Me and the lil’wrekker were driving somewhere. We saw a large car dealership with several of those large wiggly balloon guys dancing in the wind. We both did a little wiggly dance in the car. Never said a word. It just seemed like the right thing to do.
We got to Pepboys to pick up Mr.Wrekkers part. He had it written down on a Post-It. We looked at each other. No one volunteered to go in. The lil’wrekker got on her phone ordered the part for contactless pick-up. I was concerned we would be there in the parking lot forever.
We look up, behold! Taco bell was right there! Tacos and Tea. My fave.
Picked up the part and headed home.
At home the Cowboy channel is on my TV. The ‘Virginian’ is on. (We’ve been watching alot of that channel for some reason I can’t fathom)
What’s the deal with that show? Who’s the Virginian anyway. Why do the cast of characters change for nearly every episode? Except ‘Trampus’ and the ‘Virginian’
Who names their baby ‘Trampus’?
What’s the ‘Virginians’ name?
As I recall, the character played by James Drury was always called the Foreman. No name given. I rarely watched that show, so I’m only assuming the title was referring to him, nor do I know why. Trampas was a character is the book and the old movie, so I guess they just carried it over. There were several proprietors of the Shiloh Ranch, starting with Lee J. Cobb and continuing with Charles Bickford, John McIntyre and others. MAD did a particularly witty satire on the show, called “The Virginiaham.” And Trampas was renamed “Tramputz.” I always thought the show was kinda boring but I do recall it had a particularly rousing theme song, though.
In the original novel, the Virginian was from Virginia but migrated out west, where he got the name.
The novel is worth tracking down. It originated a lot of chiches, but also included things that you never see in Westerns. What I remember is the Virginian taking canned tomatoes in his travels; the tomatoes to eat, and the packing liquid to drink.
Wasn’t that show like 90 minutes long? I used to watch it with my grandparents but always fell asleep before it ended. Maybe that’s why they had it on.
The TV series was considered a more ‘adult’ western than some others, though I couldn’t say why based on the few episodes I’ve seen. What I recall is basic western fare, bank robbers, cattle rustlers, and the cowboys all restless about the new schoolmarm in town.
Yup, ran for an hour and a half each episode. 9 seasons of a 90 minute drama is a mark of success. Like you, I would fall asleep watching this when it was originally on the air.
I just read the book recently. The Virginian told The Narrator that his name was not Jeff, but just that one of his friends insisted on calling him that.
Oh yeah. It comes on right in time for kids to nap. And me too.
That’s a legit reason to watch it.
From the episodes I’ve seen the Virginian never gets the girl. He can’t commit to a relationship. Maybe if he told them his name it would work out better.
I feel he needs some analysis. He has issues.
Fun fact, the location of the Shilo Ranch and environs, Medicine Bow, is an actual town in Wyoming. Medicine Bow itself looks nothing like its depiction in the TV series, particularly with respect to the countryside.
However, Medicine Bow has tried to cash in on their notoriety by building a western themed hotel called the “Virginian” in their tiny little town.
Maybe if he told them his name, they wouldn’t commit to a relationship:
“The name’s Jehoshaphat, pretty li’l lady, Jehoshaphat P. Buttlicker–”
“Uh, I think I hear my mother calling me.”
“–but they call me The Virginian!”
“Oh my, of course you’re a virgin with that name.”
“No, no! Virginian! Like Virginia!”
“I do like Virginia, but maybe you should stick with Jehoshapat, Mr., uh, person.”
