Broken Arrow (TV series)


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Broken Arrow is a Western television series that ran on ABC-TV in prime time from September 25, 1956, through September 18, 1960.[1].The show was based on the 1947 novel Blood Brothers, by Elliott Arnold, which had been made into a film in 1950, starring James Stewart as Tom Jeffords and Jeff Chandler playing as Cochise.

Broken Arrow
GenreWestern
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes72 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time30 minutes
Production company20th Century-Fox Television
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseSeptember 25, 1956 –
June 24, 1958
 
Anthony Caruso, John Lupton as Tom Jeffords and Michael Ansara as Cochise, 1957.

Broken Arrow was set in the 1870s.[2] The main characters were Tom Jeffords, an Indian agent, and Cochise, an Apache Chief.[1]

The program differed from other Westerns because Jeffords and Cochise were equal in stature and respected each other. They practiced tolerance of each other.[3]

The series was based on the novel Blood Brother by Elliott Arnold.[5][6] Series co-star John Lupton noted that the production tried to stay as true to the book as possible.[7]

Mel Epstein was the producer; directors included Alvin Ganzer, and writers included Clark E. Reynolds.[8] The show was filmed at 20th Century Fox Studios.[9] The sponsor was General Electric's Appliance and Television Receiver Division.[8]

The pilot included some stock footage that was used in the Broken Arrow film, and Lupton wore the costume that Stewart wore in the film. Use of the costume continued in the series.[2]

Lupton noted that at one point episodes began concentrating on Jeffords, but the original format was restored after the audience began to diminish.[7]

Location shooting took place at Fox Ranch in Malibu Canyon and Vaquez Rocks.[10]

The pilot for Broken Arrow was broadcast on May 2, 1956, as an episode of The 20th Century Fox Hour. Lupton portrayed Jeffords, with Ricardo Montalban as Cochise and Anthony Caruso as Geronimo.[4]

Broken Arrow initially was on Tuesdays from 9 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern time. From April 1960 through the end of its run it was on Sundays from 7 to 7:30 p.m. E. T Reruns were shown on Sunday afternoons during the 1959-60 TV season.[1] Its competition included To Tell the Truth on CBS and Dotto on NBC.[11]

Cochise was the name used for the series in syndication.[9]

Donald Kirkley wrote in The Baltimore Sun, "Broken Arrow is hitting the bulls-eye and setting a good example."[3] Kirkley noted that "some soft-pedalling" occurred in adapting content from the book to the TV show, but he concluded, "It's a good story, and if it helps to give some viewers a new perspective on the Indian's version of our history, it will be doing an excellent service."[3]

A review in the trade publication Broadcasting noted "obvious handicaps (and a too obvious plot)" and called Broken Arrow "a passable show".[8] It said that Lupton's "appearance does not convey the rugged impression the job demands."[8]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (7th ed.). New York: The Ballentine Publishing Group. p. 132. ISBN 0-345-42923-0.
  2. ^ a b Harris, Harry (January 2, 1957). "John Lupton Achieved Eminence In Wild West by Way of Mae West". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 28. Retrieved June 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c Kirkley, Donald (October 28, 1956). "'Broken Arrow' Hits The Bulls-Eye". The Baltimore Sun. p. A 19. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b Terrace, Vincent (January 17, 2020). Encyclopedia of Television Pilots: 2,470 Films Broadcast 1937-2019, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 284. ISBN 978-1-4766-3810-2. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  5. ^ "Broken Arrow, ABC-TV". Billboard. August 18, 1956. p. 32. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  6. ^ West, Richard (1987). Television Westerns: Major and Minor Series, 1946-1978. McFarland & Company. p. 24. ISBN 9780899502526.
  7. ^ a b Powers, Forrest (April 9, 1957). "Hero Flope in Role of Sleepy Father". The Minneapolis Star. p. 7 B. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b c d "Broken Arrow". Broadcasting. October 1, 1956. pp. 16, 18. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  9. ^ a b McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 121. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  10. ^ Aaker, Everett (2017-06-08). Television Western Players, 1960-1975: A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-4766-6250-3.
  11. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (October 6, 2015). Short-Lived Television Series, 1948-1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops. McFarland. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-4766-0515-9. Retrieved June 26, 2024.