Old Western TV Shows: 15 Classic Series From TV's Cowboy Era
In the late 1950s, westerns dominated American prime time. Here are fifteen classic western TV shows, from Gunsmoke's twenty-year run to cult favorites, and where to watch them now.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, westerns were the most popular genre on American television, and at times the networks ran dozens of them a week. These old western TV shows are the best remembered. Years refer to the original US runs.
The big ones
| Show | Years | What it was about |
|---|---|---|
| Gunsmoke | 1955–1975 | Marshal Matt Dillon keeps the peace in Dodge City; one of the longest-running prime-time dramas |
| Bonanza | 1959–1973 | The Cartwright family on the Ponderosa ranch |
| Wagon Train | 1957–1965 | A wagon train heading west, with new guest stories each week |
| Rawhide | 1959–1965 | Cattle drovers on the trail; an early role for Clint Eastwood |
| The Rifleman | 1958–1963 | A widowed rancher raising his son |
| Have Gun – Will Travel | 1957–1963 | Paladin, a gentleman gunfighter for hire |
| Maverick | 1957–1962 | Card-playing brothers; a western with a sense of humor |
| The Virginian | 1962–1971 | One of the first 90-minute western series |
Early TV cowboys
- The Lone Ranger (1949–1957): the masked rider and Tonto, from radio to TV.
- The Roy Rogers Show (1951–1957): the singing cowboy for families.
- The Adventures of Kit Carson and Hopalong Cassidy: early serial-style westerns aimed at kids.
Sixties favorites and cult picks
- Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958–1961): a bounty hunter with a sawed-off rifle; a young Steve McQueen.
- Daniel Boone (1964–1970): frontier adventure.
- The Big Valley (1965–1969): a matriarch running a California ranch.
- The Wild Wild West (1965–1969): secret agents with gadgets in the Old West; a cult favorite.
- High Chaparral (1967–1971): a ranching family in Arizona Territory.
Why westerns faded from TV
By the late 1960s, audiences and advertisers were moving toward contemporary dramas, comedies and younger viewers. The number of westerns on the schedule fell year by year, and when Gunsmoke ended in 1975, the era of the TV western was effectively over, though the genre returned now and then in miniseries and later dramas.
Where to watch old western TV shows
- Classic TV and western-themed channels on broadcast subchannels and cable air them daily.
- Free ad-supported streaming services often have dedicated western channels.
- DVD box sets of complete series, available from many libraries.
- Some early episodes and films are in the public domain; see public domain movies.
For more classic television, see our guide to old TV shows by decade.
Questions
What was the longest-running western TV show?
Gunsmoke, which ran for 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975.
Why were there so many westerns on TV?
Westerns were already popular in film and radio, were affordable to produce, and drew broad family audiences in the 1950s.
Where can I watch Bonanza and Gunsmoke?
On classic TV channels, some streaming services and DVD box sets; check current listings in your area.
What is a good western TV show for beginners?
The Rifleman or Have Gun – Will Travel: half-hour episodes with complete stories.
