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The Adventures of Champion (TV series)

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6.6/10
TV

First episode date
  
23 September 1955

Network
  
Predecessor
  
7.6/10
IMDb

Final episode date
  
3 March 1956

Cast
  
The Adventures of Champion (TV series) wwwgstaticcomtvthumbtvbanners325104p325104

Also known as
  
''Champion the Wonder Horse''

Written by
  
Oliver DrakePeter DixonPaul FranklinEric FreiwaldPaul GangelinOrville H. HamptonRobert Schaefer

Directed by
  
George ArchainbaudFord BeebeThomas CarrWilliam McCarthyFrank McDonaldRobert G. Walker

Starring
  
Barry CurtisJim Bannon

Theme music composer
  
Norman Luboff (music) Marilyn Bergman (lyrics)

Similar
  
The Gene Autry Show, Buffalo Bill - Jr, The Range Rider, The Adventures of Kit Car, Annie Oakley

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The Adventures of Champion is an American children's Western series that aired from September 23, 1955 to March 3, 1956 for 26 episodes on CBS. In the United Kingdom, the series was re-broadcast under the title Champion the Wonder Horse.

Contents

The Adventures of Champion (TV series) The Adventures Of Champion The Wonder Horse Shout Factory

The adventures of champion the saddle tramp


Synopsis

The Adventures of Champion (TV series) The Adventures of Champion TV series Wikipedia

The series starred Barry Curtis as 12-year-old Ricky North, who lived on his uncle's ranch in the American Southwest. Ricky's uncle, Sandy North, was played by Jim Bannon. Ricky's companions were a wild Mustang stallion, Champion, and a German Shepherd, Rebel, played by Blaze. (Ken Beck and Jim Clark, in their book, The Encyclopedia of TV Pets: A Complete History of Television's Greatest Animal Stars, quote animal trainer Bob Blair as identifying the dog as J.R., the canine that had the title role in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin TV program. "Rebel was played by J.R. and was owned by Frank Barnes. He was the best-trained dog in the business," Blair said.)

The Adventures of Champion (TV series) The Adventures of Champion 1955 Other TV Classics John Wayne

The television program used characters similar to those in the 1949-50 radio serial, The Adventures of Champion. The radio serial told of young Ricky West (rather than Ricky North), who was raised on a ranch by his adoptive Uncle Sandy. Ricky was often accompanied by his German Shepherd, Rebel.

The Adventures of Champion (TV series) Do You Remember quotAdventures of Championquot

Beginning in 1950, The Gene Autry Show, a western/cowboy television series, aired for 91 episodes on CBS. The Adventures of Champion was a prime time spinoff for the 1955-1956 season.

TV Champ

The Adventures of Champion (TV series) The Adventures of Champion DVD news Announcement for The Adventures

In real life, the Wonder Horse, Champion, was owned by Gene Autry who over many years owned a succession of celebrity horses bearing the same name. The horse starring in The Adventures of Champion was known as Television Champion, or TV Champ, for short. He was distinguished by his chestnut coat, blond mane and tail, four white stockings and broad white facial blaze. TV Champ made frequent appearances with Autry in films and television during the 1950s. Unlike his fictional namesake, TV Champ was a gelding.

The Adventures of Champion (TV series) Amazoncom The Adventures of Champion The Wonder Horse Embossed

The horse that played champ was bred in the United Kingdom. The mare rejected the foal then called Dawn that was hand reared by Mr Walter Ellams and his Daughter Patricia. Due to the foal being hand reared it was extremely tame and was then later sold to play Champion.

Filming

The series was shot on location within California. Vasquez Rocks. 34.479887°N 118.31657°W / 34.479887; -118.31657 was used for the introduction and episodes . The Andy Jauregui Ranch at Placerita Canyon, Newhall 34.377°N 118.475°W / 34.377; -118.475 was also used for several exteriors.

Title song

Although uncredited, the title song was sung by Mike Stewart, and later recorded by Frankie Laine:

Champion the Wonder Horse! Champion the Wonder Horse!
Like a streak of lightnin' flashin' cross the sky,
Like the swiftest arrow whistlin' from a bow,
Like a mighty cannonball he seems to fly.
You'll hear about him ever'where you go.
The time'll come when everyone will know
The name of Champion the Wonder Horse!

In 1991, the song was re-issued on Frankie Laine's album On the Trail Again.

During the years 1953 to 1960, comic annuals were published by World Distributors, Daily Mirror and Purnell. Second-hand copies of these may be obtained, from time to time, from sources such as Amazon Books. 'Ricky North' became 'Ricky West' in these, as with the radio serial.

Champion also had his own comic book, Gene Autry's Champion, published by Dell Comics from 1951 to 1955, which continued as Gene Autry and Champion from 1955 to 1959.

Starting from the issue dated 4 June 1966, Champion the Wonder Horse ran as a comic strip in the UK comic Buster. Minor characters in the strip included Sheriff Sean Kelly, Gentleman Tom, the bare-knuckle boxing champion, Dick Crabtree, the town's ambulance-chasing lawyer, and Nicky Brandwood, queen of the saloon.

DVD release

In 2005, a set of six DVDs was released in the UK, by Pickwick Group Limited, under license from Encore Home Video. The set is entitled The Adventures of Champion the Wonder Horse and sub-titled "the complete television series on 6 DVDs".

The set includes 23 of the original 26 episodes. The missing episodes are Mystery Mountain, The Golden Hoax and Real Unfriendly Ghost. DVD 6 includes a bonus film entitled Horses and Guns, starring Gene Autry and one of his several horse-stars named Champion.

References

The Adventures of Champion (TV series) Wikipedia