Series Description

Have Gun Will Travel was a 30 minute western action series on CBS about an a typical professional gunfighter. He's a well-dressed, articulate West Point graduate who loved the arts, fine food, brandy, fine cigars! After the civil war, he settles in San Francisco in a first class hotel with his Chinese cook and valet "Hey Boy" (Not exactly politically correct, huh?) His business card reads, "Have Gun, Will Travel - Wire Paladin, San Francisco". He wears black but is the good guy, typically helping someone being oppressed or who has been wronged by a bully. He charged a flat $1,000 which was a small fortune in the late 1800's (and he did do some charity work for a good cause), but you get what you pay for!

Cast

Richard Boone .... Paladin
Kam Tong .... Hey Boy
Lisa Lu .... Hey Girl

Trivia

Richard Boone was a decendant of Daniel Boone.

Gene Roddenberry (creator of the original Star Trek TV show) was also one of the writers for Have Gun Will Travel.

Paladin used a single-action Colt .44 with a long, rifled barrel. It had a one-ounce trigger pull and was hand-made to his own specifications.

While Paladin often spared the life of a bad guy (if they weren't too bad), if Paladin was injured by the bad guy, they ALWAYS ended out dead!

Paladin would switch sides against his employer if he discovered that they were really the evil one.

John Dehner who played the role of "Paladin" in the 1958-1960 Have Gun Will Travel radio show was the first choice for that role on the TV show. He was, however, contractually obligated to Warner Brothers Studios at the time due to his role on the TV program "The Roaring 20's" and couldn't take the job.

The word "paladin" means "vigilante protector".

Theme Song

Title: "Have Gun Will Travel"

Written By: "Johnny Western", "Richard Boone" & "Sam Rolfe"

Performed By: "Johnny Western"

Have Gun Will Travel reads the card of a man.
A knight without armor in a savage land.
His fast gun for hire head's the calling wind.
A soldier of fotune is the man called Paladin.

Paladin, Paladin
Where do you roam?
Paladin, Paladin,
Far, far from home.