Then Came Bronson

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Then Came Bronson pilot one-Sheet used in Europe

Then Came Bronson was a short-lived TV show that ran in the US for one season, on NBC, from 1969 to 1970 and was produced by MGM Television. The television series, created by Denne Bart Petitclerc, began with a movie pilot on Monday, March 24, 1969. The series was green-lighted for one year and began its first run on September 17, 1969. The pilot was also released in Europe as a feature film. The executive in charge of production was Herbert F. Solow and co-produced by Robert H. Justman.

1 Series overview
2 Series opening
3 See also
4 Awards
5 Trivia
6 Guest stars
7 External links

[edit] Series overview

The series featured Michael Parks as the protagonist Jim Bronson, a newspaperman who becomes disillusioned after the suicide of his best friend Nick (Martin Sheen) and, after a heated argument with his editor, "working for the man." In order to renew his soul Bronson becomes a nomadic vagabond searching for the meaning of life and experience what life has to offer (this information is revealed in the series pilot). During his travels he shares his values with the people he meets along the way and lends a helping hand when he can. Bronson rides a Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycle and, as such, was viewed by some as a modern version of the solitary cowboy meandering the American west.

Curiously, though the opening promised a journey of self-discovery, the premise of each episode was that Bronson entered someone else's life at a crucial point and acted as a catalyst for change. When Bronson enters an Amish community, a local boy becomes enraptured of the outside world and steals Bronson's bike to run off to Las Vegas. Bronson meets his cousin on her wedding day and lends her money for the service, but she runs off to the casinos and blows it. Several people stuck in ruts took Bronson's freedom as a personal goad, so challenged him to compete in bike races (twice), to climb a mountain, or to fight a bull. Yet Bronson was committed to pacifism (a hippie ideal) and often deflected a competitor's anger into self-examination. In a few dull stories, Bronson served as a catalyst but became superfluous. Always, like a true catalyst, he rolled out of every episode unchanged.

Naturally, Bronson's bike figured in many episodes. He entered several bike races. He made an emergency run to fetch a doctor. A broken chain introduced him to a wanderer who gave him a ride. An autistic boy was attracted to the bike. Lost in the mountains far off the road, Bronson muscles his bike through wilderness rather than abandon it. An old man is prompted to pull his ancient Indian out of storage, risking his life. But in some stories the bike was mere transportation.

The show was controversial in that it featured a motorcycle "biker" and "hippie" when images of Hell's Angels and Vietnam War protesters were on everyone's mind. Bronson proved to be a gentle soul who seldom got angry or raised his voice, and helped people improve their lives with guiding words or a sympathetic shoulder to cry on. In that way, he manifested the hippie's Christ-like ideal of leading and living a good life by example. Rather than seek to convert people to his values, he sought to lead them to their own true knowledge and to "do their own thing". It's worth noting that Bronson sometimes wore a crucifix and mentioned that he "thanked God every day" for his life.

The production values were iffy because the shows were shot on location in Big Sur California and Arizona. Scenes were mostly shot outdoors, which made for spectacular views, but Michael Parks employed the low-key "James Dean" method of acting, often mumbling into the wind, making it nearly impossible to hear some dialogue. The writing varied. Some shows were funny, some sad, some too-serious and draggy.

The theme song of the series, "Long Lonesome Highway", sung by Parks, was a Top 40 Hit in 1970. The pilot movie was released in Europe as a theatrical film that included a topless scene when Bonnie Bedelia strips off her wedding gown.

The show sometimes faced the perception that it was a knock-off of the movie Easy Rider, but in actuality it preceded the release of that movie. The show was often pitched as "Route 66 on a motorcycle" or derided as "Route 33".

The star, Michael Parks, had acted on television and starred in three anti-Establishment movies, Wild Seed, The Happening, and Bus Riley's Back In Town. He went on to a steady career in drive-in horror movies and TV shows. He recorded two pop LPs and several gospel albums.

Bronson memorabilia included a record album of the show's tunes, a plastic model of the motorcycle, and even a "Bronson Red" motorcycle paint. Three paperback books with original adventures accompanied the series: THEN CAME BRONSON, TCB #2: THE TICKET, and TCB #3: ROCK!

[edit] Series opening

The opening of the show served as a metaphor for the premise of the show: getting away from the "big city" and leading a more simplistic life. The opening begins with Bronson driving up to a red light in San Francisco and he briefly chats with a commuter. The scene also introduces Bronson's signature-phrase which he used often in the episodes, "Hang in there."

Driver: "Taking a trip?"
Bronson: "What's that?"
Driver: "Taking a trip?"
Bronson: "Yeah."
Driver: "Where to?"
Bronson: "Oh, I don't know. Wherever I end up, I guess."
Driver: "Pal, I wish I was you."
Bronson: "Really?"
Driver: "Yeah."
Bronson: "Well, hang in there."

Then Came Bronson Pilot

[edit] See also

List of Then Came Bronson episodes (including pilot of series)

[edit] Awards

Episode #10, "Two Percent of Nothing" written by D.C. Fontana, was nominated for the Writers Guild Award.

[edit] Trivia

The production team of Herbert F. Solow and Robert H. Justman also produced the Star Trek television series.
D.C. Fontana also wrote for Star Trek.
In the first episode "The Runner," Bronson gives away his Navy blue watch cap to an autistic boy but he found another one to wear for the rest of the series.
In "Old Tigers Never Die--They Just Run Away," Diane Ladd gets on the back of Bronson's bike wearing a dress and then dismounts a few minutes later wearing pants.