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Nichols (TV series)

Nichols
Nichols-show.jpg
Title card screenshot
Also known as ''James Garner as Nichols''
Genre Western
Created by Frank Pierson
Written by Juanita Bartlett
Gene L. Coon
Jack Curtis
Theodore J. Flicker
Robert Foster
Bud Freeman
Marion Hargrove
James L. Henderson
Buck Houghton
George Kirgo
Ken Kolb
Benjamin Masselink
Frank Pierson
Sam Roeca
Frank Telford
Shimon Wincelberg
William Wood
Directed by John Badham
Paul Bogart
Ivan Dixon
Danny Haller
Jeremy Kagan
Gerd Oswald
Frank Pierson
Peter Tewksbury
William Ward
William Wiard
Starring James Garner
Margot Kidder
Stuart Margolin
Alice Ghostley
Composer(s) Bernardo Segall
Country of origin USA
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 24
Production
Executive producer(s) Meta Rosenberg
Producer(s) Frank Pierson
Cinematography Lamar Boren
Running time 60 mins. (approx)
Release
Original network NBC
Audio format Monaural
Original release September 16, 1971 – March 14, 1972

Nichols (also known as James Garner as Nichols) is an American Western television series starring James Garner broadcast in the United States on NBC during the 1971-72 season. Set in the fictional town of Nichols, Arizona, in 1914, Nichols differed from traditional Western series of the era. The main character, a sheriff, rode on a motorcycle and in an automobile rather than on the traditional horse. Nichols did not carry a firearm and was generally opposed to the use of violence to solve problems, preferring other means. Margot Kidder portrayed Ruth, his love interest and a barmaid at Salters.

After 18 years in the army, Nichols decides to quit after the introduction of a new, deadlier type of machine gun. Although Nichols first name is never spoken aloud, his army induction papers, seen clearly in the opening moments of the pilot episode, give "Frank" as his first name (also the first name of series creator Frank Pierson). Nichols comes back in the town founded by his family to learn that it has been taken over by another family, the Ketchams. At the end of the pilot episode, matriarch Ma Ketcham (Neva Patterson), blackmails Nichols into serving as the town sheriff, a position which carried little actual authority but considerable danger. Nichols' personal concern is not usually law enforcement but rather finding a way to get rich with very little effort.

John Beck was cast as Ma Ketcham's oldest son (known simply as Ketcham) who constantly is butting heads with Nichols. The role of Ketcham was greatly reduced after the first few episodes, though never completely written out. Towards the end of the first season, Beck, still a series regular, appeared in two episodes in the completely unrelated role of Orv, an old friend who gets Nichols into trouble with his schemes. Despite their identical appearances, no-one on the show commented on the resemblance between Ketcham and Orv.


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