Please excuse photo quality; they were scanned from my 1965 Gold Key Gallegher comic Updated with new scans March 2, 2011

Who's Gallegher?    |    Gallegher and Me

 Gallegher's Creator    |    The Star of Gallegher    |    Gallegher's Stories

I know who you're talking about, you say: Leo Gallagher, the comedian—the one who smashes the watermelons. Well, I'm a fan of that Gallagher, too, but to me there is really only one Gallegher, that character created by Richard Harding Davis at the turn of the century, and made into a series of stories on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color from 1965 to 1968. He's the copyboy with a nose for news, whether it be working in the city for The Daily Press, as in the first six of his adventures, or later on out West, as a reporter for the Brimstone Blast.

One of ten children growing up at the turn of the century, Gallegher is determined not to stay a copyboy for long. Despite the complaints of Mr. Crowley, the city editor forever exasperated at Gallegher's inability to keep his mind on his real job (but secretly admiring the boy's "get up and go"), Gallegher is forever chasing clues and gathering information in the vain hope that Crowley will someday appoint him reporter. Gallegher's closest friend at the Press is Brownie, one of the head reporters, who often must have to cover up or excuse Gallegher's schemes, as well as persuade Crowley to re-hire the boy.

Regular Daily Press employees included Mr. Dwyer, the sporting editor of the paper, in the initial run of three episodes, and later Adeline Jones, a tough woman determined to become a newspaper reporter despite the mores of the time that dictated that "ladies of the press" should report solely on society events and flower shows or be a "sob sister" writing an advice-to-the-lovelorn column.

Keeping up with the continued interest in television Westerns in the late '60s, Gallegher was transported to Brimstone, Arizona, for the second half of his career. There he must persuade Whit White, owner, publisher, and head writer for The Brimstone Blast, and his wife Erm that he can actually be an effective reporter, even at his tender age. He eventually gains the respect of the Whites, who later seem to consider him an adopted son. Mr. Snead, the "Winkleton" (a cute play on "Pinkerton") detective first introduced in the initial Gallegher story, also arrives in town on the trail of The Sundown Kid and is eventually elected Sheriff of Brimstone.

Well, okay—but what's this kid's full name?
We never do find out. He always introduces himself simply as "Gallegher." He finally admits to Laurie Carlson in "Tragedy on the Trail" that it doesn't matter; no one's ever called him anything but Gallegher.

The catchy theme song, sung in bouncy barbershop quartet style, was written by Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman, who did the songs for Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, The Aristocats, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks, among others.

"Gallegher, Gallegher, Gallegher, Gallegher, Gallegher—
Ohhhhh, Gallegher, Gallegher, runnin' down the street
After another newsbeat,
Gallegher, Gallegher, wearin' out his shoes,
Nosin' around for
Who, what, when, where, how,
What, when, where, why,
What, when, where, news—nosin' around for news."

"A lad was born with printer's ink flowin' through his veins (his veins),
And big bold headlines rollin' through his brains (through his brains).
He'd follow up a story no matter where it led—
Unafraid,
He made the grade
Where others feared to tread (feared to tread).
No slicker could out-trick him, no one was quicker than (quicker than)
That sharp as a thorn,
Natural born
Newspaperman!"

"That's Gallegher, Gallegher, runnin' down the street
After another newsbeat,
Gallegher, Gallegher, wearin' out his shoes,
Nosin' around for
Who, what, when, where, how,
What, when, where, why,
What, when, where, news—Gallegher got the...news...

Cast

  Gallegher: Roger Mobley

  Jefferson Crowley: Edmond O'Brien

  Brownie: Harvey Korman

  Mr. Dwyer, the sporting reporter: Richard Derr

  J. Hamilton Brooks Snead (the Winkleton detective, later Sheriff of Brimstone): Ray Teal

  Adeline Jones: Anne Francis

  Whitlaw White: John McIntire

  Erm White: Jeanette Nolan

  Marshal Frank Neimeyer: Peter Graves

Gallegher and Me

When I was growing up in the sixties, most of the so-called "teen idols" left me cold. I didn't care about the Beatles or Herman's Hermits or Simon and Garfunkel. The girls' magazines, with their talk about upcoming dates, wearing makeup, and fancy clothes bored me to tears. I grew up on the adventure series: Fury, Sky King, Annie Oakley, My Friend Flicka, Jonny Quest, and, of course, Lassie. The sickly sweet childrens' series of today would have put me to sleep. I didn't want party dresses and dolls, I wanted adventure!

And Gallegher did have adventures! He outsmarted the adults, chased criminals, tracked down leads with logical thinking, and in the end got to see his exploits in print. Who wanted to be one of these fluffy creatures cooing at some football player when you could make your own excitement—and do it in writing? By the time Gallegher appeared on The World of Color, I was already writing my own adventure stories, fantastic conglomerations of my favorite characters from television mixed with characters of my own in fictional settings.

Besides, Gallegher was everything I wasn't: he had nerves of steel, the guts to tell the adults and the bad guys what he thought of them. I was the "yes man," quiet and nodding, off in my own corner with my stories and my drawing materials. Still, Gallegher inspired me for many years to become a reporter, a dream I realized was unrealistic when I knew as an adult I still was almost too shy to speak with anyone except family and close friends. Having to ask prying questions to total strangers would have completely floored me.

So through Gallegher I dreamed—and in honor of that dream, this page was born.

Who's Richard Harding Davis?

      Davis (1864-1916), an American writer and newspaper reporter, wrote dozens of short stories well-known during the late 1800s, including Gallegher, the story of a copyboy who attempts to catch a crook, and The Bar Sinister, the story of a cocky bull terrier from the streets—told from the dog's point of view!—who becomes a show dog (this later was turned into a delightful movie called It's a Dog's Life starring Dean Jagger and Edmund Gwenn). His greatest fame was as a war correspondent. Davis covered six wars, including the Boer War in South Africa, the Spanish-American War, and the early years of World War I.

Who's Roger Mobley?

      If you watched television during the sixties you couldn't miss Roger Mobley; he was one of the most prolific juvenile actors of the era. My own memories of Mobley begin with the series Fury, in which he played Packy Lambert, the young neighbor of Joey Newton and his black stallion Fury—Packy owned a pony named Lucky and was always in some sort of trouble that Fury helped him out of. Mobley also guest starred on series such as National Velvet and Dragnet, although in his guest-starring roles he often played a bad kid. About the time he was doing Gallegher, he also worked for Disney in the theatrical movie Emil and the Detectives, as Gustav, leader of a gang of boys who help Emil find his stolen money. For The Wonderful World of Color, he did For the Love of Willadean, co-starring Michael McGreevey and Bill Mumy ("Will Robinson"), in 1964 and The Treasure of San Bosco Reef, co-starring James Daly, Nehemiah Persoff, and Antony Alda, in 1968.
      Mobley disappeared from acting in the early seventies; he became a paratrooper and served in Vietnam, worked in a Texas hospital, and has been a paramedic and a police officer. He is now a minister. He returned to the Disney Studio to play two small roles, one in The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) and the second a bit part as a policeman in The Kids Who Knew Too Much (1980).

Short Gallegher clip on YouTube

Video from 2013 in which Roger Mobley appears with his TV costar (in Fury), Bobby Diamond, and Jimmy Baird who played Peewee, as well as Johnny Washbrook from My Friend Flicka

The Roger Mobley Website at Broken Wheel Ranch

The Gallegher Page at Broken Wheel Ranch; has a sound file of the theme song and screen caps

Current photos of Roger

Roger Mobley publicity photo

Small pic of Bryan Russel and Roger in Emil and the Detectives

Roger Mobley publicity shots at Fanpix

Roger Mobley filmography from the Internet Movie Database

Emil and the Detectives DVD Review Page (Star Bryan Russell also played Jimmy the bootblack on a Gallegher episode)

Treasure of San Bosco Reef screen captures

Gallegher

Episode 1 (originally telecast 01/24/65)

When our story opens, it's 1890, and Gallegher, probably in is early teens, is working as a copyboy, but longs to be a reporter. He sees his chance when the bank next door to the Daily Press is robbed, the watchman shot, and $100,000 stolen by one of the tellers, a Mr. Hade. The bank enlists a Winkleton detective to find Hade, but he hadn't reckoned with Gallegher, who's determined to get the story and the $1000 reward.

Guest Cast: Pete: Donald Losby. Jimmy the Bootblack: Bryan Russell.

This first episode is based on Davis' original Gallegher short story. In the story, Gallegher is much younger, probably somewhere between eight and ten. "Winkleton," of course, was an obvious take-off of the famous Pinkerton detectives. The comic book retelling of the story entitles it "The Man With the Missing Finger"

Episode 2 (originally telecast 01/31/65)

Gallegher is determined to clear Police Chief Frank O'Malley f bribery charges, but the evidence is damning: five sizeable bank accounts in his name and the dubious testimony of a fellow policeman supposedly his friend. But when the pickpocket who promised to give Gallegher the real skinny is killed, the boy finds himself in danger.

Guest Cast: Lt. Henry E. Fergus: Jack Warden. Captain Frank O'Malley: Judson Pratt. Dutch Mac: Roger Middleton.

The comic book retelling entitles this story "The Tip-Off"

Episode 3 (originally telecast 02/07/65)

Gallegher, his head filled with the exploits in the dime Westerns that Mr. Dwyer loans him, swears he saw Oklahoma bandit Zip Wyatt in the local bank, but no one will believe him. But when he works extra hours to bring the criminal to justice, he only gets himself arrested for his pains.

Guest Cast: Jimmy the Bootblack: Bryan Russell. Wyatt: Dean Fredericks. Banjo: Louis Quinn.

The Further Adventures of Gallegher

"A Case of Murder" (originally telecast 09/26/65)

After Brownie gives an unfavorable review to Sir Richard Westby, a fulsome British actor appearing in Hamlet, the gentleman challenges the hapless reporter to a duel. But when Sir Richard is murdered, Brownie becomes the chief suspect.

Guest Cast: Sir Richard Westby: Peter Wyngarde. Pete: on Lormer. Katherine Van Raate: Victoria Shaw. Pops: Liam Sullivan.

"The Big Swindle" (originally telecast 10/03/65)

After Adeline Jones bullies Crowley into hiring her, she begins an investigation into confidence men who bilk widows (she and her mother were so victimized). Brownie and Gallegher become her reluctant assistants in an adventure that finds our rugged hero scaling walls—and, more dangerously, donning a Buster Brown suit and carrying a violin!

Guest Cast: John Talbot: Alan Hewitt. Pete: Jon Lormer. Bill: Guy Raymond.

Wyoming has been admitted to the Union as a state in this story, which dates it on or after July 10, 1890.

"The Daily Press vs. City Hall" (originally telecast 10/10/65)

The Daily Press' new pigeon post and signs of graft in city construction projects figure in this tale of faulty gas lines that have been causing explosions. But it's when Crowley gets arrested for libel that things start to really blow up.

Guest Cast: Charlie Mardis: James Westerfield. Mayor Diffenbaker: Parley Baer. Maid: Maudie Prickett. Pete: Jon Lormer. Butler: John Orchard. Bildad: Vaughn Taylor. Corky Mardis: Tom Skerritt.

Gallegher Goes West

"Showdown with the Sundown Kid" (originally telecast 10/23/66)

Gallegher heads west after Crowley won't make him a reporter, offered a job on the Brimstone Blast—but when editor Whit White sees how young he is, he's turned away. But he accidentally bumps into Mr. Snead, out looking for the Sundown Kid, and sees his chance to get a scoop and earn his job.

Guest Cast: Sheriff Dodds: James Gregory. Marshal Frank Neimeyer: Peter Graves. George Tucker/Sundown Kid: Dennis Weaver.

"Crusading Reporter" (originally telecast 10/30/66)

When Sheriff Dodds implicates Brimstone's Mayor Riggs in corruption charges, Marshall Neimeyer begins a recall—then becomes a mayoral candidate himself. But the campaign gets dirty when the Mayor uses his gunmen to force people not to vote.

Guest Cast: Mayor Gene Riggs: Larry D. Mann. Neimeyer: Peter Graves. Tuck: Bruce Dern. Sundown Kid: Dennis Weaver.

"Tragedy on the Trail" (originally telecast 01/29/67)

Gallegher's desire for a horse—to improve circulation of the Blast, so he says—embroils him in a land feud involving Judge McManus, Joe Carlson, and squatters using range land Carlson says is his, especially when Gallegher is the one that finds McManus murdered.

Guest Cast: Judge James McManus: Walter Sande. Joe Carlson: Bill Williams. Finn Carlson: Tim McIntire. Laura "Laurie" Carlson: Darlene Carr. Mrs. Carlson: Beverly Garland. George Moran: Ron Hayes. Mr. Barlow: Harry Townes. Mr. Hatfield: Joe Maross. John Prentice: Don Keefer.

Gallegher names his new horse, a red roan with a wide white blaze, Mr. Crowley after his old city editor, because the animal is so contentious.

"Trial by Terror" (originally telecast 02/05/67)

Joe and Finn Carlson turn themselves in, hoping for a fair trial, and Gallegher is determined to clear them; when Laurie discovers Moran is in possession of the judge's watch, he goes into action.

Guest Cast: Joe Carlson: Bill Williams. Finn Carlson: Tim McIntire. Laura "Laurie" Carlson: Darlene Carr. Mrs. Carlson: Beverly Garland. George Moran: Ron Hayes. Mr. Barlow: Harry Townes. Mr. Hatfield: Joe Maross. John Prentice: Don Keefer. Mrs. McManus: Sylvia Field.

The Mystery of Edward Sims

Part 1 (originally telecast 03/31/68)

The Killigrews, a family of Cornish immigrants arrives in Brimstone, having left England after buying land outside town from a gentleman named Edward Sims. When the land office official tells the family that the deeds they have are worthless and that Sims cannot be found, the family and their companions camp outside town until Sheriff Snead can be told. Then Parker, the land agent, is killed, and William Killigrew is found over the body with a gun in his hand.

Guest Cast: Jason Gore: John Dehner. Darcy Killigrew: Stacey Maxwell. William Killigrew: David Watson. Ephrem Killigrew: John McLiam. Eldon Kane: Michael Strong. John Blythe: Warren Oates. Mr. Parker: Wesley Lau. Woman at Burton Ridge Land Office: Ellen Corby.

My, Gallegher forgets Laurie Carlson quickly. <g>

Part 2 (originally telecast 04/07/68)

Kane is dead, having first confessed to Parker's murder, but Gallegher is still determined to find out the identity of Edward Sims, going so far as to snoop in Jason Gore's private papers. Meanwhile, Gore asks his gunman to get back the land deed from the Killigrews—for the signature on it will prove that he is Edward Sims.

Guest Cast: Jason Gore: John Dehner. Darcy Killigrew: Stacey Maxwell. William Killigrew: David Watson. Ephrem Killigrew: John McLiam. Henry Petterson: Byron Foulger. Della Martin: Jeanne Cooper. John Blythe: Warren Oates.

Many thanks to Bill Cotter, who sent me the copy of "The Mystery of Edward Sims."

Gallegher (Boy Reporter) and Gallegher Goes West are the property of Walt Disney Productions. This is a fan page. No copyright infringment is intended. Any opinions stated are my own and do not reflect the thoughts of the creators or producers. Some information for this page was gleaned from Leonard Maltin's The Disney Films and Dave Smith's Disney A to Z.

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