The Range War: Wild Bill Hickok (September 2, 1951)

Wild Bill Hickok, old-time radio on Stupid Potato

“The Range War” is an episode of Wild Bill Hickok, the old-time radio show, first broadcast September 2, 1951. Listen free on Stupid Potato: no sign-up, no app.

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What happens

Wild Bill Hickok and his deputy Jingles ride into a feud between the Caldwell and Moore families, which has spread terror across the prairie trail between San Antonio and Quero. Bill and Jingles are sworn to keep the two clans apart, but they find themselves caught in the middle when gunfire breaks out. Hickok must sort out the claims of each side, including a dispute over whether a man has been killed and who is rustling the cattle. The Wild Bill Hickok series, starring Guy Madison as Bill and Andy Devine as Jingles, aired on 1951-09-02.

The prairie trail between San Antonio and Quero, in the Texas frontier.

Characters: Wild Bill Hickok, Jingles, Josh Caldwell, Hiram Moore, West Patterson, Tay McLeod, Seamus O'Leary

Listen for: Listen for the moment Bill Hickok clears up the question of whether Tay McLeod was really killed, and for the gunsmith's remarks on the feud.

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.