Cowboys are inherently cool, but the archetype of the "cool cowboy" was introduced to television with Hoby Gilman. Robert Culp, just 27 years old when the series premiered in 1957, starred as the lead character on Trackdown. Strong, silent tough guys portrayed by Chuck Connors, Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen soon followed in his boot steps. In fact, McQueen's bounty hunter Josh Randall was introduced on Trackdown.

Despite its cool factor, Trackdown tripped over its own feet right out of the gate. "The Marple Brothers" served as the premiere episode for the Texas-set Western. In this story, James Best (much later Roscoe Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard) plays the no-good outlaw Rand Marple, who has citizens of Stockton held hostage in a church. Please take note of the "P" in "Marple."

Ed Prentiss, the narrator, sets the scene:

"Ranger Hoby Gilman had been trailing the Marble brothers for three weeks. They were wanted for robbery and murder in Tahoka… In a showdown at Sterling City, Ranger Talbot was fatally wounded, and one of the Marble brothers critically hurt. With one of their brothers wounded, it was logical to assume the Marble brothers would head for Stockton…"

Wait, did he say "Marble"? He sure did. Over and over again.

Hoby chats with the local marshal soon afterward and uses the name "Marple." The closing credits list the name as "Marple." But some some reason, Prentiss just had marbles on the mind.