Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel centers on Paladin, a polished, enigmatic professional who hires himself out as a problem solver across the Old West. Based in San Francisco, he keeps a business card and a strict personal code, preferring negotiation and intelligence but never shying from violence when necessary. Each episode pairs Paladin with a new set of clients and moral puzzles, mixing courtroom-style reasoning, tense showdowns, and quiet character moments without revealing major plot twists or finales.

Created by Sam Rolfe and Herb Meadow, the series ran on CBS from 1957 to 1963 and totaled 225 episodes. Producers included Frank Pierson, Don Ingalls, Robert Sparks, and Julian Claman. Gene Roddenberry contributed 24 scripts, Andrew McLaglen directed 101 episodes, and series star Richard Boone directed 19. The program also spawned a radio version that debuted on November 23, 1958.

During its early run the show was a Nielsen fixture, ranking in the top four for each of its first four seasons. Its blend of urbane lead, moral ambiguity, and episodic storytelling helped Paladin become an instantly recognizable figure in television Westerns. The radio spinoff and repeated syndication kept the character in public view for decades, and the series influenced later writers and directors who mixed thoughtful dialogue with action.

Critical reaction has tended to praise the lead performance and the show's refusal to simplify conflict. On modern user polls it holds a solid average, about 7.27 out of 10 from active viewers. Recurring themes include duty versus profit, the limits of law on the frontier, and the cost of maintaining personal ethics in violent trades. The scripts often balance sharp dialogue with physical danger, so the show feels as much about ideas and choices as it is about gunfights and horses.