Colt.45 was an ABC network western series based on the 1950 film of the same name that was created by Thomas W. Blackburn.
The show first aired on October 18, 1957 and the cast consisted of Wayde Preston, Donald May and Kenneth MacDonald.
In 1958, Wayde Preston left the show because he claimed he was made to do stunts that required a stunt man. He was also reportedly unhappy with the show's low budget which caused other problems.
Because of Preston's departure, the producers were forced to air repeats of the series along with a few new episodes to complete the 1958-1959 season.
In 1959, Donald May assumed the lead role as Sam Colt, Jr., the cousin of Christopher Colt.
After leaving the series, Warner Bros. prevented Wayde Preston from getting other acting jobs. Eventually, he returned briefly to the series, but he was demoted to a co-starring role with Donald May.
On September 27, 1960, "Colt.45" ended after 3 seasons and 67 episodes.