The Alaskans
Klondike swindlers and a singer in 1890s Alaska.
Set in Skagway, Alaska, during the late 1890s, the ABC/Warner Bros. Western The Alaskans aired from 1959 to 1960. It follows swindlers Silky Harris and Reno McKee, who target travelers during the Klondike Gold Rush, only to have their schemes disrupted by singer Rocky Shaw. This series gave British actor Roger Moore his first regular role on American television.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Adventure; Western
- Starring
- Roger Moore
- Dorothy Provine
- Jeff York
- Ray Danton
- Theme music
- "Gold Fever" by
- Mack David and
- Jerry Livingston
- Composer
- Max Steiner
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 1
- Episodes
- 36
Facts from the source article.
Background and production
The Alaskans was closely tied to the ABC/WB series Maverick in both broadcast and production. It aired on Sunday nights as part of a Western drama lineup that included Colt .45, Maverick, Lawman, and The Rebel. Roger Moore later called the series his "most appalling television series ever," citing the discomfort of filming Alaskan exteriors on a California studio backlot. The show also caused marital strain when Moore admitted to his wife Dorothy Squires that he had fallen in love with co-star Dorothy Provine.
Due to the 1960 Writers Guild of America strike and Warner Bros.' cost-cutting policy, The Alaskans reused scripted material from Maverick. Moore noted that an old Bronco script could be interchanged with an Alaskans or Maverick script, sometimes with unchanged dialogue. He realized they were filming Maverick scripts with only the names changed. This practice made it easy for Jack L. Warner to envision Moore as a replacement for James Garner on Maverick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in The Alaskans?
The Alaskans stars Roger Moore, Dorothy Provine, Jeff York and Ray Danton.
How many episodes of The Alaskans are there?
The Alaskans has 36 episodes across 1 season.
When did The Alaskans first air?
The Alaskans first aired on 4 October 1959.
When did The Alaskans end?
The Alaskans last aired on 19 June 1960.
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