The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin Information

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin is an American children's television program. Beginning in October 1954 until May 1959, 166 episodes originally aired on ABC television network. It starred child actor Lee Aaker as Rusty, a boy orphaned in an Indian raid, who was being raised by the soldiers at a US Cavalry post known as Fort Apache. He and his German shepherd dog, Rin Tin Tin, helped the soldiers to establish order in the American West. Texas-born actor James Brown appeared as Lieutenant Ripley "Rip" Masters. Co-stars included veteran actor Joe Sawyer and actor Rand Brooks from Gone with the Wind fame.

About Rin Tin Tin

The character of Rin Tin Tin had appeared in movies and radio serials since 1922. One dog who appeared briefly in the TV series was fourth in the bloodline of the original Rin Tin Tin silent film canine actor. The main screen dog for the TV show was trainer Frank Barnes's Flame, Jr., called JR (pronounced Jay Are) by Barnes. Other dogs appearing as Rin Tin Tin included Barnes's dog Blaze and Lee Duncan's dog, Hey You. Hey You descended from Rin Tin Tin, but was marred in appearance by an injury to an eye received in his youth. Hey You served as a stunt dog in fight scenes. The episodes were filmed northwest of Los Angeles in Simi Valley at Corriganville Movie Ranch on a low budget, limiting the film stock to black-and-white. The show's troupe of 12 character actors were often required to play multiple parts in the same episode, sometimes to the point of one actor fighting himself, wearing a cavalry uniform in one shot and an Apache outfit in another. The eponymous dog, Rin Tin Tin IV, lived about 90 miles away at Duncan's ranch in Riverside, California, receiving visitors who were eager to see the famous dog.

Broadcast information

The show ran for five seasons on ABC on Friday evenings from October 1954 to May 1959. ABC reran the series on late afternoons from September 1959 to September 1961.

Reruns ran on Saturdays on CBS from September 1962 until September 1964. A new package of reruns was shown in 1976, and continued into the mid-1980s. The original black and white prints were tinted light brown with new opening and closing segments filmed in color in Utah.

The success of The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin caused the cancellation of Gene Autry's The Adventures of Champion on CBS, which was replaced on February 10, 1956, by My Friend Flicka.

The show currently airs in syndication on Antenna TV, with remastered episodes produced by Cerulean Digital Color and Animation, with lines redubbed for some scenes using actors other than those from the original series cast, with a different generic theme song.

Episodes

Season 1

1-01 15/Oct/54 Meet Rin Tin Tin 1-02 22/Oct/54 Wolf Cry 1-03 29/Oct/54 Rin Tin Tin in the Flaming Forest 1-04 05/Nov/54 Rin Tin Tin and the Raging River 1-05 12/Nov/54 The Killer Cat 1-06 19/Nov/54 The Education of Corporal Rusty 1-07 26/Nov/54 Rin Tin Tin and the Apache Chief 1-08 03/Dec/54 Rin Tin Tin, Outlaw 1-09 10/Dec/54 The Outcast of Fort Apache 1-10 17/Dec/54 Rin Tin Tin and the Ancient Mariner 1-11 24/Dec/54 Rin Tin Tin and the Raw Recruit 1-12 31/Dec/54 Blood Brothers 1-13 07/Jan/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Gold Bullion 1-14 14/Jan/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Sacred Lance 1-15 21/Jan/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Shifting Sands 1-16 28/Jan/55 Rusty Plays Cupid 1-17 04/Feb/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Medicine Man

1-18 11/Feb/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Babe in the Woods 1-19 18/Feb/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Eagle's Nest 1-20 25/Feb/55 Rusty Resigns from the Army 1-21 04/Mar/55 The Legacy of Sean O'Hara 1-22 11/Mar/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Barber of Seville 1-23 18/Mar/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Blushing Brides 1-24 25/Mar/55 The Guilty One 1-25 01/Apr/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Magic Box 1-26 08/Apr/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Bandit Kingdom 1-27 15/Apr/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Printer's Devil 1-28 22/Apr/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Dead Man's Gold 1-29 29/Apr/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Ghost Town 1-30 06/May/55 O'Hara Gets Busted 1-31 13/May/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Bounty Hunters 1-32 20/May/55 Farewell to Fort Apache 1-33 27/May/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Lost Scotchman 1-34 03/Jun/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Lonesome Road

Season 2

2-01 09/Sep/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Bugle Call 2-02 16/Sep/55 Rin Tin Tin Meets Shakespeare 2-03 23/Sep/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Wild Stallion 2-04 30/Sep/55 Rusty Volunteers 2-05 07/Oct/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Poor Little Rich Boy 2-06 14/Oct/55 Rin Tin Tin and the White Buffalo 2-07 21/Oct/55 Rin Tin Tin Meets Mister President 2-08 28/Oct/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Iron Horse 2-09 04/Nov/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Connecticut Yankee 2-10 11/Nov/55 Higgins Rides Again 2-11 18/Nov/55 Boone's Wedding Day 2-12 25/Nov/55 Rusty Goes to Town 2-13 02/Dec/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Lost Patrol 2-14 09/Dec/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Star Witness 2-15 16/Dec/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Last Chance 2-16 23/Dec/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Christmas Story 2-17 30/Dec/55 Rin Tin Tin and the Indian Burial Grounds 2-18 13/Jan/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Missing Heir 2-19 20/Jan/56 Rusty's Romance

2-20 27/Jan/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Tin Soldier 2-21 03/Feb/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Big Top 2-22 10/Feb/56 Rusty's Bank Account 2-23 17/Feb/56 Rin Tin Tin Meets O'Hara's Mother 2-24 24/Feb/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Return of the Ancient Mariner 2-25 02/Mar/56 The Failing Light 2-26 09/Mar/56 Rusty's Mystery 2-27 16/Mar/56 The Third Rider 2-28 23/Mar/56 Rusty Surrenders 2-29 30/Mar/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Rainmaker 2-30 06/Apr/56 Scotchman's Gold 2-31 13/Apr/56 Attack on Fort Apache 2-32 20/Apr/56 Rin Tin Tin and Homer the Great 2-33 27/Apr/56 Rinty Finds a Bone 2-34 04/May/56 Rin Tin Tin Meets Mister Nobody 2-35 11/May/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Circle of Fire 2-36 18/May/56 Hubert Goes West 2-37 25/May/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Lost Treasure 2-38 01/Jun/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Second Chance

Season 3

3-01 07/Sep/56 Forward Ho! 3-02 14/Sep/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Witch of the Woods 3-03 21/Sep/56 Sorrowful Joe 3-04 28/Sep/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Return of the Chief 3-05 05/Oct/56 Silent Battle 3-06 12/Oct/56 Yo-o Rinty 3-07 19/Oct/56 Rin Tin Tin and the White Wolf 3-08 26/Oct/56 Return of Rin Tin Tin 3-09 02/Nov/56 Boone's Grandpappy 3-10 09/Nov/56 The Lost Puppy 3-11 16/Nov/56 Presidential Citation 3-12 23/Nov/56 Wagon Train 3-13 30/Nov/56 Fort Adventure 3-14 14/Dec/56 Rin Tin Tin and the Invaders 3-15 28/Dec/56 Racing Rails 3-16 04/Jan/57 Higgins' Last Stand 3-17 11/Jan/57 The Indian Hater 3-18 18/Jan/57 Rin Tin Tin Meets the Southern Colonel 3-19 25/Jan/57 The Warrior's Promise 3-20 01/Feb/57 Sorrowful Joe Returns

3-21 08/Feb/57 The Lieutenant's Lesson 3-22 15/Feb/57 The Swedish Cook 3-23 22/Feb/57 Rusty Gets Busted 3-24 01/Mar/57 O'Hara's Gold 3-25 08/Mar/57 O'Hara Gets Culture 3-26 15/Mar/57 The Frame-Up 3-27 22/Mar/57 Boone's Commission 3-28 29/Mar/57 The Silent Witness 3-29 05/Apr/57 Indian Blood 3-30 12/Apr/57 The Old Soldier 3-31 19/Apr/57 Stagecoach Sally 3-32 26/Apr/57 Bitter Medicine 3-33 03/May/57 Corporal Carson 3-34 10/May/57 Hubert's Niece 3-35 17/May/57 O'Hara Gets Amnesia 3-36 24/May/57 Along Came Tubbs 3-37 31/May/57 Swanson's Choice 3-38 07/Jun/57 The Gentle Kingdom 3-39 14/Jun/57 The Swapper 3-40 21/Jun/57 The Old Man of the Mountain

Season 4

4-01 20/Sep/57 Return to Fort Apache 4-02 27/Sep/57 The Courtship of Marshal Higgins 4-03 04/Oct/57 Rusty's Reward 4-04 11/Oct/57 A Look of Eagles 4-05 18/Oct/57 The Last Navajo 4-06 25/Oct/57 Mother O'Hara's Marriage 4-07 01/Nov/57 Hostage of War Bonnet 4-08 08/Nov/57 Rodeo Clown 4-09 15/Nov/57 Rusty's Strategy 4-10 22/Nov/57 Frontier Angel 4-11 06/Dec/57 The Hunted 4-12 13/Dec/57 White Chief 4-13 20/Dec/57 Boundary Busters

4-14 10/Jan/58 Rin Tin Tin and the River Chase 4-15 24/Jan/58 Top Gun 4-16 07/Feb/58 Tomahawk Tubbs 4-17 14/Feb/58 The New C.O. 4-18 21/Feb/58 Pritikin's Predicament 4-19 28/Feb/58 Rusty's Remedy 4-20 07/Mar/58 Spanish Gold 4-21 14/Mar/58 Bitter Bounty 4-22 21/Mar/58 Sorrowful Joe's Policy 4-23 28/Mar/58 Border Incident 4-24 04/Apr/58 Wind-Wagon McClanahan 4-25 11/Apr/58 Rin Tin Tin and the Secret Weapon 4-26 18/Apr/58 Brave Bow

Season 5

5-01 19/Sep/58 The General's Daughter 5-02 26/Sep/58 Escape to Danger 5-03 03/Oct/58 Decision of Rin Tin Tin 5-04 10/Oct/58 The Foot Soldier 5-05 17/Oct/58 Rusty's Opportunity 5-06 24/Oct/58 Running Horse 5-07 31/Oct/58 The Cloudbusters 5-08 07/Nov/58 Deadman's Valley 5-09 14/Nov/58 Grandpappy's Love Affair 5-10 21/Nov/58 The Epidemic 5-11 05/Dec/58 The Best Policy 5-12 12/Dec/58 Miracle of the Mission 5-13 02/Jan/59 Star of India

5-14 09/Jan/59 The Misfit Marshal 5-15 16/Jan/59 Old Betsy 5-16 23/Jan/59 Stagecoach to Phoenix 5-17 30/Jan/59 Major Mockingbird 5-18 06/Feb/59 The Matador 5-19 13/Feb/59 The Accusation 5-20 20/Feb/59 Royal Recruit 5-21 27/Feb/59 The Devil Rides Point 5-22 06/Mar/59 Pillajohn's Progress 5-23 13/Mar/59 The Ming Vase 5-24 20/Mar/59 Apache Stampede 5-25 03/Apr/59 The Luck of O'Hara 5-26 08/May/59 The Failure

Cast

• Lee Aaker - Corporal Rusty "B-Company"
• James Brown - Lt. Ripley 'Rip' Masters
• Rin Tin Tin IV/Flame, Jr. - Rin Tin Tin
• Joe Sawyer - Sgt. Biff O'Hara
• Rand Brooks - Corporal Randy Boone
• William Forrest - Major Swanson
• Hal Hopper - Cpl. Clark
• Harry Strang - Sheriff
• Dean Fredericks - Komawi
• Mildred von Hollen - Mrs. Barrington
• George Keymas - Black Billy
• Ralph Moody - Silas Gunn
• Tom McKee - Capt. Davis
• William Fawcett - Captain Longey
• Morris Ankrum - Chief Red Eagle
• Lane Bradford - Barrows
• Ernest Sarracino - Hamid Bey
• Jack Littlefield - Karl
• Dehl Berti - Katawa
• Bill Hale - Cole Hogarth
• Steven Ritch - Lone Hawk
• Lee Roberts - Aaron Depew
• Larry Chance - Apache Jack
• Charles Stevens - Geronimo
• Gordon Richards - Hubert Twombly
• Pierre Watkin - The Vet
• Tommy Farrell - Carpenter
• Harry Hickox - John Carter
• Andy Clyde - Homer Tubbs
• Ed Hinton - Seth Ramsey
• Patrick Whyte - McKenzie
• Stanley Andrews - Ed Whitmore
• Abel Fernandez - O-ye-tza
• Louis Lettieri - Chief Pokiwah
• Jan Arvan - Chief Running Horse
• William Henry - Bill Anderson

Guest stars

Rin Tin Tin guest stars included veteran western actors Roscoe Ates and Dean Fredericks. Later Steve Canyon, guest starred in six episodes. Others were Ron Hagerthy and Ewing Mitchell, both later semi-regulars on the Sky King series, and Ed Hinton. Robert Fuller, prior to Laramie, appeared as Stan in the 1958 episode "The Epidemic". John M. Pickard, star of the series Boots and Saddles (syndicated, 1957"58), appeared three times on Rin Tin Tin. Lee Van Cleef and Harry Dean Stanton also appeared .

Brad Johnson (1924"1981), known as deputy Lofty Craig on the syndicated Western series Annie Oakley, appeared twice on Rin Tin Tin, including the role of Tom Buckner in the episode "Rin Tin Tin and the Second Chance" (1956).Robert Knapp was cast in the role of Allen in the 1955 episode "The Guilty One".William Fawcett played an elderly fearless marshal fighting the outlaw element in the 1955 episode, "Higgins Rides Again"