Lengthy earlier than Yellowstone dominated the ideas of these with the phrases “westward growth” on their minds, the Western was a style mainstay on community tv. Every of the Large Three (NBC, ABC, and CBS) had their very own applications dedicated to the mythic days of the Previous West, typically placing gunslingers, lawmen, and ranchers into hurt’s manner of their makes an attempt to see that justice prevails. However in 1966, ABC tried one thing a bit completely different with Iron Horsewhich starred Dale Robertson because the poker-playing, womanizing Ben Calhoun, who discovered his manner into the railroad enterprise on a whim and a few luck.
‘Iron Horse’ Embodied the Time period “Westward Growth” Via the American Railroad
After Robertson had left Jim Hardie of Tales of Wells Fargo behind (and earlier than he jumped into the saddle as the ultimate host of Loss of life Valley Days), he pivoted away from banks and phases with Scalplock. Sure, that is proper, earlier than Iron Horse (generally referred to as The Iron Horsealthough to not be confused with the 1924 John Ford epic of the identical title) was greenlit by the community, the story of Ben Calhoun started as a made-for-TV movie manufacturing that launched the world to this high-minded gamblerwho wins the budding railroad in a card sport. Nevertheless, not all the pieces is simply positive and dandy for Calhoun, as a result of, just like the Dutton’s of Yellowstone‘s previous (notably in a collection like 1883), the West had but to be totally received and Buffalo Cross, Scalplock, and Defiance Line have been left incomplete. Iron Horsethen, would try to complete the job.
Within the first season of Iron HorseCalhoun is joined by development engineer Dave Tarrant (Gary Collins), crewman Nils Torvald (Roger Torrey), and the youthful clerk Barnabas Rogers (Robert Random), who held on Calhoun’s each phrase. Collectively, these 4 continued the railroad follow by furthering the trade westward. Coping with all of the classical Western black hats, from renegades and desperados to rampaging Indians and crooked bankers and businessmen, Iron Horse was nothing wanting thrilling for viewers, even when Calhoun’s advances towards the alternative intercourse have not aged effectively. Nonetheless, in keeping with Robertson in a 1966 interview“This present can have all the pieces that Wells Fargo had or Wagon Practicesolely a lot extra.” Speak about excessive promise. For contemporary-day followers of Yellowstonethe semi-soapy tackle the Previous West full of dynamic characters and big-name visitor stars (like Gene Hackmanconsider it or not) shall be greater than sufficient to maintain Dutton-lovers engaged. In fact, issues acquired much more dramatic in Season 2.
Horror Legend Ellen Burstyn Joined ‘Iron Horse’ in Season 2 To Spherical Out the All-Male Solid
Every part modified for Iron Horse within the second season. To infuse the present with a feminine perspective and a few recent blood after a reliable (however unchallenging) first season, the ABC program forged none aside from future The Exorcist star Ellen Burstyn (then credited as Ellen McRae) as freight station and Scalplock Basic Retailer operator Julie Parsons, who was one thing of a foil to Robertson’s ever-charasmatic Calhoun. The main man clearly took curiosity, and for the present’s ultimate 17 episodes, Julie — who will not be fairly as unstable as Kelly Reilly‘s Beth Dutton — was a recurring presence who confirmed him that there was extra to life on the market. Though she solely appeared in 9 episodes, Burstyn’s Julie made an impression on the collection by difficult Calhoun’s outdated and simplistic imaginative and prescient for what his enterprise could possibly be. However regardless of her inclusion, the change in character was not sufficient to avoid wasting the collection from cancellation.
After 47 episodes, two seasons, and a pilot movie, ABC pulled the plug on The Iron Horse in 1968. No specific purpose was given for its cancellation, main us to solely speculate as to why the railroad was by no means accomplished. It may have been that the style was already fading within the late ’60s, resulting in the eventual rural purge of 1971. Nevertheless, it is extra doubtless that the scores weren’t fairly the hit that the community doubtless hoped it might be. Not even the swap from Monday nights within the first season to Sundays within the second may save Iron Horseand this system has largely light into obscurity in consequence. Nonetheless, it is a two-season Western program actually worthy of bingingand has been remembered by style fans in every single place for being Dale Robertson’s strong follow-up to his most well-known Western program. For Burstyn, nevertheless, it was solely a small blip on her radar till she made it to the horror style.
Iron Horse is on the market for streaming on The Roku Channel.
