Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Wild Bill Hickock" - Gundown Tunnel (Aired October 21, 1953)


Wild Bill started on the radio in 1951 as a kids western show. It emphasized the tracking down the bad guys and fighting for the law rather than the shootin, poker playin, rough and tumble Civil War vet, who lies about his life to get good publicity aspects of Wild Bill’s life. The show is in the tradition of the Lone Ranger and the Cisco Kid. Guy Madison starred as Bill with Andy Devine as his sidekick, Jingles. (Now there’s a name you want to go through Hollywood with.) This Wild Bill Hickock was quick with his fists and a quip, but Jingles (dear god that nickname) got all his glory by using his immense girth to fight the bad guys. Jingles if you couldn’t tell was the comedic element in the series. And what is it with overweight sidekicks in westerns? See Cisco Kid’s partner, the jolly and rotund Pancho. Give the horses a break. The radio program lasted until 1954. The television show was started at the same time in 1951 and lasted until 1958.

THIS EPISODE:

October 21, 1953. Program #176. Mutual network. "Gundown Tunnel". Sponsored by: Kellogg's Sugar Corn Pops, Variety. Rockeset is the meanest and smartest outlaw in the whole west. He plans to have Wild Bill and Jingles kill each other! The system cue is added live. Guy Madison, Andy Devine, Joseph Du Val, Forrest Lewis, Larry Hayes (writer), David Hire (producer), Richard Aurandt (music), Charles Lyon (announcer), Paul Pierce (director). 25:46. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.