The Wild Wild West was an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons (104 episodes) from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969. Developed at a time when the television western was losing ground to the spy genre, this show was conceived by its creator, Michael Garrison, as “James Bond on horseback.” It was one of the first television series that could be described as a spy thriller, fantasy, science fiction, horror, and old western. At a second glance it fits no genre but does fit all genres. Two television movies were made with the original cast in 1979 and 1980, and the series was adapted for a motion picture in 1999 with a new cast and story.
The Wild Wild West told the story of the country’s first two Secret Service agents’ James T. West, the charming gunslinger (played by Robert Conrad), and Artemus Gordon (played by Ross Martin), the brilliant gadgeteer and master of disguise. Their unending mission was to protect President Ulysses S. Grant and the United States from all manner of dangerous threats. The agents traveled in luxury aboard their own train equipped with everything from a stable car to a laboratory.
The show incorporated classic Western elements with an espionage thriller, as well as science fiction/alternate history ideas (in a similar vein to steampunk) and plenty of comedy. In the finest James Bond tradition, there were always beautiful women, clever gadgets, and delusional archenemies with half-insane plots to take over the country or the world.
The most memorable recurring arch-villain was Dr. Miguelito Quixote Loveless, a brilliant-but-insane dwarf portrayed by Michael Dunn, who performed almost an identical function for West and Gordon as Professor Moriarty performed for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson’s the worthy adversary, whose plans could be foiled but who resisted all attempts to capture him and bring him to justice. Loveless was introduced in the show’s sixth produced, but third televised episode, “The Night the Wizard Shook The Earth,” and appeared in another nine episodes. According to the “The Wild Wild West Revisited” TV movie, Loveless eventually dies in 1880 from anger and frustration at having his plans consistently ruined by West and Gordon. (His son, played by Paul Williams, subsequently seeks revenge on the agents).
While the show’s writers created their fair share of villains, they frequently started with the nefarious, stylized inventions of these madmen and then wrote the episodes around these devices. Stories were also inspired by Edgar Allen Poe, H.G. Wells, and Jules Verne.
The first season episodes were filmed in black and white, and were appropriately darker in their tonality. (Cinematographer Ted Voightlander was nominated for an Emmy for his work on these episodes.) Subsequent seasons were filmed in color and the show became noticeably campier. Still, some episodes could be astonishingly violent, and that ultimately was its downfall: according to Susan Kesler’s book (see below), CBS bowed under pressure from watchdog groups and canceled the show. However, the network re-ran several episodes in the summer of 1970 before the program moved into syndication and new life on local stations across the country. In the early 1990s it was broadcast on cable channel TNT. The channel usually preferred the color episodes, however, rather than the black and white shows.
Robert Conrad and a stock company of stunt players choreographed at least two fight sequences per episode. Conrad also insisted on performing almost all of his own stunts, such as leaping off a 2nd-floor balcony or running in front of a team of horses.
The Wild Wild West featured numerous gadgets. Some were recurring devices, such as James’ sleeve gun or breakaway derringer hidden in his left and right boot heels. Others only appeared in a single episode.
| • | Sleeve gun (a Remington derringer, featured in many episodes) |
| • | Breakaway derringer (featured in numerous episodes) |
| • | exploding pool ball (featured in pilot episode) |
| • | cue stick that has a hidden sword inside (featured in pilot episode) |
| • | cue stick that has a hidden gun inside (featured in pilot episode) |
| • | stage coach with ejection seat (featured in “The Night the Wizard Shook the Earth”) |
| • | a throwing dagger hidden down the back of West’s coat |
| • | false heel in Jim West’s boot that contained whatever he needed, but most often plastic explosives and a fuse |
| • | boot knife springing forth from the tip of West’s boot |
| • | skeleton key hidden in the lapel of Jim’s coat |
The series is set during the presidency of Ulysses Grant, 1869-77; occasional episodes imply a more precise date.
Source:
The Wild Wild West. (2006, November 3). In
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:10, November 16, 2006, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Wild_Wild_West&oldid=85501276 (with a few additions by Doc Halloween)
SECRET SERVICE MAN-OF-ACTION
The name “Secret Service” is believed to have come from the fact that they are not allowed to reveal who they are when asked. The Man-of-Action (or woman) is a gunman who’s primary mission is to preserve freedom, security, and Democracy. The Secret Service was commissioned on July 5, 1865. Secret Service has primary jurisdiction over the prevention of counterfeiting of U.S. currency and U.S. treasury bonds and notes, as well as protection of the President, Vice President, their immediate families, other high ranking government officials, past presidents and their spouses, certain candidates for the offices of President and Vice President, and visiting foreign heads of state and government (all called “protectees”). It also investigates a variety of crimes and thefts against the United States Government and provides forensics assistance for some local crimes.
Vocational Skills
Athletics
Finesse
Firearms
Riding
Stealth
Brawling
Street Cred
Investigation
Required Gimmicks
Federal Authority
Lawful
SECRET SERVICE GADGETEER
The Gadgeteer is a science-geek agent who’s primary mission is to see that other agents have what is need when they need it. If the Gadgeteer does not have what an agent needs he/she can procure it, and if they can not procure it then they create it themselves. This can range from weapons, horses, and forged documents to experimental equipment. This agent delights in inventing, building, or using gadgets; often thinking years ahead of the rest of the world. The Gadgeteer makes odd-but-deadly devices out of pieces of junk he finds lying around.
Vocational Skills
Investigation
Design
Academics
Blacksmithing
Carpentry
General Knowledge
Sciences
Required Gimmicks
Federal Authority
Improvise
(Vocational Gimmick: The character can jury-rig something when a tool is needed. With a few simple tools or devices, he/she can devise weapons, implement simple devices to help escape traps, and create something that is needed.)
SECRET SERVICE MAN-OF-A-THOUSAND-FACES
This agent is a master-of-disguise and confidence man (or woman). If you need information then the Man-of-a-Thousand-Faces can get it for you. This agent can sweet talk information from people whom have no idea that they have given the agent what he/she was seeking. The person sitting beside you could be Ulysses S. Grant, a “Yellow Rose of Taxes”, or even you the next time you meet.
Vocational Skills
Finesse
Interrogation
Investigation
Disguise
Performance
Negotiation
Street Cred
Required Gimmicks
Federal Authority
Mimicry
(Vocational Gimmick: The character can imitate someone else’s voice that they have actually heard before. {taken from Matthew Stevens’ “Two Fisted Tales” RPG})
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