High Chaparral, The


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

From Wikipedia:

The High Chaparral is an American Western-themed television series starring Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell, which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1971. The series, made by Xanadu Productions in association with NBC Productions, was created by David Dortort, who had previously created Bonanza for the network. The theme song was also written and conducted by Bonanza scorer David Rose, who also scored the two-hour pilot.

The show revolves around "Big John" Cannon (Leif Erickson), a rancher living in the Arizona Territory in the 1870s. He runs the ranch, called The High Chaparral, with his brother Buck (Cameron Mitchell) and son Billy Blue (known as Blue Boy) (Mark Slade). Blue Boy's mother, Annalee (Joan Caulfield), is killed in the first episode by an Indian arrow, and John Cannon then marries Victoria (Linda Cristal), the daughter of powerful neighbouring rancher Don Sebastián Montoya (Frank Silvera), in what is initially a marriage of convenience. His marriage to Victoria also brings her brother Manolito (Henry Darrow) to live with the family.

The High Chaparral was Dortort's brainchild, and he left the day-to-day running of Bonanza in the spring of 1967 so he could focus all of his energies on The High Chaparral. After the show's cancellation in 1971, Dortort chose not to return to Bonanza and retired.

All the exterior filming was done at Old Tucson in Arizona and in the nearby Saguaro National Park, although in a few later episodes there was some filming in California and (in season 3) in the Coronado National Forest south of Tucson. The interiors were generally filmed at the NBC television studios in Burbank, Los Angeles.

Highlights
George Watters on editing The High Chapparal and Bonanza for producer David Dortort
08:33
Haskell Boggs on acting as director or photography on The High Chapparal 
01:21
David Dortort on creating The High Chaparral
01:30
David Dortort on juggling doing The High Chaparral with Bonanza and on the success of The High Chaparral
02:26
David Dortort on Leaf Erickson as "John Cannon" and Cameron Mitchell as "Buck Cannon" on The High Chaparral
02:18
Kent McCray on associate producing The High Chaparral, and on the location of the show
05:21
Who talked about this show

Haskell Boggs

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Haskell Boggs on acting as director or photography on The High Chapparal 
01:21

David Dortort

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David Dortort on creating The High Chaparral
01:30
David Dortort on creating The High Chaparral
01:30
David Dortort on Leaf Erickson as "John Cannon" and Cameron Mitchell as "Buck Cannon" on The High Chaparral
02:18
David Dortort on juggling doing The High Chaparral with Bonanza and on the success of The High Chaparral
02:26

Kent McCray

View Interview
Kent McCray on associate producing The High Chaparral, and on the location of the show
05:21
Kent McCray on the budget of The High Chaparral, and on working with his crew on the show
03:48
Kent McCray on coming up with the idea of shows sharing production on Bonanza and The High Chaparral to cut costs
05:19

George Watters

View Interview
George Watters on editing The High Chapparal and Bonanza for producer David Dortort
08:33
George Watters on editing The High Chapparal and Bonanza for producer David Dortort
08:33

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