Wanted: Dead or Alive

Set during the late frontier days, Wanted: Dead or Alive follows Josh Randall, a polished yet rough edged bounty hunter who tracks fugitives with a mix of grit, wit, and practical street smarts. He moves through dusty towns, tense saloons, and rough outposts, weighing loyalties and consequences as he closes in on his targets. The show emphasizes character over marshal law, letting Randall improvise solutions and outmaneuver danger rather than rely on heavy weaponry. Across three black and white seasons that aired on CBS from 1958 through 1961, the series mixes stand up action scenes with quieter moments that flash brief glimpses of Randall’s moral code. It spun off from Trackdown, linking two Four Star Westerns in a CBS collaboration.

Produced by Four Star Television in association with CBS, Wanted: Dead or Alive aired in black and white on CBS from 1958 to 1961 and stood as a spin off from the March 1958 Trackdown episode, laying groundwork for cross network collaborations.

The program is remembered for helping Steve McQueen cross from television stardom to film superstardom, a notable early bridge between small screen notoriety and big screen status. His cool presence and laconic style became a touchstone for Western heroes in decades, and its legacy echoed in TV Westerns that followed.

At the time audiences responded to pace and McQueen's charisma, while the show balanced bounty hunting with moments that hint at moral ambiguity, loyalty, and the cost of a solitary life. Westerns of the era leaned into tough code and lean storytelling, and this one fits that mold.

There were no major nominations documented for the series, and it did not become a staple on awards lists during its CBS run. The show is remembered more for its role in boosting Steve McQueen's profile than for trophies won, a footnote in his rise.