5 Things You Never Knew About ‘Tales of Wells Fargo,’ the Classic Western TV Series

TALES OF WELLS FARGO, Dale Robertson, on-set, 1957-62
Everett Collection
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Premiering on NBC in 1957, Tales of Wells Fargo starred Dale Robertson as Special Agent Jim Hardie, a fictional lawman who took on dangerous assignments for the famous stagecoach company. Over the course of 201 episodes, the Western series blended action, adventure and a bit of mystery, with Hardie often tangling with outlaws and protecting Wells Fargo’s shipments.

The show ran in a half-hour black-and-white format for most of its six seasons before expanding to a full hour and making the jump to color in its final year. It remains a favorite among classic TV Western fans today — seasons 1 and 2 are streamable on Tubi and Pluto, seasons 1 through 4 are available on Amazon Prime, and the show’s reruns still air four times a week on INSP.