TV We've Forgotten
September 22nd 2011 00:41
Portrayed as the two most successful outlaws in the history of the west, these modern day Robin Hoods have a heady combination of good looks, a knockabout nature and all the cunning you'd expect from two cowboys blessed with the 'gift of the gab'.
Offered an amnesty on condition that they stay out of trouble for a year and that they don't tell anyone about it - with a a view to keeping their noses clean - they adopt the identities of Smith and Jones and use all of their ingenuity keeping out of the way of the law.
It was 70s TV fluff - but cornered two important viewer segments - middle to older men and women 21-plus.
The first keen see a return to the glory days of the prime time televison western and the second - besotted apparently by the swathy good looks and heart of gold nature of our two heroes.
The untimely death of Pete Duel (Hannibal Heyes) in the early morning hours of December 31, 1971 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 31 was not enough to sway producers to stop production.
In fact the entire cast was reassembled and back in production - shooting scenes that did not involve Duel - only twelve hours after his death.
Series writer, director and producer Roy Huggins contacted actor Roger Davis to fill the role of Hannibal Heyes and was fitted for costumes the following day - but the writing was now clearly on the wall.
The series continued for another seventeen episodes, but never regained its popularity after the loss of Duel.
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