Walker, Texas Ranger | |
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The Walker, Texas Ranger title card (from 2000) features star Chuck Norris. |
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Format | Crime drama/Action |
Created by | Christopher Canaan Albert S. Ruddy Leslie Greif Paul Haggis |
Starring | Chuck Norris Clarence Gilyard Sheree J. Wilson Noble Willingham Nia Peeples Judson Mills |
Theme music composer | Tirk Wilder (Seasons 1, 2-8) Jerrold Immel (Season 2, last used on "Tiger's Eye") |
Opening theme | "Eyes Of The Ranger" Performed by Chuck Norris (Mid season 2-8) |
Composer(s) | Jeff Sturges John E. Davis Christopher Franke Velton Ray Bunch Jerrold Immel Craig Huxley (with Immel; uncredited) Peter Bernstein ("The Big Bingo Bamboozle") Christopher L. Stone Ron Ramin Kevin Kiner Gary S. Scott Larry Brown Richard Band |
Country of origin | United States |
Language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 8 |
No. of episodes | 203 (including TV movie).[1][2] (List of episodes) |
Production | |
Camera setup | Single-camera Super 16mm |
Running time | 42–46 minutes |
Production company(s) | Cannon Television (1993) Top Kick Productions (1993-1998) Norris Brothers Entertainment (1998-2001) The Ruddy Greif Company (1993-2001) CBS Productions (now CBS Television Studios) (1993-2001) |
Distributor | Columbia Pictures Television (now Sony Pictures Television) (1993-1996) Columbia TriStar Television (now Sony Pictures Television) (1996-2001) |
Broadcast | |
Original channel | CBS[3] |
Audio format | Dolby Surround 2.0 |
Original run | April 21, 1993 | – May 19, 2001
Walker, Texas Ranger is an American television action crime drama series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis, and starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Ranger Division.[4] The show aired on CBS in the spring of 1993, with the first season consisting of three pilot episodes. Eight full seasons followed from September 25, 1993 to May 19, 2001. It was broadcast in over 100 countries, and has since spawned a made-for-television movie, entitled Trial By Fire. The movie ended on a cliffhanger, which, as of 2011, has not yet been resolved. The series was originally conceived on August 6, 1987. DVD sets of all seasons have been released (with the three pilots packaged with the first regular season). At various times since 1997, reruns of the show have aired, in syndication, on the USA Network and Action in Canada. As of September 13, 2010, the series is shown on WGN America.
The show was known for its moral values. For example, the characters refrained from the use of drugs, and they participated in community service. Martial arts were displayed prominently as the primary tool of law enforcement and occasionally as a tool for Walker and company to reach out to the community.[5][6] The show has gained a following for its camp appeal.
Contents |
The show was initially developed by executive producer Allison Moore and supervising producer J. Michael Straczynski when the series was still being produced by Cannon Television. While Straczynski had to depart to get his new series Babylon 5 on the air, executive producer David Moessinger remained to finish developing the series. The show is centered on Cordell Walker (Norris), a Dallas-Fort Worth–based member of the Texas Rangers, a state-level bureau of investigation.[7] Walker was raised by his paternal uncle, a Native American named Ray Firewalker (Floyd Red Crow Westerman). Cordell prior to joining the Rangers served in the Marines' elite recon unit during the Vietnam War. Both Cordell and Uncle Ray share the values characteristic of Wild West sheriffs.[8]
His partner and best friend is James "Jimmy" Trivette (Clarence Gilyard), a former Dallas Cowboys player "Go Long T" who takes a more modern approach.[9] Walker's young partner grew up in Baltimore and used football as his ticket to college education. He was dropped from the team after he tore up his shoulder in a major game, which led to his career in the Rangers (often making references to watching the "Lone Ranger" and how C.D. Parker mentored him as a Rookie Officer). Trivette also works inside the office using computers and cellular phones to collate information of the people who have been taken into custody. Walker also works closely (and shares a mutual attraction) with Alexandra "Alex" Cahill (Sheree J. Wilson), a Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney, who on occasion puts up a frown if Walker does not obtain results in time. He also gets advice on cases from C.D. Parker (Gailard Sartain (pilot season), Noble Willingham (seasons 1–7)), a veteran Ranger (later inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame) who worked with Walker until retiring to operate a small restaurant and bar called "CD's Bar and Grill", a restaurant widely known in the series for its chili. In Season 7 two rookie Texas Rangers, Sydney Cooke (Nia Peeples) and Francis Gage (Judson Mills), are assigned under Walker and Trivette's command.
The show was quite successful in the ratings for much of its run.
CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount) has released all seasons on DVD in Region 1, the last set being released on March 9, 2010.[10] The final season was released first, followed seasons 1 through 7 in order. The Complete 1st Season contains the three pilot episodes and the first full season being labeled as just the first season. This has confused some fans, as the seasons are wrongly numbered. Seasons 1–6 have been released in regions 2 and 4.
DVD Name
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Eps
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Release dates
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Region 1
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Region 2
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Region 4
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The Complete 1st Season [11] | 26 | June 13, 2006 | October 2, 2006 | October 12, 2006 |
The Complete 2nd Season | 21 | January 23, 2007 | March 8, 2007 | April 12, 2007 |
The Complete 3rd Season | 26 | June 12, 2007 | December 4, 2007 | January 10, 2008 |
The Complete 4th Season | 26 | February 19. 2008 | May 28, 2008 | July 31, 2008 |
The Complete 5th Season | 25 | July 1, 2008 | October 21, 2008 | October 2, 2008 |
The Complete 6th Season | 23 | January 13, 2009 | February 19, 2009 | March 5, 2009 |
The Complete 7th Season | 25 | March 9, 2010 | N/A | March 3, 2011[12] |
The Complete Final Season | 24 | June 14, 2005 | N/A | March 3, 2011[13] |
Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial By Fire | 1 | N/A | January 2, 2007 | N/A |
CBS broadcast the television movie Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire, produced by Paramount Network Television (now CBS Television Studios), on October 16, 2005. Chuck Norris, Sheree J. Wilson and Judson Mills reprised their roles, and Clarence Gilyard shot a cameo for the movie but was not featured due to the filming's conflict with a long-planned family vacation. To fill the void, Judson Mills, who was not in the original script, returned to reprise the role of Francis Gage. Nia Peeples, who played the role of Sydney Cooke for Seasons 8 and 9, was also not featured in Walker's return to prime-time television. The explanation given was that producers decided not to follow much of the original Walker Texas Ranger series, as to give the movie a fresh look. Even the show's original opening credits with the theme "Eyes of a Ranger" performed by Chuck Norris, was absent from the TV movie.
Although the return of Walker Texas Ranger did not garner the ratings CBS had hoped for, indications were that CBS was green-lighting future Walker Texas Ranger "movie of the week" projects. But as of spring 2006, both CBS and the Norris camp have been silent as to the future of the franchise, leaving many to wonder if it will return. Trial by Fire ended with Sheree J. Wilson's character the victim of a courthouse shooting, leaving many viewers to believe that there would be a follow-up movie.
When they announced their fall 2006 prime-time schedule, CBS said that they would no longer be producing "Sunday Night Movie of the Week" projects, which severely impaired any hopes of Walker's return to television in the foreseeable future.
On May 15, 2007, CBS announced its fall line-up, but this did not include the return of the "Sunday Night Movie of the Week."
Most episodes were based on true stories. A short-lived series, Sons of Thunder, featured recurring character Carlos Sandoval, who resigns from his post with the Dallas police and teams up with childhood friend Trent Malloy (a protégé of Walker's) to start a private investigation firm.[14]
Three Walker, Texas Ranger books, written by James Reasoner, were published by Berkley Publishing Group in 1999. The books are now out of print.
Year/s | Actor | Character/s played | Episode title | Year of appearance |
---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | Luis Guzmán | Gomez | "Storm Warning" | 1993 |
1993 | Judith Hoag | Lainie Flanders | "Family Matters" | 1993 |
Brian Thompson | Leo Cale | |||
1993 | M.C. Gainey | Tingley | "She'll Do to Ride the River With" | 1993 |
2000 | Craig | "The Bachelor Party" | 2000 | |
1994 | Giovanni Ribisi | Tony Kingston | "Something in the Shadows: Part 1", "Something in the Shadows: Part 2" |
1994 |
Tom Virtue | Peter Needham | |||
1994 | Tobey Maguire | Duane Parsons | "The Prodigal Son" | 1994 |
1994 | Carli Coleman | Georgia Douglas | "Silk Dreams" | 1994 |
1994 | Bryan Cranston | Hank | "Deadly Vision" | 1994 |
1994 | James Morrison | Ned Travis | "Mustangs" | 1994 |
1994 | Danica McKellar | Laurie Maston | "Stolen Lullaby" | 1994 |
Ray Wise | Garrett Carlson | |||
1995 | Doris Roberts | Elaine Portugal | "The Big Bingo Bamboozle" | 1995 |
1995 | Marshall Colt | Lt. Lee Corbin (his last acting role) | "Whitewater, Part 1" | 1995 |
1995 | Dirk Benedict | Blair | "Case Closed" | 1995 |
1996 | Carlos Machado | Himself | "Rodeo" | 1996 |
1997 | Officer #1 | "Sons of Thunder" | 1997 | |
Orderly | "Forgotten People" | |||
1999 | Rodgers | "Fight or Die" | 1999 | |
1996 | Clifton Collins Jr. | Fito | "El Coyote: Part 1", "El Coyote: Part 2" |
1996 |
1996 | Robert Englund | Lyle Eckert | "Deadline" | 1996 |
1996 | Burt Young | Jack Belmont | "Lucky" | 1996 |
1997 | "Small Blessings" | 1997 | ||
1996–1997 | Rod Taylor | Gordon Cahill | "Redemption" | 1996 |
"Texas vs. Cahill" | 1997 | |||
2000 | "Wedding Bells", Parts 1 and 2 | 2000 | ||
1997 | Terry Kiser | Charlie Brooks | "Mayday" "Last Hope" "Iceman" |
1997 |
1997 | The Iceman | "Iceman" | 1997 | |
1997–1999 | Marco Sanchez | Detective Carlos Sandoval | ||
1997–1999 | James Wlcek | Trent Malloy | ||
1997 | Mila Kunis | Pepper | "Last Hope" | 1997 |
1997 | John Amos | Pastor Roscoe Jones | "Sons of Thunder" | 1997 |
1997 | Haley Joel Osment | Lucas Simms | "Lucas: Part 1", "Lucas: Part 2" |
1997 |
Mackenzie Phillips | Ellen Simms | |||
1997 | Gwen Verdon | Maisie Whitman | "Forgotten People" | 1997 |
1999 | "Mind Games" | 1999 | ||
1997 | David Gallagher | Chad Morgan | "Brainchild" | 1997 |
Paul Gleason | Dr. Harold Payton | |||
1997 | Randolph Mantooth | James Lee Crown | "Rainbow's End" | 1997 |
1997 | Dan Lauria | Salvatore Matacio | "A Father's Image" | 1997 |
1997 | Kyla Pratt | Kyla Jarvis | "The Neighborhood" | 1997 |
1998 | "Rowdy" Roddy Piper | Cody "The Crusader" Conway | "The Crusader" | 1998 |
Randy Tallman | ||||
1998 | Paul Winfield | Pastor Roscoe Jones | "The Soul of Winter" | 1998 |
Collin Raye | Himself | |||
1998 | Danny Trejo | Joe Lopez | "Circle of Life" | 1998 |
1999 | Jose Rodriguez | "Rise to the Occasion" | 1999 | |
1998 | Lila McCann | Kelly Wyman | "Eyes of a Ranger" | 1998 |
Michael Peterson | Himself | |||
1998 | Tobin Bell | Karl Storm | "The Wedding: Part 1 & 2" | 1998 |
1998 | RuPaul | Bob | "Royal Heist" | 1998 |
1998 | Camilla Belle | Cindy Morgan | "Code of the West" | 1998 |
1998 | Lee Majors | Sheriff Bell | "On the Border" | 1998 |
1999 | Deion Sanders | Himself | "Rise to the Occasion" | 1999 |
Special Witness | ||||
Gary Busey | Donovan Riggs | "Special Witness" | ||
1999 | James Remar | Keith Bolt | "The Principal" | 1999 |
1999 | Judy Herrera | Rachel Falcon | "Team Cherokee: Part 1", "Team Cherokee: Part 2" |
1999 |
1999 | Michael Greyeyes | Brian Falcon | "Team Cherokee: Part 1", "Team Cherokee: Part 2" |
1999 |
1999 | Robert Mirabal | Tall Bear | "Team Cherokee: Part 1", "Team Cherokee: Part 2" |
1999 |
1999 | John Schneider | Jacob Crossland | "Jacob's Ladder" | 1999 |
1999 | Rex Linn | Leland Stahl/Lester Stahl | "Way of the Warrior" | 1999 |
1999 | Randy Savage | Whitelaw Lundren | "Fight or Die" | 1999 |
Frank Shamrock | The Hammer | |||
1999 | Lane Smith | Reverend Thornton Powers | "Power Angels" | 1999 |
1999 | Scott Weinger | Bradley Roberts | "Full Recovery" | 1999 |
1999 | Frank Stallone | B.J. Ronson, Frank Bishop |
"Tall Cotton" | 1999 |
2001 | "Saturday Night" | 2001 | ||
2000 | David Keith | Cliff Eagleton | "The Day of Cleansing" | 2000 |
Sammo Hung | Sammo Law | |||
2000 | Deron McBee | Luke Warley | "Black Dragons" | 2000 |
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa | Master Ko | |||
Mako | Edward Song | |||
2000 | Tzi Ma | General Nimh | "The General's Return" | 2000 |
2000 | Christopher B. Duncan | Defense Attorney Lime | "The Bachelor Party" | 2000 |
2000 | Mark Cuban | Groomsmen | "Wedding Bells: Part 1", "Wedding Bells: Part 2" |
2000 |
2000 | Tom Bosley | Minister | "Wedding Bells: Part 1", "Wedding Bells: Part 2" |
2000 |
2000 | Ernest Borgnine | Eddie Ryan | "The Avenging Angel" | 2000 |
2000 | Michael Ironside | The Chairman | "Winds of Change", "Lazarus", "Turning Point", "Retribution" |
2000 |
T.J. Thyne | Wallace 'The Wizard' Slausen | |||
2000 | Dionne Warwick | Dionne Berry | "Faith" | 2000 |
2000 | Barbara Mandrell | Nicole Foley | "Showdown at Casa Diablo, Pt. 1" | 2000 |
2000–2001 | Robert Fuller | Ranger Wade Harper | "Matter of Principle" | 2000 |
"The Final Show/Down" | 2001 | |||
2001 | Hulk Hogan | Boomer Knight | "Division Street" | 2001 |
Francis Capra | Ace | |||
2001 | Ryan Bittle | Harley | "Reel Rangers" | 2001 |
2001 | Laura Bailey | Roberta | "Saturday Night" | 2001 |
2001 | Mercedes McNab | Heather Preston | "6 Hours" | 2001 |
2001 | Josh Holloway | Ben Wiley | "Medieval Crimes" | 2001 |
2001 | Sting | Grangus | "Unsafe Speed" | 2001 |
2001 | Carlos Bernard | Raoul 'Skull' Hidalgo | "Without a Sound" | 2001 |
2005 | Mitchel Musso | Josh Whitley | "Trial by Fire" | 2005 |
2005 | Selena Gomez | Julie | "Trial by Fire" | 2005 |
The series began with Cannon Television, but after the folding of Cannon, CBS assumed production responsibilities, and is the ancillary rights holder for this series. Other companies, as seen below, have also been involved with the series production and/or distribution.
Production Companies | |||
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Amadea Film Productions | – | ||
Cannon Television | (1993) | ||
Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) | – | ||
Columbia Pictures Television | (1993–2001) | ||
Columbia TriStar Television | (2001) | ||
The Rudy Grief Company | – | ||
Topkick Productions | (1993–1998) | ||
Norris Brothers Entertainment | (1998–2005) | ||
CBS Productions | (1995–2001) | ||
CBS Entertainment Productions | (1993–1995) | ||
CBS Broadcast International | – | ||
Distributors | |||
Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) | (1993–2001) (USA) (TV) (original airing) | ||
Columbia TriStar Domestic Television | (2001–2002) | ||
FX | (????) (Italy) (TV) | ||
Italia 1 | (????) (Italy) (TV) | ||
Paramount Home Entertainment | (2006–) (Germany) (DVD) | ||
Paramount Home Entertainment | (2008) (USA) (DVD) (season 5) | ||
Sony Pictures Television | (2002–) | ||
TF1 | (2004) (France) (TV) | ||
TV2 | (2000–2006) (Hungary) (TV) | ||
UFA Film- und Fernseh GmbH | (1993) (Germany) (all media) | ||
Other Companies | |||
Redman Movies and Stories | grip and lighting equipment | ||
Rex Post | additional adr recorded at |