Sheriff of Cochise

Sheriff of Cochise

John Bromfield as Frank Morgan
Also known as ''U.S. Marshal''
Genre Western/Crime drama
Created by Mort Briskin
Starring John Bromfield
Stan Jones
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 4 (2 as Sheriff of Cochise and 2 as U.S. Marshal)
No. of episodes 138 (83 as Sheriff of Cochise and 60 as U.S. Marshal)
Production
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time 25 mins.
Production company(s) Desilu Productions
National Telefilm Associates
Distributor National Telefilm Associates (original)
CBS Television Distribution (current as of 2007)
Release
Original network Syndication
Picture format Black-and-white
Audio format Monaural
Original release September 14, 1956 (1956-09-14) – 1960 (1960)
Chronology
Related shows Highway Patrol
State Trooper

Sheriff of Cochise (later renamed United States Marshal in the third and fourth seasons) is a Western-themed crime drama set in Cochise County, Arizona.

Starring John Bromfield, the series aired eighty-three episodes in syndication from September 1956 to January 1958, a large number of segments for such a short time frame. As U.S. Marshal, another sixty episodes aired from October 1958 to April 1960.

Synopsis

Bromfield portrays law enforcement officer Frank Morgan. In the first two seasons, Morgan is the sheriff of Cochise County in southern Arizona. In the third season, Desilu Studios boss Desi Arnaz, Sr., retitled the series so that Morgan would work throughout Arizona as a U.S. Marshal and be involved in a greater number of cases. The first-season episodes were later released under the alternative title, Man from Cochise.[1] This program was produced by Desilu in association with National Telefilm Associates.

Stan Jones, author of the classic western song "Ghost Riders in the Sky", created the series and played Bromfield's top deputy, Harry Olson, in twenty-four episodes before he left the cast.[2] In the first season, Frank Ferguson of the My Friend Flicka series appeared twice as Deputy Henry Murdock; also cast as deputies were Roy Engel, James Griffith, and Forrest Lewis.[3]

Sheriff of Cochise has been loosely compared to another contemporary crime drama, Highway Patrol, starring Broderick Crawford.[3] It is also similar in theme and setting to Rod Cameron's syndicated State Trooper.

"The Witnesses" (January 16, 1958) is the transitional episode leading to U.S. Marshal. In the story line, Sheriff Morgan transfers federal witnesses from Cochise County to the U.S. Marshal's office in Tucson. The criminal element tries to gun down the witnesses, and the current marshal is mortally wounded. Morgan is then appointed as the new marshal. The episode features Joe De Santis, Chris Alcaide, and Roy Barcroft.[4]

U.S. Marshal guest stars

(Note: Several actors appeared in both Sheriff of Cochise and U.S. Marshal.)

Production notes

The series was filmed about Bisbee, the county seat of Cochise County in the southeastern corner of Arizona.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Alex McNeil, Total Television, New York: Penguin Books, 1996, 4th ed., p. 749
  2. ↑ The Washington Post, Washington, D.C., September 26, 2005, p. B 4
  3. 1 2 3 "Sheriff of Cochise (1956)". Internet Movie Data Base. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Sheriff of Cochise Season 2 (Syndicated, 1957-1958)". Classic Television Archive. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Marshal". Internet Movie Data Base. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
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