In my kontinuing kwest for Jack Kelly "Kellectibles", I recently found an item that may be an original background prop used in the Maverick TV series.
Not the book, but the bookends. The person I bought them from told me the bookends were purchased at an auction over 30 years ago. They were accompanied by a note from Jerry Welch, who was a set designer on Maverick. I did some checking, and Mr. Welch is credited with the following episodes:
"The Long Hunt" (20 October 1957) - Set Decorator
"Stage West" (27 October 1957) - Set Decorator
"Relic of Fort Tejon" (3 November 1957) - Set Decorator
"Hostage" (10 November 1957) - Set Decorator
"The Jeweled Gun" (24 November 1957) - Set Decorator
"The Wrecker" (1 December 1957) - Set Decorator
"The Naked Gallows" (15 December 1957) - Set Decorator
"High Card Hangs" (19 October 1958) - Set Decorator
"Escape to Tampico" (26 October 1958) - Set Decorator
"The Rivals" (25 January 1959) - Set Decorator
"Duel at Sundown" (1 February 1959) - Set Decorator
"Maverick Springs" (6 December 1959) - Set Decorator
"The Maverick Line" (20 November 1960) - Set Decorator
"Benefit of the Doubt" (9 April 1961) - Set Decorator
As you can see, most of the episodes are either Bart-starrers or Bart/Bret duets, all of which I've marked in red. So, while all of you eagle-eyed Maverick watchers are scrutinizing scenes for wrong-fingered pinky rings or recycled frocks, please be on the lookout for these bookends, too. They could also appear in other episodes besides those listed above. If you spot them, please leave a comment here or drop me a line. I'll look for them, too, and let you know if I glimpse them in the background of a scene or scenes.
Here's a closer look at the bookends, which picture a pioneer family in a covered wagon pulled by oxen, flanked by a rider and a man leading the oxen through tall grass. They kind of remind me of "Passage to Fort Doom". They're pretty cool, so even if it turns out they weren't used in Maverick, I'll gladly use them to korral some of the books in my Kellection. And, if they were used in Maverick, they could have been in a scene with JK!
Now, let the search begin.... :->
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As you undoubtedly know, "Passage to Fort Doom" was the only episode during the Huggins reign written especially for Kelly, as a lark for the writers, and it's one of his best shows, one of those episodes that stick with you for the rest of your life. Huggins instructed the writers to always picture Garner as Maverick while writing the scripts, then whichever actor was available would eventually play the part. Kelly noted in at least one interview that his scripts' dialogue was always for "Bret, Bret, Bret" but I don't imagine anyone ever told him exactly why that was, although he probably guessed.
ReplyDeleteI'm also intrigued by that book since I've never seen it but grew up with the earlier one featuring Bret. What's the story on the book, is it some British creation? That cover is a painting version of a photograph used for the cover of a comic book which included an inset photo in the lower left of Robert Colbert as Brent Maverick, if I'm not mistaken.
ReplyDeleteHi Michael! The book shown above is indeed a British "Maverick" annual, with cover art by Walt Howarth. It's also featured in an earlier post:
ReplyDeletehttp://jackkellytribute.blogspot.com/2009/10/kelly-pages-comic-jack-kelly-ii.html.
I think the cover portrait is based on a still from the "Maverick" episode "Last Stop Oblivion", which was also apparently used for the comic book cover.