FACT: The Yaquis had been bringing silver into San Antonio for trade. Bowie wanted to know where they got it, so he cultivated a relationship with the chief, even going on hunting trips with the tribe. Whether they ever told him anything about the San Saba mine is a matter of conjecture.

BLB: Bowie and his party (which includes his brother Rezin) are attacked by a force of over a hundred Apaches and take cover in in a grove of oaks. They hold the hostiles off for two days, when the Indians decide to cut their losses and depart. Only one of Bowie’s is killed.

FACT: Pretty much true, except the Indians were a mixed band of Tawakonis, Waco and Caddo Indians.

BLB: Bowie and the gang proceed to the mine, load up with silver and head back for San Antonio.

FACT: After the Indian attack, Bowie’s party gave up on the mine and headed home.

BLB: All through the story, Bowie has been plagued by a Mexican bandit who wants the silver. This guy sicced the Apaches on him, and now reveals Bowie’s location to a large force of Mexican cavalry. Bowie and Rezin hang back, holding off the cavalry to give the rest of the party time to reach San Antonio.

FACT: Never happened. As far as we know, Bowie never found the San Saba mine.

BLB: When using his knife as a weapon, the worst Bowie does is scratch an opponent’s arm or knock him out with the hilt. He does, however, use it to kill a deer and a rattlesnake.

FACT: The Bowie knife was designed specifically as a man-killer, and took many lives in grisly fashion until replaced by the revolver as the favorite sidearm of the West. Bowie himself used a knife to kill at least one man in a fight. There are tales of many other fights, but no hard evidence for any of them.

Art Gallery: Doc Savage - Curse of the Fire God (1995)

Terrytoon Ties: Mighty Mouse and Heckle & Jeckle

To view those ties that have gone before (Rawhide, The Wild Wild West, James Bond and King Kong) click HERE.

Just Looking: Love's Lovely Counterfeit by James M. Cain