Hec Ramsey


Hec Ramsey is a television Western series that aired on NBC from 1972 to 1974, starring Richard Boone. The series was created by Jack Webb's production company, Mark VII Limited in association with Universal's television productions. The series was first broadcast in the United States by NBC as part of the NBC Mystery Movie, a wheel series format.

Overview

The series was one of the first television Westerns set in the early 20th century, at a time when viewer interest in the old West was waning. Two contemporary series with a similar setting were Nichols, starring James Garner and Bearcats! starring Rod Taylor and Dennis Cole; the latter was set in 1914.
Producer Jack Webb described Hec Ramsey as "Dragnet meets John Wayne" and critics picked up on that. The scripts balanced authentic "modern" investigative methods of the 1900s with action and adventure.
in McCloud, top right: Richard Boone in Hec Ramsey, bottom left: Peter Falk in Columbo, bottom right: Rock Hudson in McMillan & Wife.
Richard Boone portrayed Hector "Hec" Ramsey, a former gunfighter turned lawman, with a keen interest in the emerging field of forensics. Hec replaced his "gunfighter" rig with a cut-down Colt revolver - "Faster draw, good at short range. Use a rifle for long" that echoed modern detectives' guns - but his most important tools included fingerprinting equipment, magnifying lenses, which enabled him to determine the perpetrators of crimes with greater accuracy.
The series follows Ramsey after he accepts the position of deputy police chief in the fictional town of New Prospect, Oklahoma.
In the series' pilot, "The Century Turns", set in 1901, Hec meets New Prospect's chief of police, Oliver B. Stamp, a young, inexperienced lawman who needs help and after some initial friction, the two men develop a working relationship. They are frequently accompanied by a colorful local doctor, Amos Coogan.
Despite good ratings, the series was canceled after two seasons, following disagreements between Boone and Universal. Douglas Benton and creator Harold Jack Bloom were the producers; Jack Webb was executive producer.
Among the guest stars in the series' 10 episodes, were: Claude Akins, Rory Calhoun, Jackie Cooper, Angie Dickinson, Steve Forrest, Kim Hunter, Rita Moreno, Sheree North, Ruth Roman, Kurt Russell, Stuart Whitman and Marie Windsor.

Episodes

Season 1 (1972–73)

Season 2 (1973–74)