The Gallant Men
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| The Gallant Men | |
|---|---|
 William Reynolds and Robert McQueeney in The Gallant Men |
|
| Genre | World War II series |
| Creator(s) | Richard Bluel |
| Starring | William Reynolds |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ABC |
| Original run | October 5, 1962 – June 1, 1963 |
The Gallant Men was a 1962-63 ABC television series which depicted an infantry company of American soldiers fighting their way through Italy in World War II. Their commander was Capt. Jim Benedict, played by William Reynolds, who later appeared in the long-running series, The FBI. Their exploits were narrated by a newspaper correspondent—Conley Wright, played by Robert McQueeney—who accompanied them on their missions.
The show lasted only one season. It succumbed to tough competition from the other networks and so-so responses from critics and audiences. The show also faced unfavorable comparisons with ABC's other WWII series launched the same year, Combat!. The AmericanLife TV Network, a U.S. cable outlet with limited distribution, currently reruns the show on a weekly basis.
The Gallant Men tended to be formulaic in plotting and characterization, with such well-worn stereotypes as ladies' man PFC Pete D'Angelo, hard-as-nails Sgt. John McKenna, and inseparable buddies Pvt. Ernie Lucavich and Pvt. Sam Hanson. The show also betrayed more than an occasional touch of stormtrooper effect, an ironic term for a WWII series. The regular cast, gifted with character shields, easily and frequently dispatched large numbers of German troops while experiencing minimal or no injuries themselves. This was particularly unrealistic for the Italian campaign, where the Allies suffered heavy casualties from determined German resistance that lasted until the end of World War II in Europe.
[edit] Regular cast
| Actor/Character | |
|---|---|
| William Reynolds | Capt. Jim Benedict |
| Robert McQueeney | Conley Wright |
| Robert Ridgely | Lt. Frank Kimbro |
| Richard X. Slattery | 1st Sgt. John McKenna |
| Eddie Fontaine | PFC Pete D'Angelo |
| Roland La Starza | Pvt. Ernie Lucavich |
| Roger Davis | Pvt. Roger Gibson |
| Robert Gothie | Pvt. Sam Hanson |
