{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox television | image = Empire male cast 1963.jpg | caption = Male cast members clockwise from back: Warren Vanders, Ryan O'Neal, Charles Bronson and Richard Egan, 1963 | runtime = 60 minutes | starring = {{Plainlist| * Richard Egan * Ryan O'Neal * Terry Moore * Anne Seymour * Charles Bronson * Warren Vanders }} | composer = {{Plainlist| * Johnny Green (pilot episode and two more episodes, plus series theme) * Leith Stevens (two episodes) * Hugo Friedhofer * Van Alexander * Richard Markowitz * William Loose }} | country = United States | network = NBC | company = {{Plainlist| * Eaves Movie Ranch * Wilrich Productions * Screen Gems }} | first_aired = {{start date|1962|9|25}} | last_aired = {{end date|1963|5|14}} | related = ''Redigo'' | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 32 }} thumb|right|262px|Richard Egan as Jim Redigo '''''Empire''''' is an hour-long Western television series set on a 1960s {{convert|500000|acre|km2|adj=on}} ranch in New Mexico, starring Richard Egan, Terry Moore, Ryan O'Neal and Charles Bronson.<ref name="Vincent">{{cite book|last=Terrance|first=Vincent|title=Complete Encyclopedia of Television Programs (1947–1979)|publisher=A. S. Barnes and Co.|location=Cranbury, New Jersey|year=1979|volume=1|pages=[https://archive.org/details/completeencyclop0000terr/page/138 138]|isbn=0-498-02488-1|url=https://archive.org/details/completeencyclop0000terr/page/138}}</ref> It ran on NBC from September 25, 1962, to May 14, 1963.<ref name="Vincent" />
After NBC cancelled the original series due to low ratings, a later version was made to rename it to ''Redigo'' (instead of having a 2nd season), truncated from one-hour episodes to half hour episodes, in black and white instead of color, and again starring Egan as Redigo. That version ran only for a partial season. However, even after NBC cancelled the original series in 1963 due to low ratings, ABC reran the show on Sundays, 7:30-8:30pm, on the partial part of the 1963-64 network television season, on Spring 1964.
In the UK the series was shown in the London ITV area (Associated-Rediffusion) under the title Big G, from Jun 12th 1963 to Jan 16th 1964.
In 1965 Columbia Pictures released the pilot episode as a film called '''''This Rugged Land'''''<ref>pp. 230-231 Pitts, Michael R. ''Charles Bronson: The 95 Films and the 156 Television Appearances'' McFarland 30 June 2003</ref> outside the US.
==Episodes== {{Episode table |total_width= |background=515151 |season= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |episodes= {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 0 | Title = This Rugged Land | DirectedBy = Arthur Hiller | WrittenBy = Frank S. Nugent | OriginalAirDate = N/A | ShortSummary = Unaired pilot. | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 1 | Title = The Day the Empire Stood Still | DirectedBy = Arthur Hiller | WrittenBy = Frank S. Nugent | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|9|25}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 2 | Title = Ballard Number One | DirectedBy = Walter Grauman | WrittenBy = Gilbert Ralston | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|2}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 3 | Title = A Place to Put a Life | DirectedBy = Fred Jackman Jr. | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|9}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 4 | Title = Ride to a Fall | DirectedBy = Abner Biberman | WrittenBy = Ken Trevey | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|16}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 5 | Title = Long Past, Long Remembered | DirectedBy = Ted Post | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|23}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 6 | Title = Walk Like a King | DirectedBy = Alex March | WrittenBy = Alvin Sargent | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|30}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 7 | Title = The Fire Dancer | DirectedBy = Fred Jackman Jr. | WrittenBy = Stephen Kandel and Alvin Sargent | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|13}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 8 | Title = The Tall Shadow | DirectedBy = John Farrow | WrittenBy = Andy White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|20}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 9 | Title = The Earth Mover | DirectedBy = Harry Keller | WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Anthony Wilson|t= Ken Trevey }} | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|27}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 10 | Title = Pressure Lock | AltTitle = Deadline | DirectedBy = Abner Biberman | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|12|4}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 11 | Title = Echo of a Man | DirectedBy = John Farrow | WrittenBy = Antony Ellis | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|12|12}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 12 | Title = When the Gods Laugh | DirectedBy = Robert Gist | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|12|18}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 13 | Title = Green, Green Hills | DirectedBy = | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|12|25}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 14 | Title = Stopover on the Way to the Moon | DirectedBy = William D. Russell | WrittenBy = Robert E. Thompson | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|1}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 15 | Title = The Four Thumbs Story | DirectedBy = Frank Pierson | WrittenBy = Frank Pierson | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|8}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 16 | Title = End of an Image | DirectedBy = | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|15}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 17 | Title = The Loner | DirectedBy = | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|22}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 18 | Title = Where the Hawk Is Wheeling | DirectedBy = John Farrow | WrittenBy = Donald S. Sanford | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|29}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 19 | Title = No Small Wars | DirectedBy = | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|2|5}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 20 | Title = The Tiger Inside | AltTitle = The Hunted | DirectedBy = Bernard McEveety | WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Thomas Thompson|t= Ric Hardman }} | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|2|12}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 21 | Title = Season of Growth | DirectedBy = Bernard McEveety | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|2|19}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 22 | Title = Seven Days on Rough Street | DirectedBy = Bernard McEveety | WrittenBy = Stephen Kandel | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|2|26}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 23 | Title = A House in Order | AltTitle = Farewell | DirectedBy = Byron Paul | WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Cyril Hume and Preston Wood|t= Cyril Hume }} | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|5}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 24 | Title = Down There, the World | DirectedBy = Leon Benson | WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= John Falvo and Peter Mamakos|t= John Falvo }} | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|12}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 25 | Title = Burnout | DirectedBy = Bernard McEveety | WrittenBy = Ken Kolb | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|19}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 26 | Title = Hidden Asset | DirectedBy = Leonard J. Horn | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|26}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 27 | Title = Arrow in the Sky | DirectedBy = Frank Pierson | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|4|9}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 28 | Title = Nobody Dies on Saturday | AltTitle = Breakout | DirectedBy = Hal Hudson | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|4|16}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 29 | Title = 65 Miles Is a Long, Long Way | DirectedBy = Allen Reisner | WrittenBy = | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|4|23}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 30 | Title = Duet for Eight Wheels | AltTitle = Ordeal | DirectedBy = Leon Benson | WrittenBy = Ron Bishop | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|4|30}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 31 | Title = Between Friday and Monday | DirectedBy = | WrittenBy = Ken Trevey | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|5|7}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 32 | Title = The Convention | DirectedBy = Abner Biberman | WrittenBy = Billie D. McCord & B.W. Saxon | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|5|14}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = 515151 }} }}
==Cast== ===Main cast=== * Richard Egan as Jim Redigo (both versions 1 and 2) * Ryan O'Neal as Tal Gerret (both versions 1 and 2) * Terry Moore as Connie Gerret (version 1) * Anne Seymour as Lucia Gerret (version 1) * Charles Bronson as Moreno (version 2) * Warren Vanders as Chuck (version 2)
===Guest stars=== Guest stars who appeared on ''Empire'' included: {{col-begin|width=65%}} {{Col-3}} *Inger Stevens *Philip Abbott *Barry Atwater *Barbara Bain *Roy Barcroft *Joanna Barnes *Ed Begley *Diane Brewster *Joyce Bulifant *Walter Burke *James T. Callahan *Lon Chaney Jr. *Pat Conway *Ray Danton *John Dehner *Lawrence Dobkin *Keir Dullea *Sharon Farrell *Joan Freeman *Leo Gordon {{col-3}} *Frank Gorshin *Harold Gould *Dabbs Greer *Virginia Gregg *James Gregory *James Griffith *Joan Hackett *Don C. Harvey *Anne Helm *Clegg Hoyt *Arch Johnson *L. Q. Jones *Richard Jordan *Victor Jory *Gail Kobe *Harvey Korman *Bethel Leslie *Joanne Linville *Ralph Meeker {{col-3}} *Roger Mobley *Bill Mumy *Dan O'Herlihy *Dennis Patrick *Ford Rainey *Gilman Rankin *Chris Robinson *Telly Savalas *Karen Steele *Robert J. Stevenson *Harold J. Stone *Frank Sutton *Ray Teal *Russell Thorson *Tom Tully *John Vivyan *Eddy Waller *William Windom {{Col-end}}
==Film/TV production crew== {{Expand section|Adding the story executives|date=May 2023}} *Executive producer: **William Sackheim (E14) **Hal Hudson (E18, E26) *Producer: **Frank Pierson (E14) **Andy White (E18, E26) *Assistant to the Producer: **Ernest Nims (E14) **David Bretherton (E18, E26) *Story executive: **Anthony Wilson (E14) **Sidney Biddell (E18) **Tom Crow (E26) *Theme music: Johnny Green *Created by: Kathleen Hite *Director of photography: Charles S. Welborn *Art director: Robert Peterson *Film editor: **Harry Gerstad (also a part of the A.C.E.) (E14, E26) **Joseph Silver (E18) **David Bretherton (E30) *Set decorator: **Sidney Clifford (E18, E26) **Louis Diage (E30) *Make-up supervisor: Ben Lane (also a part of the S.M.A.) *Music supervisor: Irving Friedman *Music editor: Igo Kantor *Sound effects editor: Jack Kirschner *Technical advisor: Noel Smith (E30) *Production supervisor: Seymour Friedman *Post-production supervisor: Lawrence Werner *Assistant director: John Bloss
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|0055663|Empire}} * {{epguides|Empire_1962|Empire}}
Category:1962 American television series debuts Category:1964 American television series endings Category:NBC Western dramas Category:1960s Western (genre) television series Category:Television shows set in New Mexico Category:Television series by Screen Gems Category:Television series set in the 1960s