Grand Old Bart! :)

 Poor Bart Maverick...

Although Bart and Jack Kelly were official stars of Maverick, Brother Bret and James Garner accounted for much of the merchandising and Mavertising during the show's early days.   

For instance, there were Bret Maverick rider and gunfighter figures issued by Hartland Plastics. However, Hartland didn't see fit to issue any Bart figures.  

Or, this clever bit of ephemera ballyhooing Maverick and its sponsor Kaiser Foil:

Designed to resemble paper currency it proclaims, "Bret Maverick--'The Man With The Thousand Dollar Bill'--blazes his way across your TV Screen every Sunday Evening, ABC-TV Network. Don't miss him!"

But, Bret wasn't the only man with a grand on Maverick. Bart had one, too. He even said so:

And, Bret didn't blaze across the TV screen every Sunday evening--sometimes it was Bart. (And, later Beau or Brent.)

Well, I can't do much to remedy the Hartland figure omission, but I did try to fix the faux $1000 bill situation. Ladies and Gentleman, presenting Bart Maverick--The Other Man With The Thousand Dollar Bill:

Don't miss him! And, please don't miss the next TDS, either! :)

Yet Another Bundle From Brazil! :)

Olá!

Here's yet another fantastic look at Jack Kelly and Maverick on Brazilian television, courtesy of the March 24-30 1964 issue of  "Intervalo", with "The Brothers Maverick" as cover boys:

(If that photo looks familiar, it's the same image used on the cover of this Brazilian magazine, only flipped.)

Photo caption: "Jack Kelly is satisfied with the presence of Robert Colbert [Brent], replacing James Garner as Bret."

The text of the cover story (roughly translated with Google) reads:

"The Mavericks - Cute But Not Ordinary 

[I love that description! B27]

The brothers 'Maverick', Brent and Bart, and their cousin Beau, are noted for the impeccable elegance of their dress and how they present themselves. The three have all the requirements of the most perfect gentleman. For this reason, they can be called "cute" (but not ordinary), despite the questionable and sometimes not very honest activities they perform. They enable Brazilian viewers to watch vibrant adventures set in the rugged American West, at the time of the pioneers. See them on Channel 13 in Rio (Saturdays, 21:45) and Channel 5 in Sao Paulo (Tuesdays, 21:35)."

"Next week, the Maverick series begins its second season in São Paulo and Rio. A change for this second season: the replacement of James Garner by Robert Colbert, who will play Brent Maverick, with Jack Kelly continuing as Bart Maverick.

"Living incredible adventures in the old west, the Mavericks are  admired as the quickest on the trigger, although they insist on not being identified as such. They prefer to be known as romantic and adventurous players. Each episode has light and picturesque humor, interconnected with a mild dose of romance, provoked by the two brothers who, even following different paths, invariably end up in the direction of a beautiful girl who always arouses their passion. Bold poker players, they always risk a bluff, or some trick, although they claim great honesty. They are impeccable dressers, contrasting with the inhabitants of the places they pass through.

"Brent and Bart alternate their adventures weekly and in each program they play opposite excellent and renowned stars of television and cinema. This new phase of Maverick presents a new figure, whose interpreter is already known to viewers in Sao Paulo and Rio for his role as "Ivanhoe": Roger Moore, who plays the part of Beau Maverick, cousin of Brent and Bart. 

"Completely dubbed into Portuguese at Cinecastro Studios, the series should continue to delight the public, who are used to admiring and applauding the adventures of the Maverick brothers. Rio residents will continue to follow them on TV-Rio, Channel 13, while São Paulo will keep their receivers tuned to TV-Paulista, Channel  5, every Tuesday, at 21:35 hours."

Wow, that's interesting, how Brent is described as a regularly occurring character, when he appeared in only two episodes. And, how Beau is described as a "new" character, when he actually appeared in the episodes before Brent showed up and then vamoosed. 

Well, where in the world will TDS travel to next? Please stay tuned and find out! :)

Bart Art :)

Hello Everyone!

Due to COVID-19 lockdowns, some museums have been offering virtual tours of their collections. So, I'm opening up the Kellection for an online exhibit titled "Bart Art", that is, artwork depicting Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick.

First, here's a striking portrait of Bart from a Dutch Maverick comic book:

Next up, a comical newspaper caricature of Bart promoting a repeat of "The Third Rider" episode of Maverick on July 20, 1958:

"Bart Maverick (Jack Kelly) Chases Bank Robber Tonight at 7:30--Tries to Clear Himself of Crime in Maverick on Channel 10

This dandy drawing from the Kellection is dated October 8, 1958, and promotes JK's United Appeal tour:

  

Dated May 1960, this photo shows Bart with his famous arched eyebrow:



Here's how the complete photo with Brother Bret looked when it was published in a newspaper TV log in July 1960:

Of course, the above caricature was based on the same iconic photo that's on the cover of Poker According to Maverick (only Bart is sans cigar on the cover):

This drawing heralded the arrival of Bart's Cousin Beau (Roger Moore) in September 1960:

A September 1960 newspaper ad for "A Bundle From Britain" :



The sketch of Bart is based on one of my favorite JK photos:

More "Bart Art" in the next TDS--please stay tuned and stay well. :)



A Three-Day Special! :)

Bart and Bret are here to welcome the Memorial Day weekend! :)

I hope everyone has a safe and meaningful Memorial Day. 

The "Cult" of Maverick! :)

Howdy!

Yet another book just joined the Kellection. It's Cult TV by John Javna.

No, it's not about a television network owned by an obscure guru. "Cult" as defined here means TV shows that fans crave, or, as the subtitle proclaims "A Viewer's Guide to the Shows America Can't Live Without!!".

"Cult" usually denotes a film or TV series which wasn't widely watched or appreciated in its day (such as Star Trek), but later attracted a fiercely devoted following. However, these days one need not be a "Trekker" to recognize phrases like "Beam me up, Scotty!" or to understand what an Enterprise crew member's red shirt foreshadows. Although the original Star Trek series ran only three seasons on NBC, the show and its later iterations can now be viewed around the clock, even without a television. It's no longer "cult tv"; it's an institution.

To me, a cult classic is something more esoteric, like Dark Shadows, the long-canceled gothic soap opera which still has a strong following but is also somewhat "niche". It's in this book, but most of the programs here (Star Trek, I Love Lucy, Gunsmoke, The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, etc.) are perennially popular shows that virtually everyone is familiar with. They've become part of our collective consciousness and lexicon. Who hasn't quipped "You got some 'splainin' to do!" at some time in our life? You don't need a book to 'splain that.

Today, there are several networks devoted to classic television, not to mention streaming services, DVD box sets, YouTube channels, websites, blogs, Facebook fan groups and conventions such as Comic-Con. Anyone can binge, tweet or share their favorite TV shows just about anytime they want.

But, Cult TV was published in 1985 B.I. (Before Internet), when many of the shows it spotlights could be seen only in reruns on local TV (if at all) after their original runs ended. "Retro" programming was in its infancy in 1985. For instance, "Nick At Nite" debuted in July 1985 and its spinoff network "TV Land" didn't sign on until April 1996.

I remember watching Maverick in syndication many moons ago on one of our local cable channels. And, yes, it's one of the cult classics featured in Cult TV.

Unfortunately, the author is of the "James Garner Was Maverick--Jack Kelly Was Just Maverick's Brother" school.

He introduces the lead actors: "Starring James Garner."

"And..."

Not "Starring James Garner and Jack Kelly".

Nope, there's a standalone "And..."

Followed by: "...Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick, Bret's equally larcenous, but not as sexy brother."

(SAY WHAT??!!)

The author further downplays JK's contribution to Maverick by making comments like: "Kelly had been filming a movie in Hong Kong, so he'd never even heard of Maverick. When he finally saw it, he wasn't sure he could step in as proposed, because he thought Garner was so good" and "Kelly was accepted by fans of Maverick (despite the confusion it created) but never developed the cult following that Garner had."

But, we know now that JK does have his fans (you're reading this blog, aren't you?) and, "cult following" or not, he was the official star of Maverick alongside James Garner. He wasn't simply an "and" or a secondary sibling.

Also, were fans of Maverick actually confused when "Brother Bart" showed up? Didn't they have TV Guide or read newspapers? I can just imagine a befuddled couple watching the show back in the day:

"Hey Martha, is this the same guy who usually plays Maverick?"

"No, dear, that's the brother."

"The actor's brother?"

"No, Maverick's brother."

"Oh. Does he have a sister, too?"

Anyway, the author also provides some trivia about Maverick which is now pretty well-known:

Well, please stay tuned to TDS! :)

"Boyfriend" Bart (And Bret!) :)

Howdy!

Remember our date with the Maverick brothers, courtesy of a British fan magazine in the Kellection?

Well, another smashing view of Bart and Bret recently arrived from across the pond:

 

It's a two-page poster from a 1961 issue of Boyfriend magazine. Notice that the caption says "BRET and BART - Stars of ATV's Maverick". ATV was one of the networks on which the series aired in the UK. As you may recall, Maverick and other imported TV westerns were very popular in Britain.

Here's a closer look at Jack Kelly as brother Bart:

 

Please stay tuned for more fun with JK in TDS. :)

Sure As Shootin'....

...today (4/7/2018) is the 90th anniversary of the birth of James Garner. To celebrate, here's a wonderful still of JG and Jack Kelly clowning as "Bret" and "Bart". And, look closely: this still is  autographed by Mr. G.

Flash-forward to 1982. JK and JG are shootin' the breeze on the set of Bret Maverick:


"HOLLYWOOD: Bret and Bart Maverick (James Garner - R- and Jack Kelly) reminisce about the original Maverick on the set of NBC-TV's new Bret Maverick currently being filmed at Warner Bros on the Burbank lot. Kelly is doing a cameo guest-star reprise of his Bart Maverick role in 'The Hidalgo Thing' segment scheduled for May 4. Garner and Kelly starred in the original Maverick which aired from 1957 to 1962. (UPI)."
 

Please stay tuned for more fun with JK (and maybe even JG) in TDS. :)

Flashback Friday: An Even Pair of Mavericks! :)

Happy Friday!

I wanted to share this uncommon image with you as quickly as I could. This original 1959 photo has just joined the Kellection:

Finally, Jack Kelly's Bart Maverick gets to stand tall next to James Garner's Bret! And, he packs a cigar instead of a pistol.

Here's the image we usually see:

I like the first picture much better, don't you? :)

Well, stay tuned for "even" more fun in TDS! ;)

Alias Smith and Jones--and Maverick

Howdy!

I found another entertaining "fanfic" featuring Bart and Bret Maverick, this time involving them with Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry from Alias Smith and Jones. The author is obviously an ASJ fan, but she seems to understand and appreciate the Maverick boys pretty well, too. I'm just surprised Heyes and Curry didn't try to teach Bart how to play Montana Red Dog.
;->