Every Saturday morning I used to run across the street to my friend Ellen’s house so we could watch this show, Tombstone Territory, before we went outside to play.
Two things I remember: it had a nice theme song which I still whistle now and then, even though I can’t remember any of the stories.
But I also recall that Tombstone, in common with the multitude of TV westerns we enjoyed in the 1950s, depicted cowboys in crisp, clean clothes that always looked like they’d just been to the laundry. It wasn’t until Spaghetti Westerns came along that you saw cowboys wearing dirty clothes.
Did the Old West provide hosts of cowboy laundries up and down Main Street? And if not, why did Hollywood make it look that way?
Maybe one of you has the answer.
It’s remarkable how clean the clothes are even on some of the characters whose skins look pretty grubby. 🙂
I do remember that show. But I can’t seem to recall any Chinese laundries on main street. Besides the clothing, the streets were clean, with no piles of cow or horse manure. And no one bled a whole lot when they got shot.
They had to wait for Sam Peckinpah for that last.
I’ve visited Tombstone on a number of occasions, and I can assure you that there are not that many laundries. Gift shops, candy stores, biker bars, but I don’t recall any laundries. 🙂
They all do their laundry at home.
I definitely relate to your comment about movie cowboys looking way too clean cut.
Then Sergio Leone discovered sweat stains.
… and fuzz-guitar music. 🙂