re: They went thataway, so let's go thisaway: the TV Western thread

The Adventures of Jim Bowie





Clearly inspired by the enormous success of Disney's Davy Crockett, this is a standard western of the time (1956-8), except for one big difference: it's set in 1830 Louisiana, which gives it a unique vibe among TV oaters.

Bowie (who is curiously played by an English actor) is sometimes seen in New Orleans, and other times down the bayou or along the Natchez Trace where he gets involved in righting wrongs, rescuing widows and orphans, romancing damsels in distress, and the all the usual hero routine. He owns a plantation and often says he "has to get back to Opelousas" but we seldom see him there (at least he pronounced it right -- in one episode he tells somebody to go to "Natch-i-toatch-iss"). Bowie is sometimes in Opelousas but also visits New Iberia and Baton Rouge -- all represented by the same bayou village set. The show was produced on a very modest budget, mostly interiors; as far as I can tell the few outside shots were all done at the studio.

And in some episodes he meets up with those strange creatures known as Cajuns. In the Cajun-centric episodes I've seen, the Cajuns (for the record I am Southern Baptist) are portrayed respectfully, but not quite assimilated and suspicious of "Americans" (any outsiders) -- one episode deals with Cajuns wanting to secede and rejoin France!

That's about par for the course as far as TAOJB's historical accuracy goes. Bowie is shown as best friends with John James Audubon, fights French revolutionaries who seek to kill the now middle-aged Dauphin, and in one episode prevents the assassination of Andrew Jackson. I think my favorite such moment is when Bowie has his photograph taken.

But I don't care -- I've always loved both stories about old Louisiana as well as historical adventure. Fans of such stuff should be entertained.





Michael Landon as an uppity Cajun in "Deputy Sheriff"