Recently, I have been relaxing in the evenings watching television on You Tube. I started watching the old 1960’s show Rawhide with Clint Eastwood, Eric Fleming, Sheb Wooley, and Paul Brinegar. It is a 50 minute drama that I am absolutely drawn to. I know I watched it as kid with my family. The acting is superb. And yes, it is in black and white at least for the current shows I am watching.
As the name suggests, they move cattle from one part of the country to another. Each show is called an incident and is extremely interesting. Of course, Clint Eastwood would move on to be a great movie star. You can see in the series what a wonderful actor he is as the ramrod, second in charge. Eric Fleming would die tragically in Peru when he was making a movie there in 1966. He drowned at the young age of forty-one. We will never know what great movies he might have made. He has the leading role as Gil Favor in Rawhide; he is the trail boss. He is always calm, considerate, and collective and always in charge.
The men will always do the right and courageous thing in each episode whether it be taking care of children they may find on the way, rescuing the sick or injured, the elderly, women who are stranded, and men just needing a way to California. Drovers maybe native Americans, Hispanics, or new immigrants but everyone is treated equally and respectfully almost as though they are a family.
Being a cowhand is very difficult work. The cowboys put in a long day with little payment for all their efforts. They are not always perfect but they get a long, watch out for each other, and do the right thing even at the risk of their own lives. If someone is killed, they make sure that they are buried and pray over the deceased even if the person was a bad guy. There is no swearing in the show; there is just great dialogue that actually fills the time slot. There is also wonderful music that accompanies each show along with beautiful scenery.
Those were the good old days in television when they had a code of conduct and families could watch appropriate viewing together. I am looking forward to watching Rawhide this evening. Why not try an episode? Go back in time for great acting and superb and exciting drama.