# Stoney Burke (TV series)

Stoney Burke is an American contemporary Western television series broadcast on ABC from October 1, 1962, until May 20, 1963. Jack Lord starred in the title role. Burke is a professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in saddle bronc riding and competes for the Golden Buckle, presented annually to the rodeo world champion in each rodeo event.

## Overview

During his quest for the Golden Buckle, Stoney becomes entangled in the lives of numerous people and is accompanied on the rodeo circuit by friends Ves Painter (Warren Oates), Cody Bristol (Robert Dowdell), and E. J. Stocker (Bruce Dern).
Lord said that he wanted Stoney Burke to move beyond rodeos "into good thematically solid stories." He added, "What we're trying to do is say something to gently lift the moral tone of society. We have a responsibility to ennoble and enlighten as well as entertain."

## Production

Leslie Stevens was the producer. Daystar Productions partnered with United Artists to produce the series. Dominic Frontiere scored the episodes. The Stoney Burk Theme was recorded by Maureen Bayand (released by United Artists) and by Nelson Riddle (released by Capitol).
Stoney Burke was broadcast on Mondays from 9 to 10 p. m. Eastern Time.
By May 1963, plans were underway for syndication of the show. A representative of Economee Television Programs (a subsidiary of United Artists Television) said that stations in 14 major markets had bought the series. Those markets included Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles.

## Reception

The same year that Stoney Burke premiered, NBC aired its own drama about rodeo performers, Wide Country. Both series were Westerns that debuted at the end of the time when Western programs—a fixture of 1950s and early 1960s television—had been a number one draw on the medium. By the mid-1960s, market saturation had begun to take its toll; while established series such as Bonanza and Gunsmoke continued to thrive, new shows with less than robust ratings struggled to survive. Both rodeo series were cancelled after one season.
William W. Savage, in his book The Cowboy Hero: His Image in American History & Culture, commented, ". . . while the rodeo format afforded the sorts of dramatic possibilities (weekly changes of locale and population, for example) that had ensured the success of dozens of western programs, it seems clear that rodeo performers paled in comparison to the 'genuine' television cowboy heroes . . .".

## Guest stars

Dick Clark of American Bandstand was cast as Sgt. Andy Kincaid in the 1963 episode "Kincaid" (one of several backdoor pilots), which also featured real-life rodeo cowboy Casey Tibbs playing himself. James Coburn was cast as Jamison in the 1963 episode "The Test"; J. Pat O'Malley, Richard Eyer, and Ivan Dixon were also featured in this episode.
* Philip Abbott
* Philip Ahn
* Denise Alexander
* John Anderson
* Michael Anderson, Jr.
* Elizabeth Ashley
* Ed Asner
* Edward Binns
* Willis Bouchey
* Patricia Breslin
* Geraldine Brooks
* Edgar Buchanan
* James Callahan
* Dyan Cannon
* J.D. Cannon
* Harry Carey, Jr.
* Jean Carson
* Virginia Christine
* Steve Cochran
* Paul Comi
* Jeanne Cooper
* Ted de Corsia
* Henry Darrow
* Jim Davis
* John Dehner
* Robert Duvall
* Robert Emhardt
* Jena Engstrom
* Eduard Franz
* Dabbs Greer
* Mariette Hartley
* Peter Helm
* Diana Hyland
* L.Q. Jones
* John Larch
* Cloris Leachman
* Scott Marlowe
* Strother Martin
* Mark Miller
* George Mitchell
* Leonard Nimoy
* Ed Nelson
* Simon Oakland
* Carroll O'Connor
* Michael Parks
* William Phipps
* Judson Pratt
* Ford Rainey
* Peter Mark Richman
* Charles Robinson
* Chris Robinson
* Bing Russell
* Albert Salmi
* William Schallert
* Jacqueline Scott
* Vito Scotti
* Pilar Seurat
* Mark Slade
* William Smith
* Fay Spain
* Joan Staley
* Dean Stanton
* Maxine Stuart
* Buck Taylor
* Kenneth Tobey
* Joyce Van Patten
* Jack Weston

## Episodes

| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | "The Contender" | Leslie Stevens | Leslie Stevens | October 1, 1962 (1962-10-01) |
| CO–STARRING Kate Manx SPECIAL GUEST STAR Philip Abbott as Royce Hamilton CAST Carl Benton Reid Bartlett Robinson Cleo Ann as Ruby Lee Bill Hart Notes: Episode title does not appear on-screen. Kate Manx was married to series producer, director and writer Leslie Stevens from 1958 until shortly before her death in 1964. |||||
| 2 | "Fight Night" | Leslie Stevens | Leslie Stevens | October 8, 1962 (1962-10-08) |
| CAST Edgar Buchanan Alan Bunce George Mitchell Bill Hart Claudia Bryar Leonard Nimoy Bill Zuckert Paul Birch Note: Episode title does not appear on-screen. |||||
| 3 | "Child of Luxury" | Leslie Stevens | Leslie Stevens | October 15, 1962 (1962-10-15) |
| GUEST STARS Ina Balin Eduard Franz CAST  Judson Laire George Mitchell Charles Carlson Bill Hart Dee J. Thompson and Stan Berman Uncredited Shep Houghton Note: Episode includes a teaser and preview of next week's episode. |||||
| 4 | "Point of Honor" | Leslie Stevens | Leslie Stevens | October 22, 1962 (1962-10-22) |
| GUEST STAR Scott Marlowe CAST  Patricia Breslin Ben Johnson Ian Wolfe Bill Hart Bill Mullikin Lew Brown Casey Tibbs and Dean Stanton as Dell Tindall Uncredited Bill Walker Note: Episode includes a teaser. |||||
| 5 | "The Mob Riders" | Leslie Stevens | Leslie Stevens | October 29, 1962 (1962-10-29) |
| CAST Gene Lyons Denise Alexander Bill Gunn Curt Conway Ford Rainey John Duke Kim Hamilton Bill Hart and Michael Parks as Tack Reynolds Uncredited Buck Taylor Note: Episode starts with cold open and ends with preview of next week's episode. |||||
| 6 | "A Matter of Pride" | Leslie Stevens | Leslie Stevens | November 5, 1962 (1962-11-05) |
| GUEST STARS Ben Piazza William Windom Conrad Janis CAST  Jena Engstrom Virginia Christine Edith Atwater George Mitchell Bill Hart Robert Brubaker Henry Scott Note: Episode includes a teaser and preview of next week's episode. |||||
| 7 | "Sidewinder" | Leslie Stevens | Leslie Stevens | November 12, 1962 (1962-11-12) |
| GUEST STARS Edward Binns Mark Miller CAST David White Gail Kobe George Mitchell Bill Hart Shirley O'Hara Helen Gurley Brown and Strother Martin Uncredited Bill Walker Note: Episode includes a teaser. |||||
| 8 | "The Scavenger" | Leslie Stevens | Leslie Stevens | November 19, 1962 (1962-11-19) |
| CAST  John Kellogg Paul Comi Shirley Ballard Bill Hart Roy Glenn and Enoch Gates as The Derelict Note: Episode starts with cold open and ends with preview of next week's episode. |||||
| 9 | "Spin a Golden Web" | Robert Butler | Philip Saltzman | November 26, 1962 (1962-11-26) |
| GUEST STARS Robert Webber Salome Jens CAST  John Anderson Ken Lynch Mary Munday James Callahan Bill Hart Uncredited Bill Walker, Carol Henry Note: Episode starts with cold open and ends with preview of next week's episode. |||||
| 10 | "The Wanderer" | Leonard Horn | Milton Geiger | December 3, 1962 (1962-12-03) |
| GUEST STARS Albert Salmi Jacqueline Scott Milton Selzer CAST Bill Hart Nora Marlowe Roy Engel Betty Harford Lex Connelly Bill Erwin John Graham Wes Liston Uncredited Mark Russell Note: Episode starts with cold open. |||||
| 11 | "Five by Eight by Eight" | Tom Gries | Palmer Thompson | December 10, 1962 (1962-12-10) |
| 12 | "Bandwagon" | Laslo Benedek | Meyer Dolinsky | December 17, 1962 (1962-12-17) |
| 13 | "Cousin Eunice" | Tom Gries | Bob Barbash | December 24, 1962 (1962-12-24) |
| 14 | "Gold-Plated Maverick" | William A. Graham | S.S. Schweitzer | January 7, 1963 (1963-01-07) |
| 15 | "Death Rides a Pale Horse" | Tom Gries | Frank L. Moss | January 14, 1963 (1963-01-14) |
| 16 | "The King of the Hill" | Tom Gries | John Falvo | January 21, 1963 (1963-01-21) |
| 17 | "A Matter of Percentage" | William A. Graham | Richard Levinson & William Link | January 28, 1963 (1963-01-28) |
| 18 | "Image of Glory" | John Erman | Bob Barbash | February 4, 1963 (1963-02-04) |
| 19 | "Cat's Eyes" | Laslo Benedek | Philip Saltzman | February 11, 1963 (1963-02-11) |
| 20 | "Web of Fear" | Laszlo Benedek | Ed Adamson | February 18, 1963 (1963-02-18) |
| 21 | "Point of Entry" | Leonard Horn | Leslie Stevens | March 4, 1963 (1963-03-04) |
| 22 | "To Catch the Kaiser" | Tom Gries | Philip Saltzman | March 11, 1963 (1963-03-11) |
| 23 | "Joby" | John Erman | Philip Saltzman | March 18, 1963 (1963-03-18) |
| 24 | "Forget Me More" | Robert Butler | Peter Packer | March 25, 1963 (1963-03-25) |
| 25 | "Color Him Lucky" | Laslo Benedek | Donn Mullally | April 1, 1963 (1963-04-01) |
| 26 | "The Weapons Man" | Leslie Stevens | Leslie Stevens | April 8, 1963 (1963-04-08) |
| 27 | "Kelly's Place" | Tom Gries | Stephen Lord | April 15, 1963 (1963-04-15) |
| 28 | "Kincaid" | Leonard J. Horn | Bob Barbash | April 22, 1963 (1963-04-22) |
| 29 | "A Girl Named Amy" | Lalso Benedek | Bob Barbash & S.S.Schweitzer | April 29, 1963 (1963-04-29) |
| 30 | "Tigress by the Tail" | Tom Gries | Barry Trivers | May 6, 1963 (1963-05-06) |
| 31 | "The Test" | Leonard J. Horn | Bob Barbash | May 13, 1963 (1963-05-13) |
| 32 | "The Journey" | Leslie Stevens | Leslie Stevens | May 20, 1963 (1963-05-20) |

## DVD release

On April 16, 2013, Timeless Media Group released Stoney Burke - The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1. The six disc set includes all 32 episodes of the series.