About this season
The Restless Gun is an American western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an idealistic person who prefers peaceful resolutions of conflict wherever possible. He is gregarious, intelligent, and public-spirited. The half-hour black-and-white program aired seventy-eight episodes. Jeanne Bates appeared in varying roles with Payne in five episodes of The Restless Gun. The Restless Gun theme song begins: "I ride with the wind, my eyes on the sun, and my hand on my restless gun..." The song composer is probably Paul Dunlap, credited as the primary series composer, but could have been contributed to by either of the two other series composers, Dave Kahn and Stanley Wilson, also. Two versions are currently posted on YouTube, but neither posting lists any composer or performance credits.
Episodes (37)
1. The Hill of Death
Aired 22 June 1959
Vint and the boy Robby are fishing by the riverbank. Vint tells the boy that the gun is a tool and goes on to tell the story of his grandfather, Jebediah Bonner. Vint's parents have been killed and he is brought up by Dr. Ken Ludlow and his wife. Jebediah, a retired marshall, arrives on the stagecoach to visit with his grandson and is confronted in the saloon by Jim Kenyon who holds a grudge from 20 years ago when he believes that Jedediah had not given his father a fair chance when he had killed him. Joe is consumed by hatred and is determined to exact revenge. Young Vint sees and hears of his grandfather being bullied and doing nothing. Jebediah decides that he must gain respect in young Vint's eyes and an exciting conclusion is played out.
2. Dragon for a Day
Aired 29 September 1958
3. Mercyday
Aired 6 October 1958
4. Thunder Valley
Aired 13 October 1958
5. The Nowhere Kid
Aired 20 October 1958
6. Bonner's Squaw
Aired 3 November 1958
Bonner persuades Chief Tashuka to honour the treaty with the white man by handing over two braves who are suspected of robbery. Unfortunately for Bonner, the chief's daughter Running Fawn takes a shine to Bonner and follows him to town. By Indian law Bonner is to marry the girl and reluctantly agrees to prevent a war. However when Bonner sees how beautiful Running Fawn is he uses an Indian custom to lose her to a brave.
7. Tomboy
Aired 10 November 1958
8. Remember the Dead
Aired 17 November 1958
9. No Way to Kill
Aired 24 November 1958
10. Take Me Home
11. Multiply One Boy
Aired 8 December 1958
12. Peligroso
Aired 15 December 1958
13. A Bell for Santo Domingo
14. The Way Back
15. The Painted Beauty
Aired 5 January 1959
16. Shadow of a Gunfighter
Aired 12 January 1959
17. The Lady and the Gun
Aired 19 January 1959
18. Blood of Courage
19. Better Than A Cannon
20. The Dead Ringer
Aired 16 February 1959
Vint is deliberately framed for a bank robbery and murder.
21. The Last Grey Man
Aired 23 February 1959
22. Melany
Aired 2 March 1959
23. Ricochet
24. Dead Man's Hand
25. The Sweet Sisters
Aired 23 March 1959
26. Incident at Bluefield
Aired 30 March 1959
27. The Pawn
Aired 6 April 1959
28. Four Lives
Aired 13 April 1959
29. One on the House
Aired 20 April 1959
30. Code for a Killer
Aired 27 April 1959
Vint Bonner arrives in the town of Toredo to be best man at his friend, Dave Regan's wedding. Vint soon discovers that Dave has been shot in the back and that the town, led by the new sheriff Ben Webster, are looking for his supposed killer, Vance Carter. It is left to Vint to find the truth and lay a trap for the real killer.
31. Mme. Brimstone
Aired 4 May 1959
32. Lady by Law
Aired 11 May 1959
33. Ride with the Devil
Aired 18 May 1959
Bonner is sent for by Don Tomas Verdes, a Mexican ranch owner, to help him convince his son to stop riding with an outlaw gang. Bonner joins the outlaws to try and bring the boy to his senses.
34. A Trial for Jenny May
Aired 25 May 1959
After Jenny May McElroy's husband was killed in a gunfight, no one in town would give her a job to support her children, except for the saloon owner, who hired her as a bookkeeper. Because of this some of the "proper" townspeople want to take her children and make them wards of the state.
35. The Cavis Boy
Aired 1 June 1959
36. The Englishman
Aired 8 June 1959
37. A Very Special Investigator
Aired 15 June 1959