Walker, Texas Ranger

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Walker, Texas Ranger
The Walker, Texas Ranger title card features star Chuck Norris.
Genre	Action/Drama
Running time	45 Minutes
Creator(s)	Christopher Canaan Leslie Greif Paul Haggis
Starring	Chuck Norris Clarence Gilyard Sheree J. Wilson Noble Willingham Nia Peeples Judson Mills
Country of origin	United States
Original channel	CBS
Original run	April 21st, 1993–May 19th, 2001
No. of episodes	203

Walker, Texas Ranger was an American action/drama television series starring Chuck Norris. It aired on CBS for nine seasons, from April 21, 1993 to May 19, 2001, was originally conceived on August 6, 1987, and has since spawned at least one made-for-television movie. DVD sets of the first and final seasons have been released.

The show was known for its emphasis on values, such as participation in community service and refraining from the use of drugs. Martial arts are shown prominently as the primary tool of law enforcement and occasionally as a tool for Walker and company to reach out to the community. Chuck was also commonly known for his long hair and huge... ego.

In recent years, the show has gained an appreciation for its camp appeal, thanks largely to its improbable combination of martial arts and country-western genres.

[edit] Overview

The show stars Chuck Norris as Cordell Walker, a Dallas-based member of the Texas Rangers, a state-level bureau of investigation. Walker was raised by a Native American named Ray Firewalker (played by Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman from 1993-94), served in the Marines in Special Forces in the Vietnam War, and shares the values of sheriffs in the Wild West. One episode reveals that Walker was once engaged to a woman who was killed by the suspect of an investigation.

His partner and best friend is James Trivette (played by Clarence Gilyard), a former Dallas Cowboys player who takes a more modern approach. Walker also works closely (and shares a mutual attraction) with Alexandra "Alex" Cahill (played by Sheree J. Wilson), a Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney. He also gets advice on cases from C.D. Parker (played by Noble Willingham), a longtime Ranger who worked with Walker until retiring to operate a small restaurant and bar.

[edit] Structure

[edit] Recurring elements

Several other elements and scenarios appeared frequently on the series:

• Walker performing a roundhouse kick to the antagonist's head as a final move that usually incapacitates the victim immediately. The shot of Walker kicking his adversary is then rapidly repeated, twice, from different angles.

• The kidnapping of Alex Cahill.
• Walker taking part in undercover operations, with the aim of getting evidence to convict the antagonists' leader.
• The antagonists' leader attempting to leave town or temporarily close down their illegal operations to avoid being arrested by Walker or his associates.
• Walker repeatedly and willfully violating the civil rights of suspects.
• Walker talking to or interacting with animals — staring them down to prevent them from attacking, directing them to do complex tasks, or using their knowledge for his benefit.
• A vacationing Walker (or an associate) inadvertently stumbling upon an illicit enterprise that requires Walker's intervention and the ultimate destruction of said enterprise; the climax often comes just before Walker returns to his post in Dallas.
• Paranormal or mystical phenomena, including but not limited to: ghosts of Native Americans directing Walker towards clues; the ghost of Hayes Cooper, legendary Texas Ranger, leading Walker to buried treasure; the ghost of an old Native American shaman shooting Walker with a lightning bolt and transporting him hundreds of years into the past.
• Troubled children or teens overcoming the odds with Walker's assistance. In various episodes, this has included: Juan, a boxing prodigy whose father beats him and his mother (and later kills himself and the mother when driving drunk)("Golden Boy", season 9); Chad Morgan, a young telekinetic who is institutionalized so that his abilities can be measured and tested ("Brainchild", season 6); a boot camp for deliquent 18-21 year-olds that Walker and Trivette run ("Mr. Justice, season 6); and the Kick Drugs Out of America program, an afterschool martial-arts class run by Walker to encourage kids to stay out of trouble.
• Dual plotlines involving a legendary Texas Ranger of the Old West, Hayes Cooper (also played by Norris). Other Walker regulars have performed dual roles in these episodes, although some were only able to appear in them just once.
• Nearly all criminals and law enforcement personnel are accomplished kick boxers/martial artists.
• Cordell Walker/others jumping from helicopters onto vehicles and criminals, or through windows.
• Walker going into a building that is on fire, to save someone.
• Walker arriving just in time to save someone, or to arrest criminals.

The cast for the first six regular seasons of Walker, Texas Ranger (from left to right): Clarence Gilyard, Chuck Norris, Sheree J. Wilson and Noble Willingham

[edit] Changes over the years

Over the years the show ran, many changes were made:

• In the pilot episode from the first season, entitled "One Riot, One Ranger", which was two hours (later condensed into two parts) the role of C.D. Parker was played by Gailard Sartain. Noble Willingham joined the cast at the beginning of the second season (the first full regular season).
• In early episodes, Ranger Walker drove a GMC Sierra truck, and in later episodes, he drove a Dodge Ram, which was outfitted with "Hide-A-Way" strobe lights in its headlights and tail lights.
• In early episodes, Ranger Trivette drove a red Pontiac Firebird, then after the pilot season, he drove a silver Dodge Stealth, and in later episodes, he drove a black Ford Mustang.
• In early episodes, Walker's weapon was a .357 revolver, and in later episodes, his weapon was a .40 S&W automatic, a 1911 style .45 ACP, and a Beretta 92.
• The series began as a production of Cannon Television; when Cannon went bankrupt, CBS acquired the rights to the series and took over production. In later years, it was produced in partnership with Sony Pictures Television.
• Beginning with the third season, the original instrumental opening theme (which was used in season two) was replaced with the song "Eyes of a Ranger," performed by Norris that would remain on the opening credits for the remainder of the show.
• After much criticism for the amount of violence shown in the show over the years, the number of violent acts in each episode was reduced.
• An increased use of Christian symbolism and family issues, sometimes focusing on children with Walker assisting them through a crisis. This has also included Alex opening up the H.O.P.E (Help Our People Excel) Center during the seventh season, which lasted for the remainder of the show.
• For the last two seasons, two young characters, Rangers Sydney Cook (played by Nia Peeples) and Francis Gage (played by Judson Mills), were added to the cast.
• Mid-eighth season, Noble Willingham left the show to pursue a career in Congress. As a result, all episodes after his removal from the opening credits only included references to his character C.D., who would never appear again (this also includes the references to C.D.'s death).
• In the eighth season finale ("Wedding Bells"), Cordell Walker weds Alex Cahill (who became Alex Cahill-Walker from that point on).
• In the last episode of the series ("The Final Show/Down"), Cordell Walker and Alex Cahill-Walker have a daughter named Angela. (This is also the name of the baby girl born to Chuck Norris's character in the movie The Hero and the Terror (film))

[edit] Influences

The series may well have been inspired by the 1983 theatrical movie Lone Wolf McQuade, which cast Chuck Norris in the role of a Texas Ranger and martial arts expert named J.J. McQuade. This film was a landmark in Norris' career because it gave him a distinctive character rather than the generic good guy he usually played. The character of McQuade was a rogue cop who did not work well in regular law enforcement structures. He was also divorced and, as his name suggested, was rather anti-social.

While the character of Walker is almost certainly patterned on McQuade, the edginess of the character was toned down considerably.

[edit] Characters

• ALEXANDRA “ALEX” CAHILL

This blonde and beautiful second-generation lawyer, with pretty blue eyes, is an Assistant Prosecutor in the Dallas/Fort Worth District. The hardest part of her job involves keeping Texas Ranger Cordell Walker under control. She frowns upon Walker’s characteristic pushing of the envelope—actually, shoving might be more like it—to bring down various latter-day outlaws…his success rate notwithstanding. Ultimately, she lightens up—to the point of becoming Cordell’s cheerleader, and even his wife. They have a baby daughter, Angela. Alex is shot and murdered at the end of Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005).

• TRENT MALLOY

This Texas-born Special Forces-commando is the eldest son of venerable preacher “Thunder” Malloy. After Thunder dies of a heart attack, Trent retires from the Army and comes home to support his mom and siblings…by opening a private detective agency, lovingly named Thunder Investigations. Trent’s co-workers at the agency are, for the most part, ace martial artists like himself…particularly his partner, ex-cop Carlos (whose name happens to be Chuck Norris's real first name). Their pal Butch runs a honkytonk bar known, appropriately enough, as Uppercuts…and located, appropriately enough, directly beneath Thunder Investigations. Additional help, when bad times get worse, comes from Texas Ranger Cordell Walker—an old friend of Thunder’s.

• C.D. PARKER

Retired Texas Ranger—not that there really is such a thing—and one of Cordell Walker’s best friends. C. D. (you tell us what those initials stand for) runs a honkytonk bar known, appropriately enough, as C.D.’s Place. He’s always ready to help out Walker in time of need. He’s also the only guy who ever addresses Walker by his first name. Not to be confused with lifeguard C.J. Parker of Baywatch fame.

• CORDELL WALKER

He’s a Lone Star State lawman with lightning-swift karate skills honed in the military (Special Operations Unit: Nighthawk) and the U.S. Secret Service. He deals with a variety of latter-day varmints (chop-shoppers, drug dealers, gunrunners, et al) the old fashioned way…by kicking their butts sky-high, then trussing them up like chickens and hauling them to jail in the back of his pickup-truck. Walker can trace his family history through several generations of Native Americans; in fact, following the murder of his parents by racist rednecks, he was raised by his uncle Ray Firewalker (whose first name happens to be Chuck Norris's middle name, and whose last name is taken from Chuck's 1986 movie Firewalker (film)). Cordell seldom requests or needs backup in the line of duty, but he gets it anyway—in the form of fellow Rangers Jimmy Trivette, Francis Gage and Sydney Cooke, all ace brawlers in their own right. When they’re not striking fear (to say nothing of pain) into the forces of evil, our heroes frequently chow down at a bar/grill owned and managed by C.D. Parker. Walker’s leash-holder, with whom he ultimately falls in love, is Assistant District Attorney Alex Cahill.

[edit] Rerun Broadcasts

As of March 2006, two cable channels — USA Network and the Hallmark Channel — are broadcasting the show multiple times a day. Since the Hallmark Channel is a 'family-friendly' channel, offensive content is edited, and episodes that reference rape (the more direct episodes), Satanism, and pornography are removed from the lineup.

[edit] DVD

All DVDs are released by Paramount Home Entertainment, through CBS DVD. On October 20th 2006, tvshowsondvd.com announced [1] that CBS DVD plans to release Walker, Texas Ranger The Complete Second Season on January 23, 2007.

[edit] DVD Releases

[edit] DVD Box Art

The Complete First Season

The Complete Second Season

The Complete Final Season

[edit] Spin-offs and merchandise

[edit] Television movies

CBS broadcast the television movie "Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire", produced by Paramount Network Television (now CBS Paramount Network Television), on October 16, 2005. Chuck Norris, Sheree J. Wilson and Judson Mills reprised their roles, and Clarence Gilyard shot a cameo for the movie but was not featured due to the filming's conflict with a long-planned family vacation. To fill the void, Judson Mills, who was not in the original script, returned to reprise character of Francis Gauge. Nia Peeples, who played the role of Sydney Cook for seasons 8 & 9, also was not featured in Walker's return to Prime-time television. The explanation given was that producers decided not to follow much of the original Walker Texas Ranger series, as to give the movie a fresh look. Even the opening credits with the theme "Eyes of a Ranger" performed by Chuck Norris, was absent.

Although the return of "Walker Texas Ranger" did not garner the ratings CBS would have hoped for (due in part to a late running football game pushing back the start time an hour), indications were that CBS was green-lighting future Walker Texas Ranger Movie of the Week projects. But as of summer 2005, both CBS and the Norris camps have been silent as to the future of the franchise. Leaving many to wonder as to why "Trial by Fire" ended with a cliff-hanger, that left many questions unanswered.

[edit] Sons of Thunder

Main article: Sons of Thunder

A short-lived series, Sons of Thunder, featured recurring character Carlos Sandoval, who resigns from his post with the Dallas police and teams up with childhood friend Trent Malloy (a protegé of Walker's) to start a private investigation firm.

[edit] Novels

Three Walker, Texas Ranger books, written by James Reasoner, were published by Berkley Publishing Group in 1999. The books are now out of print.

1. Walker, Texas Ranger (1998, ISBN 0-425-16815-8)
2. Hell's Half Acre (1999, ISBN 0-425-16972-3)
3. Siege on the Belle (1999, ISBN 0-425-17112-4)

[edit] Trivia

• In a two-episode crossover arc split between fellow CBS series Martial Law and Walker, Walker helps Sammo Law (played by Sammo Hung) take down a hate crimes leader who murdered another Texas Ranger; Law then comes to Texas to help recapture the leader after his escape.
• Every major character (including Walker) has been hospitalized.
• Only two antagonists, Victor La Rue and Caleb Hooks, return to get revenge on Walker in later episodes.
• After Walker got a Dodge truck, the "bad" characters began using GMC models of cars, while the "good" characters used Dodges or Chryslers.
• KC HiLiTES can be seen on Walker's pickup truck.
• Actors Richard Norton, Leon Rippy and Marshall R. Teague appeared in several episodes as different antagonists; notably, Teague is in both the original pilot episode and the series finales.
• Songwriter Tirk Wilder penned the theme song "Eyes of the Ranger," performed by Norris. Guest star Lila McCann sings the song in the episode of the same name.
• Chuck Norris reportedly tried to convince CBS to keep the show running after his decision to quit, retitling the show simply "Texas Rangers" and focusing on the remaining characters, but the network was only interested in keeping the show if he stayed.

[edit] In popular culture

In 2004, Late Night with Conan O'Brien introduced the "Walker, Texas Ranger Lever," a device that allowed host Conan O'Brien to play a clip from the show (presented out of context, for humorous effect) any time he wanted without paying royalties. The device was a comment on NBC's merger with Universal Studios, which was said to own the rights to Walker. (In reality, Universal [via one of its cable networks] only had the rights to air episodes of the show, which is owned by CBS and distributed by co-producer Sony Pictures Television.)

The segment has been credited with jump-starting the Chuck Norris craze and creating enough interest in producing a Walker TV movie.

In the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Ricky Bobby names his sons "Walker" & "Texas Ranger".

[edit] Popular Actors That Were Guest Stars on Walker Texas Ranger

1994- Giovanni Ribisi {Tony Kingston- Something in the Shadows: Part 1 (1994), Something in the Shadows: Part 2 (1994)}
1994- Tobey Maguire {(Duane Parsons- The Prodigal Son (1994)}
1994- Bryan Cranston {Hank- Deadly Vision (1994)}
1994- Danica McKellar {Laurie Maston- Stolen Lullaby (1994)}
1995- Doris Roberts {Elaine Portugal- The Big Bingo Bamboozle (1995)}
1996- Clifton Collins Jr. {Fito- El Coyote: Part 1 (1996), El Coyote: Part 1 (1996)
1997-1999 Marco Sanchez {Detective Carlos Sandoval}
1997-1999 James Wlcek {Trent Malloy}
1997- Mila Kunis {Pepper- Last Hope (1997)}
1997, 1999 Gwen Verdon {Maisie Whitman - Forgotten People (1997), Mind Games (1999)}
1997- Haley Joel Osment {Lucas Simms- Lucas: Part 1, Lucas: Part 2(1997)}
1997- David Gallagher {Chad Morgan- Brainchild(1997)}
1997- Randolph Mantooth {James Lee Crown- Rainbow's End (1997)}
1997- Kyla Pratt {Kyla Jarvis- The Neighborhood (1997)}
1998- "Rowdy" Roddy Piper {The Crusader(1998)}
1998- Paul Winfield {Pastor Roscoe Jones- The Soul of Winter (1998)}
1998- Michael Peterson {Himself- Eyes of a Ranger (1998)}
1998- Lee Majors {Sheriff Bell- On the Border (1998)}
1999- Deion Sanders {Himself- Rise to the Occasion (1999), Special Witness (1999)
1999- Scott Weinger {Bradley Roberts- Full Recovery (1999)}
1999, 2001- Frank Stallone {B.J. Ronson, Frank Bishop - Saturday Night (2001),Tall Cotton (1999)}
2000- Christopher B. Duncan {Defense Attorney Lime- The Bachelor Party (2000)}
2000- Ernest Borgnine {Eddie Ryan- The Avenging Angel (2000)}
2000- Michael Ironside {The Chairman- Winds of Change (2000), Lazarus (2000), Turning Point (2000), Retribution (2000)}
2000- T.J. Thyne {Wallace 'The Wizard' Slausen- Retribution (2000), Turning Point (2000),Lazarus (2000),Winds of Change (2000)}
2001- Hulk Hogan {Boomer Knight- Division Street (2001)}
2001- Francis Capra {Ace - Division Street (2001)}
2001- Mercedes McNab {Heather Preston - 6 Hours (2001)}
2001- Carlos Bernard {Raoul 'Skull' Hidalgo- Without a Sound(2001)}

[edit] See also

• List of Walker, Texas Ranger episodes

[edit] International

• In France, the show is still shown on TF1 every Sunday afternoon.
• In Germany, the show is still shown on RTL II at night.
• In Japan, the show is still shown on FOX Japan.
• In Estonia, the show is still shown on Kanal 2 at night.
• In Hungary, the show is still shown on TV2.
• In Italy, the show is still shown on Rete 4.
• In Slovakia, the show is still shown on TV Markíza.
• In Poland, the show is still shown on Polsat.
• In Lithuania, the show is still shown on LTV.
• In UK, the show is still shown on Bravo (TV).

[edit] External links

• Walker, Texas Ranger at the Internet Movie Database
• Walker, Texas Ranger at TV.com
• Sony Pictures Television website
• USA Network page
• Walker Texas Ranger - French non official Fan club