Rating:
4.8/10 by 4 users
Then Came Bronson (1969)
Then Came Bronson is an American adventure/drama television series starring Michael Parks that aired on NBC from 1969 to 1970, and was produced by MGM Television. The series, created by Denne Bart Petitclerc, began with a movie pilot on Monday, March 24, 1969. The series was approved for one year and began its first run on September 17, 1969. The pilot was also released in Europe as a feature film.
Writing:
- Denne Bart Petitclerc
Release Date:
Wed, Sep 17, 1969
Country: US
Language: En
Runtime: 60
Country: US
Language: En
Runtime: 60
Michael Parks
Jim Bronson
Season 1:
In the season opener Jim Bronson takes a temp job at Hanrahan School, a summer camp for disturbed children run by noted therapist Edward Hanrahan and his daughter Doris Hanrahan. Doris is by chance an old girlfriend of Bronson. He becomes affected by a small autistic boy John known as ""the runner"" for his penchant to flee. Edward Hanrahan gives Bronson wide latitude in dealing with John and this leads to complications.
When Bronson's motorbike is inadvertently badly damaged by a careless gasoline attendant a grizzled oldster Alex lets Bronson use his ranch to make the needed repairs. Alex shows Bronson his old bike, an antique 1937 Rudge Ulster, that had been in storage for years. Soon, both are riding again and, since Alex had promised his wife Nora to abandon cycling, it leads to complications in his marriage and more.
Bronson is hired by lonely widower Monica to work on her ranch. Her teen-age daughter Lori soon becomes smitten with Bronson while Monica finds Bronson's demeanor captivating. Bronson's dilemma: how to deal with the attention of both women without causing them emotional injury.
Bronson ends up in a ghost town whose sole resident is the venerable Hattie Calder. She piques Bronson's interest with her tales of surviving the Titanic disaster and her vitality. Hattie has an ongoing quarrel with bandit Abner Hotchman who is secretly looking for a silver vein. Her one remaining wish in life: to be buried next to her husband in a nearby plot. Can Bronson help?
Miguel approaches motorbike riding using the same aggressive methods that he uses to fight bulls in the bullring. Bronson is reluctant when Miguel tries to imbue Bronson with his same values and suggests that he use similar methods. In the meantime Bella and Morgana, two beautiful sisters, compete for the attention of both men.
Bronson travels to Colorado to find an old friend named Bucky O'Neill--a priest with a crisis of conscience. Bucky has fallen in love with Mary Draper and yet leaving the priesthood torments his conscience. Mary is tortured as well and blames herself for Bucky's dilemma. Moreover, she also believes she's destined to die giving childbirth. When she refuses medical help Bronson is forced to make a decision.
Clay Turner is a bank robber and former local hero who has been imprisoned for years. When paroled and he returns to his hometown it causes three people much anxiety. Why? It seems Turner had made revenge threats to Ed Hemmings for turning him in many years ago. And, Earl Braeden is nervous because he married Turner's former girlfriend Charlene Braeden. At the same time, Charlene preens herself for Turner's return as if she was his current paramour. Amongst all this anxiety, Bronson finds Turner return affects him as well in this modern age Western confrontation.
Bronson stays at the home of Oliver a retired pressman who loves and loves to talk. Russ Faber learns that Bronson plans to enter a local motorbike race and becomes obsessed with defeating Bronson in the race.
When Bronson arrives in town he meets and asks Leona out on a date. She has a brother, Darryl, whose excessive protection of her causes her much dismay. Bronson helps Leona enter a demolition derby that inevitably puts Bronson in a difficult predicament with her brother.
Bronson accepts two percent of a potential oil well, that is possibly ready to blow, in lieu of cash for work done for Royce MacLeod. Unfortunately, MacLeod faces foreclosure on the land if he can't beat the target date specified on a promissory note owned by Mac Keller.
Bronson befriends an attractive nurse, Barbara Timmons, who mourns the death of a doctor she worked with. Timmons considers quitting her job because it overtaxes her but is uncertain because she worries about her patients and their future care. Bronson, in awe of Timmons' work as a nurturing caregiver, finds helping her a challenge.
Bronson helps a reluctant biker in distress, Henry Tate, with a loan when his bike breaks down on the road. In order to repay him Tate takes Bronson to his family's home where he has not visited since he left many, many, years ago but is hesitantly returning in order to attend his mother's funeral. Tate's homecoming causes tribulation for all.
The arrogant William Lovering is regarded as a great pitcher in a local bush league baseball team. When Bronson rides into town and takes a job as a ball player he soon finds he's able to hit the ball off Lovering at will. Bronson tries to prepare Lovering for a try out with major league scout Art Gilroy.
Native American Tony Wade has taken his family into bleak country to perform his Vision Quest in order to reclaim his spirit. Bronson, an old friend of Tony, locates him and the family and finds them in dire straits. Even though Tony, his wife Linda, and son, are underfed and malnourished, Tony still demands that Bronson leave. Linda urges Bronson to stay and reveals a secret she has not told Tony.
Bronson is charmed by Sibyl who fancies herself a witch and is part of a band of occultists lead by cult-leader Hermes. Bronson at first is entertained by her beliefs but later recoils at her lifestyle. Ultimately, Sibyl has to determine the greater meaning of the supernatural, and in the process--life.
Bronson becomes part of a singing duo with Billy Mulavey in order to compete in a song contest and land a job at a highway honky-tonk. Johnny Dell, a greedy local disk jockey, signs songwriter Billy to a restrictive contract, but Billy has running on his mind. Betty, the waitress who loves Billy, and Bronson wonder about Billy's veracity when Mickey Rand claims ownership of the songs written by Billy.
When eccentric painter Juan Longorio paints a mural of a naked woman on the side of a barn it places him and Bronson in trouble with the owner, Sid Casper, and the city locals. Still, more problematic than defacing private property, the painting causes emotional anguish to Sid, the deputy sheriff Hud McCarver, and Will Hudson, because they all think the painting is a picture perfect representation of their respective wives. Art dealer Mr. Willoughby enters the scene and sheds new light on the dilemma.
When Bronson arrives in an Amish community his tales of the ""outside world"" captivate a young man and woman, Harold Mueller and Dorothy Hofer, who are betrothed. Soon, Harold becomes jealous of Dorothy's attraction towards Bronson and heads out to see the world he has been missing. In the city, Harold meets the model Jan and, in the meantime, Dorothy, back in the Amish community, ponders about love and the future.
Bronson travels to see his cousin Eve Bronson in Reno, Nevada. Eve is engaged to marry Len and both decide to marry while Jim Bronson is in town. Jim gives his cousin money to buy a wedding dress but Eve impetuously chooses to gamble with the money at a nearby casino and catches ""the fever."" Eve's absence delays the wedding plans and Len confides to Bronson about his upcoming marriage and life.
Bronson and Native American Boise Idaho both vie for the attention of beautiful Tender Grass by entering a cross-country motorcycle race. At first, Bronson is against the idea, but after constant provoking by Boise Idaho and his nefarious accomplices, Spare Parts One and Spare Parts Two, he decides to prove his courage and impress Tender Grass in the process.
Like Ernest Hemingway, and like the character out of his novel The Sun Also Rises, the elder Wilson Ford is a renowned novelist with a ""secret"" that motivates him to act with abandon. In order to hone his writing skills, and to prove his mettle, Ford constantly puts his courage to trial by performing daring, bold, and often foolish deeds. Against his wife's wishes, Ford cajoles Bronson into a mountain hike that pits the older Ford against a youthful Bronson in a dangerous trek.
Harve Traine, publisher of the ""The Pacific Grove Press,"" warns the community in a series of editorials about the ecological havoc industrial pollution is causing the local bay and surrounding ocean. Parochial financial concerns who advertise with Harve's newspaper, however, cause Harve serious emotional hardship and a potential financial disaster. Harve's daughter, Petey Traine, a writer for the paper, and Jim Bronson, both believe in the cause of the paper's editorials. Yet, does Harve stick to his editorial guns and face monetary ruin or does he acquiesce to the wishes of his advertisers and in the process loose the respect of his daughter?
In this environmental narrative Broson takes a bike trip in the ""Los Padres National Forest"" and runs into trouble after his motorbike falls down an embankment. Bronson decides to ride out of the forest by following the contour of the terrain. In the process, the trip imbues Bronson with a deep respect for nature and the environment.
Much like the vagabond Bronson, widower Isadore Katz left his business in New York City and took to the road in a camper to experience new realities and meet new people. Bronson helps Isadore when he runs out of gas but later its Isadore who helps Bronson after his bike needs repairs. In the process they share the beauty of the terrain and a friendship develops.
In this family story, Bronson helps uncle Herman and cousin Carl repair and restore an old fishing boat. Carl is passionate about restoring the boat because it reminds him of his late mother. On the other hand, Uncle Herman would prefer to sell the boat. When Beth, Herman's fiancée, demands that Herman choose between the boat or her, it forces Herman to make a vital decision.
In the series final episode Gus Samos hires Bronson to work on his yacht. Samos and his daughter Vhea are not communicating well because of their conflicting lifestyles and values. When Vhea leaves to see friends in a Buddhist community Bronson follows her. In the process both father and daughter question his motivations.
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