Riverboat (NBC 1959-1961, Darren McGavin, Burt Reynolds)

Period drama series Riverboat was set during the 1860’s and charting the adventures of Grey Holden, owner and captain of 100 foot long steamer The Enterprise which travelled along the Mississippi river. Holden was a full blown adventurer having been a former soldier and one time rum runner.

Regular characters on the boat included Holden’s co-captain Ben Frazer (for season one anyway until Burt Reynold’s departure – allegedly Darren McGavin didn’t like all the attention given to Reynolds leading to a feud between the two of them), Joshua the first mate, Pickalong the cook (both only lasted one season too).

For the second and final season Holden (who had actually won the Enterprise in a game of poker) had sold a half share in the boat to Bill Blake and he would take a hefty slice of the action.

production details
USA / NBC – Meladre / 44×60 minute episodes / Broadcast Sunday 13 September 1959 – Monday 16 January 1961

cast
DARREN McGAVIN as Grey Holden
BURT REYNOLDS as Ben Frazer (1959-60)
NOAH BEERY JR. as Bill Blake (1960-61)
WILLIAM D. GORDON as Travis (1959-60)
RICHARD WESSELL as Carney
JACK LAMBERT as Joshua
MIKE McGREEVEY as Chip (1959-60)
JACK MITCHUM as Pickalong (1959-60)
BART PATTEN as Terry Blake (1959-60)