Western von gestern

Western of yesterday is a compilation of independent se - Western short films that ran in the early evening the ZDF May 1978 to July 1986.

Production history and content

The series was adapted from Joe Hembus and Eydo Hadeln as a tribute to the pioneers of the Western film for German television. Fred Strittmatter and Quirin Amper Jr. wrote the catchy music and Gert Mechoff was responsible for editing.

Overall, there were 155 programs. The 60 -minute original films were shortened to 25 minutes, or sent as only slightly shortened two-parter. On display were mainly B- movie rarities and Western series from the 1930s and 1940s. Highlights have included:

• Jesse James rides again with Clayton Moore
• The Adventures of Fuzzy Jones with Al St. John
• The Singing Arrow by Ray Corrigan
• Lone Ranger with Robert Livingston
• The Zorro serials Zorro Rides Again by John Carroll and Zorro Rides Again Legion with Reed Hadley.

Other popular successes were the first movies with John Wayne as well as movies with Roy Rogers ( and his horse Trigger), Gene Autry, Richard Dix and Clark Gable (among hostility ). Also unknown actors like Tom Keene, Lash La Rue or Buster Crabbe were presented to the German TV audience for the first time.

Both the bias and the end credits show a short scene involving Western pioneer Justus D. Barnes ( with raised Colt ) from the film The Great Train Robbery (directed by Edwin S. Porter) from the year 1903.