Product Description

No Description Available.
Genre: Television
Rating: NR
Release Date: 20-FEB-2007
Media Type: DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10059 in DVD
• Brand: DUEL,PETER
• Released on: 2007-02-20
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 4
• Dimensions: .48 pounds
• Running time: 782 minutes

Amazon.com
This warm, comedic western appeared on televisions a year after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was a surprise blockbuster. Both lighthearted Westerns follow two outlaws who have won the hearts of the public. In TV bandit version, it's because "they never killed anyone" while being ever-so-charming as they steal from banks and trains. In the pilot episode (which aired as a TV movie in January 1971, followed two weeks later by the series), the premise is set: Hannibal Heyes (Pete Duel) and 'Kid' Curry (Ben Johnson) want to go straight when they discover the governor is offering amnesty, a historical fact. However, it's stipulated they need to go "straight" for a year before amnesty will be given. So they rename themselves Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones as they attempt to go straight, but lawmen--unknown of the secret deal--are on their heels. Usually the pair goes out of the way to stop a crime from other bandits. A good double-cross is usually thrown in too. Heyes/Smith is the brainier one with an eye for the ladies. Curry/Jones is more brawny (a relative term), possessing the proverbial "fastest gun in the west." Highlights of the 14 episodes includes "Wrong Train to Brimstone," as the two board a train of detectives looking for Heyes and Curry, and "A Fistful of Diamonds" where we don't know who is conning who. The revolving door of guest stars is pretty impressive. Susan St. James, Earl Holliman, and Forest Tucker appear in the pilot. Later shows find Burl Ives as a gambler, Susan Strasberg as a casino owner, Fernando Lamas as a mentor of Heyes', Keenan Wynn as a stationmaster who captures the bandits, plus Juliet Mills, Patrick Macnee, L.Q. Jones, Slim Pickens, Sam Jaffe, and J.D. Cannon, who appears in several episodes as a detective on the trail. Add those talents to the easygoing charm of the two stars, and even the thinnest story is enjoyable to watch.

This was the first show Glen A. Larson (Magnum, P.I. , Knight Rider) created and produced. His copy of the Butch formula (and the some extent, the previous comedic TV western Maverick) worked well enough for the struggling ABC network to quickly order a second season (the show was especially a hit with the younger set). However, by the end of 1971, the tragic suicide of Duel made the show a dead end, despite the addition of Sally Field and instantly recasting Smith with Roger Davis (who supplied the show's opening narration up to that point). A flash in the pan (50 episodes) seen year later holds up well enough, and has been preserved to supply an excellent picture quality. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews

"Curiosity is a vice. It's one of the few I don't have"-Hannibal Heyes 4 1/2 stars
Finally this classic western is released to DVD! Universal has done a fine job the shows themselves look extremely good (with just a bit of dirt and grit during the opening montage for each episode--probably due to the original source elements). We get the entire first season of the series as well as the TV movie that essentially served as a pilot episode for the series. While the tone differed a bit from the pilot, the series is equally as good with top notch production values and acting.

The story revolves around Hannibal Heyes (Pete Duel) and Kid Curry (Ben Murphy)a pair of robbers who never killed anyone as they broke the law (although interestingly, Roger Davis who went on to play Hannibal Heyes played a villian that WAS killed by Curry)during the regular season. They're given an option to go straight by the governor (they see a handbill offering amnesty to criminals who haven't committed any murders)--if they can stay clean for an entire year. It'll be their secret until the 12 months (probably in case it fails) are up but that also means the guys are fair game for bounty hunters who may discover their identity. Trouble follows them wherever they go though and they end up performing one good deed after another hoping that they don't get caught in the gun of someone's crosshairs since the original wanted poster still says "Dead or Alive".

The first season set include the pilot movie plus the first 14 episodes of the show (the show was a mid-season replacement which is why it doesn't have a full season of 22-24 episodes). While clearly inspired by "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" the film achieves its own quirky tone by the first regular season episode. Duel and Murphy's charm and chemistry on camera is immediately evident. 30 plus years later the show still retains its charm.

The show looks good in its first ever DVD presentation. Colors have faded a bit (but that's to be expected given the age of the show)and some of the stock footage (including the opening for the pilot)has some dirt, grit and a bit of wear and tear evident but overall the show looks darn good. The guest star list is a who's who of TV from the 70's including Early Holliman, Forrest Tucket and Susan Saint and James Drury--just in the pilot episode alone! Later guest stars would include Burl Ives, Slim Pickens and Sally Field among many others.

The lone extra here is a commentary track by co-creator/co-writer/producer Glen A. Larson. While there are some stretches of silence Larson's comments are intelligent, observant and has trivia about how the series came to be produced. He notes that the amnesty plot that makes the series different from other westerns was real and, in fact, was offered to Butch and Sundance as well as the real Kid Curry. When news of the amnesty was delayed, they got mad and robbed a bank blowing their chance of receiving it! I'm hoping Universal will contact both Ben Murphy (perhaps a commentary on the second season) and Roger Davis (a commentary on season three)and provide us with more extras next time. Let's hope Universal will provide us with a featurette on the series popularity, Pete Duel's tragic death and the changes to the show afterwards. Duel's suicide really spelled the end of the series because, while Roger Davis was terrific in taking on the role, it cast a shadow over the humorous action packed series. I suspect though that Universal will only provide extras on this first season set but am hopeful that it sells well enough to warrant further releases and extras.

Too good to be this "unknown"
I have all my "biggies" from the 70's. Columbo, Kung Fu, AITF, Rockford; I'm sure you guys know the long list. Anyway, I had never heard of this show much less "seen" it before. How can this be? This show is FANTASTIC!! I had some extra bucks laying around, plus I did like Pete Duel from Gidget even though I didn't care for the show; so I gambled. Well, the chemistry and writing are top notch, the story is interesting, and the humor is perfect, I couldn't be more pleased.

Sadly, this isn't a full season of 22-24 eps, though 15 seems enough I suppose. The transfer quality is pretty good for a show this old, the sound is standard fare, but they really did a nice job with the boxart and ONE sided discs. Gary A. Larsons commentary is generally helpful (when he speaks) and I find it a bit funny he says this is "one of his favorite shows" he has produced, I had to read between the lines but when I saw he was also the creator of Night Rider, I quickly realized he meant this IS his favorite but he was too polite to say:) C'mon, Alias Smith and Jones... or drek from the 80's like Night Rider? Gah.

As a side note; of course I am still generally shocked of Pete Duel's fate. I see his amazing smile, witness his relentless talent, and shake my head in disbelief.... how can it BE? R.I.P. Mr. Duel.

Yay! HooRay! Finally!
What we've been waiting for so long has come! Finding the pilot on VHS 7 years ago was great, and I was happy to see it again after so long.

I spent so many years searching for this show to be broadcast somewhere, then nearly two years ago Encore Westerns began to run the series, and I thought that was the best there could be--I finally got to see all of the episodes (with the exception of the second season opener), many I hadn't seen for 30+ years! Now to have the first season out on commercially produced DVDs (with seasons 2 and 3 not far behind, I hope!) this is the very best! Please let there be outtakes, let there be interviews, let there be behind the scenes!

Thank you Universal! You have made many, many people very happy!