The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp was the first
western television series written for adults, premiering four days before
Gunsmoke on September 6, 1955. It is loosely based on the life of frontier marshal
Wyatt Earp. The half-hour black-and-white program aired for 229 episodes on
ABC from 1955 to 1961 and featured
Hugh O'Brian in the title role.