Robert Redford's On-Screen Acting Debut Was On A Unique Western Series

Although never solely defined by the genre, Robert Redford was renowned for his work in Westerns. And, long before his career took off, he got his start on a classic television Western with a small part that ultimately went a long way. 

Most people associate the ABC show "Maverick" with James Garner, who played the initial lead role Bret Maverick, but it became a rotating series during the first season. Garner alternated as headliner with Jack Kelly, who played Bret's like-minded brother, Bart. Eventually, Bart Maverick ended up taking over the show, with Kelly eventually appearing in more episodes than Garner, who had left "Maverick" after three seasons. It was in one of Kelly's adventures that Redford made his on-screen debut.

Redford played the bright-eyed Jimmy Coleman in the Season 3 episode "Iron Hand." This hour-long adventure follows Bart after he is cleaned out during a poker game, ultimately leading him to Jimmy and his sister, Connie (Susan Morrow). Bart convinces the Colemans to pay him protection for their cattle drive to Abilene, only to find himself at odds with their foreman, Joe Vermillion (Anthony Caruso), the man with the titular iron hand.

"Iron Hand" was the only episode of "Maverick" that Redford ever appeared in, and though he played a relatively small part, he did share a few scenes with Jack Kelly. The credit gave the budding actor his first big break, ultimately leading to other guest spots on popular shows such as the original "Perry Mason" and a must-watch episode of "The Twilight Zone." Unsurprisingly, he ended up back in the world of the Western as well, guesting on programs like "Tate," "The Deputy," and "The Virginian."

"I always felt that I was an actor, and that's how I started," Redford said about this time in a 2013 "Fresh Air" interview with Terry Gross. "I wanted to be good at my craft, and, therefore, I would be an actor that would play many different kinds of roles, which I did." Redford's early years on the small screen led to so much more, of course, and he eventually broke out of television in favor of the movies.

Yet Redford, who once told NPR he'd been something of a "maverick" himself as a kid, still had a soft spot for both TV and the Western. As an executive producer on AMC's neo-Western mystery "Dark Winds," Redford, in some respects, ended up returning to his roots. In fact, his final onscreen role before his death in 2025 was a "Dark Winds" cameo alongside fellow executive producer George R.R. Martin. Poetically, it was also the third season of a Western television program.