The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (TV series)

Did You Know?

• The program faced stiff competition on CBS at 7:30 Eastern on Sundays from My Favorite Martian and the first half of The Ed Sullivan Show.
• NBC aired Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color in the same time slot.
• Kurt Russell and Charles Bronson reprised their roles in the 1964 theatrical movie Guns of Diablo, an expanded color version of the series' final episode.

Synopsis

Aimed at teenage boys and young families, this television series is best remembered for launching the careers of a twelve-year-old Kurt Russell in the lead and Charles Bronson, who joined as the second wagon master, Linc Murdock, for the final thirteen episodes. Bronson first appeared in the installment titled "The Day of the Toll Takers." Every episode opens with the phrase "The Day of ..." The show began with a large ensemble, but by its conclusion, the cast had mostly shrunk to just Jaimie and Linc.

The original group included Dan O'Herlihy as Jaimie's father, Sardius "Doc" McPheeters, a man frequently tempted by liquor and gambling. Donna Anderson played Jenny, a young pioneer woman who becomes Jaimie's friend on the dangerous journey west. Mark Allen appeared in nineteen episodes as Matt Kissel, with Meg Wyllie in eighteen as Mrs. Kissel. For nine episodes, the real-life child barbershop quartet the Osmond Brothers—who later became a famous 1970s musical act—played the Kissels' singing sons, each named after an Old Testament book: Alan as Micah, Merrill as Deuteronomy, Jay as Lamentations, and Wayne as Leviticus.

Michael Witney played the first wagon master, Buck Coulter, in fourteen episodes, last appearing in "The Day of the Pawnees, Part 2"; Bronson took over in the following episode. Hedley Mattingly appeared eight times as Coe, and James Westerfield seven times as John Murrel. Other recurring roles included Sandy Kenyon as Shep Baggott in five episodes, stuntman Paul Baxley as Tracey in four, and Mike DeAnda in five different parts. Vernett Allen, III, was cast as Othello in nine episodes.