Have Gun – Will Travel

Anything I Want

English · Radio

Have Gun – Will Travel follows Paladin, a highly educated and resourceful gun-for-hire based at San Francisco’s Hotel Carlton. Though he carries a weapon and accepts dangerous assignments, Paladin is guided by a personal code and often brings judgment, negotiation, and wit to conflicts that might otherwise end in violence.

The radio series presents self-contained Western adventures, with Paladin traveling to answer requests for help from people facing threats, disputes, or injustice. Each story places him among different communities and challenges, while his distinctive calling card—a chess knight bearing the words “Have Gun – Will Travel”—signals the professional services he offers.

John Dehner’s performance gives Paladin a composed, articulate presence, balancing the skills of a gunfighter with the manners of a gentleman. The result is a thoughtful Western drama shaped by moral choices as much as action, with a capable central character whose solutions are rarely as simple as drawing a gun.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.