The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 37

26 Men wy. i I 4 -3 ''1 I 1 On Fact 1 Based -J i LJi ON LOCATION with "26 co-star Kelo Hend erson (arms crossed center) discusses a plot twist with one of the surviving members of the oriqi nal Ranger contingent. i vi'A r. i 'L I i By HAROLD STERN "We're the only T. V.

series in which every episode is based on actual fact," said Tris Coffin, co-star of the "26 Men" Western series, which tells the stories of the short-lived but colorful Arizona Rangers. "Before a script is written, the writer is given access to the Arizona State files. "We originally intended doing the episodes on the actual sites on which they originally happened," he continued, "but this turned out to be impractical mechanically and budgetwise. However," he added with a trace of pride, "we have stayed in the county and as close to the actual locale as possible. I think the T.

V. viewer respects the truth. As an actor I've portrayed fictional characters for years. Now I have a chance to portray a man who actually lived while people who remember him are still alive." I quibbled that just because it really happened doesn't neecssarily make it a good show. "I admit when you say that a story was taken from the actual files of it may not mean much to an audience," Tris stated, "but we show one of the surviving rangers there are four who introduces the story and guarantees its authenticity.

"I know it's true because it happened to This has to carry weight! It does with sponsors. We have two national sponsors who'd have taken the show if we were able to get a network spot." Since "26 Men" is distributed on a syndicated basis rather than a network one, Tris naturally found the advantages of syndication far outweighed those of network exposure. "We're on 158 stations in the United States," he said, "plus about eight outside the country. For a successful series like ours, a syndicated series is a wonderful bet. If you lose a sponsor, you can replace him in a hurry.

If you lose a network sponsor for any reason, you're in trouble. We have all kinds of sponsors, beer, oil, cigars, dairy products, grooming aids and bread." Tris, who has more than 300 feature films behind him and at least that many T. V. shows, estimates that he's spent just about 50 per cent of his career in outdoor pictures. Invariably, he goes through little cycles.

For a while he played nothing but theatrical producers, then lawyers, army of- in tow ficers, doctors, etc. He's now Captain Tom Rynning of the Arizona Rangers and perhaps best known for this role. "In T. he commented, "you can make a star in the minds of the public in two or three weeks. Formerly, a motion-picture producer would invest several hundred thousand dollars in an actor and build him into a star.

T. V. gives you instantaneous coverage you could never get before." It will be interesting to see if T. V. can build Tris Coffin's co-star, Kelo Henderson, into permanent stardom.

This is Kelo's first regular series and aside from a couple of bits, his first exposure of any sort. Actually, where Tris has 37 years of acting experience, the pilot film for the series was Kelo's first acting job. "I had to give up cattle farming for this!" smiled Kelo. "And I'm still trying to figure out why they don't want me for drawing room parts." Compared to this year's standard for the young Western heroes (Kelo's 26), Kelo is something of a runt, "standing only 6 foot 4 and weighing a mere 210 pounds. He's a shy type and, while he may not be the polished actor Hugh O'Brian has developed into, he, too, is a fast man with a gun.

O'Brian made T. V. headlines by drawing and firing his gun in .38 of a second. Kelo took the same test which established Hugh's reputation and proceeded to draw and fire first in .14 of a second and then, to prove it was no fluke, in .12 of a second. There is no record that either of them hit anything, however.

I I ft. AflsnHw mm TRIS COFFIN, who stars as Captain Rynning in "26 film series about the Arizona Rangers, examines the map ot the Arizona Territory. TVKey Mailbag SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1958 TVKey Previews: Question. Please tell me whether or not Pat Boone Is studying to become a minister. M.

Birmingham, Ala. Answer. Pat has been studying speech and English at Columbia University in New York. He is deeply religious, but has no plans for entering the clergy. Question.

Would you tell me what happened to Bcrna-dette O'Farrell, ho used to be Maid Marian in "Robin L. Niagara Falls, N. Y. Answer. Miss O'Farrell left the series to devote more time to her husband.

British film producer Frank Launder, and her family. Question. Has Raymond Burr (Perry Mason) lost a great deal of weight in the last few years, or am I confusing him with another actor? Mrs. G. C.

K. Savannah, Ga. Aaswer. Burr dieted off more than 100 pounds to win the "Perry Mason" role. (Fr an aaswer to your question about any T.

V. program or actor write T. V. Key Mailbag, care this newspaper.) Pcrrjr Ciim St. ratrUk'i Day tonight, with Maureta O'Hara and the MrCuire Sisters along help him.

Good episode on Perry Mason and an unusual one on (iunsmoke, as well as a visit from Deaa Martin on Club Oasis. Celebrated author of musical librettos for "South Pacific" and many olhcn appears on Mike Wallace's show. Sports tans can watch Ice hockey, pro basketball, Rolf, and National Invitation basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden. 4-FILM TECHNIQUE. A scene will he shown from the forthcoming motion picture, "Stage starring Susan Strasbcrg and we'll hear from Susan in person, as she discusses her performance and what she was trying to portray in it, with film critic Arthur Knight of the Saturday Review of Literature.

I HOCKEY. Ranum vs. Bruins. 4 PRO BASKETBALL. N.

B. Play Off. Cincinnati Rovals vs, the Detroit Pistons. 4:00 5 00 7 ALL-STAR GOLF. A pair of Billys, Casper and Maxwell, lock mashics from Palm Sprtnu.

Calif, today. A nip and luck match, (particularly the front nine and week-end duffers will see a very costly out-of-bounds shot. PERRY MASON. "The Case of the Half wakened Good episode tonlKht. with a Rental but watchful Perry Mason (Raymond Ilurr) Riving a shrewd account of hlnucf.

There's lot of suiense in this story of a man who's accused of murdering his employer on circumstantial evidence, because his diary says he loves the man's wife. 4 PERRY COMO SHOW. "It's A Great Oay For The naturally starts Perry and his guests off on a St. Patrick's Day show today, and Maureen liars continues the lark with some authentic Gaelic, while the McGuire Sisters give us a medley of Irish tunes. Maureen surprises with a song "Hello Young and the McGuire Sisters join Como in "Alabama Jubilee" and After a donation to a little girl for the National Society for Crippled Children, Perry closes witl the hymn, "The (Color) 4 CLUB OASIS.

Dean Martin remembers the Irishers with "Mother Machree" and sings "Return to "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" and "I Remember It After a bit of patter with Phil Harris, Dean sings "Now You Has and Phil gets together with Dean on "Well, Did You 11 BASKETBALL. National Invitation Tournament. From Madison Square Garden. GUNSMOKE. A rancher lynches an innocent man and Marshal Dillon has to save the lyncher from losiug his skin at the hands of the dead man's followers.

It's a slight twist from the usual and it's done in good style, as always on this series, 7-MIKE WALLACE INTERVIEW. Oscar Hammerstein II, celebrated author of "South "The King and "Carousel" and many other top stage musical books, is on tonight. Mike will try to find out what makes Hammerstein so complicated a personality. Known for his delightful successes, he never goes to cocktail parties, and has pronounced political and social views, often reflected even In his gay and merry productions. I LATE SHOW.

"Confessions of a Nazi (19.19) Edward G. Robinson, George Sanders and Francis Lcderer star in this top-notch documetary-style drama. The F. B. I.

exposes undercover activities of a Nazi spy ring, This was dynamite when It was first released, and should serve as a reminder today. 3 Weekly Television Guide BERGEN EVENING RECORD 16 Mar. IS, 1958.