Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Old American Sportsman TV Show...

Does anyone know if these are avalable on DVD? Im talking about the old ones from the 60's and 70's, I think Curt Gowdy hosted them and William Conrad narrated. When I was a kid it would be on Sunday afternoons. I tried Netflix and could not find it. Any help???

Out doors life is where

Would love to have these on DVD as well. Let us know if you locate any.

I freaking loved that show! I remember watching fred bear kill a polar bear. Bing Crosby was a regular too. Phil Harris rings a bell. I grew up in the city, and hunted every sunday afternoon with the american sportsman. I remember when they got pc, and quit showing actual kills. I also remember watching fred bear break glass balls thrown into the air.

Savage62,

Can you be more spicific?

This lights the nostalgia fires for me.

Outdoor programming w/o the blatant shilling for advertisers; the mandatory yahoo/bubba antics at a kill shot; and the constant talk of G-2s etc. that are standard fare today. Hell, they even spoke the King's english then.

We've come a long way, downhill.
1B

Although there have been numerous requests for DVD's of the show, there was no archiving of any of the videos by ABC. Unfortunately, unless someone within the Gowdy estate has copies and would agree to release them, the show is gone except for our fond memories of it.
Jim

I loved that show! Between it and reading O'Connor and Keith in books and mags, I was lost at an early age.

I particularly remember watching it on the weekends in its early years, 1965-70, when my dad got stationed at Otis AFB, MA. We lived briefly in Sagamore Beach and then moved on base to a quadruplex on Doolittle Drive.

I'd sit glued to the screen hoping it would be a hunting show rather than fishing; with my capgun in my hand. There was one episode where a muley buck went sprinting up a coulee and I lead it and squeezed of a round with my sixshooter. Caps were banned inside by Mom thereafter. I switched to my Spittin' Image Model 94, without loading the spring-powered shells into it.

Didn't realize until now how young I was when I started practicing dryfire at TV.

Yes I got mine from outdoors life libary .Whitetails was one the other Majestic Whitetails there ia a few more there from King Video Adventures there 4 with him Curt Gowdy 3 was Kings of North

Man, you said a mouthful there! Sad but true. Sure loved that show!

Jeff

I believe his son has a show on one of the outdoor channels, if anyone would know anything...might be a direction to focus your efforts.

http://www.outdoorchannel.com/Shows/MonsterFish.aspx

GowdyProductiongmail.com

gowdy productions [ All of our Internships ]

198 Rantoul St., Suite #6
beverly, MA 01915

Phone: 978-927-1776 Fax: 978-927-1776

I remember two episodes vividly. Both were bear hunts. William Shatner got a brown bear and Fred got that polar bear. If I am not mistaken, the polar bear hunt was the one that was the beginning of the end of hunts on network TV. It was a bloody mess on that white fur and the execs basically said "Wait a dang minute...."

I remember the Shatner episode.He either stalked or ambushed a huge Brown Bear at close range with a Recurve Bow.He was standing along side a huge boulder when the bear stepped out and he shot him.I would love to have DVD`s of these shows!!!!!

I dont have it in front of me but there is a book about Fred Bear and his Polar Bear Hunt for the American Sportsman. I think one of the Fred Bear websites has the video of the hunt. Its only a portion of the show maybe 3-5 mins but really cool. Here in Michigan there was an old show "Michigan Out Doors" the orginal host Mort Neff was a really cool guy. I met him once when I was very young when me and my dad and uncle were fishing the Betsie River in NW Michigan. The old shows focused on the excitment of the HUNT not the kill, and the comrodery that was the most important thing about hunting camp/fishing camp. Now its all about tactics and gear and rack scores. I wasnt part of the "Golden Age" of sportsmen but I miss it.

A few years ago I bought 3 VHS tapes of the old shows. One is fishing and the other two of hunting. Fred Bear and his polar bear and Fess Parker shooting a brown bear are in there. Also Robert Stack shoots a lion in Africa and Peter Fonda goes after caribou. You just couldn't beat Phil Harris and "the boys" though in whatever they were up to at the time...

IIRC, Ted Williams also did som fly fishing for big Brook Trout in Labrador on one segment.

1B

SOme can be found on www.youtube.com

also www.hulu.com might have them

The show I most remember was Bing Crosby and Phil Harris hunting pheasants in the Amish country around Lancaster, Pa. Phil Harris carried an engraved Winchester model 12 in 28 gauge and he knew how to use it.

I wonder where the 28 gauge is now?


Doc

I have a couple of the VCR tapes Gowdy did

+2. The current crop of hunting shows, with few exceptions, are almost comical to watch. The standard form of Bubba (dressed like he walked through a Cabelas store dragging a magnet tied to his butt) turning to the camera to describe (in usually stilted English) what he's up to reminds me too much of Elmer Fudd turning to "the camera" and saying "Shhh. We must be vewy quiet. We'ew hunting wabbits!".

Bring back "American Outdoorsman", or at least something as professionally done as that was or at least not as cartoonish as 75% of what's on now.