The Californians

The Californians

1957
The Californians
The Californians

The Californians

6.7 | en | Drama

San Franciscans during the goldrush of the 1850s attempt to maintain law and order in their wild city. Newly arrived Matthew Wayne becomes sheriff, then marshal, and organizes the city police force while expressing interest in the young widow Fanzler and sparring with attorney Pitt. Adam Kennedy appears as Dion Patrick, an Irish newspaperman who helps the local vigilante committee.

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Seasons & Episodes

2
1
EP32  An Act of Faith
May. 26,1959
An Act of Faith

Deputy Anthony Wayne tries to get a reluctant murder witness to talk.

EP31  The Bell Tolls
May. 19,1959
The Bell Tolls

The vigilantes insist on lynching a man accused of murdering the Attorney General.

EP30  One Ton of Peppercorns
May. 12,1959
One Ton of Peppercorns

Matt Wayne's gullible cousin is victimized by a swindler as soon as he gets to town.

EP29  The Fur Story
May. 05,1959
The Fur Story

The vigilantes try to drive a Russian fur company out of town.

EP28  The Fugitive
Apr. 28,1959
The Fugitive

The first California extradition case conflicts with Matt's efforts to clear an accused murderer.

EP27  A Hundred Barrels
Apr. 21,1959
A Hundred Barrels

Matt investigates human traffickers, smuggling Chinese into San Francisco to work as slave labour.

EP26  Deadly Tintype
Mar. 31,1959
Deadly Tintype

A defrauded insurance company asks Matt to work on a case of maritime larceny.

EP25  Guns for King Joseph
Mar. 24,1959
Guns for King Joseph

Jeremy's friendship with an Indian outlaw angers Matt.

EP24  Stampede at Misery Flats
Mar. 17,1959
Stampede at Misery Flats

An eccentric old prospector is Matt Wayne's ally as he tries to solve a gold embezzlement scheme.

EP23  Gold-Tooth Charlie
Mar. 10,1959
Gold-Tooth Charlie

A young Chinese man wants to break with the past to join the underworld.

EP22  Cat's Paw
Mar. 03,1959
Cat's Paw

Matt deputises Wilma Fansler to help him solve a strange murder.

EP21  Wolf's Head
Feb. 24,1959
Wolf's Head

An outlaw escapes from jail to seek revenge against Matt and Jeremy.

EP20  A Turn in the Trail
Feb. 17,1959
A Turn in the Trail

While trailing an outlaw, Matt gets involved with a conniving female.

EP19  Corpus Delicti
Feb. 03,1959
Corpus Delicti

Matt faces a court battle when he tries to have a man convicted on circumstantial evidence.

EP18  Crimps' Meat
Jan. 27,1959
Crimps' Meat

Joe Ryan tips Matt off about a gang that's shanghaiing sailors.

EP17  Bella Union
Jan. 20,1959
Bella Union

Charly Tuttle is shot dead at the front door of the Bella Union on opening night.

EP16  The Painted Lady
Jan. 13,1959
The Painted Lady

Maude Sorel is suspected of being Julie Draton's mother.

EP15  The First Gold Brick
Jan. 06,1959
The First Gold Brick

Clay Kendall shows off the gold brick smelted from ore from his mine and convinces investors this is just the beginning. Marshal Wayne suspects Clay is conning the investors.

EP14  The Man Who Owned San Francisco
Dec. 30,1958
The Man Who Owned San Francisco

Panic sets in when Jose Limantour claims title to two square miles in the heart of the city.

EP13  The Long Night
Dec. 23,1958
The Long Night

Three men try to silence a murder witness who has refused protective custody.

EP12  Old Sea Dog
Dec. 16,1958
Old Sea Dog

A commodore's son, misunderstood by his father, helps outlaws steal from the Navy.

EP11  The Painless Extractionist
Dec. 09,1958
The Painless Extractionist

While Dr Pepper offers painless dental work to the people of San Francisco, his cohorts are up to no good.

EP10  Halfway House
Dec. 02,1958
Halfway House

Travellers to San Francisco have been disappearing in the vicinity of an ancient inn.

EP9  Dangerous Journey
Nov. 25,1958
Dangerous Journey

A gang of thieves tries to frame Corey Harris.

EP8  Hangtown
Nov. 18,1958
Hangtown

Matt goes sinister Hangtown due to a dying man's last request.

EP7  Prince of Thieves
Nov. 11,1958
Prince of Thieves

Sam Crawford, the Prince of Thieves, comes to town and offers Marshal Wayne a percentage of all his ill gotten gains for his help.

EP6  Overland Mail
Oct. 28,1958
Overland Mail

When a series of stage holdups occurs, Matt is sworn in as a US marshal so he can take the case.

EP5  The Salted Gold Mine
Oct. 21,1958
The Salted Gold Mine

Consumed with suspicion over a gold mine and its dealings, Matt embarks on an investigation and encounters a life-threatening situation.

EP4  A Girl Named Sam
Oct. 14,1958
A Girl Named Sam

Matt takes the responsibility to protect a group of settlers from the Bandana Gang, a notorious body that has been wreaking havoc for quite some time.

EP3  Lola Montez
Oct. 07,1958
Lola Montez

San Francisco opens its doors to welcome Lola Montez, a gorgeous Spanish dancer. The locals exhibit a strong sense of excitement over her arrival.

EP2  Mutineers from Hell
Sep. 30,1958
Mutineers from Hell

When a crew of alleged mutineers lands in trouble, the responsibility to defend them falls on the shoulders of Jeremy Pitt.

EP1  Dishonor for Matt Wayne
Sep. 23,1958
Dishonor for Matt Wayne

Consumed with the fear of losing their illegitimate earnings, some corrupt San Francisco businessmen conspire to besmirch Matt Wayne's stellar reputation.

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6.7 | en | Drama , Western | More Info
Released: 1957-09-24 | Released Producted By: Louis F. Edelman , California Film Enterprises Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:
Synopsis

San Franciscans during the goldrush of the 1850s attempt to maintain law and order in their wild city. Newly arrived Matthew Wayne becomes sheriff, then marshal, and organizes the city police force while expressing interest in the young widow Fanzler and sparring with attorney Pitt. Adam Kennedy appears as Dion Patrick, an Irish newspaperman who helps the local vigilante committee.

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Cast

Richard Coogan , Sean McClory , Adam Kennedy

Director

Robert Sisk

Producted By

Louis F. Edelman , California Film Enterprises

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Reviews

bkoganbing Back in 1850 Los Angeles was a small city not worth much of anything and that year that California was admitted as a state the action was up north. San Francisco was where the action was. Blessed with one of the finest natural harbors in the world, it was the Pacific gate way for people going around Cape Horn to get to the gold fields. San Francisco was as sleepy a place as Los Angeles was then until gold was discovered. The population grew exponentially so much so California achieved statehood in what was then record time.I would think that a series about those brawling times in San Francisco was a natural. But the Californians failed after two seasons. The hero protagonist was Richard Coogan as upright marshal Matt Wayne who brought law and order to the place where vigilantism was perfected.Sean McClory was in the series also as a newspaper editor and his Irish brogue fit right in because many a soul from Ireland was going there. The two were a good team.Sad to say The Californians failed to find an audience. It debuted at a time when the three networks were deluged with westerns.It got lost in the shuffle and it wasn't the best series, but not bad.
michaelcarraher I remember the theme song. I have almost no memory of the show. Just as well. So much, so bad. Adam Kennedy is a pretty boy with zero acting ability playing a largely unsympathetic character. Good concept but poor writing. Wicked city. Corrupt cops and politicians. Honest citizens organize as vigilantes - until the second season. Sean McClory in the lead might have pulled it off. Instead, the first season cast gets fired and an honest cop fights the vigilantes who have taken the law into their own hands. Even if the show had been better, it was up against "The $64,000 Question" and didn't stand a chance with either cast or concept. But there's still the theme song.
skoyles It began as a unique series: a Western set totally in San Francisco and starring not yet another lawman but a newspaper man. Engrossing and different in its first year with the heavy set McClory doing an intelligent and fine job. I gather the ratings were disappointing because as the second year dawned Richard Coogan appeared as a better dressed version of Matt Dillon. (There was quite a height and facial resemblance between Coogan and James Arness.) Suddenly "The Californians" was little more than a clone Western not as well done as those from the Warner Brothers' staple stable. And then it was gone. Yet that theme song echos yet in what passes for my mind; fine tune although lyrics that rhyme "poor" with "cure" must be questioned.