Custer TV Series Canceled in 1967 Amid Controversy and Poor Ratings

The 1967 ABC Western series Custer, starring Wayne Maunder as Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, was canceled after 17 episodes due to backlash over its portrayal of the controversial figure and weak Nielsen ratings.

What led to the controversy over the Custer TV series?

The show, which aired from September to December 1967, faced immediate criticism for glorifying George Armstrong Custer. The Tribal Indians Land Rights Association and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) protested the series, with the NCAI comparing the real-life Custer to the “Adolph Eichmann” of the 19th Century, as noted in Vine Deloria Jr.’s Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto.

Producer Frank Glicksman reported receiving “angry calls” and “pamphlets slipped under [his] door” before the show’s debut, as noted in a September 5, 1967, Ogdensburg Journal article. Critics argued the series framed Custer as a “hero with minor blemishes resulting from an excess of zeal,” according to author Brian W. Dippie in Custer’s Last Stand: The Anatomy of an American Myth.

How did the show’s ratings impact its cancellation?

Despite efforts by tribes to secure “equal time” against ABC’s local affiliates, Custer struggled with low viewership. Brian W. Dippie, in Custer’s Last Stand: The Anatomy of an American Myth, noted that ABC’s defense of the show as “a fictionalized series based on a legend” failed to counter its poor Nielsen ratings.

The show’s cancellation came amid broader tensions over the series. Unlike series like Bonanza or Gunsmoke, Custer was criticized for its focus on a highly controversial figure.

What is the legacy of the Custer TV series today?

Though short-lived, Custer is available for free on Tubi.

As Deloria wrote, “The Custer story is not just about a man, but about a nation’s relationship with its past.”