The Restless Gun

American Western television series

The Restless Gun

Title card

Genre| Western
Directed by|

* Christian Nyby
* Edward Ludwig
* Sam Strangis
* Earl Bellamy
* Justus Addiss

Starring| John Payne
Narrated by| John Payne
Composers|

* Paul Dunlap
* Dave Kahn
* Stanley Wilson

Country of origin| United States
Original language| English
No. of seasons| 2
No. of episodes| 78
Production
Executive producer| John Payne
Producers|

* David Dortort
* Felix Jackson

Production location| American Southwest
Running time| 30 minutes
Production companies|

* Window Glen Productions
* Revue Studios

Original release
Network| NBC
Release| September 23, 1957 (1957-09-23) –
June 22, 1959 (1959-06-22)
Related

* The Texan
* Cheyenne

The Restless Gun is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an idealistic person who prefers peaceful resolutions of conflict wherever possible. He is gregarious, intelligent, and public-spirited. The half-hour black-and-white program aired 78 episodes (including the pilot episode in which the John Payne character's name is Britt Ponsett, the name of James Stewart's character in the 1953-54 old-time radio series The Six Shooter, upon which The Restless Gun television series was originally based).

The Restless Gun theme song (officially titled "I Ride With the Wind") begins: "I ride with the wind, my eyes on the sun, and my hand on my restless gun..."

John Payne as Vint Bonner and villain Gene Baroda: The dual role in the 1959 episode "Dead Ringer" ended with a shootout between his two characters. John Payne portrait for The Restless Gun in 1957

## Episodes

[edit]

### Season 1: 1957–58

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original release date

|
|
|
|
|

0| 0| "Pilot ('Red Lawson's Revenge')"| Robert Florey| N.B. Stone Jr.| March 29, 1957 (1957-03-29)
1| 1| "Duel at Lockwood"| Justus Addiss| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Dortort| September 23, 1957 (1957-09-23)
2| 2| "Trail to Sunset"| Justus Addiss| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Herbert Little Jr. & David Victor| September 30, 1957 (1957-09-30)
3| 3| "Revenge at Harness Creek"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Jack Jacobs & Malvin Wald| October 7, 1957 (1957-10-07)
4| 4| "Rink"| James Neilson| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Dortort| October 14, 1957 (1957-10-14)
5| 5| "Jenny"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Marion Hargrove| October 21, 1957 (1957-10-21)
6| 6| "The Shooting of Jett King"| Justus Addiss| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : John Payne| October 28, 1957 (1957-10-28)
7| 7| "Jody"| Allen H. Miner| Story by : H.A. De Russo
Teleplay by : Gene L. Coon| November 4, 1957 (1957-11-04)
8| 8| "General Gilford's Widow"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Halsey Malone| November 11, 1957 (1957-11-11)
9| 9| "The New Sheriff"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Dean Riesner| November 18, 1957 (1957-11-18)
10| 10| "Man and Boy"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Victor| November 25, 1957 (1957-11-25)
11| 11| "Cheyenne Express"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Christopher Knopf| December 2, 1957 (1957-12-02)
12| 12| "Thicker Than Water"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Kenneth Gamet| December 9, 1957 (1957-12-09)
13| 13| "Silver Threads"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Marion Hargrove| December 16, 1957 (1957-12-16)
14| 14| "The Child"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : John Payne
Teleplay by : Herbert Little Jr. & David Victor| December 23, 1957 (1957-12-23)
15| 15| "The Gold Buckle"| Justus Addiss| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Dan Mainwaring| December 30, 1957 (1957-12-30)
16| 16| "The Coward"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Christopher Knopf| January 6, 1958 (1958-01-06)
17| 17| "Friend in Need"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : William Tunberg| January 13, 1958 (1958-01-13)
18| 18| "Strange Family in Town"| Earl Bellamy| Lawrence Goldman| January 20, 1958 (1958-01-20)
19| 19| "Hang and Be Damned"| Earl Bellamy| Story by : Talmadge Powell
Teleplay by : David Dortort| January 27, 1958 (1958-01-27)
20| 20| "Quiet City"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Alvin Sapinsley| February 3, 1958 (1958-02-03)
21| 21| "Hornitas Town"| Edward Ludwig| Jack Natteford & Luci Ward| February 10, 1958 (1958-02-10)
22| 22| "Imposter for a Day"| Earl Bellamy| Jack Laird & Wilton Schiller| February 17, 1958 (1958-02-17)
23| 23| "A Pressing Engagement"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Mary C McCall Jr.| February 24, 1958 (1958-02-24)
24| 24| "Woman from Sacramento"| Edward Ludwig| Halsey Malone| March 3, 1958 (1958-03-03)
25| 25| "Sheriff Billy"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Herbert Little Jr. & David Victor| March 10, 1958 (1958-03-10)
26| 26| "The Hand Is Quicker"| Earl Bellamy| Arthur Weiss| March 17, 1958 (1958-03-17)
27| 27| "The Suffragette"| Edward Ludwig| Charles B. Smith| March 24, 1958 (1958-03-24)
28| 28| "The Whip"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Oliver Crawford| March 31, 1958 (1958-03-31)
29| 29| "The Crisis at Easter Creek"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Jess Carneol & Kay Lenard| April 7, 1958 (1958-04-07)
30| 30| "Aunt Emma"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Al Martin| April 14, 1958 (1958-04-14)
31| 31| "The Outlander"| Edward Ludwig| Herbert Little Jr. & David Victor| April 21, 1958 (1958-04-21)
32| 32| "The Battle of Tower Rock"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Howard J. Green| April 28, 1958 (1958-04-28)
33| 33| "The Torn Flag"| Edward Ludwig| Alvin Sapinsley| May 5, 1958 (1958-05-05)
34| 34| "Hiram Grover's Strike"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Dortort| May 12, 1958 (1958-05-12)
35| 35| "The Gold Star"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : John Payne
Teleplay by : Alvin Sapinsley| May 19, 1958 (1958-05-19)
36| 36| "More Than Kin"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Dortort| May 26, 1958 (1958-05-26)
37| 37| "The Manhunters"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Richard J. Harper
Teleplay by : Herbert Little Jr. & David Victor| June 2, 1958 (1958-06-02)
38| 38| "The Peddler"| Edward Ludwig| John Tucker Battle| June 9, 1958 (1958-06-09)
39| 39| "Gratitude"| Edward Ludwig| Arnold Belgard| June 16, 1958 (1958-06-16)

### Season 2: 1958–59

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original release date

|
|
|
|
|

40| 1| "Jebediah Bonner"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Will Cook
Teleplay by : John Payne| September 22, 1958 (1958-09-22)
41| 2| "Day of the Dragon"| Justus Addiss| John Tucker Battle| September 29, 1958 (1958-09-29)
42| 3| "Mercyday"| Edward Ludwig| Charles B. Smith| October 6, 1958 (1958-10-06)
43| 4| "Thunder Alley"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Hal G. Evarts
Teleplay by : Hal G. Evarts| October 13, 1958 (1958-10-13)
44| 5| "The Nowhere Kid"| Edward Ludwig| Mary C. McCall Jr.| October 20, 1958 (1958-10-20)
45| 6| "Bonner's Squaw"| Edward Ludwig| Joel Kane & Lee Karson| November 3, 1958 (1958-11-03)
46| 7| "Tomboy"| Edward Ludwig| Marion Hargrove| November 10, 1958 (1958-11-10)
47| 8| "Remember the Dead"| Justus Addiss| Hendrik Vollaerts| November 17, 1958 (1958-11-17)
48| 9| "No Way to Kill"| Edward Ludwig| John Falvo| November 24, 1958 (1958-11-24)
49| 10| "Take Me Home"| Edward Ludwig| Newt Arnold & David Cross| December 1, 1958 (1958-12-01)
50| 11| "Multiply One Boy"| Edward Ludwig| Lee Berg & Lawrence Menkin| December 8, 1958 (1958-12-08)
51| 12| "Peligroso"| Justus Addiss| Thomas Thompson| December 15, 1958 (1958-12-15)
52| 13| "A Bell for Santo Domingo"| Edward Ludwig| Richard Newman| December 22, 1958 (1958-12-22)
53| 14| "The Way Back"| Edward Ludwig| Robert Leslie Bellem & Frank Bonham| December 29, 1958 (1958-12-29)
54| 15| "The Painted Beauty"| Justus Addiss| Halsey Melone| January 5, 1959 (1959-01-05)
55| 16| "Shadow of a Gunfighter"| Edward Ludwig| Herman J. Groves| January 12, 1959 (1959-01-12)
56| 17| "The Lady and the Gun"| Edward Ludwig| Story by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Dortort| January 19, 1959 (1959-01-19)
57| 18| "Blood of Courage"| Edward Ludwig| Ronald Bishop| February 2, 1959 (1959-02-02)
58| 19| "Better Than a Cannon"| Edward Ludwig| John Tucker Battle| February 9, 1959 (1959-02-09)
59| 20| "The Dead Ringer"| Edward Ludwig| John Tucker Battle| February 16, 1959 (1959-02-16)
60| 21| "The Last Grey Man"| Justus Addiss| Richard Newman| February 23, 1959 (1959-02-23)
61| 22| "Melany"| Justus Addiss| Herman J. Groves| March 2, 1959 (1959-03-02)
62| 23| "Ricochet"| Justus Addiss| Fanya Lawrence & Ted Thomas| March 9, 1959 (1959-03-09)
63| 24| "Dead Man's Hand"| Justus Addiss| Harry Kronman| March 16, 1959 (1959-03-16)
64| 25| "The Sweet Sisters"| Sam Strangis| Joel Kane & Lee Karson| March 23, 1959 (1959-03-23)
65| 26| "Incident at Bluefield"| Edward Ludwig| Herman J. Groves| March 30, 1959 (1959-03-30)
66| 27| "The Pawn"| Edward Ludwig| Charles B. Smith| April 6, 1959 (1959-04-06)
67| 28| "Four Lives"| Edward Ludwig| Thomas Thompson| April 13, 1959 (1959-04-13)
68| 29| "One on the House"| Edward Ludwig| Norman Daniels| April 20, 1959 (1959-04-20)
69| 30| "Code for a Killer"| Sam Strangis| Hal Fimberg & Frank Waldman| April 27, 1959 (1959-04-27)
70| 31| "Mme. Brimstone"| Sam Strangis| Adele Buffington| May 4, 1959 (1959-05-04)
71| 32| "Lady by Law"| Sam Strangis| Norman Daniels| May 11, 1959 (1959-05-11)
72| 33| "Ride with the Devil"| Sam Strangis| Nat Tanchuck| May 18, 1959 (1959-05-18)
73| 34| "A Trial for Jenny May"| Sam Strangis| John Tucker Battle| May 25, 1959 (1959-05-25)
74| 35| "The Cavis Boy"| Sam Strangis| Ronald Bishop & Wells Root| June 1, 1959 (1959-06-01)
75| 36| "The Englishman"| Sam Strangis| Story by : Lester Wm. Berke & Robert J. Black Jr.
Teleplay by : Lester Wm. Berke, Robert J. Black Jr., & Richard Newman| June 8, 1959 (1959-06-08)
76| 37| "A Very Special Investigator"| Edward Ludwig| Arnold Belgard| June 15, 1959 (1959-06-15)
77| 38| "The Hill of Death"| Sam Strangis| Joe Stone| June 22, 1959 (1959-06-22)

## Selected guest stars

[edit]

* Fred Aldrich
* Claude Akins
* Jimmy Baird
* Trevor Bardette
* Baynes Barron
* Jeanne Bates
* Bea Benaderet
* Robert Blake
* Dan Blocker
* Leslie Bradley
* Henry Brandon
* Edgar Buchanan
* Robert Burton
* Anthony Caruso
* Peggie Castle
* Andy Clyde
* James Coburn
* Iron Eyes Cody
* Johnny Crawford
* Royal Dano
* George Dolenz
* Jack Elam
* John Ericson
* Paul Fix
* James Gleason
* John Goddard
* Don Grady
* Tom Greenway
* Dabbs Greer
* Robert Griffin
* Herman Hack
* Alan Hale Jr.
* Chick Hannan
* Carol Henry
* Bern Hoffman
* Clark Howat
* I. Stanford Jolley
* Don Kennedy
* Ethan Laidlaw
* Charles Lane
* Rusty Lane
* Ruta Lee
* Herbert Lytton
* Ted Mapes
* Rod McGaughy
* Joyce Meadows
* Ewing Mitchell
* Read Morgan
* J. Carrol Naish
* James Nolan
* Gregg Palmer
* Hank Patterson
* William Phipps
* Joe Ploski
* Denver Pyle
* Anthony Ray
* Roy Roberts
* Irene Ryan
* Frank J. Scannell
* George Selk
* Fred Sherman
* Olan Soule
* Onslow Stevens
* Boyd Stockman
* Glenn Strange
* Brick Sullivan
* Guy Teague
* Robert Tetrick
* Regis Toomey
* Rip Torn
* Lurene Tuttle
* Charles Wagenheim
* James Westmoreland
* Guinn Williams

## Home media

[edit]

On March 1, 2010, Timeless Media Group released a three-disc best-of set featuring 24 episodes from the series.[1]

On April 23, 2013, Timeless Media released Restless Gun: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1.[2] The 9-disc set features all 78 episodes of the series.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Restless Gun". Amazon. March 2010.
2. ^ "The Restless Gun DVD news: Announcement for the Restless Gun - the Complete Series | TVShowsOnDVD.com". Archived from the original on November 28, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2012.

## External links

[edit]

* The Restless Gun at IMDb

*[No.]: Number