Have Gun — Will Travel is an American Western television series that aired on CBS from 1957 through 1963. It was rated either number three or number four in the Nielsen ratings during each year of its first four seasons. It was one of the few television shows to spawn a successful radio version. The radio series debuted November 23, 1958. There were 225 episodes.
The show followed the adventures of Paladin, a gentleman/gunfighter, who preferred to settle problems without violence, yet, when forced to fight, excelled. Paladin lived in the Carlton Hotel in San Francisco, where he dressed in formal attire, ate gourmet food, and attended the opera. In fact, many who met him initially mistook him for a dandy from the East. When working, he dressed in black, used calling cards, wore a holster that carried characteristic chess knight emblems, and carried a derringer under his belt.
The knight symbol is in reference to his name and his occupation as a champion-for-hire. The theme song of the series refers to him as “a knight without armor.” In addition, Paladin drew a parallel between his methods and the chess piece’s movement: “It’s a chess piece, the most versatile on the board. It can move in eight different directions, over obstacles, and it’s always unexpected.”
— from the Wikipedia page, Have Gun — Will Travel.
You can watch the TV show here, or listen to the radio show here. You can also listen to the episode, ‘Trouble in North Fork’ below. This episode first airred on June 21, 1959.
