Brave Eagle
Starring
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes26
Production
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 28, 1955 (1955-09-28) 
March 14, 1956 (1956-03-14)

Brave Eagle is a 26-episode half-hour Western television series which aired on CBS from September 28, 1955, to March 14, 1956, with rebroadcasts continuing until June 6.[1] Keith Larsen, who was of Norwegian descent, starred as Brave Eagle, a peaceful young Cheyenne chief.

The program was unconventional in that it reflects the Native American viewpoint in the settlement of the American West and was the first series to feature an American Indian character as a lead character.[2][3]

Larsen's co-stars were Kim Winona (1930–1978), a Santee Sioux Indian, as Morning Star, Brave Eagle's romantic interest; Anthony Numkena (born 1942) of Arizona, a Hopi Indian then using the stage name Keena Nomkeena, appeared as Keena, the adopted son of Brave Eagle; Pat Hogan (1920–1966) as Black Cloud, and Bert Wheeler (1895–1968) of the comedy team Wheeler & Woolsey, as the halfbreed Smokey Joe, full of tribal tall tales but accompanying wisdom.[4]

The episodes center upon routine activities among the Cheyenne, clashes with other tribes, attempts to prevent war, encroachment from white settlers, racial prejudice, and a threat of smallpox.

Episodes

No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Blood Brother"Paul LandresMona Fisher, Jack Jacobs, and Malvin WaldSeptember 28, 1955 (1955-09-28)
2"Cry of the Heron"Paul LandresMona FisherOctober 5, 1955 (1955-10-05)
3"The Treachery of At-Ta-Tu"Paul LandresDwight V. BabcockOctober 12, 1955 (1955-10-12)
4"Gold of Haunted Mountain"Paul LandresWells RootOctober 19, 1955 (1955-10-19)
5"Search For The Sun"Paul LandresMona FisherOctober 26, 1955 (1955-10-26)
6"Moonfire"Paul LandresMona FisherNovember 2, 1955 (1955-11-02)
7"Mask Of The Manitou"Paul LandresWilliam CopelandNovember 9, 1955 (1955-11-09)
8"The Flight"Paul LandresJack LairdNovember 16, 1955 (1955-11-16)
9"Code Of A Chief"Paul LandresLawrence L. GoldmanNovember 23, 1955 (1955-11-23)
10"Face Of Fear"UnknownUnknownNovember 30, 1955 (1955-11-30)
11"Voice Of The Serpent"Paul LandresMona FisherDecember 7, 1955 (1955-12-07)
12"Shield Of Honor"Paul LandresMona FisherDecember 14, 1955 (1955-12-14)
13"The Challenge"Paul LandresJack Jacobs and Malvin WaldDecember 21, 1955 (1955-12-21)
14"Medicine Drums"Paul LandresWilliam CopelandDecember 28, 1955 (1955-12-28)
15"The Spirit of Hidden Valley"UnknownUnknownJanuary 4, 1956 (1956-01-04)
16"Papoose"Paul LandresWells RootJanuary 11, 1956 (1956-01-11)
17"The Storm Fool"Paul LandresMona FisherJanuary 18, 1956 (1956-01-18)
18"The Gentle Warrior"Paul LandresUnknownJanuary 25, 1956 (1956-01-25)
19"The Strange Animal"Paul LandresWilliam CopelandFebruary 1, 1956 (1956-02-01)
20"White Medicine Man"Paul LandresDwight V. BabcockFebruary 8, 1956 (1956-02-08)
21"Death Trap"UnknownUnknownFebruary 15, 1956 (1956-02-15)
22"War Paint"Paul LandresWells RootFebruary 22, 1956 (1956-02-22)
23"Valley Of Decision"George BlairWilliam CopelandFebruary 29, 1956 (1956-02-29)
24"Witch Bear"Paul LandresWilliam CopelandMarch 7, 1956 (1956-03-07)
25"Trouble at Medicine Creek"Paul LandresLawrence L. GoldmanMarch 14, 1956 (1956-03-14)
26"Ambush at Arrow Pass"UnknownUnknownMarch 21, 1956 (1956-03-21)

Guest stars

Production notes

Though Brave Eagle was produced by NBC, it aired on CBS at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday preceding Arthur Godfrey and His Friends. Since the 1980s, several episodes have been released on videotape.[3] Brave Eagle was filmed by Roy Rogers Productions on Rogers' 130-acre (0.53 km2) ranch in Chatsworth in Los Angeles, California, as well as the Corriganville Ranch in Simi Valley.[2]Brave Eagle's principal competition was ABC's Disneyland, the Walt Disney anthology series.[5]

Merchandising

Dell Comics released a Brave Eagle comic book series based on the TV show. It was published between 1956 and 1958 and drawn by Dan Spiegle.[6]

References

  1. Woolery, George W. (1985). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part II: Live, Film, and Tape Series. The Scarecrow Press. pp. 71–72. ISBN 0-8108-1651-2.
  2. 1 2 "Brave Eagle". TV Acres. Archived from the original on 2012-09-17. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
  3. 1 2 "Brave Eagle (1955) Review Summary". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
  4. Alex McNeil, Total Television, New York: Penguin Books, 1996, 4th ed., p. 116
  5. 1955-1956 American network television schedule; in appendix of Total Television
  6. "Dan Spiegle". lambiek.net.
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