By Michaela Gordoni
HOW THE WEST WAS ONE series will soon be available on free streaming platform Tubi, 46 years after the finale premiered.
The series came out in 1977, over a decade after the original HOW THE WEST WAS ONE movie came out.
In it, James Arness plays Zebulon “Zeb” Macahan, a U.S. Army scout who leads his family across west as the flee the Civil War, Collider reported. Bruce Boleitner and William Kirby Cullen play Zeb’s nephews.
Zeb is “forced to care for his brother’s four children after the outbreak of the Civil War interrupts the family’s planned trek west. The children’s widowed Aunt Molly travels from Boston to help Zeb care for his brood, which consists of eldest son Luke, a fugitive from justice after killing a man in self defense; sisters Laura and Jessie, and youngest son Josh,” the Rotton Tomatoes synopsis reads. “Location filming in Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Southern California give the production a distinctive look.”
The show was an impressive feat for the time, as it was filmed across several western states. As with many series dramas, it lays into interpersonal themes, conflicts and romantic subplots. It doesn’t shy away from the painful nature of heading west — there’s a lot of emotional and physical suffering.
Related: Iconic Star Reveals HOW THE WEST WAS WON’s Early Beginnings
On Jan. 19, Boxleitner celebrated the 50th anniversary of the show.
“50 years ago today, the pilot (‘The Macahans’) for the mini-series HOW THE WEST WAS WON aired,” Boxleitner said. “The role of Seth/Luke Macahan helped pave the way for my career in Hollywood.”
“It was a dream come true for a young man entering the Western genre, working with so many seasoned performers who appeared on the show over the next 3 seasons. I truly appreciate the experience that led to friendship and collaboration with the late, great James Arness,” he said.
Arness, who also starred in GUNSMOKE, died in 2011 at the age of 88 from natural causes.
“James Arness will always be remembered as one of the biggest stars in the history of television, playing an iconic role on the medium’s longest-running prime-time drama ever,” CBS said in a statement at the time.
The HOW THE WEST WAS ONE series didn’t have a lot of success in the states, but it has a large audience in Europe in particular.
“The best series ever!” one person commented on Boxleitner’s post. “I grew up with this show! All the best from Sweden!”
Someone else wrote in Italian, “Luke and Uncle Zeb ❤️what a wonderful series and music that reaches the heart.. ❤️”
The show will soon be available to stream on Tubi.
Read Next: Western Cinema in the Golden Age
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