- THIS is why 'Rawhide' was cancelled
- The show aired for eight seasons
- Eric Fleming and Clint Eastwood starred the series
The Wild West has never been the same since the tumultuous end of 'Rawhide'! Buckle up, cowpokes, as we gallop through the gritty details of how this beloved TV show met its untimely demise. Yeehaw!
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The showdown at CBS corral
It was a showdown that not even Clint Eastwood (93) as "Rowdy Yates" could win. The CBS President, William Paley, with a single decision, sent 'Rawhide' off into the sunset after a successful eight-season run. The last roundup aired on January 4, 1966, leaving fans with their cowboy hats in their hands, wondering what went wrong.
Eric Fleming's exit: A trail boss no more
The plot thickened when Eric Fleming, the rugged trail boss "Gil Favor," rode off the set amid a cloud of controversy with producers. With Fleming out, Eastwood took the reins, but the show's fate was already sealed.
Ratings were slipping faster than a greased pig at a county fair, and when Paley decided it was time to hang up the spurs, there was no turning back.
'Rawhide's' ratings roundup
Let's tip our hats to the glory days when 'Rawhide' was a Friday night sensation, wrangling the No. 6 spot in the 1960-61 season ratings. But like a wild stallion that couldn't be tamed, the show was moved to Tuesday nights in its final season and lost its footing. Despite the tumble, 'Rawhide' still stands tall with 217 episodes, branding its name among the longest-running Westerns on American TV.
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Eastwood's Legendary Leap Clint Eastwood may have started as a humble cowboy, but he rode off into the Hollywood sunset with roles like "Dirty Harry Callahan," becoming an icon in his own right. Tragically, Fleming's star was extinguished too soon, as he drowned while filming in Peru.
The Legacy Lingers Like Campfire Smoke
'Rawhide' may have been corralled, but its legacy gallops on. The series remains a syndicated favorite, and somewhere out there, you can bet your bottom dollar someone's humming the tune, "Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'..."
So, there you have it, the tale of how 'Rawhide' was lassoed off the air. But like any good Western, the legend lives on, riding high in the hearts of fans across the prairie.
