The Cowboys (TV series)

Last updated
The Cowboys
Cowboys 1974 241x208.jpeg
Main cast screenshot
Genre Western
Starring
Theme music composer John Williams
Opening themeOpen Prairies
Ending themeOpen Prairies (instrumental)
Composer Harry Sukman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes12
Production
Running time30 minutes
Production company Warner Bros. Television
Original release
Network ABC
Release6 February (1974-02-06) 
8 May 1974 (1974-05-08)

The Cowboys is an American Western television series based on the 1972 motion picture of the same name. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) television network from February 6 to May 8, 1974. The series starred Jim Davis, Diana Douglas, Moses Gunn, A Martinez, Robert Carradine and Clay O'Brien. David Dortort produced the series. The television show followed the exploits of seven boys who worked on a ranch in 1870s New Mexico.

Contents

The Cowboys was conceived as an hour-long series, but ABC decided to reduce the running time to a half-hour format. The format change did not lead to increased viewers, and the show was the victim of early cancellation. As a traditional television Western, it was an aberration compared to most television trends of the 1970s (as most had ended production several years prior, and only Gunsmoke was still in production by then).

Guest stars included Cal Bellini as Wa-Cha-Ka in "The Indian Givers", Kevin Hagen as Josh Redding in "Death on a Fast Horse", and Lurene Tuttle as Grandma Jesse in "Many a Good Horse Died".

Cast

Guest stars

Each guest star made only one appearance.

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