How Well Do You Remember "Have Gun - Will Travel"?

By: Susan McDonald
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
How Well Do You Remember "Have Gun - Will Travel"?
Image: CBS

About This Quiz

The late 1950s and early 1960s were the heyday of television westerns, and none is more iconic than "Have Gun - Will Travel." The show, which starred the rugged Richard Boone, was an immediate ratings hit and remained so throughout its lifespan. Do you still remember it?
How many years was "Have Gun - Will Travel" on the air?
10
4
6
The show aired for six seasons, debuting in September 1957 and wrapping up its run in April 1963. During that time, the show produced a whopping 225 episodes, each season ranging between 32 and 39 episodes.
8

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The show's main character goes by the name Paladin. What is his first name?
John
We don't know.
Paladin's first name is never revealed, and it is strongly suggested that his last name is not real. People call him either Mr. Paladin or simply Paladin.
Arthur
James

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Where does Paladin say he came up with his name?
From the Knights of Charlemagne's Court
The Paladins, also called the Twelve Peers, were the foremost Knights of Charlemagne's Court, who ruled France in the eighth century. The name fits, because the character is quite gentlemanly, despite being a hired gun.
From the Bible
From an obscure poem
He reversed the letters in his real name, Nidalap.

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Where was Paladin educated?
He was self-educated.
The Naval Academy
West Point
Paladin is a graduate of West Point. This explains his wide-ranging knowledge, love of literature, and fluency in languages.
William and Mary

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When he is not on the road, in what city does Paladin live?
Kansas City
Dodge City
Sacramento
San Francisco
When he is not traveling the west solving problems for his clients, Paladin lives in San Francisco. It's quite a different lifestyle from the one he leads in his professional life.

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What is Paladin's official residence?
Hotel Carlton
Paladin's permanent residence is the Hotel Carlton. It's an upscale place that enables him to enjoy the finer things, unlike his life on the road.
Hotel Amadeus
Hotel Richmond
Hotel Bellevue

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What is Paladin's profession?
Traveling sheriff
Mercenary gunfighter
Paladin is a gun for hire, but he is unlike most of his peers. He is a man with a strong sense of ethics who serves as a kind of troubleshooter, trying to resolve differences without violence, if possible.
Firearms instructor
Hired assassin

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Does Palatin have military experience?
He was a Union cavalry officer during the Civil War.
Paladin served in the cavalry during the Civil War. Although his rank is never revealed, we do know that he was an officer.
He was an enlisted man during the War of 1812.
He was a Confederate officer during the Civil War.
No, he doesn't.

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What kind of symbol appears on Paladin's business card?
A chess piece king
A six-shooter
A chess piece knight
Paladin's business card depicts a backward-facing knight like those in a chess set. The same image appears on his holster.
A black hat

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Paladin's business card has instructions for contacting him. What are they?
Email Padadin123@gmail.com
Wire Paladin, San Francisco
Back in those days, contact information was uncomplicated. His card simply says "Wire Paladin" with the words "San Francisco" underneath. It seems to work, because he stays busy.
His street address
The address of the local post office

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Paladin's business card includes the name of the show as a way to describe his services, but there is a slight difference between the way the words are styled in the show title and on the card. What is the difference?
There is no hyphen between "Have Gun" and "Will Travel."
While the show's official title is "Have Gun - Will Travel," Paladin's business card is a bit different. On the card, there is no punctuation, but the graphic image is between the phrases, serving to separate them.
There is a comma between "Have Gun" and "Will Travel,"
There is a period between "Have Gun" and "Will Travel."
"Have Gun" is on one line and "Will Travel" is below it.

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What is Paladin's primary weapon of choice?
A double-barrel shotgun
A Colt .45 caliber revolver
Paladin carries several firearms, as any good gunfighter should. However, his primary weapon is his trusty Colt .45 revolver, which he carries in a black holster.
A carbine rifle
A Glock

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Paladin has a way of communicating that is unusual for a Wild West gunfighter. What is it?
He uses sign language.
He leaves written notes.
He quotes poetry.
Paladin is definitely the most cultured of the TV western heroes. He often sums up a situation with a quote from a favorite poem, piece of literature, or the Bible.
He uses pig Latin.

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Which of these is not a feature of Paladin's physical appearance?
A goatee
Paladin is known for his all-black attire, including a wide-brimmed hat. He also has a thin mustache and wavy hair.
A mustache
A black hat
Thick, wavy hair

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What does Paladin usually wear when he is in public places?
A velour sweatsuit
A three-piece suit, ruffled shirt, and bow tie
Although he is more casual when he is in his own room, Paladin gets spiffy when he is in public places like the bar. His usual attire is a three-piece suit with a frilly shirt and a bow tie.
A t-shirt and jeans
Pajamas and a robe

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What musical instrument does Paladin play?
Harp
Mandolin
Piano
Most of his clients probably don't realize just how cultured their hired gun is. When he is at home, he is often seen playing the piano.
Trumpet

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What was the name of Paladin's horse?
Ranger
Santos
Rocky
We don't know.
The name of Paladin's horse is never revealed. In fact, he rides several horses during the course of the show's run and none of them seem to have a name.

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What is the second line of the show's theme song?
His fast gun for hire heeds the calling wind.
A soldier of fortune is the man called Paladin.
A knight without armor in a savage land
The song begins with the line "Have gun will travel reads the card of a man," followed by "A knight without armor in a savage land." The song was co-written by series star Richard Boone and it became a hit on the radio.
He travels on to wherever he must.

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Paladin has an Asian friend who works at his hotel and whose real name is rarely mentioned. What does Paladin call him?
You There
Hey Boy
Paladin is friendly with the Chinese bellhop who works at his hotel. The character's real name is rarely, if ever, revealed. He simply goes by Hey Boy.
Shanghai
Wang Chung

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The hotel's bellhop has a distinguishing feature. What is it?
A long pigtail
Hey Boy has a long pigtail that hangs down his back. In today's world, the stereotypical depiction of an Asian character would be deemed offensive, but it was typical of TV shows and movies of the 1950s.
A dragon tattoo
A scar on his cheek
A man bun

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In a 1962 episode called "A Miracle for St. Francis," Paladin retrieves a statue of St. Francis of Assisi that has been stolen from a mission. What unusual item does he ask for as his fee?
A valuable artifact from the church
A rare bottle of brandy
Paladin knows that the mission has a rare bottle of brandy and asks the priest to let him taste just a couple of drops. The priest refuses, but finally agrees to give him the bottle if he retrieves the statue in time for the church's festival. Paladin succeeds, but drops the bottle and breaks it before he can taste its contents.
A painting of St. Francis
A Bible blessed by the Pope

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The episode "Man in an Hourglass" features a well-known character actor in the role of Cardiff, who is being pursued by a young man who thinks Cardiff killed his father, but the man is really just a thief. Who is the actor?
Peter Lorre
Walter Brennan
Eli Wallach
Edgar Buchanan
Edgar Buchanan played Cardiff in the episode. He later went on to play Uncle Joe on "Petticoat Junction," "The Beverly Hillbillies," and "Green Acres," in addition to many other roles.

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Which of these actors did not guest star in an episode of "Have Gun - Will Travel"?
Jack Lord
Pernell Roberts
Paul Giamatti
Lord, Roberts, and Bronson all had guest starring roles on the show. It aired a little before Giamatti's time.
Charles Bronson

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Which of the following actresses did not guest star on the show?
June Lockhart
Annette Funicello
Although she appeared in several other popular series of the time, Annette Funicello never made it to "Have Gun - Will Travel." She did a guest spot on "Wagon Train," though.
Angie Dickinson
Suzanne Pleshette

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More than 20 episodes of the show were written by someone who is now better known for contributions to the science fiction genre. Who is it?
Gene Roddenberry
Before achieving acclaim with the prolific Star Trek franchise, Gene Roddenberry wrote episodes of numerous television series, including "Have Gun - Will Travel." His first episode was "The Great Mojave Chase" in 1957 and his last was "The Savages" in 1963, during the show's final season.
George Lucas
Stan Lee
Ray Bradbury

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In several episodes, Paladin is seen receiving instruction in a practice that seems out of place for his character. What is it?
Martial arts
Sometimes a gun just isn't enough. Paladin is known to resort to using his fists, but he also has martial arts at his disposal and is seen using it in several episodes.
Meditation
Ballroom dance
Violin

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In an 1962 episode called "A Place for Abel Hix," a character named Lauro, a young Mexican man, rescues Paladin after he is left for dead, and is instrumental in solving the case. What actor, who later shot to fame, played Lauro?
Robert Redford
Robert Blake
A young Robert Blake played Lauro. He had previously made two other appearances on the show, playing different charaacters.
Robert DeNiro
Robert Duvall

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What is Paladini's typical fee for a job?
$500
$750
$1,000
Paladin usually charges $1,000 per job -- quite a lot for that time period. However, there are often times when he doesn't get paid, gets less than his fee, or gives the money to someone else.
$1,500

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There is a casino in the hotel where Paladin lives. What are his favorite games?
Roulette and craps
Poker and craps
Blackjack and poker
Paladin likes to play blackjack and poker, and he's an ace at both. It makes sense that he would choose games that require some skill and cunning rather than games of chance.
Roulette and blackjack

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What does Paladin wear when he is relaxing in his hotel room?
A smoking jacket
Paladin dresses just as sharply when he's in his room, just a bit more casually. He wears a silk smoking jacket over his shirt, vest and pants.
A long bathrobe
Pajamas
Just boxers

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What is the scene of the show's closing credits?
Paladin returning to the lobby of his hotel
A black screen with the credits in white
Paladin sitting in a saloon
Paladin riding down a deserted trail
As the closing credits roll, Paladin is seen entering the frame, pausing for a moment, and then heading down a trail in a deserted area. It is a fitting scene for a man who spends so much time traveling through barren wilderness.

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In the show's final season, veteran actress Peggy Rea plays a character named Maggie McGuire in several episodes. Who is this character?
The hotel maid
Maggie is a cleaning lady at the hotel where Paladin lives. She is an endearing character of whom Paladin is fond, although she tries to add a shamrock and her own name to his business cards.
Paladin's love interest
A saloon keeper
Paladin's long-lost daughter

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A veteran actor who is noted for westerns and other tough guy roles appeared in five episodes of the show, beginning with "The Outlaw" in 1957 and ending with "Brotherhood" in 1963. Who is the actor?
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson was one of the show's most frequent guest stars. In addition to the episodes already mentioned, he appeared once in 1958 and twice in 1961, playing a different character each time.
John Wayne
John Carradine
James Coburn

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Two actors who later starred on the television series "M*A*S*H" appeared on "Have Gun - Will Travel." Who are they?
Maclean Stevenson and Alan Alda
Harry Morgan and Wayne Rogers
A very young Wayne Rogers made one of his earliest television appearances in a 1963 episode called "The Debutante." Harry Morgan appeared in "A Snare for Murder" and "American Primitive," playing different characters in both.
Mike Farrell and Jamie Farr
Loretta Swit and Alan Alda

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Hal Needham made more guest appearances on the show than anyone else, but not always as an actor. What was his other role?
Extra
Stunt man
Hal Needham had a long and successful career as an actor, including 46 appearances on "Have Gun - Will Travel," usually in very small roles. However, he worked on the show as a stunt man for Richard Boone in all six seasons.
Director
Writer

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