It was the coolest show on television. Hands down. If you weren’t there in 1971, it’s hard to describe the specific vibe of Alias Smith and Jones. It wasn't your father's Western. This wasn't the grim, dusty morality of Gunsmoke or the patriarchal weight of Bonanza. Instead, it was something sleek, witty, and surprisingly modern.
The premise was basically a weekly masterclass in tension. Two outlaws, Hannibal Heyes and Jedediah "Kid" Curry, were the most successful bank and train robbers in the history of the West. But they had a quirk. They never shot anyone. In every robbery they pulled, they didn't leave a single body behind. This made them "popular with everyone but the railroads and the banks."
The Governor of Wyoming offers them a deal: a full pardon. But there’s a catch. They have to "go straight" for a year. They can’t get into any trouble, but they can’t tell anyone about the deal either. So they take the names Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones. For three seasons, they spent every episode trying to be good while every bounty hunter and sheriff in the territory tried to cash in on their heads.
Honestly, the chemistry between Pete Duel and Ben Murphy was the whole show. They had this effortless, playful banter that felt more like a 1970s buddy-cop movie than a traditional oater. You’ve probably seen the comparisons to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. They aren’t accidental. The show was a direct response to that movie's success, right down to the freeze-frame transitions and the cheeky score.
The Tragic Turn That Changed Everything
You can’t talk about Alias Smith and Jones without talking about New Year’s Eve, 1971. It’s one of the darkest chapters in television history. Pete Duel, who played Hannibal Heyes, was the heart of the series. He was charming, he was handsome, and he was deeply troubled.
On the night of December 31, 1971, Duel was at his Hollywood Hills home. He had been watching the show with his girlfriend, Dianne Ray. After she went to bed, Duel walked into the bedroom, picked up his revolver, and said, "I'll see you later." Moments later, he was gone. He was only 31.
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The industry didn't stop. It’s kinda macabre when you look back at it. Universal and ABC didn't even pause production for a week. Within hours of the news, the producers were calling Roger Davis, who was the show’s narrator and had guest-starred in an episode called "Smiler with a Gun." They told him he was the new Hannibal Heyes.
By 1:00 PM that same day—the day Duel’s body was found—the cast and crew were back on set shooting scenes that didn't require the lead. Imagine being Ben Murphy, having to show up to work and pretend everything was fine while your best friend and partner was dead. It was a brutal business move.
Why the Recast Never Quite Worked
Roger Davis was a talented actor, but he wasn't Pete Duel.
- Chemistry: The "spark" between the leads felt forced after the transition.
- The "Vibe" Shift: The show lost its breezy, effortless cool and felt a bit more desperate.
- Audience Grief: Fans weren't ready to see someone else wearing Heyes’ hat so quickly.
The ratings started to slip. It wasn't just the recast, though. The public’s appetite for Westerns was fading. People wanted gritty urban police dramas like The Streets of San Francisco or Kojak. The sun was setting on the frontier, and by January 1973, the show was canceled.
The Legacy of the "Latter-Day Robin Hoods"
Even with its short run and the tragedy hanging over it, Alias Smith and Jones remains a cult classic for a reason. It introduced a "revisionist" Western style. It didn't take itself too seriously.
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The guest stars were a "Who's Who" of Hollywood royalty. You had Burl Ives as Big Mac McCreedy, Walter Brennan, Cesar Romero, and even a young Sally Field as Clementine Hale. Clementine was great because she was just as much of a con artist as the boys. She knew their secret and used it to her advantage whenever possible.
The show also leaned into the idea of the "gentleman outlaw." They used their wits instead of their Winchesters. Heyes was the strategist, the safecracker who could talk his way out of a hanging. Curry was the muscle, the fastest gun in the West who hated having to prove it.
Specific Episodes You Should Revisit
If you’re looking to dive back in, start with the pilot movie. It sets the tone perfectly. Then, check out "The McCreedy Bust." It’s the quintessential episode featuring the boys trying to recover a stolen bust for a wealthy rancher without breaking the law themselves. It’s funny, fast-paced, and shows off the logic puzzles the writers loved to throw at the characters.
Another standout is "The Girl in Boxcar #3." It’s got a bit more heart and shows the internal struggle of two men who really do want to change, even when the world won't let them.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Show
A lot of people think the show was a failure because it only lasted three seasons. That’s not really true. In the early 70s, making it to 50 episodes was a solid run, especially considering the lead actor died mid-way through. It was a hit in the UK—so much so that it inspired the British comedy duo Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones to name their sketch show Alas Smith and Jones.
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The show also dealt with real-world issues in a subtle way. Pete Duel was a passionate environmentalist and a political activist. You can see flashes of that earnestness in his performance. He didn't just play a "cool guy"; he played a man who was weary of the violence and looking for a way out.
Actionable Steps for the Modern Fan
If you want to experience Alias Smith and Jones today, don't just settle for blurry YouTube clips.
- Hunt down the DVDs: The picture quality on the official DVD releases is significantly better than anything you'll find streaming. It captures the vibrant 1970s color palette that was a hallmark of Glen A. Larson's productions.
- Watch "Smiler with a Gun": This is the episode where Roger Davis plays the villain before he was cast as the lead. It’s a fascinating look at how different his energy was from the character he eventually took over.
- Read "Remembering Pete Duel": If you want to understand the man behind Hannibal Heyes, Laura Moretti’s work is the definitive resource. It moves past the tabloid headlines and looks at his career and his struggles with alcoholism and depression with real empathy.
- Look for the Glen A. Larson Connection: Once you finish the series, watch the early episodes of Knight Rider or Battlestar Galactica. You’ll see the same DNA—the fast pacing, the charm-heavy leads, and the "formula" that Larson perfected here first.
The show remains a snapshot of a very specific moment in TV history. It was the bridge between the old-school Western and the high-concept action shows of the 80s. It was fun. It was tragic. And it was, for a brief window of time, the best thing on Friday nights.
Check out the original pilot movie first to see the chemistry in its purest form.
Next Steps: You can start by watching the 1971 pilot film, which is often listed separately from the series on some digital platforms. It's the best way to see the original dynamic before the recast.