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Harts of the West Episode Guide


Harts of the West cast

Originally published: June 20, 1994
Last updated: April 4, 2022

Compiled by Loren Heisey
https://innermind.com/myguides/


Series notes

City slicker Dave Hart is an underwear salesman who after a heart attack quits his dead-end job, uproots his family, and heads West in search of his inner hombre.


Guide notes

The only credits listed in the guide besides the cast are the guest stars, writers, and directors. Anything not actually listed in the on screen credits is enclosed in brackets. The synopses were adapted from TV Guide listings.


Cast

Starring
Beau Bridges [Dave Hart]
Harley Jane Kozak [Alison]
With
Meghann Haldeman [L'Amour]
Sean Murray [Zane]
Nathan Watt [Duke]
Saginaw Grant [Auggie]
O-Lan Jones [Rose]
Sterling Macer [Marcus]
Stephen Root [R.O.]
Talisa Soto [Cassie]
[recurring cast]
Lloyd Bridges [Jake]
Dennis Fimple [Garral]
Dale Robertson [Zeke]

Episodes

1. Pilot 9/25/93

The Harts discover that the Sholo, Nevada spread they've bought is a run-down former dude ranch populated only by an aging cowpoke named Jake.

Written by Robert Moloney
Directed by Robert Lieberman

2. The Right Stuff 10/02/93

Dave has something to prove - to himself and his family - after a champion rodeo clown he hired to help break wild mustangs ends up charming Alison and the kids instead.

Special Appearance by
Mark Harmon [rodeo clown]
O'Neal Compton
 
Written by Robert Moloney
Directed by Bill D'Elia

3. Guess Who's Coming to Chow? 10/30/93

A prairie-dog infestation at the Tumbleweed has Dave squirming, and so does a visit from Alison's intimidating mom, whom Dave promptly fixes up with "gentleman" Jake to squire her around Sholo - and with luck, into the sunset.

Special Appearance by
Diane Ladd [Alison's mom]
The Voice of "Ralph" the Prairie Dog by
Frank Welker
 
Written by Robert Moloney
Directed by James Hayman

4. Dead Man's Leap 11/06/93

R.O. is zapped by lightning and soon develops many personalities, one of which is that of Dave's late father. Meanwhile, Zane disobeys his dad by accompanying some new friends to Dead Man's Leap, where he's challenged to jump across the gap.

Special Appearance by
Ethan Randall [Randy]
George Pilgrim [H.K. Akers]
[Randy Guiting] [Steve]
 
Written by Chris Ruppenthal
Directed by James Hayman

5. Goodnight Irene 11/13/93

Sheriff R.O. looks for clues leading to a suspect in the murder of Garral's beloved bovine Irene, which dropped dead while Garral was painting her portrait. Alison gets the urge to work. Duke's more interested in being a cowboy than an A student.

Written by Jill Gordon
Directed by Bill D'Elia

6. Cowboyz in the Hood 12/04/93

Like it or not, Dave gets a tough inner-city youth as a ranch hand, thanks to Marcus, who believes that equestrian therapy will turn the kid's life around.

Special Appearance by
Larenz Tate [youth]
 
Teleplay by David Debin
Story by Bill Spoon and
Robert Moloney & Chris Ruppenthal
Directed by Scott Brazil

7. Auggie's End 12/11/93

As Auggie turns 60, he announces he's going to die - on the Harts' property, where his late wife is buried. But Dave wants him to stick around to help Duke win a sheep-shearing contest.

[Guest Starring]
Apesanahkwat [Andrew]
Tantoo Cardinal [Helen]
Betty Carvalho [Lillian]
 
Written by Mark Masuoka
Directed by Greg Beeman

8. Jake's Brother 12/25/93

Jake's hotheaded brother, Zeke, a Western romance writer who returns to Sholo threatening to kill Jake in a shoot-out at high noon.

Special Appearance by
Diana Douglas [Betty]
Nan Martin [Beverly]
John Gowans
[Archie Lang] [Frank]
 
Written by Jill Gordon
Directed by Bill D'Elia

9. Ghost Run 1/08/94

Dave vows to win Sholo's Frontier Days Ghost Run buckboard race, but once Alison enters the contest - partnered with a headstrong frontier widow - Dave is up against a formidable opponent.

Special Appearance by
Betty Garrett [Thelma]
 
Written by Trish Soodik
Directed by Neal Isreal

10. You Got to Have Hart 1/15/94

Cowboy Dave takes the bull by the horns and joins the competition to restore Sholo's luster in the annual rodeo. Meanwhile, a dashing rodeo Romeo sets L'Amour's spurs to jingling.

[Guest Starring]
Robert Pine [Bart Tupelo]
Anndi McAfee [Marti]
David Charvet as Tad [Miller]
[Haryl Deason] [cowboy]
[Steve Manning] [cowboy]
 
Teleplay by Mike Lyons & Kimberley Wells
Story by Jill Gordon
Directed by James Hayman

11. Home Alone 1/22/94

Rose boots R.O. who moves into the Flying Tumbleweed. L'Amour learns Alison posed for a lingerie catalog. Duke has a problem with horses, and Zane tries to help him over it.

Special Guest Star
Ethan Randall as Randy
 
Written by Trish Soodik
Directed by Greg Beeman

12. Heart's Vacation 1/29/94

The Harts' family vacation in the countryside turns into a series of disasters, including a mine-shaft accident, a marauding bear, and tornadoes.

Written by Chris Ruppenthal
Directed by Mel Damski

13. Back in the Panties Again 6/04/94

Dave may be forced back into the rat race after the ranch's well runs dry and his former boss pays him a visit in Sholo. Meanwhile, Zane falls for a lingerie model.

Special Appearance by
Stephen Tobolowsky [Dave's former boss]
Katie Wright [lingerie model]
Garry McGurk
R. Leo Schreiber
Allan Hunt
 
Written by James Kramer
Directed by James Hayman

14. Drive, He Said 6/11/94

Spurred by a dispute with a greedy cattle driver, the greenhorn Harts and town volunteers embark on their own cattle drive to deliver a herd of steers to Carson City - and to preserve a Sholo way of life.

Special Appearance by
Stacey Dash
Michael McManus [cattle driver]
Bill Zuckert
Tim Haldeman
 
Written by Robert Moloney
Directed by Neal Isreal

15. Jake and Duke's Excellent Adventure 6/18/94

On his 10th birthday, Duke embarks on a rite of passage out on the range with "prairie elder" Jake. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Alison and Dave contemplate the imminent threat of parenthood; and Zane misinterprets Cassie's motives.

[Guest Starring]
John Gowans
Patricia Van Ingen [Elizabeth]
Richard Ryder
Dale Swann
 
Written by Robert Moloney
Directed by Helaine Head

Title listings

Air dates

Date format is: year/month/day

93/09/25  1. Pilot
93/10/02  2. The Right Stuff
93/10/09   preempted (baseball playoff)
93/10/16   preempted (World Series game 1)
93/10/23   preempted (World Series game 6)
93/10/30  3. Guess Who's Coming to Chow?
93/11/06  4. Dead Man's Leap
93/11/13  5. Goodnight Irene
93/11/20   preempted (Dr. Quinn)
93/11/27   preempted (Dr. Quinn)
93/12/04  6. Cowboyz in the Hood
93/12/11  7. Auggie's End
93/12/18   preempted (movie)
93/12/25  8. Jake's Brother
94/01/01   preempted (movie)
94/01/08  9. Ghost Run
94/01/15 10. You Got to Have Hart
94/01/22 11. Home Alone
94/01/29 12. Hart's Vacation
    on hiatus
94/06/04 13. Back in the Panties Again
94/06/11 14. Drive, He Said
94/06/18 15. Jake and Duke's Excellent Adventure
    end of series

DVDs

A Harts of the West: The Complete Collection DVD box set with 3 discs was released on October 25, 2005. This set has gone out of print.

A Harts of the West: The Complete Series DVD box set with 2 discs was released on October 17, 2017. At the time of release a digital version was included.


This guide is for personal use only and may be distributed freely. No charge may be made for this document beyond the costs of printing and distribution.


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