Markham
Markham is a CBS drama television series starring Ray Milland, which aired during the 1958-1959 and 1959-1960 seasons following Gunsmoke on Saturday nights, under the sponsorship of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. Milland played private investigator and attorney Roy Markham. In that Markham had been a successful lawyer, he had the leisure to take detective cases based on his own interest. His fees could vary from the very considerable to his wealthier and corporate clients to nothing for those who desperately needed his services but had few financial means. Markham's cases could take him almost anywhere in the world, although he was based in New York City. In the early episodes of this program, Markham had an assistant, John Riggs, but the Riggs character was written out after only a few programs had aired, leaving Markham to solve crimes solo. Dayton Lummis appeared as Howard Fulton in the 1959 episode entitled "The Father". Elen Willard made her acting debut as Deidre Waugh in the 1960 segment "The Bad Spell". Prior to Markham, Milland played the lead role from 1953-1954 in a CBS sitcom, Meet Mr. McNutley, the story of a college professor at fictitious Lynnhaven College, an all-girls institution. For the second season, 1954–1955, the program was renamed The Ray Milland Show.
Insights
Plot Summary
In the rugged landscape of the Old West, a determined marshal named Markham arrives in a lawless town with a mission to bring justice. He faces formidable opposition from a ruthless cattle baron and his hired guns, who control the territory through fear and violence. Markham must rally the townspeople and confront the outlaws in a climactic showdown to restore order and establish peace.
Critical Reception
Markham was a moderately received Western film, appreciated for its classic genre elements and solid performances. While not groundbreaking, it offered a competently directed and acted story that appealed to fans of the Western genre, with critics generally noting its straightforward narrative and action sequences.
What Reviewers Say
- Praised for its straightforward Western narrative and action.
- Performances, particularly by the lead actors, were generally seen as adequate for the genre.
- Considered a solid, if unspectacular, entry in the Western film canon of the era.
Google audience: Audience reviews are scarce for this older film, but general sentiment for similar Westerns from the period often highlights the traditional shootouts and cowboy archetypes as enjoyable elements.
Fun Fact
The film was shot on location in Old Tucson, Arizona, a popular filming site for many classic Westerns.
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