Television Western Players of the Fifties: A Biographical Encyclopedia of All Regular Cast Members in Western Series, 1949-1959 - Hardcover

Aaker, Everett

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0786402849 ISBN 13: 9780786402847

Publisher: McFarland Publishing, 1997

Synopsis

This encyclopedia includes every actor and actress who had a regular role in a television western from 1949 through 1959. The entries cite biographical and family details, accounts of how the player first broke into show business, and details of roles played, as well as opinions from the actors and their contemporaries. A full accounting of film, serial, and television credits is also included. The appendix lists 84 television westerns, with dates, show times, themes, and stars.

About this title

About the Author:

Everett Aaker is also the author of Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters (2006) and lives in England.

From Booklist:

The golden age of TV westerns was the 1950s, as evidenced by this reference book on cast members. The author has tried to include every actor who had a regular role during that decade. The 300 entries cover both major and bit players. Women make up less than 20 percent of the total.

Each alphabetically arranged entry includes professional and personal details about the actor's life, in most cases including how they broke into the business and how they survived after their series ended. Some entries note contemporaries' opinions about the actor. A filmography, television series list, and list of sources provide valuable information as well. About a third of the entries include photos, which are not cross-referenced when they show several actors. Entries range in length from half a page to several pages (six pages for Roy Rogers). To some degree, the amount of information depended on the cooperation of the actor as well as the availability of printed material. The writing itself is engaging and clear.

An alphabetical television series catalog with dates, production information, synopses, times, and key players follows the entries. A bibliography and index complete the volume. This one-stop reference should intrigue the TV-and Western-ophile. For bigger collections with a need in this area.

About this edition

• Publisher: McFarland Publishing
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0786402849
• ISBN 13: 9780786402847
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 576