All Virginian fans know the show (and novel) is set in Medicine Bow, Wyoming. Filming actually took place on the backlot at Universal studios in southern California. The photograph show the crew at work setting up a scene.
Medicine Bow Backlot
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Paul, thanks for posting this photograph.
I live in Germany. Do you know if any of the channels over here have plans to show re-runs of The Virginian? From what I’ve heard, the old-time TV Westerns were very popular here.
I can’t tell you about the plans of any German TV station Richard but as you say I know The Virginian is very poupular in Germany. I have the German title credits for The Virginian elsewhere on this site. My book was also reviewed by a German magazine a few years ago and when I was working in Germany in the 1990s I recall seeing a German TV magazine featuring a small article on The Virginian.
You can always buy the DVDs. 🙂
Thanks for the reply, Paul. Are all 9 seasons available on DVD?
So far Seasons 1 thru 4 are available with more seasons to follow Richard. These are official DVDs from Timeless. Forget about any bootleg copies selling all 9 seasons.
Thanks, Paul. I’ll buy the official DVDs.
I read your excellent book on the history of The Virginian, and there’s one thing that puzzles me. In your interview with Mr. Drury he says, and I’m only paraphrasing, “The show was cancelled because the ratings weren’t good.” By the 9th season – 1970/71 – the show had become “The Men from Shiloh” and according to the Nielsen ratings it was number 18 of all shows for that season, with a rating of 21.2. Pretty good, I’d have thought.
I watched the show as a kid, from the 3rd season on, and I thought changing the format for the last season was a mistake. We missed the family atmosphere, and life on the ranch. But still, given those ratings, surely the show could have been picked up for at leeast another season.
Hello Richard
Yes “The Men From Shiloh” was a ratings success for a show in its 9th season. But 1971 saw the cancellation of many long running shows and a switch to urban themes. As you know from my book certain people in charge at NBC didn’t support the show totally and more or less lost interest in it. And sponsors were looking for a younger demographic. It would have been good to see a 10th season but sadly it wasn’t to be.