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The Rounders was a 17-episode western-style situation comedy about two cowboys on the fictitious J.L. Ranch in Texas. It starred Ron Hayes as Ben Jones and Patrick Wayne, a son of John Wayne, as Howdy Lewis. The M-G-M television series aired on ABC from September 6, 1966, to January 3, 1967. The program was loosely based on a 1965 film of the same name, The Rounders, starring Glenn Ford and Henry Fonda, set near Sedona, Arizona, rather than Texas. Chill Wills, a native Texan and formerly of CBS's Frontier Circus, appeared as the shady ranch owner, Jim Ed Love. Janis Hansen co-starred as Ben's girlfriend, Sally, and Bobbi Jordan played Howdy's girlfriend, Ada. Jason Wingreen appeared as Shorty Dawes, and Walker Edmiston as Regan. Character actors Strother Martin and J. Pat O'Malley appeared as "Cousin Fletch" and "Vince", respectively. James Brown, formerly the lieutenant on The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, played "Luke". Selected episodes with notable guest stars include: "A Horse on Jim Ed Love", series premiere with Harry Carey, Jr.; "It's a Noble Thing to Do", with John Smith, formerly Slim Sherman on NBC's Laramie; "Don't Buffalo Me", with Jay Silverheels, formerly Tonto of The Lone Ranger, as John Tallgrass; "The Moonshine Still Shines"; "It Takes Only One to Suffer"; "The Scavenger Hunt" with Zsa Zsa Gabor as Ilona Hobson; "Some Things Are Not for Sale"; "Four Alarm Wing Ding", with Dick Haynes as a sheriff; "Horse of a Different Cutter" with Andy Devine as Honest John Denton and Strother Martin as Cousin Fletch; "Polo, Anyone?", with Jay C. Flippen as Kenny Fahrbush; "Efficiency Is for Experts", and "What Elephants?", the series finale, in which Ben and Howdy try to hide an elephant in plain sight.
Episodes
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- E1 PilotNext upSep 6, 1966 · 30 min
- E2 Frontier FrankensteinSep 13, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Jim Ed plans to buy unpredictable Old Fooler and make a fortune selling the critter to a rodeo—but the horse has other ideas abut the transaction.
- E3 It's the Noble Thing to DoSep 20, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Jim Ed is using a remote-control device as a training dogie in hopes of turning the ranch plugs into first class cutting horses—and ending Old Fooler's cow-horse career.
- E4 The Moonshine Still ShinesSep 27, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Jim Ed hires Noble Vestry, the world's best cowboy, to show Ben and Howdy what cow-punching really means.
- E5 Don't Buffalo MeOct 4, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Jim Ed begins his job as temporary sheriff by trying to smash a moonshiner's illegal still.
Guest stars: Vincent Chase (Merton)
- E6 The Scavenger HuntOct 11, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Ben and Howdy stand to make a tidy sum if they can find—and corral—a buffalo for Jim Ed.
Guest stars: Dodie Marshall (Marla)
- E7 Some Things are Not for SaleOct 18, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Ben and Howdy are literally lassoed off the J. L. Ranch and into a job at near-by Velvet Haven, an exclusive health resort for women.
- E8 It Takes Only One to SufferOct 25, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Jim Ed wants to buy Howdy's remarkedly effective good luck piece— but some things just are not for sale.
Guest stars: Margaret Teele (Cousin Cindy)
- E9 Man of the YearNov 1, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Disgusted with life on the ranch, Ben gives Old Fooler to Howdy and takes over the operation of a one-pump gas station.
- E10 Four-Alarm WingdingNov 15, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Jim Ed wants to be named Man of the Year in Texas, so the ornery tightwad makes a painful effort to change his image.
- E11 Four Alarm WingdingNov 15, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Jim Ed has bought a trailer from Howdy, but the merchandise might not arrive in A-1 condition: Howdy and Ben are throwing a party for the whole darned community in the trailer.
- E12 You Hold Your Temper, I'll Hold My TongueNov 29, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
Jim Ed promises a handsome sum if Ben Howdy will haul his new boat to Lake Love. Leave it to the two cowpokes to foul up a simple job....
- E13 Horse of a Different CutterDec 6, 1966 · 30 min
Synopsis
A cutting-horse contest finds Howdy and Jim backing different entrants—and using all the sneaky tricks in the book to win their bets.
- E14 Polo, Anyone?Dec 13, 1966 · 30 min
- E15 Low Moon at Hi LoDec 20, 1966 · 30 min
- E16 The Sweet Little Old LadyDec 27, 1966 · 30 min
- E17 Efficiency is for the ExpertsJan 3, 1967 · 30 min
- E18 What Elephants?Jan 3, 1967 · 30 min
Ron Hayes
Patrick Wayne
Chill Wills
