Wanted: Dead or Alive is an American Western television series starring Steve McQueen as the bounty hunter Josh Randall. It aired on CBS for three seasons from 1958–61. The black-and-white program was a spin-off of a March 1958 episode of Trackdown, a 1957–59 western series starring Robert Culp. Both series were produced by Four Star Television in association with CBS Television.
The series launched McQueen into becoming the first television star to cross over into comparable status on the big screen.
The Martin Poster (Episode 1) 8.5
Air date: 1958-09-06
Runtime: 26 min
Overview: Josh takes matters into his own hands after Marshall Jeff Wilcox is killed by the Martin brothers.
Fatal Memory (Episode 2)
Writer: Don Brinkley
Air date: 1958-09-13
Runtime: 26 min
Overview: While on the trail of an Army deserter, Josh is surprised to find fake wanted posters for Colonel Sykes; the Army Commander that he served under.
The Bounty (Episode 3)
Writer: Samuel A. Peeples
Air date: 1958-09-20
Runtime: 26 min
Overview: A vicious Bounty Hunter named Daimler is sought by Josh after Daimler gunned down an elderly fugitive.
Dead End (Episode 4)
Air date: 1958-09-27
Runtime: 26 min
Overview: After being hired to apprehend a ranch worker who stole money and disappeared, Josh undercovers more than he bargained for.
Passing of Shawnee Bill (Episode 5)
Air date: 1958-10-04
Runtime: 26 min
Overview: After a crooked poker game, Josh is led to believe that his opponent is Shawnee Bill.
The Giveaway Gun (Episode 6)
Writer: Frank D. Gilroy
Air date: 1958-10-11
Runtime: 26 min
Overview: Josh is looking for an unknown gunman which can only be identified by the peculiar way he draws his gun.
Ransom for a Nun (Episode 7)
Writer: Fred Freiberger
Air date: 1958-10-18
Runtime: 26 min
Overview: Mother Superior asks Josh to find Sister Grace who is being held by outlaws.
Miracle at Pot Hole (Episode 8)
Air date: 1958-10-25
Runtime: 26 min
Overview: Josh hands over a criminal to Sheriff Wilson and finds out the sheriff is a crook. He begins to doubt the guilt of his so-called criminal.
The Fourth Headstone (Episode 9)
Writer: Frank D. Gilroy
Air date: 1958-11-01
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Josh is hired on the help transport a female prisoner who has murdered three men to another jail.
Til Death Do Us Part (Episode 10)
Writer: Don Brinkley
Air date: 1958-11-08
Overview: Beautiful Stacy Torrance is wanted for the murder of her husband, but when Josh finds her husband still alive he tries to have the charges cleared.
The Favor (Episode 11)
Air date: 1958-11-15
Overview: Josh searches for a robbery suspect in a town called VanHorne run by outlaws.
Ricochet (Episode 12)
Air date: 1958-11-22
Overview: Josh is hired to look for a missing husband and ends up in a murder conspiracy.
Sheriff of Red Rock (Episode 13)
Air date: 1958-11-29
Overview: The Sheriff of Red Rock allows his prisoners to escape, so two bounty hunters can collect the reward and split it three ways.
Die by the Gun (Episode 14)
Air date: 1958-12-06
Overview: Aboard a stagecoach with prisoner in hand, Josh and the Coach driver are attacked by escapees heading for the Mexican border.
Rawhide Breed (Episode 15)
Writer: Samuel A. Peeples
Air date: 1958-12-13
Overview: The Kreager brothers are on the trail of Josh and his prisoner, when a sudden attack by Apaches leaves his prisoner dead.
Eight Cent Reward (Episode 16)
Air date: 1958-12-20
Overview: A poor family with not much and hopes destroyed by storms and rustlers who want their land. Josh tries to help and right at Christmas a small miracle does occur.
Drop to Drink (Episode 17)
Air date: 1958-12-27
Overview: After a Pony Express carrier is held up and the courier with a $20,000 diamond ring go missing. Josh is hired to find him.
Rope Law (Episode 18)
Air date: 1959-01-03
Overview: Josh returns with his prisoner Brace Logan and a lynch mob overtakes him. A little too late the townspeople realize that Logan was innocent and that the guilty party is some well respected.
Six-Up to Bannach (Episode 19)
Air date: 1959-01-10
Overview: Josh is on his way to Bannach to prevent the execution of an innocent man and he must travel by stagecoach one that is carrying boxes of dynamite.
The Spur (Episode 20)
Air date: 1959-01-17
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Josh is hunting for wanted murderer Vic Warsaw when he finds out that his bounty was gunned down.
Reunion for Revenge (Episode 21)
Air date: 1959-01-24
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Intent on revenge several escaped convicts confront Josh's prisoner who is responsible for them going to jail.
Competition (Episode 22)
Air date: 1959-01-31
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Josh is confronted by two bounty hunters who think he is onto a big paying job.
Call Your Shot (Episode 23)
Writer: Fred Freiberger
Air date: 1959-02-07
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Josh is hired by Gabe Henshaw to find his son Will.
Secret Ballot (Episode 24)
Writer: Don Brinkley
Air date: 1959-02-14
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Randall's old war buddy Ned Easter is running for mayor in a town governed by corrupt mayor Barney Pax and his brother Steve, whom he has made sheriff. The Pax brothers avoid honest competition by shooting up Ned's rallies and such. Ned's wife Carole has summoned Randall to stand by Ned in case of trouble, but doesn't want Ned to know she did so. It so happens that Randall has a wanted poster on Steve, for ""shooting up half of Colorado.""
The Corner (Episode 25)
Air date: 1959-02-21
Overview: Accused of killing a friend, bounty hunter Josh Randall tries to prove himself innocent.
Eager Man (Episode 26)
Air date: 1959-02-28
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Fugitive Ted Nelson will surrender to his friend Josh Randall, if his wife shares the reward. Gar Foley also a bounty hunter has other ideas.
The Legend (Episode 27)
Air date: 1959-03-07
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Josh is hired by Sam McGarrett to lead him with his son and daughter into the Mesa desert to find a hundred year old treasure.
Railroaded (Episode 28)
Air date: 1959-03-14
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Josh comes to the defense of a boy accused of murdering an Undercover Pinkerton detective aboard the train.
Double Fee (Episode 29)
Air date: 1959-03-21
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: An Opera Singer hires Josh to find her sister who has been kidnapped and is being held ransom.
The Kovack Affair (Episode 30)
Air date: 1959-03-28
Runtime: 25 min
Overview: Josh is called by his old friend Jesse to help Meaghan keep her hotel from the hands of corrupt Kovack.
Bounty for a Bride (Episode 31)
Writer: Samuel A. Peeples
Air date: 1959-04-04
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: A man hires Josh Randall to persuade his daughter to come back home. The girl, who was kidnapped by Indians years before, refuses to return because she feels that the Indians are now her people.
Crossroads (Episode 32)
Air date: 1959-04-11
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Josh is on the track of a suspected murderer, when the father tries to avert his sons capture.
Angels of Vengeance (Episode 33)
Writer: Charles Beaumont
Air date: 1959-04-18
Overview: Josh kills a young man in self-defense, the victim's father, the head of a religious cult, then orders Josh's death.
Littlest Client (Episode 34)
Air date: 1959-04-25
Runtime: 25 min
Overview: Josh is hired by a 10 year old girl to find her father, she refuses to believe that he is dead.
The Conquerers (Episode 35)
Air date: 1959-05-02
Runtime: 25 min
Overview: A Banker hires Josh to find his runaway son. The boy has joined a mercenary army that preys on small Mexican villages.
Amos Carter (Episode 36)
Air date: 1959-05-09
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Josh tries to reconcil two families whose feud has reached dangerous proportions.
