Saddle Up: Classic TV Westerns Quiz
1 / 15Which actor played Marshal Matt Dillon on the long-running TV western Gunsmoke?
About Saddle Up: Classic TV Westerns Quiz
Saddle Up: Classic TV Westerns Quiz is a free memory games quiz with 15 multiple-choice questions aimed at mixed difficulty. Ride back to the golden age of television with questions about the cowboys, marshals, and outlaws who ruled the small screen from the 1950s through the 1970s. A typical run takes about 7 minutes, hints are always one tap away, and your streak ticks up the first time you finish a game on a given day.
A few sample questions
1. Which actor played Marshal Matt Dillon on the long-running TV western Gunsmoke?
Answer: James Arness
James Arness played Marshal Matt Dillon throughout all 20 seasons of Gunsmoke on CBS (1955–1975), making it one of the most iconic roles in television history.
2. Bonanza, the beloved western featuring the Cartwright family, aired on which television network?
Answer: NBC
Bonanza ran on NBC from 1959 to 1973 and became one of the first western series broadcast in full color, which helped make it a must-see hit.
3. What was the name of the Cartwright family's sprawling ranch on Bonanza?
Answer: The Ponderosa
The Ponderosa was the vast Nevada ranch owned by patriarch Ben Cartwright and his three sons — Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe — and was the heart of every episode.
4. Which TV western featured James Garner as a witty, card-playing drifter who preferred his wits over a quick draw?
Answer: Maverick
Maverick (1957–1962) starred James Garner as Bret Maverick, a charming gambler who used cleverness and humor rather than gunfighting to get out of trouble.
5. What was the name of Tonto's horse on The Lone Ranger?
Answer: Scout
Tonto's horse was named Scout; the Lone Ranger himself rode the famous white stallion named Silver, whose name gave us the classic cry of 'Hi-yo, Silver!'
Things you'll learn along the way
- Richard Boone played Paladin, a cultured chess-playing gunfighter for hire who carried a business card reading 'Have Gun – Will Travel,' through all six seasons of the CBS series (1957–1963).
- Clint Eastwood played Rowdy Yates, the ramrod of a cattle drive, on Rawhide from 1959 to 1966 — the role that launched his career before Sergio Leone cast him in A Fistful of Dollars.
- Roy Rogers' palomino stallion Trigger was known as 'the Smartest Horse in the Movies' and appeared with Rogers in both films and his 1950s television series.
Frequently asked questions
What's a good follow-up after Saddle Up: Classic TV Westerns Quiz?
If you enjoyed this memory games quiz, try the Daily Challenge — five rotating questions, refreshed every 24 hours, that count toward your streak. You can also use the Surprise Me button on the homepage to land on a different game type for variety.
Can I print Saddle Up: Classic TV Westerns Quiz?
Yes — use the Print button at the top of the page for a clean question sheet, or "Print with Answers" to make an answer key. Printed sheets work well for group play at home, in a classroom, or at a senior center.
Will I lose my progress if I close the page?
Your overall progress — XP, streaks, and badges — is saved in your browser automatically. A quiz that's underway restarts if you leave mid-game, but at about 7 minutes, Saddle Up: Classic TV Westerns Quiz fits comfortably in one sitting.
How many questions are in Saddle Up: Classic TV Westerns Quiz?
Saddle Up: Classic TV Westerns Quiz has 15 multiple-choice questions. Each one has four answer options and an explanation that appears after you answer, so you learn something even when you miss.
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