AVERAGE

While not exactly another Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), the “Smith & Jones” fellows did have a friendship of the Redford-Newman type.

They were two laid-back train robbers who were decent enough not to have killed anyone in their careers. Now they wanted to leave their lives of crime and get immunity. The secret deal they struck with the authorities, however, meant till further notice that sheriffs and outlaws would have to believe that they were fugitives. Scripts focused more on dialogue than shootouts, but failed when it came to a fundamental objective: there wasn’t much tension.

I liked Pete Duel’s performance, but he shockingly took his own life after one season and was replaced by Roger Davis.

1971-1973:U.S. 50 episodes. Color. Created by Glen A. Larson. Theme: Billy Goldenberg. Cast: Pete Duel (Hannibal Heyes/Joshua Smith, 71-72), Ben Murphy (Jed “Kid” Curry/Thaddeus Jones), Roger Davis (Hannibal Heyes/Joshua Smith, 72-73), Sally Field.

Trivia: Inspired by a TV movie, The Young Country (1970).