The Loner (TV series)
A post-Civil War Union captain's solitary journey west.
The Loner is an American Western television series that aired on CBS for one season from 1965 to 1966. Created by Rod Serling a year after The Twilight Zone ended, it was among the last CBS series broadcast in black-and-white. The show had alternate sponsorship from Philip Morris and Procter & Gamble.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Western
- Creator
- Rod Serling
- Starring
- Lloyd Bridges
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 1
- Episodes
- 26
- Executive producers
- William Dozier
Facts from the source article.
Synopsis
Set in the years immediately after the American Civil War, the series follows William Colton, a former Union cavalry captain played by Lloyd Bridges, who travels to the American west seeking a new life. Each episode depicts Colton's encounters with various individuals during his trek westward. Rod Serling created the series, intending it as a realistic, adult Western. Serling had previously expressed dissatisfaction with many television Westerns of the era, as reflected in an editorial that inspired a Twilight Zone episode about a Western actor meeting the ghost of Jesse James.
Development and production
Rod Serling created The Loner after his anthology series The Twilight Zone concluded. The concept originated several years earlier as an hour-long script Serling showed to producer William Dozier in 1961. CBS initially rejected the project, but Dozier later revived it as a half-hour series when the network sought programming for its Saturday evening schedule. Serling planned to write the first thirteen episodes himself to establish the series' tone and direction. Early in the run, newspaper reports indicated tensions between Serling and the network over the amount of violence, with Serling reportedly resisting requests to increase action elements.
Home media
In June 2016, Shout! Factory, in partnership with Timeless Media Group, released The Loner as a Region 1 4-DVD set containing all 26 episodes and a featurette titled The Wandering Man's Burden: Making "The Loner". The set was initially available in North America exclusively through Walmart. In 1998, Film Score Monthly released a limited edition soundtrack album featuring Jerry Goldsmith's theme music and his scores for two episodes, alongside his score for Stagecoach.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did The Loner (TV series) first air?
The Loner first aired on 18 September 1965.
When did The Loner (TV series) end?
The Loner last aired on 12 March 1966.
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