loydstuff: Fond memories of yet ANOTHER 'wild' childhood (western) hero!

As the faithful few (VERY few! But--- that's OK, I do this here blog-thang for FUN anyway!) that follow along with me here no doubt know by now..... I like to frequently take you, the gentle reader, along on trips in my own little 'mental-time-machine' to the days of my childhood! Especially those days when I would be parked in front of our TV, on weekday afternoons / evenings--- after a long day of being 'educated' at school.

Oh the FUN programs that used to air back then! In particular, the programs that would be shown on what were then called 'independent' stations. Independent channels didn't have any major network programing all the broadcast day, so their programing schedule would usually be filled with ALL KINDS of stuff, that little 'geek-a-zoids-in-the-making'---like the 'little Loydster', for example--- would just be spellbound by! a LARGE chunk of that entertainment, would be shows that had originally aired in the mid-to-late 60s.

One such station, was KMPH, channel 26 ---in Visalia California. Their afternoons and evenings were just PACKED with all kinds of action and adventure! Shows like: 'Batman', 'Star Trek'.... and the show I'm focusing on / getting all nostalgic about, in this HERE post!-----

Originally airing in 1965-69, this show was in constant (early evening) reruns by the early 70s! JUST in time for the 'lil Loydster to get hooked on it!

Yes, and what a 'wild' show this was! A truly UNIQUE hybrid of western 'shoot-em-up', two-fisted ACTION (lead actor Robert Conrad did most ALL of his own stunts!), and just outright sci-fi ideas! Oh, and there were all sorts of COOL gadgets and secret-agent doo-dads thrown-in for good measure too!

But--- like pretty much ALL good classic TV shows, a BIG part of what made the show appealing to the (then-around-9-year-old) 'lil Loydster, was the chemistry between the two lead actors. The above mentioned Bob Conrad, and as his comrade in the fight against evil, Ross Martin!----

Artemus 'Artie' Gordon and James West--- super-secret service agents! protecting 1880s America from EVIL! Every weeknight, from 5 to 6pm during the early 70s! Perfectly portrayed by Ross Martin and Bob Conrad!

Leading man Robert Conrad was just right, as the quick-thinking, intrepid secret-service agent James West. Ross Martin, also perfectly cast, as fellow agent (as well as a MASTER of disguise and the builder / inventor of much of the above mentioned gadgets used in their adventures!) Artemus 'Artie' Gordon. These actors played off each other's different personalities in just the right way! Not to mention their attitudes / performances were just the right mix of 'deadly-serious' when necessary, and tongue-in-cheek when required in a given episode!

Let's not forget another FUN element that, in my own humble opinion, STILL holds up--- JUST as cool now, as it did way back then....to my then-elementary-school-aged-self! The show's opening credits!----

AND---- I would be a very POOR host of this here blog-a-wog-a-wing-a-ding-thing, if I didn't also point out the absolutely NEAT-O way the show would transition to it's commercial-breaks--- usually around 4 times in each episode. (Most episodes were usually broke-up into 4 'acts'.) The 'freeze panels'! As the segment would come to a climax--- often a 'cliff-hanger'-type moment-- the scene would 'freeze', then transition to what looked VERY much like comic book 'line art'!-----

Some of my 'other interests' being what they are (in other words: COMIC BOOKS!), you can see why that particular 'graphic element' of the show would STILL grab me! Yet another component of the show that made it the CLASSIC type of entertainment that it remains, even today!

Like I was saying in the last pod-cast episode, 'Wild Wild West' was one of the shows that I not only enjoyed as a kid--- but it was also a show my parents could feel 100% safe & secure, in letting me watch it every weeknight! It was--- and this has SADLY become something of a RARE thing these days--- a TRULY 'family friendly' show!

Think about it! The 'good guys' out-witted, out-maneuvered, and just out-right SOUNDLY beat the bad guys! EVERY episode! AND--- it was done with plenty of style and humor! This is one of the shows, I can say in all honesty---- that helped me not only keep on enjoying action-adventure-types of entertainment all the way into adulthood, BUT--- it helped re-enforce what morals my folks were trying SO hard to instill in me during those sometimes kinda BUMPY, awkward childhood years!

Oddly enough, 'Wild Wild West' is one of a handful of my fondly remembered childhood favorite-shows, that I STILL don't own on video / DVD! I definitely plan on snagging it at some point in the NEAR future, though! Then, I plan on re-watching each and every episode! Once AGAIN, I'll be able to witness good 'ol 'James' and 'Artemus'--- defending 1880s America from the forces of evil! Long live the 'Wild Wild West'!