Rawhide - Second Season Vol. 1 & 2 Review

The complete second season of the long-running TV Western Rawhide presented on this 8-disc set collection demonstrates how a television series changes from its original conception to what it needs to be. Even though Eric Fleming got top billing as trail boos Gil Favor, it was his his young co-star, Clint Eastwood, who would become the face of the show. Fleming's taciturn grimace was certainly no match for the laconic presence and undeniable sex appeal of an icon in the making. By the second season, the production was firing on all cylinders, and it's all here, more than 25 hours of pure Western-watchin' enjoyment. Yee-ha!

Eastwood's portrayal of "Rowdy Yates" put him on the map, and was the launching pad for his film career, leading to his casting in Fistful of Dollars. At the time, there were a lot of people who thought Clint was crazy for giving up a high-paying TV gig to go to Europe to make Westerns, but we can safely say that it all worked out OK in end for Clint.

In any case, I am pleased to see that Paramount will be releasing the complete series (1959-1965) on DVD, and that the third season is now available. In my Top Ten Clint Eastwood Westerns, I gave honorable mention to Rawhide, where Clint cut his teeth as a Western hero.

I fondly remember how, for many years, whenever there was a rainout at Wrigley, WGN would slap on an episode of Rawhide. Once Frankie Laine started wailing the iconic theme song, you could forget about about the ballgame, and spend an hour out on the trail with Rowdy, Jim, Wishbone, Mushy, and ol' Gil Favor. 

Available separately or as a tasty boxed set from Paramount Home Video.