Laredo, with its blend of western comedy and high drama, is one of the best television westerns to be found. Laredo premiered in prime time as an episode of The Virginian and was such a big hit, with its wonderful cast, gorgeous color photography, western ambiance and tight, serio-comic scripts, that it was immediately signed for a full season.

Laredo

Season 1 Ep. 3: Yahoo

A New Hampshire deputy constable named Clendon Macmillan comes to Laredo with 9 years of experience, intending to improve the quality of the average Ranger. He would like to apply his modern law enforcement techniques to what he refers to as ” the most primitive law enforcement organization in the country – the Texas Rangers.” He is sent out with Reese, Chad, and Joe to track Running Antelope and Linda Little Trees. Chad and Joe take a fiendish delight enjoying the fact that no man has ever rubbed Reese the wrong way as easily as MacMillan does. They arrive at a town just raided by Running Antelope and find Linda Little Trees in jail. While the rest are having steaks with the Marshall Little Trees talks MacMillan into releasing her, saying she will take him to their hideout. He is taken prisoner and rescued by Reese, Chad and Joe. Upon their return to Laredo Parmalee offers MacMillan the toughest Ranger assignment ever but MacMillan declines saying he’s needed back in New Hampshire. Reese quickly informs him, “Stage leaves in twenty minutes.”

Laredo combined action with humor to tell the tales of three Company B Texas Rangers. Reese Bennett is older then his two partners, Chad Cooper and Joe Riley. Reese is in his forties and was previously a Union Army Officer. Chad was in the Border Patrol during the Civil War but is originally from New Orleans. He joined the Rangers to search for the gunrunners who helped ambush fellow border patrolmen. Joe was a gunfighter who was at times on the wrong side of the law and joined the rangers as protection from a sheriff or two. Chad and Joe love to tease Reese about his age. They had a Gunga Din like camaraderie.

They are lead by Captain Parmalee who was stern and disciplined. He would send them on their missions and many times was not amused by the shenanigans they got into. Erik Hunter joined them in the second season. Veteran actor Claude Akins played Ranger Cotton Buckmeister in 5 different episodes but never officially became part of the cast. The pilot, “We’ve Lost A Train”, appeared as an episode of The Virginian in April of 1965.

Reese’s horse Cactus was mentioned in several episodes. Chad’s horse was Amigo, which was Peter Brown’s own horse in real life.

Cast and Crew:

Neville Brand, Peter Brown and William Smith

Director: William Witney and others
Production Company: Universal TV
Original Air Date: 1965
Audio & Video: Mono – Color

AAdditional details in:

Laredo in IMDB | Laredo in Wikipedia

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