Have Gun – Will Travel
The Wager
von
Have Gun – Will Travel follows Paladin, a highly educated and impeccably mannered gunfighter who offers his services to people in trouble. Based at San Francisco’s Hotel Carlton, he advertises in the newspaper with the simple message “Have Gun – Will Travel.” His calling card bears a chess-knight emblem, a fitting sign of a man who approaches danger with intelligence as well as skill.
Each radio episode is a Western adventure, often beginning with a request for help and taking Paladin away from the city to confront a dispute, threat, or difficult moral choice. He is a professional, not a lawman, and his work can bring him into conflict with outlaws, local authorities, and the people who hire him. The stories balance action with negotiation and reflection, giving Paladin’s judgment and personal code as much importance as his gun.
John Dehner’s performance gives Paladin a composed, cultured voice, with a dry wit that contrasts neatly with the violence of the frontier. The result is a thoughtful, character-led Western: suspenseful and direct, but also interested in fairness, responsibility, and the complicated reasons people seek a gunfighter’s help.
This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.