User reviews

BRONSON reran on TV for awhile in the 1970s and then simply disappeared, It would be great to catch up with the show someday on A&E or Bravo or TV Land. A young Michael Parks, who was already an established TV and movie actor, played a James Dean-ish character in a knit cap who traveled the U.S. on his hog, learning little life lessons through the people he met each week. Old formula (think ROUTE 66 and THE FUGITIVE) with a bit of a twist, and a very appealing lead in Parks. GREEN LANTERN and GREEN ARROW were to follow BRONSON's lead with a memorable story arc in the 1970s that had them riding hogs and traveling the nation. Parks also got to sing on the show, and wasn't half bad. Parks has aged badly over the years, but his lined face and booze-and-butts voice has played to his credit, particularly in stone cold killer roles in THE CHINA LAKE MURDERS and on WALKER Texas RANGER.

The series ran on one of Ted Turner's channels in the mid 1980's at around 2am. OK, as if that weren't insult enough, when they ran the pilot movie, they actually got two reels out of order! Nonetheless, I set the VCR to record the episodes but didn't retain the recordings. It never occurred to me that the show would disappear into Ted Turner's attic.

Yes this clearly was Route 66 on two wheels, and in color. OK, the writing wasn't quite up to Stirling Silliphant quality, but it was good enough, and Michael Parks was very good (especially considering that the main qualification for the part was being able to ride a motorcycle!) I suspect the show's ratings suffered for the same reason Route 66 was cancelled. Intelligent, thoughtful stories can't compete with doctor shows, cop shows, westerns, and sitcoms. Remember this is still the era of the Beverly Hillbillies, Mayberry RFD, Bonanza, and I Dream of Jeannie.

I see that the pilot movie is available on DVD from Amazon. As to the series, I suspect it must be tied up in some estate where one heir would rather the film rot in cans rather than share royalties with some other heir. It's happened before. Remember "The Silent Service?"

I live in Phoenix and every time I go east on U.S. 60 out past Apache Junction, near Gold Canyon Ranch, I see a spot where an episode was filmed ( or at least a scene was filmed). Today, 40 years later I still think about it and check to see if the spot is still there. Went by today----yes it is. Too bad the show only lasted that one season---one of the true greats ! The scene I remember was where he stopped to get a drink out of a spigot at a service station, and as I recall someone took issue with it. Anyway someone learned a valuable lesson from it, I'm sure. Does anyone know if these 27 episodes are available ? Never was a motorcycle guy, although I did own a Navajo for a year or so. I just identified with the wanderlust of the open road.

The sort of show that simply wouldn't make it to television today, "Then Came Bronson" told quiet, lyrical, sometimes comic, sometimes dramatic stories about a young man traveling through America in search of personal meaning; unlike many attempts at this theme, the show was never heavy-handed, offering intelligent, often quirky character portraits of the people Jim Bronson encountered. The viewers always came away with a rewarding, thought-provoking experience. It's a pity both the pilot film & the individual episodes aren't available on video or DVD. Shows of this caliber may be born of their particular time, but their substance is timeless.

A great TV series that tells the story of a nomadic motorcycle rider, Jim Bronson (Michael Parks). Each of the 26 episodes told of an adventure involving Bronson and the people and places he encounters on his travels. Each show ends with a lesson learned and Bronson heading down the highway, to the tune of " Long Lonesome Highway". (Performed by Parks)

The opening scene of each episode is a classic, Bronson and a businessman in a station wagon exchange dialog that will make you want to leave the rat race, and buy a motorcycle.

Highly recommended if you are able to catch an airing of this program. I am sure many of the situations will be somewhat dated if viewed from a modern perspective, but it still captures the essence of what makes motorcycling appealing to many people.

When are they going to remaster this and get it out! The recently made the Pilot available. The series should be remastered due to the multiple State backdrops used. The music was integral and should be manicured also.

America's scenic beauty has eroded since this series was on, Please get this remastered and out to us. There is a multitude wanting this, we have even attempted petitioning for its release.

Over a thousand petitioners have posted and all have said the same thing, I had even suggested this series to Criterion.com for remastering.(The best remastering I have ever seen) I don't think they focus on television series though.

Gary

They don't make films like this anymore! This is one of the pioneer reality films. originally, the studio wanted to market Michael Parks as a replacement for James Dean, a teen idol thing. But he turned out to be so much more,the innovator of real TV and docudrama. This film takes you with him on his travels around the country as he competes (motorcycle). They throw in an interesting, non cheesecake girl, Bonnie Bedelia and the song "Wayfarin' Stranger" and the sojourn continues. People who like this film should see Michael in "Wild Seed", a train hopping adventure which features Rupert Holmes and Celia Kaye. The movie "Then Came Bronson" later landed Parks a popular TV show of the same name in the 60's.

I was 16 when Then Came Bronson was broadcast, but I still vividly remember moments from 6 or 7 of the episodes.

Maybe it was that I'd never seen that kind of delicacy and sweetness in performance before--and rarely since--nothing "thrilling," nothing forced, nothing fey, nothing indulgent--just careful observations and filled moments. At least, that's how I describe it now. Nothing was underlined; I never felt like I was being told how to react.

Over the years, I'd think, is it possible that show was really that good? Nice to know some people agree with me.

And some of you really have all the episodes on DVD?

I was in the 8th grade in 1969 and had already discovered the joys of motorcycles, owning a 50cc Roma from Italy for about a year when the show debuted. From the very first episode, Jim Bronson became a powerful influence on my young and impressionable personality. I am 51 now and have never owned a Harley, but over the years, more than a few have commented on my even temperament and controlled response to volatile situations. I thank God for an early role model like the fictitious Jim Bronson. If you've seen the series, yet not the TV pilot, Jim left San Francisco on the Harley Sportster vacated by his friend Nick's suicide. (played by a very Emilio-looking Martin Sheen) In 2000, I bought a dear friend's Honda Shadow V-twin 1100 cc (Sportster wannabe) and had some very memorable rides before parting with it in 2003. If all goes well, next year, I'll be replacing the bike with something similar and using my 3rd week of vacation for a Then Came Bronson adventure. Jim never rode the major highways, as I recall. He was never in a hurry and wouldn't have had the kind of encounters that the nation's back roads are much more conducive to.

The theme song was a bit misleading; Going Down That Long Lonesome Highway, as it didn't appear so lonesome for Mr. Bronson. I highly recommend the show and the lead character's proactive engagement of relationships. Life is short, enjoy the ride!

i guess i'm getting to the nostalgic stage in life,and Then Came Bronson is something that readily comes to mind.definitely a show of it's time,it surely borrowed from other shows(Route 66?)but added it's own touch in great writing and acting(Michael Parks).speaking of him,i thought he had disappeared from the planet,but his IMDb resume says differently.Parks difficulties with the shows producers probably caused the series early demise,and that's a pity.watching the show as a kid,i was fascinated that this guy could just pick up and move on at will(whereas i was forced to go to school),on a search to find out something about himself.this probably couldn't be made in todays world,nor should it be.you can't improve on perfection.

Like the Monroes back in the 60's, this series started out on location in Jackson Hole shooting it's first several episodes there and the ratings for NBC were respectable. After moving to Colorado the storylines got weaker and Then Came Bronson got up and went...Good concept just never caught on. Enjoyed the series and as a young man living in Jackson at the time, I even got a walk-on small background role with the "Runner" episode.

As with most reviewers, this was a seminal movie for any motorcyclist growing up in the 60's & 70's. Unlike Easy Rider with hard-tail choppers, drugs and hippie idealism, TCB had a more gentle approach to discovering America, dealing with 60's angst, while having adventures and meeting people along the way. Looking at the pilot movie & series 47 years later is a case for 20-20 hindsight. The pilot was a wonderful set-up for the series. You wanted to be Jim Bronson. Despite obvious technical stretches like Bronson's Sportster being replaced with the not-quite-look-a-like Aermacchi 250-350 twin for the stunts, an AMF Sportster that always managed to start on the first kick and the amazing amount of stuff he managed to pack in the 2 relatively small duffel bags, it still managed to provide a wonderful escape for our generation. The series itself was hit and miss. I ordered a DVD set almost 20 years ago that someone made from Super VHS recordings. The picture and sound quality were barely adequate. You had to turn the volume way up to hear soft-spoken Michael Parks. Most of the episodes contained very uneven plots, but there were a few that met the feel and depth of the show's potential. I recently ordered a new set online and hope the video and sound quality are better. Is it just me or do other Bronson fans wish that Jim Bronson and Temple Brooks would have become a couple? Bronson could never quite verbally share his feelings for her and Temple would never try forcing the issue. It would have been a nice touch to either see her continue with him after the post accident hospital stay or have the series conclude with his return to her after he completes his trip. The former would have expanded the plot possibilities, but would have sacrificed the "lone wolf" appeal of the premise. The later would deliver a happy ending, but considering the era, would have been a little too 1950's clean. One thing Bronson should have thought of: Temple Brooks was obviously from a wealthy family and he probably could have parleyed his romance on his return into a cushy job. Not important in your idealistic 20's, but very important after 40.

I was the guy in the car at the beginning of the show. I was about to graduate from high school and wanted like everything to buy a Harley Sportster and hit the road for a year while I figured out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. My dad talked me out of it. Probably for the best. But, man! What dream! I loved this show. It was like Route 66 only with one guy instead of two and a motorcycle instead of a car.

Bronson would meet someone new each week and get involved in their problems. Seems to me he got in a lot of fights and even got beat up a time or two.

Very soft-spoken but had a great singing voice. Each episode featured a song sung by Michael Parks. Many of them classic country songs. I have a couple of his albums. I never laid hands on the one with the title theme (if one exists). If it's out there, I'd love to know about it.

"Goin' down that long, lonesome highway. Bound for the mountains and the plains."

Anyway, a powerful and wonderful show.

When I was a young man just starting my family and career I always looked forward to spending the evening with Then Came Bronson. It was a treat to be reminded of it and I will always wonder why it had such a short run.

I'm like many that watched this show, in that it changed my life and how I see things even today. I was 13 when it first aired and had just purchased a small Honda to ride to and from school. I related to the show and the feelings he had while riding. As i got older i purchased a old 66 Sportster and customized it. No, not exactly like the show bike but an expression of myself. I rode the bike all over the United States in search of life and myself. I still ride today, I'm 55. I still search at times but I find solace in the road and peace in the wind as I ride. The show instilled this in me and would love to see it reprised. It gave a sense of value and closeness of relations that is rare today.

My dad was a motorcycle enthusiast, and when this series was first broadcast, he expected it to be about motorcycles. Apparently, that was how it was billed. So, he was very excited. But when it turned out to be about a guy who rode into town in the first scene and then spent his time dealing with people's personal issues, it was a huge disappointment. To me, it seemed as if he always seemed confused and befuddled by everything and everyone, and sat around looking lost. I was young at the time, and really didn't connect with most of the plots. So were both bored to death with the series and only watched a few episodes. Perhaps now I would see more meaning in the various struggles he encountered.

Just saw Then Came Bronson on SpeedChannel. This is Route 66 on two wheels and classic television when the writing and story lines were at the top of their form. I was just off to college and had read Travels With Charlie and On The Road. The road down to Big Sur, even the gas station and store looked the same a few years later when I traveled the same route. The look, the feel of this movie is pure 60's. Less harsh than Easy Rider, Then Came Bronson captures the flip side of the 60's that did not include drugs. Brings back memories or Route 66, It's A Man's World, The Sterile Cuckoo, The Film Flam Man, Thunder Road, and others.

I remember the movie/show somewhat. I was/am into motorcycles since 7th. grade. 1968. (thanks, Craig Alden!) Even owned a '72 Sporster in the '80's, among other bikes. The show seemed a bit tacky. How can Bronson on a stock Sporster with street tires win a (dirt) hill-climb that hill-climbing bikes can't win? How did his Sporster start first kick, every kick? Watch carefully...he hits the starter button the same time he kicks. My brother owned a couple Sporsters. One was a '68 with a magneto (notorious for weak spark at kick-over speeds). When I first rode it, he told me that if it didn't start on the first kick, do not continue. Wait a while and try again. Well, I didn't. Seems to draw a crowd when you are kicking for 30 minutes. That's why Jim Bronson hit his starter button while he kicked. Can't wast a half hour kicking a bike on a television show or movie. At any rate, we need an updated version of this television show. Maybe starring the Orange County Chopper boys. How about Jesse James from West Coast Choppers? The best choice would be the soft-spoken ex-mailman turned Harley customizer Arlen Ness! Just a few thoughts...

Thirty three years after seeing the episode with the troubled young man on the white Electra-Glide I rode my new white big twin home. Sad my Dad didn't live to see it. My Dad and I never saw eye to eye, but for that one hour a week this show was on we were side by side, living out the same dream. This series has touched a lot of lives and inspired countless others. Jim Bronson was a real man who cared about others and went about making things right where he could. The co-star was a mildly customized Sportster. A great list of guest stars and beautiful scenery complimented a show that some couldn't understand. It left us all too soon. There are countless baby-boomer-bikers that would buy the DVD's at any price. Quality TV from our youth.

VERY poor quality , don't waste your money . Picture kept breaking up and clarity was very poor .

In 1969 my mother got tickets for five kids to go to the Preview House movie theater on Sunset Blvd at Stanley Ave to see the movie, "Then Came Bronson". We had never been to the Preview House so we were amazed to see the gadget you held in your hand while the movie played. It weighed about half a pound and had a black plastic dial in the middle that you could move from Boring to Super Exciting and whatever other stupid phrases they used in between. If you thought the movie was doing well you jammed it up and if you thought it was bad you cranked it down...simple. We really liked the movie although at the tender age of 10 I was jolted by the suicide scene where Martin Sheen takes the big leap off of the Golden Gate Bridge. When it became a TV show a number of months later we felt like we had been part of it all. The TV show version aired at a strange time in the Los Angeles market...I remember it being on Sundays around 5 PM which we could never figure out. I totally agree with the earlier review (I Know mine is not a review...just a memory). "Then Came Bronson" had a reality aspect to it but with better production values than the other two reality shows of the time (ie Dragnet and Adam-12).

This is the introduction to the character of Jim Bronson, the soft spoken motorcyclist that went on the road looking for some insight into his life after the suicide of a friend. (Zen and the art of motorcycling??) It was later made into a TV series.

Bronson in his trademark knit watchcap aboard his red Sportster with bedroll attached, is still an icon for the free-spirited motorcycle lifestyle. It has been many years (at least 20) since I have seen this movie, but I can remember faithfully watching anytime it was played. In the TV series Parks often performed music that would be used to accompany the storyline, but I don't recall if he performed any songs in the movie.

In 1969 I had recently bought my first used bike. When the kids came along i gave up riding. when i retired recently, like so many others ,i bought a new bike a cruiser

Then and now i still hear that song in my head. "gion down that long lonesome highway bound for the mountains and the sky. Going down that long lonesome highway going to do things my way". "My way" hasn't always been possible but it's what i dream about as i ride along Its a dream that we all should have. Its the dream that counts not whether you make it all or not.

Thanks to Michael Parks and to whoever put the words to that song.