Westerns were dying in 1971. The dusty, high-noon heroics of Gunsmoke and Bonanza felt like relics to a generation tuned into the counterculture and the cynical edge of the 1970s. Then came Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. If you’ve ever watched the Alias Smith and Jones series, you know it wasn't just another show about outlaws. It was a fast-talking, clever, and surprisingly funny take on the "buddy" genre that basically paved the way for modern hits like Psych or White Collar. It was lighthearted. It was fun.
But behind the scenes, it was a mess of network demands and a sudden, heartbreaking loss that still stings for fans today.
The Butch Cassidy Shadow and the Birth of Heyes and Curry
Universal and ABC didn't just pull this idea out of thin air. They were shamelessly chasing the massive success of the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Roy Huggins, the mastermind behind Maverick and The Fugitive, was the guy they tapped to make it happen. He knew how to write a reluctant hero. He understood that a protagonist who would rather talk or trick his way out of a gunfight was way more interesting than a guy who just shoots fast.
Enter Pete Duel and Ben Murphy.
The chemistry between these two was lightning in a bottle. Duel played Hannibal Heyes, the "brains" of the operation, with a mischievous grin that made you believe he could talk a bird out of a tree. Murphy was Kid Curry, the fastest gun in the West who really, really didn't want to kill anyone. The premise was simple: the Governor offers them a provisional amnesty. If they can stay out of trouble for a year, their past crimes—mostly non-violent bank robberies—are wiped clean. The catch? They’re still wanted men during that year. Everyone is still hunting them, but they can’t fight back in a way that breaks the law.
It was a brilliant setup for a TV show. It created "forced" drama in every single episode.
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The Night Everything Changed for the Alias Smith and Jones Series
You can't talk about this show without talking about what happened in December 1971. Pete Duel was a rising star, but he struggled with depression and alcohol. On the night of December 31, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It was a shock to the cast, the crew, and the millions of fans who saw him as the charismatic heart of the series.
Honestly, most shows would have folded right there.
Instead, the network made a decision that many still find cold-blooded. They ordered the show to continue production almost immediately. Roger Davis, who had actually provided the opening narration for the show, was cast to replace Duel as Hannibal Heyes. He was on set filming new scenes just days after Duel’s funeral.
The tonal shift was jarring. Davis was a fine actor, but he wasn't Pete Duel. He lacked that specific, weary-but-hopeful spark that Duel brought to the role. Ben Murphy was left in a nearly impossible position, trying to recreate that "buddy" magic with a man who looked and sounded completely different while mourning his actual friend. The Alias Smith and Jones series never quite recovered its ratings after that, and by 1973, the ride was over.
Why the Writing Actually Holds Up Today
If you go back and watch the episodes now, especially the first season and the feature-length pilot, the writing is sharp. It’s snappy. It doesn’t feel like a 50-year-old museum piece.
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One of the best things about the show was its "recurring" cast of guest stars. You’d see legends like Burl Ives, Caesar Romero, or even a young James Drury popping up. The show thrived on the "long con." Heyes and Curry weren't just running from a posse; they were usually trying to solve a puzzle or help someone out without revealing their true identities. This created a layer of suspense that most episodic Westerns lacked.
The Evolution of the "Caper" Western
Before this show, Westerns were usually divided into two camps: the gritty "Morality Plays" (think The Searchers) and the "Adventure of the Week" (think The Virginian). Alias Smith and Jones sat in a third camp. It was a "Caper Western."
- The Stakes: They weren't fighting for justice; they were fighting for their own future.
- The Method: Brains over bullets. Heyes spent more time looking at safes and maps than he did at his holster.
- The Tone: Self-aware. The characters knew they were in a ridiculous situation.
This influenced a lot of what we see in television now. That "will they, won't they" tension—not romantic, but the tension of getting caught—is exactly what fueled shows like Burn Notice.
The Challenges of the 1970s Production
Filming a Western in the early 70s was a grind. They were shooting on the Universal backlot and at various locations in California and Utah. The budget was tight. You can see it sometimes in the reused footage or the sets that look suspiciously like the same ones used in McCloud or Columbo.
But the creative team made it work. They leaned into the dialogue. Because they couldn't always afford a massive shootout with 50 stuntmen, they wrote scenes where Heyes had to gamble his way out of a hole or Curry had to use his reputation as a fast draw to intimidate people without actually pulling the trigger. It was a "low-budget" necessity that turned into a "high-concept" strength.
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The guest stars often remarked on how much fun the set was before the tragedy. It was a show that didn't take itself too seriously in an era when TV was starting to get very heavy.
The Lasting Legacy and How to Watch It Now
Even though it only ran for three seasons, the Alias Smith and Jones series has a cult following that rivals much longer-running shows. Why? Because it represents a "what if." What if Pete Duel had lived? What if the show had moved into the mid-70s and leaned even harder into the comedy-adventure elements?
It’s a time capsule. It captures that brief moment when the Old West met the New Hollywood.
For a long time, the show was hard to find. It lingered in syndication on obscure channels or in grainy bootlegs. Thankfully, DVD releases and occasional streaming pick-ups have kept it alive. If you’re a fan of Westerns but you hate the "white hat vs. black hat" tropes, this is the series you need to track down. It’s cynical but kind. It’s fast but thoughtful.
How to Appreciate the Series Today
If you're looking to dive back into the world of Heyes and Curry, don't just binge-watch randomly. Start with the pilot movie. It sets the tone perfectly and shows you exactly why the chemistry worked. Then, move through the first season to see the show at its peak.
Next Steps for Fans and Researchers:
- Track down the DVD sets: The "Complete Series" box sets often include the original pilot movie, which is essential for understanding the characters' motivations and the Governor’s deal.
- Compare the "Two Hannibals": Watch "The McCreedy Bust" (Season 1) and then find a Roger Davis episode from Season 3. It’s a fascinating study in how casting changes the entire DNA of a show.
- Visit the filming locations: If you're ever in Kanab, Utah, many of the landscapes used for the series are still accessible. It’s the same "Little Hollywood" area where hundreds of classic Westerns were shot.
- Read the memoirs: Look for interviews or books by Ben Murphy and creator Roy Huggins. They offer a much deeper, more nuanced look at the production struggles and the impact of the 1971 tragedy than any fan site ever could.