The Restless Gun is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an idealistic person who prefers peaceful resolutions of conflict wherever possible. He is gregarious, intelligent, and public-spirited. The half-hour black-and-white program aired 78 episodes (including the pilot episode in which the John Payne character's name is Britt Ponsett, the name of James Stewart's character in the 1953-54 old-time radio series The Six Shooter, upon which The Restless Gun television series was originally based).

The Restless Gun
Title card
GenreWestern
Directed by
StarringJohn Payne
Narrated byJohn Payne
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes78
Production
Executive producerJohn Payne
Producers
Production locationAmerican Southwest
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 23, 1957 (1957-09-23) –
June 22, 1959 (1959-06-22)
Related

The Restless Gun theme song (officially titled "I Ride With the Wind") begins: "I ride with the wind, my eyes on the sun, and my hand on my restless gun..." The song composer is probably Paul Dunlap, credited as the primary series composer, but could have been contributed to by either of the two other series composers, Dave Kahn and Stanley Wilson. Two versions (one a vocal) are currently posted on YouTube, but neither posting lists any composer or performance credits.[citation needed]

John Payne as Vint Bonner and villain Gene Baroda: The dual role in the 1959 episode "Dead Ringer" ended with a shootout between his two characters.
John Payne portrait for The Restless Gun in 1957

Episodes edit

Season 1: 1957–58 edit

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
00"Pilot ('Red Lawson's Revenge')"Robert FloreyN.B. Stone Jr.March 29, 1957 (1957-03-29)
11"Duel at Lockwood"Justus AddissStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Dortort
September 23, 1957 (1957-09-23)
22"Trail to Sunset"Justus AddissStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Herbert Little Jr. & David Victor
September 30, 1957 (1957-09-30)
33"Revenge at Harness Creek"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Jack Jacobs & Malvin Wald
October 7, 1957 (1957-10-07)
44"Rink"James NeilsonStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Dortort
October 14, 1957 (1957-10-14)
55"Jenny"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Marion Hargrove
October 21, 1957 (1957-10-21)
66"The Shooting of Jett King"Justus AddissStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : John Payne
October 28, 1957 (1957-10-28)
77"Jody"Allen H. MinerStory by : H.A. De Russo
Teleplay by : Gene L. Coon
November 4, 1957 (1957-11-04)
88"General Gilford's Widow"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Halsey Malone
November 11, 1957 (1957-11-11)
99"The New Sheriff"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Dean Riesner
November 18, 1957 (1957-11-18)
1010"Man and Boy"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Victor
November 25, 1957 (1957-11-25)
1111"Cheyenne Express"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Christopher Knopf
December 2, 1957 (1957-12-02)
1212"Thicker Than Water"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Kenneth Gamet
December 9, 1957 (1957-12-09)
1313"Silver Threads"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Marion Hargrove
December 16, 1957 (1957-12-16)
1414"The Child"Edward LudwigStory by : John Payne
Teleplay by : Herbert Little Jr. & David Victor
December 23, 1957 (1957-12-23)
1515"The Gold Buckle"Justus AddissStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Dan Mainwaring
December 30, 1957 (1957-12-30)
1616"The Coward"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Christopher Knopf
January 6, 1958 (1958-01-06)
1717"Friend in Need"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : William Tunberg
January 13, 1958 (1958-01-13)
1818"Strange Family in Town"Earl BellamyLawrence GoldmanJanuary 20, 1958 (1958-01-20)
1919"Hang and Be Damned"Earl BellamyStory by : Talmadge Powell
Teleplay by : David Dortort
January 27, 1958 (1958-01-27)
2020"Quiet City"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Alvin Sapinsley
February 3, 1958 (1958-02-03)
2121"Hornitas Town"Edward LudwigJack Natteford & Luci WardFebruary 10, 1958 (1958-02-10)
2222"Imposter for a Day"Earl BellamyJack Laird & Wilton SchillerFebruary 17, 1958 (1958-02-17)
2323"A Pressing Engagement"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Mary C McCall Jr.
February 24, 1958 (1958-02-24)
2424"Woman from Sacramento"Edward LudwigHalsey MaloneMarch 3, 1958 (1958-03-03)
2525"Sheriff Billy"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Herbert Little Jr. & David Victor
March 10, 1958 (1958-03-10)
2626"The Hand Is Quicker"Earl BellamyArthur WeissMarch 17, 1958 (1958-03-17)
2727"The Suffragette"Edward LudwigCharles B. SmithMarch 24, 1958 (1958-03-24)
2828"The Whip"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Oliver Crawford
March 31, 1958 (1958-03-31)
2929"The Crisis at Easter Creek"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Jess Carneol & Kay Lenard
April 7, 1958 (1958-04-07)
3030"Aunt Emma"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Al Martin
April 14, 1958 (1958-04-14)
3131"The Outlander"Edward LudwigHerbert Little Jr. & David VictorApril 21, 1958 (1958-04-21)
3232"The Battle of Tower Rock"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : Howard J. Green
April 28, 1958 (1958-04-28)
3333"The Torn Flag"Edward LudwigAlvin SapinsleyMay 5, 1958 (1958-05-05)
3434"Hiram Grover's Strike"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Dortort
May 12, 1958 (1958-05-12)
3535"The Gold Star"Edward LudwigStory by : John Payne
Teleplay by : Alvin Sapinsley
May 19, 1958 (1958-05-19)
3636"More Than Kin"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Dortort
May 26, 1958 (1958-05-26)
3737"The Manhunters"Edward LudwigStory by : Richard J. Harper
Teleplay by : Herbert Little Jr. & David Victor
June 2, 1958 (1958-06-02)
3838"The Peddler"Edward LudwigJohn Tucker BattleJune 9, 1958 (1958-06-09)
3939"Gratitude"Edward LudwigArnold BelgardJune 16, 1958 (1958-06-16)

Season 2: 1958–59 edit

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
401"Jebediah Bonner"Edward LudwigStory by : Will Cook
Teleplay by : John Payne
September 22, 1958 (1958-09-22)
412"Day of the Dragon"Justus AddissJohn Tucker BattleSeptember 29, 1958 (1958-09-29)
423"Mercyday"Edward LudwigCharles B. SmithOctober 6, 1958 (1958-10-06)
434"Thunder Alley"Edward LudwigStory by : Hal G. Evarts
Teleplay by : Hal G. Evarts
October 13, 1958 (1958-10-13)
445"The Nowhere Kid"Edward LudwigMary C. McCall Jr.October 20, 1958 (1958-10-20)
456"Bonner's Squaw"Edward LudwigJoel Kane & Lee KarsonNovember 3, 1958 (1958-11-03)
467"Tomboy"Edward LudwigMarion HargroveNovember 10, 1958 (1958-11-10)
478"Remember the Dead"Justus AddissHendrik VollaertsNovember 17, 1958 (1958-11-17)
489"No Way to Kill"Edward LudwigJohn FalvoNovember 24, 1958 (1958-11-24)
4910"Take Me Home"Edward LudwigNewt Arnold & David CrossDecember 1, 1958 (1958-12-01)
5011"Multiply One Boy"Edward LudwigLee Berg & Lawrence MenkinDecember 8, 1958 (1958-12-08)
5112"Peligroso"Justus AddissThomas ThompsonDecember 15, 1958 (1958-12-15)
5213"A Bell for Santo Domingo"Edward LudwigRichard NewmanDecember 22, 1958 (1958-12-22)
5314"The Way Back"Edward LudwigRobert Leslie Bellem & Frank BonhamDecember 29, 1958 (1958-12-29)
5415"The Painted Beauty"Justus AddissHalsey MeloneJanuary 5, 1959 (1959-01-05)
5516"Shadow of a Gunfighter"Edward LudwigHerman J. GrovesJanuary 12, 1959 (1959-01-12)
5617"The Lady and the Gun"Edward LudwigStory by : Frank Burt
Teleplay by : David Dortort
January 19, 1959 (1959-01-19)
5718"Blood of Courage"Edward LudwigRonald BishopFebruary 2, 1959 (1959-02-02)
5819"Better Than a Cannon"Edward LudwigJohn Tucker BattleFebruary 9, 1959 (1959-02-09)
5920"The Dead Ringer"Edward LudwigJohn Tucker BattleFebruary 16, 1959 (1959-02-16)
6021"The Last Grey Man"Justus AddissRichard NewmanFebruary 23, 1959 (1959-02-23)
6122"Melany"Justus AddissHerman J. GrovesMarch 2, 1959 (1959-03-02)
6223"Ricochet"Justus AddissFanya Lawrence & Ted ThomasMarch 9, 1959 (1959-03-09)
6324"Dead Man's Hand"Justus AddissHarry KronmanMarch 16, 1959 (1959-03-16)
6425"The Sweet Sisters"Sam StrangisJoel Kane & Lee KarsonMarch 23, 1959 (1959-03-23)
6526"Incident at Bluefield"Edward LudwigHerman J. GrovesMarch 30, 1959 (1959-03-30)
6627"The Pawn"Edward LudwigCharles B. SmithApril 6, 1959 (1959-04-06)
6728"Four Lives"Edward LudwigThomas ThompsonApril 13, 1959 (1959-04-13)
6829"One on the House"Edward LudwigNorman DanielsApril 20, 1959 (1959-04-20)
6930"Code for a Killer"Sam StrangisHal Fimberg & Frank WaldmanApril 27, 1959 (1959-04-27)
7031"Mme. Brimstone"Sam StrangisAdele BuffingtonMay 4, 1959 (1959-05-04)
7132"Lady by Law"Sam StrangisNorman DanielsMay 11, 1959 (1959-05-11)
7233"Ride with the Devil"Sam StrangisNat TanchuckMay 18, 1959 (1959-05-18)
7334"A Trial for Jenny May"Sam StrangisJohn Tucker BattleMay 25, 1959 (1959-05-25)
7435"The Cavis Boy"Sam StrangisRonald Bishop & Wells RootJune 1, 1959 (1959-06-01)
7536"The Englishman"Sam StrangisStory by : Lester Wm. Berke & Robert J. Black Jr.
Teleplay by : Lester Wm. Berke, Robert J. Black Jr., & Richard Newman
June 8, 1959 (1959-06-08)
7637"A Very Special Investigator"Edward LudwigArnold BelgardJune 15, 1959 (1959-06-15)
7738"The Hill of Death"Sam StrangisJoe StoneJune 22, 1959 (1959-06-22)

Selected guest stars edit

Home media edit

On March 1, 2010, Timeless Media Group released a three-disc best-of set featuring 24 episodes from the series.[1]

On April 23, 2013, Timeless Media released Restless Gun: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1.[2] The 9-disc set features all 78 episodes of the series.

References edit

  1. ^ "Restless Gun". Amazon. March 2010.
  2. ^ "The Restless Gun DVD news: Announcement for the Restless Gun - the Complete Series | TVShowsOnDVD.com". Archived from the original on 2012-11-28. Retrieved 2012-11-21.

External links edit