6.6 /10 1 Votes
5.3/10 TV Starring Richard Carlson Original language(s) English Final episode date 1959 Narrated by Art Gil | 7.9/10 IMDb Genre Western Country of origin United States First episode date 1 October 1958 Network Broadcast syndication Cast Richard Carlson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Written by Stephen Alexander
Robert Leslie Bellem
Richard Carlson
William Driskill
Milton S. Gelman
Paul Savage
Barney Slater
Charles B. Smith
Irwin Winehouse
A. Sanford Wolfe
Jim Thompson (writer) Directed by Derwin Abrahams
Franklin Adreon
Abner Biberman
Richard Carlson
Eddie Davis
Herman Hoffman
Lew Landers Similar Tombstone Territory, Bat Masterson, 26 Men, Stories of the Century, The Cisco Kid | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mackenzie s raiders full episodes 01 mackenzie s raiders
Mackenzie's Raiders is an American Western television series starring Richard Carlson that aired thirty-nine episodes in syndication between 1958 and 1959. The series is narrated by Art Gilmore, and was produced by Ziv Television Programs.Carlson had previously starred in another series for Ziv, the successful I Led Three Lives, a few years before .
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Synopsis
Carlson played Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie, commander of the U.S. 4th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Clark near Brackettville in Kinney County in southwest Texas, during the 1870s. The real Mackenzie was a nephew of Confederate States of America diplomat John Slidell and the brother of Union Navy Lieutenant Commander Alexander Slidell MacKenzie.
In the series story line, Colonel Mackenzie receives secret orders from U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant and Secretary of War William W. Belknap to stop bandits from crossing the Rio Grande into the United States or from returning to Mexico.
According to screenwriter Warren Douglas, Richard Carlson, who held a Master of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, perceived himself to be "rather superior intellectually and culturally to most of his peers ... and he was." Following service in the United States Navy during World War II Carlson continued his acting career.
Each episode begins with a standard introduction from Art Gilmore, slightly edited here: "From the archives of the United States Cavalry, the true story of Colonel Ranald Mackenzie and the Cavalrymen he led - Mackenzie's Raiders. His secret orders from the President of the United States - clean up the Southwest ... make it a fit place for Americans to live ... wipe out renegades, outlaws, and murderers. If necessary cross the Rio Grande, knowing capture means hanging by the enemy ... discovery, court martial by the United States Army".
The series is based on the 1955 book The Mackenzie Raid by Colonel Russell "Red" Reeder. Cavalry raids into Mexico during the 1870s meant risking international incident, but under secret orders from President Grant, Mackenzie pursued maurauding bandits, gun runners, and renegade Apache. If caught he knew he would be left without support by his own government. Each episode ends with Gilmore narrating: "Mackenzie's Raiders did ride again ... and again, carrying out the secret orders of the President ... [to] do whastever necessary to make [the Southwest] a decent place to live."
Several mostly unknown actors played various "raiders" or officers, including the former attorney and economics professor Morris Ankrum, the former journalist Louis Jean Heydt, Brett King, and Jack Ging. Doug McClure, four years before he began his role as Trampas on NBC's The Virginian, appeared twice as Corporal Adam Davis; one episode is entitled "The Court Martial of Trooper Davis".
Cast
Guest stars
DVD release
On October 8, 2013, Timeless Media Group released Mackenzie's Raiders- The TV Series on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time.