Firearms used in (mostly) western movies and TV shows
If you have a good memory for useless facts or trivia about the weapons used in western movies and the old TV shows and would like to add more to (or imprive) this list, please e-mail me with your comments. Likewise please let me know if you spot a mistake, either way, I'd be happy to be able to include your additions/corrections.
Everything below was sent in by friends, comes from my personal memory banks or in some cases, both.
Strictly Smith & Wesson (well, almost). . . in movies and TV
Dale's Merwin-Hulbert list! (DB)
The great 1980 western movie "The Long Riders" features a M, H Third Model Frontier Army brandished in several scenes by Randy Quaid (actor) in his portrayal of Clell Miller, a member of the Jesse James-Cole Younger outlaw gang. This movie starred the Keach brothers, the Quaid brothers and the Carradine brothers.
G. D. Spradlin (actor) in his portrayal of Pastor Dyer brandishes a M, H Third Model Frontier Army in several scenes in the 1996 made-for-TV western movie "Riders of the Purple Sage", which starred Ed Harris and Amy Madigan.
Buck Taylor (actor) in his sidekick portrayal (can't remember the characters' name) when robbing the stagecoach at the beginning of the made-for-TV movie "The Rough Riders", which starred Tom Berenger and Sam Elliott, brandishes a M, H Third Model Pocket Army with long barrel. There is another scene in this movie where an American mercenary fighting with the Cuban rebels brandishes a M, H Third Model Frontier Army.
In the 2003 DVD-only western movie release, " The Legend of Butch and Sundance", Micheal Biehn (actor) brandishes a M, H Third Model Frontier Army in several scenes in his portrayal of the character Mike Cassidy, leader of the original Hole-in-the-Wall gang, from whom Butch Cassidy borrowed and thereafter used the last name.
I continue to look for other uses of Merwins when watching old western VHS tapes. It is a real shame that the new western movie, "Appaloosa", does not feature any Merwins. This Ed Harris and Viggo Mortenson movie is undoubtedly a western classic in the making! Take time to see it if you get a chance.
John Culligan's list of TV Shows
LIFE & LEGEND OF WYATT EARP, Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt used a Colt Buntline - the one on the show was modified and had a aluminum barrel to make it lighter. (JC)
YANCY DERINGER, Jock Mahoney as Yancy & "X" Brands as Pahoo. Yancy used a four barrelled Sharps Deringer, his Indian companion Pahoo carried a short, sawed-off, outside hammer shotgun like Johnny Yuma. (DC, JC)
JOHNNY RINGO, Don Durant as Ringo used a LeMat revolver. Stembridge adapted it to fire nine .44 rimfire cartridges. A full-load .45 blank was inserted into a metal sleeve fashioned to look like a shotgun shell.
THE REBEL, Nick Adams as Johnny Yuma used a shotgun with the barrel cut to just past end of forearm and only a pistol grip and at times he carried a Remington 1875. (JC)
SHOTGUN SLADE, Scott Brady as Detective Shotgun Slade used a sawed off over and under shotgun, Slade did not utilize the normal six-shooter as his weapon of choice. He relied instead on an over-and-under combination shotgun/rifle (the lower barrel fired a 12-gauge shotgun shell) rifle (the top barrel fired a.32 caliber rifle bullet) giving Slade both heavy stop "ping power" at close range and distance when needed. (JC)
THE RIFLEMAN, Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain used a Model 92 Winchester carbine with large loop and an aluminum barrel for lighter weight. (JC)
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE, Steve McQueen as Josh Randall used a sawed off Model 92 Winchester, with enlarged loop, butt end sawed off too, carried in a special holster . It was called the "Maires Laig". (DC, JC)
BAT MASTERSON, Gene Barry as Bat carried a Remington Navy .36 for a while then a Colt SAA 45 with 4 ¾" barrel. (JC)
TRACKDOWN, Robert Culp as Hoby Gilman used a S&W New Model #3 (JC)
RESTLESS GUN, John Payne as Vint Bonner used a Colt 45 with a removeable, longer barrel & detachable buttstock. (JC)
GRAY GHOST, Tod Andrews as Maj. John Singleton Mosby used two nickel plated 1875 Remingtons (JC)
After the 50's the Lonesome Dove trilogy (and the later on tv series based on it)the mold, featuring S&W Americans, Russians, Schofields. (JC)
John Culligan's Movie List
The Unforgiven with Eastwood featured the S&W Schofield (JC) (plus a Spencer and a Starr revolver! -DC)
Jesse James with Tyrone Power as Jesse had him carrying a Colt peacemaker and nickel plated S&W New Model #3 (instead of the Schofield he actually did) on the gunbelt he took off just before Bob Ford shot him. (JC)
The Return of Frank James (filmed at the same time as Jesse James but released a year later) with Henry Fonda as Frank James in both, had John Carradine as Bob for carrying the same S&W NW#3 it looks like. (JC)
Hanny Caulder with Robert Culp has him again carrying a S&W New Model #3. (JC)
Triumphs of a Man Called Horse (3rd in the series) had a mysterious killer using what looked like the action of a Melwin-Hulbert but it was a rifle. (JC)
The Last Hunt, had Lloyd Nolan as the cook of a buffalo hunting party carrying a S&W New Model # 3. (JC)
Sources: DC: Dave Chicoine. EC: Ed Clark article in SWCA Journal & OTS Dispatch. JC: John Culligan. JS: Jim Supica~ taken from letters sent in to the Old Town Station Dispatch. DB: Dale Barhart.