Bronco (ABC 1958-1962, Ty Hardin)

Bronco emerged as the fight between Clint Walker and Warner Brothers Studios over the series Cheyenne. When Walker quit his successful series in 1958, Ty Hardin was brought in to replace him.

Although the series continued under the title Cheyenne, Hardin starred in it as Bronco Layne, an ex-Confederate Army captain who had wandered west after the war in search of adventure. There were no other regular cast members, but the young Layne did encounter plenty of characters in his journeys, including: Jesse James (played by James Coburn), Belle Starr, Billy the Kid, Cole Younger and Wild Bill Hickok.

In 1959, Clint Walker returned to Cheyenne, and Bronco became its own series. In both the 1958-59 and 1959-60 seasons, Bronco alternated with another western called Sugarfoot.

In 1960, Bronco was brought back under the Cheyenne umbrella title as part of a rotating anthology consisting of Walker’s Cheyenne, Will Hutchin’s Sugarfoot, and Hardin’s Bronco. The three stars were seen separately, in different episodes. Sugarfoot was dropped from the rotation in 1961, leaving only Bronco and Cheyenne to alternate in 1961-62.

production details
USA / ABC / 68×50 minute episodes / Broadcast 23 September 1958 – 20 August 1962 black and white

Executive Producer: William T. Orr

cast
TY HARDIN as Bronco Lane