The Virginian

The Virginian was a Western Television series which aired from September 19th, 1962-March 24th, 1971. It was based on the Owen Wister novel, The Virginian. It was the third longest running western on tv. It was also one of the very early colors shows.

''Note-You may be looking for the character The Virginian. To read about the character, go the The Virginian-The character   ''For the novel, go to  The Virginian-The Novel

Production History
Based on the Owen Wister novel, The Virginian, the television program had it's begginings as a 1950's television pilot in an obscure show called Decision. James Drury played the character the Virginian in that pilot. In 1962, it became a regular series and was first broadcast on September 19th, 1962 with the episode entitled The Executioners. As stated below, the last season was entitled The Men From Shiloh. The last episode of that was Jump Up.

CAST FOR THE FIRST SEASON

James Drury..................The Virginian-The character

Doug McClure...............Trampas

Lee J. Cobb..................Judge Henry Garth

Gary Clarke.................Steve Hill

Roberta Shore.............Betsy Garth

Recurring Cast

Pippa Scott..............Molly Wood

Ross Elliott...........Sheriff Mark Abbott

CAST FOR THE SECOND SEASON

James Drury..............The Virginian-The character

Doug Drury...............Trampas

Lee J. Cobb.............Judge Henry Garth

Gary Clarke.............Steve Hill

Roberta Shore........Betsy Garth

Recurring Cast

Pippa Scott.........Molly Wood Until 11th episode of Second Season.

Randy Boone.........Randy Benton Note-First appeared but not yet credited on introduction theme

Ross Elliott............Sheriff Mark Abbott

CAST FOR THE THIRD SEASON

James Drury..............The Virginian-The character

Doug McClure...........Trampas

Lee J. Cobb..............Judge Henry Garth

Roberta Shore..........Betsy Garth

Randy Boone.........Randy Benton

Clu Gulager.............Emmet Ryker

Ross Elliott......Sheriff Mark Abbott

Gary Clarke...........Steve Hill Guest Appearances only.

CAST FOR THE FOURTH SEASON

James Drury...............The Virginian-The character

Doug McClure.............Trampas

Lee J. Cobb................Judge Henry Garth

Diane Roter...............Jennifer Sommers

Randy Boone............Randy Benton

Clu Gulager..............Emmet Ryker

Roberta Shore..........Betsy Garth

John Dehner............Morgan Starr

Time frame of the Virginian
In the first season of The Virginian, it is established that it is the 1890's and Wyoming is a state. In the first season episode, Big Day,Great Day, a wrestling poster gave the date as 1896. In another first season episode Riff Raff, The Virginian and Trampas and Steve Hill join Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders  This was put the time frame as 1898. In succeeding seasons, the dates become a little more muddled and Wyoming is referred to as a territory awaiting statehood which would place the series as taken place prior to 1890. This is probably one of the largest plot holes in the Virginian television series. See also Chronology of the Virginian

Episodes-Seasons 1-8, and 9 (Called Men From Shiloh last season)
Season 1

1. The Executioners

2. Woman From White Wing

3. Throw A Long Rope

4. The Big Deal

5. The Brazen Bell

6. Big Day, Great Day

7. Riff-Raff

8. Impasse

9. It Tolls For Thee

10. West

11. The Devil's Children

12. Fifty Days to Moose Jaw

13. The Accomplice

14. Man From The Sea

15. Duel at Shiloh

16. The Exiles

17. The Judgement

18. Say Goodbye to All That

19. The Man Who Couldn't Die

20. If You Have Tears

21. The Small Parade

22.Vegeance is the Spur

23. The Money Case

24. The Golden Door

25. A Distant Fury

26. Echo of Another Day

27.Stranger at Sundown

28. The Mountain of the Sun

29. Run Away Home

30. The Final Hour

Season 2

1.  Ride a Dark Trail

2. To Make This Place Remember

3. No Tears for Savannah

4, A Killer in Town

5. The Evil That Men Do

6. It Takes a Big Man

7. Brother Thaddeus

8. A Portrait of Marie Valonne

9. Run Quiet

10. Stopover in a Western Town

11. The Fatal Journey

12. A Time Remembered

13. Siege

14. Man of Violence

15. The Invaders

16. Roar From the Mountain

17. The Fortunes of J. Jimerson Jones

18. The Thirty Days of Gavin Heath

19. The Drifter

20. First to Thine Own Self

21. A Mattter of Destiny

22. Smile of a Dragon

23. The Intruders

24. Another's Footsteps

25.Rope of Lies

26. The Secret of Brymar Hall

27. The Long Quest

28. A Bride for Lars

29. Dark Destiny

30. A Man Called Kane

Season 3

1. Ryker

2. Dark Challenge

3. The Stallion

4. The hero

5. Felicity's Spring

6.The Brazos Kid

7. Big Image...Little Man

8. A Father for Toby

9.The Girl from Yesterday

10. Return a Stranger

11. All Nice and Legal

12. A Gallows for Sam Horn

13, Portrait of a Widow

14. Man of the People

15. The Payment

16. The Hour of the Tiger

17. Two Men Named Loredo

18. Hideout

19. Six Graves at Cripple Creek

20. Lost Yesterday

21. A Slight Case of Charity

22. You Take the High Road

23. Shadows of the Past

24. Legend of a Lawman

25. Timberland

26. Dangerous Road

27. Farewell to Honesty

28. Old Cowboy

29. The Showdown

30. We've Lost a Train