This television series originally aired on NBC-TV on September 10,1967 as part of its Sunday Night Lineup of shows where it aired at 10:00e/9:00c right after the long-running "Bonanza",and faced stiff competition with "Mission:Impossible",and the "ABC Sunday Night Movie" for all 28 color episodes of Season One that aired from September 10, 1967 until March 31,1968. Then from Season Two onward the network moved the series to a different time slot from Sunday nights to Friday nights for the remainder of its four-year run from September 20,1968 until the series finale on March 12,1971 where it aired at 7:30e/6:30c on its Friday night schedule(where it replaced the action-adventure series "Tarzan" after 2 seasons and 57 episodes) right before another one of television's greatest programs,"The Name Of The Game",and the wildly popular science-fiction series "Star Trek". "The High Chaparral",was produced by David Dortort,the creator of the successful "Bonanza" television series where Dortort was the creator and executive producer that ran for four seasons and produced 98 episodes all in color.The show revolved around "Big" John Cannon(Leif Erickson),a rancher who lived in the Arizona Territory in the 1870's. He ran the ranch with his brother Buck Cannon(Cameron Mitchell),and son Billy "Blue Boy" Cannon (Mark Slade). Blue Boy's mother Annalee(Joan Caulfield)was killed in the first episode by an Indian arrow,and John Cannon then married Victoria Montoya(Linda Cristal),the daughter of the powerful neighbouring rancher Don Sebastian Montoya(played by Frank Silvera,who was one of several African-American actors who played "ethnic" roles for this series)in what is initially a marriage of convenience. His marriage to Victoria brought her brother Manolito Montoya(Henry Darrow) into the picture,and he also not came to live with the family but becoming a hired hand for the ranch. The stories for this series were impeccably written and directed by some of the best in the business while the series was filmed entirely on location. While doing much the same as "Bonanza" would do alternative between high drama and humor with the mix of action-packed and high adventure each week.The guest stars that were on "The High Chaparral" were some of Hollywood's best ranging from William Windom to Adam West along with Scott Brady, Anthony Caruso, Chief Dan George, Roberto Contreras, Dennis Cross, John Dehner, Paul Fix, Ron Foster, Yaphet Kotto, to Connie Hines, Cesar Romero, William Conrad, Joanna Moore, Dub Taylor, Barry Sullivan and Morgan Woodward. Even Robert Loggia and Ricardo Montalban made guest appearances on this show. Several episodes of this series do stand out as sheer brilliance were the two-part pilot episode "Destination Tucson",and to "The Arrangement" not to mention "The Firing Wall",and "Champion of the Western World","A Time To Laugh,A Time To Cry","A Man To Match The Land", not to mention the two-part episode "The New Lion of Sonara".When this series was canceled on March 12,1971 after 98 episodes,the powers that be at NBC-TV moved the show around different time slots resulting in its cancellation where it went opposite two powerhouse shows "The Wild,Wild West",and "The Brady Bunch" were it got clobbered on that same Friday night schedule. On September 12,1971, the show that replaced "The High Chaparral" after four seasons was the Jack Webb produced drama "The D.A." starring Robert Conrad(formerly of "The Wild,Wild West" fame),and on January 22,1972,the show that replaced both "The D.A.",and "The High Chaparral" was the comedy "Sanford and Son".

I used to watch this show back in the seventies and I loved every minute of it, unfortunately that was before the VCR or the DVD. I anxiously waited for Saturday night to come around so I could find out what had happened to Big John and Victoria, it was a big night in our house when it was High Chaparral night. I have not come across it since even though I subscribe to the Lonestar channel, I even remember the theme music. If anyone knows of any channel that shows it or where you can download it, let me know. Besides Alias Smith and Jones, which is a comedy/western, I have never come across another western show that was better or more entertaining than High Chaparral.

Noble but flawed and very human heroes, credible villains, realistic story-lines and family dynamics. "High Chaparral" had high adventure, powerful drama, some of the funniest moments on television and tender romance. This series combined brilliant actors, writers, producers and directors. Together, they brought memorable characters, 1870s Arizona & Mexico to life. Thirty years after it aired, I still remembered episode plots and dialog. The remarkable thing is, so could many other fans!People all over the world love High Chaparral -- its themes and characters are universally appealing. New generations of fans have discovered it in re-runs. Hopefully, remastered, uncut DVDs will be released soon -- this treasure should be preserved and enjoyed, not forgotten.

The High Chaparral was the best of the many TV westerns. Bonanza was equally excellent, especially in character development. The difference for me was the quality of the writing in High Chaparral. This show compelled me to visit Tucson, Bisbee, and surrounding Southwest Arizona and Mexican locations several times. Tucson seems like a second home to me.The use of the landscape, the development of distinct characters such as John Cannon, Victoria, Manolito, Don Sebastian, and especially Buck, and the treatment of Native Americans in story lines was the most balance I have seen in this genre. Native Americans, especially the Apaches, were presented as having good and bad people, just as the whites were presented, good and bad. I particularly think the actors were outstanding - Cameron Mitchell, Frank Silvera, and Henry Darrow especially.This show unfortunately does not show up on TV much at all, and I'm afraid it will disappear as more years go by. I can't believe it is not on DVD, especially since there's so much bad stuff on DVD, why not put something quality like this out? Next time it is on, I'll be sure to record as many as I can for viewing later when it's gone for good. Like the old West, this show may have seen it's last sunset. Too bad.