Young Dan'l Boone

This article is about the 1977 TV program. For the 1950 film, see Young Daniel Boone.
Young Dan'l Boone
Genre
Created byErnie Frankel
Directed byEarl Bellamy
Starring
Opening themeEarle Hagen
Ending themeEarle Hagen
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8 (4 unaired)
Production
Executive producerErnie Frankel
Production locationsSmoky Mountains, Tennessee
Running time60 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCBS
Release12 September (1977-09-12) –
4 October 1977 (1977-10-04)

Young Dan'l Boone is an American adventure drama series that was broadcast on CBS for four episodes from September 12 to October 4, 1977. The series follows famed American frontiersman Daniel Boone on his adventures before his marriage. His three companions are Peter Dawes, a 12-year-old English boy, a runaway slave named Hawk, and a Cherokee named Tsiskwa. Meanwhile, Rebecca Bryan waits at home hoping she and Daniel will marry someday.

The 1960s Daniel Boone series starring Fess Parker had been a commercial success, but was often mocked for its historical inaccuracies. The makers of Young Dan'l Boone sought to be more realistic. The series was shot on location in the Appalachian Mountains near where the real Daniel Boone grew up. The plots were based more on actual events.

Cast

Episodes

Details and descriptions taken from Radio Times listings:[1]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"The Trail Blazer"Earl BellamyDavid P. HarmonSeptember 12, 1977 (1977-09-12)
Dan'l finds himself in grave danger from a British spy working with the French militia to prevent him blazing a trail through forbidden territory.
2"The Pirate"Ernie PintoffAlbert AleySeptember 19, 1977 (1977-09-19)
Dan'l and his young friend Peter set off to deliver some furs, but run into trouble when the furs are stolen by a gang led by a renegade British ex-Army Sergeant.
3"The Salt Licks"Don McDougallRobert I. HoltSeptember 26, 1977 (1977-09-26)
Dan'l and Hawk run foul of hostile Shawnee Indians whilst helping a group of settlers to work a salt mine.
4"The Game"Arthur MarksOliver CrawfordOctober 4, 1977 (1977-10-04)[nb 1][2]
Three renegade Cherokee Indians accidentally kill a young squaw and blame two young white settlers. Dan'l, Hawk and Peter get involved in a dangerous ritual to try to prove the lads' innocence.
5"The Slaver"Don McDougall, Arthur MarksRobert I. HoltAugust 25, 1978 (1978-08-25) (UK) (UNAIRED IN US)
Dan'l, Hawk and Peter have to take drastic action against a so-called preacher when they find out that he and his party are in fact slavers, out to capture the local Indians.
6"The Haunted Mountain"Corey AllenAlbert AleySeptember 22, 1978 (1978-09-22) (UK) (UNAIRED IN US)
Dan'l agrees to act as guide for three men seeking a lost gold shipment, only to find that two of them are agents for the French.
7"The Plague"Arthur MarksMargaret Armen, Alf HarrisAugust 18, 1978 (1978-08-18) (UK) (UNAIRED IN US)
When a settler unwittingly kills a friendly Indian, Dan'l Boone agrees to undergo the traditional Indian trial of justice in his place.
8"The Warrior"Don McDougallMann RubinSeptember 8, 1978 (1978-09-08) (UK) (UNAIRED IN US)
Dan'l and Peter foil an attack by Creek warrior Indians on Tsiskwa's Cherokee village, with the help of an old Indian, Big Fox.

Guest stars

Guest stars included Cal Bellini (as Red Eagle), Jeremy Brett (as Langford), Kurt Kasznar (as Emil Van Diben), Clive Revill (as Teague), Len Birman (as Duval), Paul Shenar (as Hammond) and Richard Kiel[2] (as Grimm). Several actors from the nearby University of Tennessee theater department played recurring Native Americans.[citation needed]

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ October 4, 1977 was the series' "special night", as its usual Monday night time slot on October 3 was preempted for the Elvis in Concert special. It turned out to be its final telecast on CBS.

References

  1. ^ "Search - BBC Programme Index".
  2. ^ a b Louis H. Allgood, etc. "Young Dan'l Boone (1977)". CTVA. Retrieved 24 January 2021.