Brodie Hollister, the leader of the five-man law enforcement team known as the Wildside Chamber of Commerce,  was a famous gunfighter with 29 notches on his gun.  However, the series being from Disney, Brodie was not destined to get another notch while residing in Wildside.  Instead, guns were shot out of villains’ hands, shotgun barrels were exploded, things were shot out from under people or onto their heads.  No blood was ever shed.  The little killing that was done was off-screen and always by the bad guys.

Brodie rode with Bannister & Governor Summerhayes in the old days so the governor called on them when he needed someone he could trust.  Brodie’s son Sutton was raised in Boston by an aunt after his mother died, giving him an Eastern polish in contrast to his rancher father.  Sutton was also an expert with a handgun & the show was punctuated by some interesting sharpshooting competitions between the two.

Playing Brodie Hollister in Wildside gave William Smith a chance to be a good guy, something he hasn't often been since being raised to the pinnacle of villainy during the 1970’s in such roles as the evil [blond] thug opposite Rod Taylor in “Darker than Amber” [1970], Falconetti in “Rich Man, Poor Man” [1976] & the white villain in Blaxploitation films such as “Hammer” [1972], “Black Samson” [1974] and  “Boss” [1975],  Although he also played heroes on occasion, e.g. “Invasion of the Bee Girls” [1973], “Hollywood Man” [1976], “Blood & Guts” [1978], he had not played this kind of light melodrama since Laredo 20 years earlier.  And Wildside was much better done.

William Smith as Brodie Hollister

For much much more on Bill check out: The Formal Official WILLIAM SMITH WEB SITE The Informal Official WILLIAM SMITH FAN SITE ANNEX Contact us:   wildside@williamsmith.org