For the AC series of reprints of 1930s and 1940s western comics, see Best of the West .

Best of the West is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 1981 through August 1982.

Synopsis

The Old West spoof featured the misadventures of Sam Best, a Civil War veteran (played by Joel Higgins) who becomes a marshal in Copper Creek after accidentally scaring off an incompetent gunfighter called the Calico Kid.

Sam's family was made up of his Southern belle wife, Elvira (played by Carlene Watkins) and his smart-mouthed son, Daniel (Meeno Peluce). The cast also included Leonard Frey as the villain Parker Tillman, Tom Ewell as the drunken town doctor Jerome Kullens, and Tracey Walter as Tillman's clueless, but kind-hearted henchman, Frog Rothchild, Jr.

Episode List

Ep #	Title	Airdate
1	Pilot	September 9, 1981
2	"The Prisoner"	September 17, 1981
3	"The Calico Kid Returns"	October 1, 1981
4	"The Reunion"	October 8, 1981
5	"They're Hanging Parker Tillman (Part 1)"	October 15, 1981
6	"They're Hanging Parker Tillman (Part 2)"	October 22, 1981
7	"The New Marshal"	October 29, 1981
8	"Daniel's First Love"	November 5, 1981
9	"Laney in Love"	November 12, 1981
10	"The Railroad"	November 19, 1981
11	"The New Jail"	November 26, 1981
12	"A Man, a Woman, and a Horse"	December 17, 1981
13	"Frog's First Gunfight"	January 7, 1982
14	"The Calico Kid Goes to School"	January 14, 1982
15	"Tillman Held for Ransom"	January 21, 1982
16	"Mail Order Bride"	January 28, 1982
17	"The Cave-In"	February 12, 1982
18	"Daniel Fights a Bully"	February 19, 1982
19	"The Pretty Prisoner"	February 26, 1982
20	"Elvira's Old Beau"	June 7, 1982
21	"Sam's Life Is Threatened"	June 14, 1982
22	"The Funeral"	June 21, 1982

Noted Guest Stars

In its short run, the show managed to feature an array of guest stars. The list of noted actors and actresses who appeared include:

• Dixie Carter in Episode #19 - "The Pretty Prisoner"
• Andy Griffith in Episode #4 - "The Reunion"
• Al Lewis in Episodes #5 and #6 - "They're Hanging Parker Tillman, Parts 1 and 2"
• Christopher Lloyd in Episode #3 - "The Calico Kid Returns" and Episode #14 - "The Calico Kid Goes to School"
• Richard Moll in Episode #2 - "The Prisoner"
• Slim Pickens in Episode #2 - "The Prisoner"
• John Randolph in Episode #10 - "The Railroad"
• Betty White in Episode #16 - "Mail Order Bride"

Trivia

Veteran actor Andy Griffith played Joel Higgins father-in-law in the episode "The Reunion". Previously, they played together in a series called Salvage 1.

External links

• Episode Guide