Stoney Burke “The Contenders”

 

I viewed the 1^st episode of this 1962 contemporary Western TV series set in the world of rodeo.

This episode stars Jack Lord as Stoney Burke, our rodeo man in pursuit of the Gold Buckle. Lord handles this role well.

Equally fine are co-stars Bruce Dern and a superlative Warren Oates.

Fans of the Steve McQueen rodeo film Junior Bonner should find much to enjoy here. [For the Record: If not for the miscasting of Robert Preston in Junior Bonner I offer that it might be Steve’s finest performance as a laconic charmer.]

Fans of the original The Outer Limits might be surprised that the creator of that show, Leslie Stevens, is the man behind this rodeo oater.

I must say, based off of this single episode, I’ll dig in for more of this single-season series.

Bonus: They use stock footage of rodeo from the early 60s period and it is RUGGED stuff. You don’t see it like this anymore—these riders don’t even mount up with a mouthpiece, it’s all Cowboy, here.

Old School Fun!