Branded TV Series with Chuck Conners
Created | Updated Sep 14, 2007
I would like to provide a little information about a United States television show I loved in the 1960s. I was eight years old when "Branded" came out in 1965, following the huge success of a previous show, "The Rifleman" (1958-1963). The show was "Branded", with Chuck Connors playing Jason McCord, a dishonored Calvary soldier who was the sole survivor of the Battle of Bitter Creek. In the series, Mc Cord was court-martialed and thrown out of the army for being a coward.
McCord was knocked unconcious just outside the heat of battle, leaving him to wake up and find that he was the only survivor. One premise of the show that I never quite understood was that McCord knew he was innocent but he would not put the blame where it belonged with his commanding officer, General Reed, who died in the battle. Reed messed up in a Custer like manner, causing all his men to be killed, but McCord wouldn't spill the beans on him and took the blame himself (being an officer as well).
Each episode began with a scene in a classic frontier fort where McCord was stripped of his military insignia, each patch being ripped off as McCord looked forward, stoically. If memory serves, they painted a yellow stripe down his back and hit him a few times. Then the commander took his sword, broke it in half over his knee and tossed it out of the fort as McCord walked out in shame, picking up the broken hilt half of the sword. Mc Cord carried the broken sword in the series, sharpening the end and using it as a weapon many times.
One thing I can't seem to remember or find is a reference on is whether or not McCord was actually branded, as with a hot iron. I seem to remember that in one or more episodes, he indeed did have a mark branded on his shoulder.
Throughout the 48 episode series that ran from 1965 to 1966, McCord wanders the west, proving his bravery over and over.
The theme song told the basic story of the series.
All but one man died.
There at Bitter Creek.
And they say he ran away.
Branded, scorned as the one who ran.
What do you do when you're branded, and you know you're a man.
Wherever you go, for the rest of your life
You must prove, you're a man.
(Full song)
All but one man died,
There at Bitter Creek,
And they say he ran away ...
Branded!
Marked with a coward's shame.
What do you do when you're branded,
Will you fight for your name?
He was innocent,
Not a charge was true,
But the world will never know ...
Branded!
Scorned as the one who ran.
What do you do when you're branded,
And you know you're a man?
And wherever you go
for the rest of your life
You must prove ...
You're a man!
McCord was knocked unconcious just outside the heat of battle, leaving him to wake up and find that he was the only survivor. One premise of the show that I never quite understood was that McCord knew he was innocent but he would not put the blame where it belonged with his commanding officer, General Reed, who died in the battle. Reed messed up in a Custer like manner, causing all his men to be killed, but McCord wouldn't spill the beans on him and took the blame himself (being an officer as well).
Each episode began with a scene in a classic frontier fort where McCord was stripped of his military insignia, each patch being ripped off as McCord looked forward, stoically. If memory serves, they painted a yellow stripe down his back and hit him a few times. Then the commander took his sword, broke it in half over his knee and tossed it out of the fort as McCord walked out in shame, picking up the broken hilt half of the sword. Mc Cord carried the broken sword in the series, sharpening the end and using it as a weapon many times.
One thing I can't seem to remember or find is a reference on is whether or not McCord was actually branded, as with a hot iron. I seem to remember that in one or more episodes, he indeed did have a mark branded on his shoulder.
Throughout the 48 episode series that ran from 1965 to 1966, McCord wanders the west, proving his bravery over and over.
The theme song told the basic story of the series.
All but one man died.
There at Bitter Creek.
And they say he ran away.
Branded, scorned as the one who ran.
What do you do when you're branded, and you know you're a man.
Wherever you go, for the rest of your life
You must prove, you're a man.
(Full song)
All but one man died,
There at Bitter Creek,
And they say he ran away ...
Branded!
Marked with a coward's shame.
What do you do when you're branded,
Will you fight for your name?
He was innocent,
Not a charge was true,
But the world will never know ...
Branded!
Scorned as the one who ran.
What do you do when you're branded,
And you know you're a man?
And wherever you go
for the rest of your life
You must prove ...
You're a man!
