An Imaginary Trio :)

Happy New Year Everyone!

I've puzzled over Brent Maverick before in TDS. He was the mysterious Maverick brother who suddenly appeared and then disappeared in early 1961. 

As far as Maverick episodes go, Brent's tenure was just two and through. Apparently, though, some folks didn't get the message. Like, the editor of the Chicago Daily Tribune's "TV Week" section:

Yep, that's Brent (Robert Colbert) showing off his $1000 bill to brother Bart (Jack Kelly) and cousin Beau (Roger Moore).  JK, RG and RC posed for a series of goofy pictures like the one above. Which is odd, since this particular configuration of Mavericks didn't exist in the actual series. Beau and Moore had already vanished from Maverick by the time Brent showed up. 

But, that didn't stop "TV Week" from publishing this fantastic photo in July of 1961. Plus, the cover story (titled "Coming Up: One More Maverick") presents Brent as a character who hadn't yet debuted, rather than one who had already come and gone:

"There's another Maverick riding down Channel 7's TV trail this season--name of Brent, relative of Bret, Bart and Beau. His real name is Robert Colbert--and he's the latest substitute pressed into duty for James Garner, who blew the Maverick series amid a flurry of lawsuits. First, there was Roger Moore, who subbed as the Mavericks' British cousin, Beau. But, Roger proved too Piccadilly for TV viewers and is being dealt out of the game.

"Now comes Brent, or Bob Colbert, who bears a striking resemblance to Garner, the original. They even sound alike.

"Bob's introduction to the role came as a complete surprise. One day, after rehearsing for a Lawman episode, he was told to report to Warner Bros.'s wardrobe department for a costume. When the attendants dressed him in fancy dude's outfit, he told them they were making a big mistake. 

"Still in the dark as to what was happening, Bob reported to ABC production bosses. They eyed him up and down.

"'He's perfect,' said one official. 'We can use the same stock footage.'

"The young actor finally got the drift: He was nominated to be the new Maverick brother.

"'I know it's tough to follow the original,' Bob says realistically. 'I don't hope to be as good as Jim Garner. But I think the show can capture the same flavor it had in those early days. We are going back to the original concept of the Mavericks as slightly larcenous and cowardly, instead of playing them as the standard western heroes. There's enough of that on TV.'"

(Of course, Colbert realized all along that Garner's boots were way too big to fill and later admitted he told his bosses, "Put me in a dress and call me 'Brenda' but don't do this to me!")

Here's another fun pic of the imaginary Maverick trio from the Kellection:

"Surprise! I was just pretendin' to be a Maverick--now give me your thousand-dollar bills!" ;)

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

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! :)

60 Years Ago Today...

 ...A "Bundle From Britain" arrived on Maverick!

Yes, it was on September 18, 1960, that Roger Moore debuted as "Beau Maverick", the "white sheep" cousin of the Maverick family.

I was about to ask Beau and his cousin Bart how they felt about this historic anniversary. Unfortunately, they're tied up at the moment:

Please stay tuned for more about Jack Kelly and Maverick in TDS! :)

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. :)



Nostalgia's Nothing New Pt. II :)

Hi!

Here's another nostalgic look at Maverick, this time from a movie magazine:

The year is 1973. Maverick, absent from network television for eleven years, is saluted as an "All-Time Favorite TV Series" as part of a "Nostalgia Special" feature. The glowing (but not entirely accurate) tribute takes us back to show's beginning:

"Fall 1957. A tall, rangy kid from Oklahoma costumed in a Mississippi gambler's outfit rode onto ABC-TV, a pre-season choice for early cancellation. For most of that season we called the kid Bret Maverick but we gradually realized we'd better remember his 'real' name--James Garner. (Actually, it was James Baumgarner and shortened for marquee effect).

"The pre-season doomsayers were wrong. Although Maverick competed with Ed Sullivan and Steve Allen in its time slot on Sunday nights, it became a nation-wide sensation. The Maverick boys (Bret had a brother, Bart, played by Jack Kelly) were something different, aimless drifters who made their living gambling. Bret was the one with a sly sense of humor and droll wit. Bart was less funny [B27--"Bart could be more serious"--there, I fixed it ;)] but just as fast with a gun. Here was a western that didn't take itself seriously; the scripts were laced with humor.

"Every week the boys had to outsmart the smarties who were out to take them. Frequently the very people to whom they were lending their willing hands turned into villains--even the damsels! Only the brothers' inherited sixth sense for spotting bad hombres--and hombresses [B27--is that even a word?]--on the loose kept them from getting shot in the back. The Maverick boys brought a lively quality to a heretofore staid and stolidly serious West.

"At the height of its popularity, trouble hit the set. Garner grew increasingly restless being tied to a long-running series. A dispute between him and Warner Bros., which produced the series, ended up in court, but not before Warners suspended their maverick star.

"Kelly continued as Bart and a British cousin, Beau Maverick, joined the clan. The studio believed that Roger Moore as Beau would add the same romantic flavor as Garner to the show. But Maverick fans wanted the one and only Bret. Without him, the ratings lagged. And after the 1960 season, Maverick was put out to pasture. [B27--Yes, it was put out to pasture after 1960--in 1962, to be precise.]

"Since then, Garner went on to become the first major television star to outfox his studio over a long-term contract dispute. It took him a lot of years, but once it was settled, Jim became a big movie star, one of the few ever to make the transition from small screen to leading man chores.

"Two seasons ago [1971], Garner returned to television for another series try, Nichols, in the year of the 'movie star' on television. But, along with James Stewart and Henry Fonda, Garner's show was shot down by both the critics and ratings. Fortunately, he's continued successfully in films.

"Jack Kelly, who hails from Astoria, Long Island, and had to learn to ride horses for Maverick [B27--JK actually learned how to ride before then], has popped up all over the tube, from drama to comedy to hosting his own daytime game show, Sale of the Century.

"Probably the most successful of the Maverick clan has been their little-known relation Beau. Roger Moore has to be the highest-paid 'spy' in the world, first as The Saint, now as the renowned Agent 007 James Bond. Of the three, Bret, Bart and Beau, Roger's become the big sex symbol! [B27--But some of us still prefer Bart! :)]

"Maverick holds up well even by today's standards. It was fresh, fast, funny and one of the best written shows ever. To this day, we miss it." [B27--Thank goodness for DVDs and nostalgia channels in 2017!]

Captions: Upper left--"Moore joined the show after Garner walked off. Producers hoped he would be a romantic image. Here with Kathleen Crowley, he does his best." Upper right-- "Sometimes Garner played dual role--'Pappy Maverick' as well as Bret. 'Pappy' had the same eyes for 'purty girls' as his two sons. The girl is Kaye Elhardt.' Lower left--"Bret was fast with a funny line--and just as fast with his Colt .45!" Lower right: "Bretless Maverick lasted just one two seasons. While Bart and Beau were popular, it was Bret the some fans tuned in to see each week."

Now that we've remembered Maverick, don't forgot to come back and read more about JK in TDS! :)

Kelly On "Call"! :)

Hello!

Sometimes I find Kellectibles, and sometimes they find me. The latter was the case when I serendipitously stumbled upon a stash of vintage original Warner Bros. TV call sheets--including two for Maverick! Naturally, they quickly joined the Kellection.

A call sheet is a document (often prepared by an assistant director) that's distributed to the cast and crew of  a TV or film production. It lists call (start) times, personnel, locations, etc., needed for the next day's shooting. Vintage call sheets can provide a wealth of information for fans, researchers and Kellectors.

I'd seen call sheets for Maverick before, but this group of documents is extra special because they're all for one very busy day (Thursday, October 13, 1960) and they're for nearly every TV series being produced on the Warner lot at the time. Besides Maverick, there are call sheets for Cheyenne, Bronco, Lawman, 77 Sunset Strip, Surfside 6, The Roaring 20's, and Hawaiian Eye (nope, not filmed in Hawaii ;>). TV commercials were also being filmed and cartoons were having dialogue recorded.

The Maverick episode Jack Kelly was filming was "Dodge City Or Bust":

As you can see, JK had a 6:30 am PT make-up call. His poor co-star, Diana Millay, had to come in an hour earlier, probably for hair styling. In addition to his crack-of-dawn call time, JK had to deal with another issue during this episode. He'd broken his hand prior to filming and had to wear a cast, which was removed so he could film his scenes and then replaced. Youch!

The episode's filming locations are at the top of the sheet below (also shown are locations for Hawaiian Eye). All the locations are on the Warner lot:

 

 Sadly, the famous Warner western street set (also known as "Laramie Street") was razed in 2003 and replaced by a row of residential-fronted buildings which can be used as both production offices and sets.

Here are a couple of vintage stills from "Dodge City or Bust", which originally aired on December 11, 1960. The info on the back of the first still says: "ON THE RUN -- Bart Maverick (Jack Kelly) helps a lovely girl named Diana (Diana Millay) escape from a posse when both are falsely accused of bank-robbery and murder in 'Dodge City or Bust', the latest episode of Maverick. The Warner Bros. drama airs Sunday, Dec. 11, on the ABC-TV network."

"Dodge City or Bust" was rerun on June 11, 1961, according to the info on the back of the next still: "WANTED -- Jack Kelly and beauteous Diana Millay rehearse a scene for a Warner Bros. Maverick episode in which they find themselves linked both romantically and on the sheriff's wanted list for bank robbery and murder. Titled 'Dodge City or Bust', the segment runs Sunday, June 11, on the ABC-TV network."

The second Maverick episode being filmed on 10/13/60 was "Bolt From the Blue", starring Roger Moore as Beau Maverick. Note the director: Robert Altman, who also wrote the episode and, of course, went on to direct big-screen classics such as M*A*S*H and Nashville. RM had a 7:30 am PT make-up call. If you recall from an earlier TDS post, he had some interesting memories of filming Maverick.

Speaking of memories, ME-TV will remember Sir Roger Moore with a special showing of his Maverick episode "The Town That Wasn't There" later today (Saturday, May 27) at 10:00 ET. Be sure to check your local listings for correct channel and time.

And, be sure to come back and visit TDS--you just never know what other Kellectibles I've found...or have found me. :)

Remembering...

Sir Roger Moore

1927-2017

 

 

 

 

 

“George [Lazenby], Timothy [Dalton] and Pierce [Brosnan], we’ve been together, the four of us. But Sean, Sean really was sort of not that enamored of being confused with James Bond all the time. Sean … damn good actor, but he felt that he was only being remembered for Bond. I personally don’t give a damn. I just want to be remembered as somebody who paid his debts.”--Sir Roger Moore, National Public Radio (NPR) interview, 2014

 

You will be remembered for far more than that, Sir Roger. Thank you for all your roles (including Beau Maverick) and especially for your work as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.  Rest in peace.



"Give The Boots The Stars Wear" Pt IV

And the "boot" goes on... :)

This slick 1960 ad is probably the best known Acme Boot ad featuring the Maverick boys--it appeared in popular large format magazines such as Life and The Saturday Evening Post, and it turns up for sale as a standalone Kellectible now and then:

The photo from which the images of JK and JG down in the left corner were taken recently became a part of the Kellection.

Speaking of images, after poring over all these wonderful vintage Acme ads, I got to thinking about the different products that Maverick and its stars were used to advertise. "Mavertising", as it were. :)

The connection to Jeep automobiles and to Kaiser aluminum foil and siding is a no-brainer: they were owned by the show's main sponsor, Kaiser Industries.

Peter Paul was also a Maverick sponsor at one point.

And don't forget the Topper scooter.

In the case of Acme Boots, author Jane M. Gaines reveals in her book Contested Culture: The Image, The Voice and The Law how Acme became the boots the stars wore: "But it is also important to see merchandising as a part of scientific management strategy, in which the principle was to turn star property into capital wherever possible. Control of the star image gave studios certain leverage with other industries with which they may have had many other kinds of cooperative arrangements. And in fact, studios even traded star images for free supplies of props such as automobiles, wild animals and cowboy boots. The Warner Bros. merchandising contract with Acme Boot Company, for instance, gave the studio a $2500 cash advance and fifty-four dozen pairs of western boots each year for two years in exchange for the use of the stars of Cheyenne, Sugarfoot, Lawman and Maverick in their advertising."

By the way, I haven't seen Roger Moore (cousin Beau Maverick) in any of these Acme ads, maybe because of some candid remarks he made while filming Maverick. He recounted to a Reuters reporter in 2008, "At Warner Bros. I was doing (the 1950's TV series) Maverick and sitting on the back lot and it was hot and my feet were pinched in these bloody cowboy boots. I was doing an interview and said the reason there were so many killers in the Old West was the boots--they pinched their feet and they got bad-tempered and shot one another. About a month later, I was sent for by Bill Orr, who was the head of Warner Bros. TV and he said: 'You know, the Acme Boot Company are very upset. They supply our boots and you'd better stop saying these things.'"

UPDATE! I found RM's original comments in a 1960 Australian "TV Week"

Well, I'm sure you won't complain when you see what's coming up next in TDS.  ;->



RIP Leslie H Martinson

Hello All,

On Monday 9/5 I posted a lobby card from Jack Kelly's film FBI Code 98. This film was directed by Leslie H. Martinson, who also helmed 18 episodes of Maverick.

Sadly, the talented and prolific Mr. Martinson passed away on 9/6, at the age of 101. His obituary in the New York Times includes a great photo of JK and Roger Moore with Mr. Martinson. This photo also appeared in a article about JK which was published in TV Weekly in 1960 and which I blogged about in 2011.

Roger Moore shared some interesting tidbits about working with JK and Mr. Martinson in his autobiography My Word Is My Bond. You can read them here.

BTW, Mr. Martinson wasn't the only long-lived Maverick director. Richard Bare, who directed 11 episodes of the series, was also 101 when he passed away in 2015!

Maverick is Back! :)

...in a big way!

After being AWOL for a while from US TV, Maverick is taking another bow on the Encore Westerns cable network. Maverick moseys back to Encore each weekday starting January 2 at 2:00 pm ET.

If you can't wait until next year for your daily Maverick fix, you can catch the show now on Cozi TV, as the channel's cute promo illustrates:

And, that's not all. Hot on the heels of the recent third season DVD release comes the fourth season of Maverick on January 7. But, who is the tall dark stranger there?

Instead of Jack Kelly as Bart, it's Roger Moore as Bart's upstart cousin, Beau Maverick.

I am shaken and definitely stirred! :0

Really, I have nothing against Roger Moore. He was great as Simon Templar and James Bond. But, his fleeting stint as Beau Maverick was hardly his finest hour. He appeared in only 15 of the fourth season's 32 episodes. So, why did Warner Archive put a solo portrait of Moore on the DVD cover?

WA probably figured that the future Bond would be a sure-fire DVD draw. Fine--but there are plenty of Maverick publicity pix they could have used which show JK and RM together, such as this one:

And, again Warner Archive is going the "manufacture on demand" route with Maverick's fourth season and charging nearly $50 for the set.

I know I should be grateful that Maverick is available on DVD at all. I'm just disgusted that Warner Archive is handling a true legend of the TV west in such a cavalier manner...and keeps neglecting one of its stars. Here's hoping they'll let Jack Kelly have the 5th season DVD cover all to himself! :)

Freebird! :)

Jack Kelly: TV's Reluctant Top Gun Sounds Off - Pt. II :)

Hello Everyone!

Here's Part Two of the 1960 TV Weekly article:

"'I [JK] banged my head against a wall for two years before the thing finally equalized itself. It wasn't anyone's fault. It's just a peculiarity of the audience that it picks out one guy in shows like this and makes him No. 1. Sort of the same situation exists this time, but I really hope the same condition doesn't arise.

'After all," Kelly went on easily, "we're both in the same show getting the same exposure. And I know how hard Roger is going to have to work. When this 'top gun' business comes up about two people who are working together...well, you know what can happen.'

Actually, of course, Kelly walked out on the show only a few steps behind Garner. Warner Brothers talked him into coming back, however.

'I'd have come back anyway,' he said. 'I came back because it was the smart thing for me to do. Jim? Well, I figure he knows what he's doing.'

The question now before Kelly, Moore, Warners, ABC, et al is whether the series will be as successful without Garner was it was with him.

'I hope it won't hurt us,' Kelly shrugged. 'It don't think it will if Roger and I hit it off as well as Jim and I did. We clicked together right from the start. That's why I say now, don't call me 'top gun'.'"

Incidentally, Roger Moore had debuted as "Beau" on September 18, 1960. And, after only about a month, this Maverick cousin hadn't clicked with one viewer. They wrote to TV Weekly:

"I think we should send the 'Bundle from Britain' (Roger Moore) back to the British. When are we ever going to get the Maverick situation straightened out? The program was so good, but it sure has slipped, especially since they dropped Bret."

The editor replied: "They didn't drop Bret. He dropped himself from the series. Let's give Moore a chance to fill the gap."

Of course, Roger Moore ultimately didn't fill the Maverick gap. JK ended up being the only "gun" during the series' final season, although brother Bret did appear in reruns.

Jack Kelly - Happy St. Patrick's Day from JK!

"Mr. Muldoon, I wished for 'more green'

--not 'Moore green'!"

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY ;->

The Kelly Pages: Comic Jack Kelly IV

Hello!

Here's a look at the final Maverick annual in my Kellection. It's probably the nicest one, too:

Bart is finally joined by brother Bret (James Garner) on the cover, along with cousin Beau (Roger Moore). He's still only partially shown, though.

As usual, the annual is filled with comic strips and stories. The first story in the book is titled:

This annual is probably the only place where cousins Bret, Bart and Beau appear together in the same story (James Garner left Maverick before Roger Moore came aboard as Beau, although Moore had appeared with Garner and Kelly as a different character in "The Rivals" episode). The story's author did get a trifle confused, though, because Bret, Bart and Beau are described as "the Maverick brothers".

There's also a "Maverick" game and factoids about riverboats, derringers and famous gamblers such as Wild Bill Hickok and Bat Masterson (I wonder how many parents knew their kids were reading this stuff?). ;->

How 'bout one more look at Bart:

The Kelly Pages: Comic Jack Kelly III

Howdy!

And, now a look at another British Maverick annual in my Kellection:

Once more, Roger Moore has a more prominent place on the cover. Oh well, half a Jack Kelly is better than none! :)

Inside, there are colorful comic strips and stories with titles such as "Shanghaied" and "Mavericks! Keep Out!" There are also little vignettes about actual historical figures such as Davy Crockett and "The Jersey Lily" (Lillie Langtry). And: "Riverboats played an important part in the settlement of the west" (Beau and Bart--who should know--tell us why on the inside covers).

There's even a game called "Down the Mississippi", where one can "Sail With Bart Maverick on The 'River Queen' bound for New Orleans. This game can be played by two or more players and requires a dice and suitable counters." But, be careful: "Returning to his cabin Bart finds his bankroll missing. Go back to square 6."

Very fun little book. Here's one more pic:

And, speaking of Sir Roger Moore: I peeked at his autobiography, My Word is My Bond, and here's what he had to say about working (and playing) with Jack Kelly and James Garner on Maverick:

"...Jack Kelly and I got along really well, on and off the set. In true Maverick style, I'd regularly join Jim Garner, Jack Kelly and their wives for a poker school at Jack's house on Sunset Boulevard. I was never particularly lucky at cards, but had my fair share of luck on the other side of that old adage."

[Moore describes the long days spent filming Maverick episodes, and explains how he, Garner and Clint Walker of Cheyenne finally lobbied no less than Ronald Reagan (then president of the Screen Actors' Guild) for more reasonable hours. They were "rewarded" by Warner Brothers with a time-clock in the make-up department.]

"Actors had to punch in every morning. I refused to be part of such a stupid scheme. I bought my own make-up and never punched in....Jack Kelly was similarly minded and one day took the time-clock and used it as a football."

[Moore also said that frequent Maverick director Leslie H. Martinson--who directed him in The Rivals--would get so upset when things didn't go right on the set (like when James Garner just didn't give a darn or Jack Kelly only wanted to clown), he'd actually start weeping!]

My Word is My Bond is doggone interesting--I'll have to read the rest of it some time!

The Kelly Pages: Comic Jack Kelly

Since the Maverick episodes with Roger Moore/"Beau" are starting to wind down on Encore Westerns, I thought I'd feature this striking cover of a Maverick "comic album" today. I just wish you all could see it in person, full-size, because it's much better looking than this scan.

The album contains a not-badly drawn Beau and Bart in three comic book adventures. Surprisingly, it also has the story "Trail West to Fury", based on an actual Maverick episode starring Bart and Bret (although the ending is somewhat different).

Now, if the "star" billing seems a little, er, reversed on this cover, that's because the album is British, and so is Roger Moore. ;-> But, our boy Jack Kelly is lookin' pretty good there (even if he does have the credits on him!)

The Kelly Pages: Ladies Love Mavericks

As promised, here's an excerpt from the 1960 article re: Jack Kelly and Roger Moore on Maverick. It was written by Cecil Smith and it's mostly in the form of a candid conversation in which old hand JK tries to teach newbie Moore (who was just joining the series as "Cousin Beau") what it means to be a Maverick:

"JK: 'To begin with, Beau is rather the white sheep of the Mavericks. He was born in Texas, but [lived] in England. He was a hero in the Civil War and there's nothing a Maverick abhors like heroism or bravery.'

RM: 'I rather think if Maverick turned up today, he'd be rather like Francis Powers.'

JK: 'No, Powers hasn't the guts Maverick has.'

RM: 'But, is it guts, really?'

JK: 'It's the manifestation of guts. It's ingenuity. It's sophistication. And it's intestinal fortitude...Beau, despite being a white sheep, was fortunate enough to have been born a Maverick. So, some of the real Maverick point of view rubs off.'

RM: 'Jack, see that girl at the end of the bar--isn't that lovely?'

JK: 'See what I mean? That's a Maverick remark. But a Maverick would go up and meet her, introduce himself. See Maverick is wishful thinking. Maverick does what every man wants to do--but because of conventions or timidity or public opinion won't'.

RM: 'I see Maverick as a sort of modern Robin Hood.'

JK: 'Not exactly. Maverick would be more inclined to steal from the poor and give to the rich.'

RM: 'I see--he's rather altruistic in reverse.'

JK: 'Exactly. He doesn't attack conventions. He ignores them. He symbolizes man's wishful thinking.'

RM: 'I'd hate to be like Maverick. My wife would kill me.'

JK: 'No she would not. There's a perverse side of a woman that loves a Maverick.' [B27: !!!!]

RM: '...I suppose there are parts of Maverick in me. In every man. That's what you draw on in interpreting the role.'

JK: 'Now, to meet that girl...'

[B27: Moore chats up the girl, but returns with a man!]

RM: 'Say, you know that lass at the bar, the attractive one. I'd like you to meet her husband.'

JK (holding his head): 'Oh no, he'll never make a Maverick!'"

The Kelly Pages: Draw!

I found this drawing of Bart Maverick in a 1960 newspaper TV section. It's a detail from an ad for Maverick's fourth season opener, "Bundle From Britain", which introduced Roger Moore as Bart's British-accented cousin, Beau Maverick. (And, doesn't that kind of look like Miss Kitty glancing over Bart's shoulder?)

The TV section also includes an interesting interview with JK and Moore. I'll share it here soon.