Western Hero Is a Cool Cat in ‘Nine Lives of Elfego Baca’

A heightened sense of justice is a must for a TV western hero. A fast draw doesn’t hurt, either. And if bullets seem to bounce off you, plus your story is based in fact, well, it doesn’t get much better than that.

So, it’s astonishing that Disney’s version of Elfego Baca--a gunman-turned- sheriff-turned-lawyer in the New Mexico Territory--isn’t remembered by children of the ‘50s the way its other heroes are.

Baca isn’t as popular as Davy Crockett or Texas John Slaughter, yet even the introduction of “The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca” is a grabber.

In the first of 10 installments on “Walt Disney Presents” (Friday at 11 p.m. on the Disney Channel) Walt dumps out a bucket of 4,000 bullets and tells us that’s how many rounds were fired at Baca for a day and a half by a lynch mob that surrounded him in a hut.

Baca, Walt adds, emerged without a scratch.

It’s an exciting and inspiring episode in which Baca (Robert Loggia) spends as much time seeking social justice as wielding a gun. Such sequences are brief but to the point:

When he finds out his wealthy cousin is overcharging miners at his store, Baca makes sure the customers get something out of it; his cousin lets him take over the business for a day, and Baca hands out free goods.

He decides to study law so he can help Spanish-speakers unfamiliar with U.S. legal issues.

As sheriff, he frees shepherds jailed because they’ve incurred debts. (“That’s a very bad law; it’s not even constitutional,” he tells a representative from the governor’s office. “When you see the governor, speak to him about having that law repealed, will you?”)

Loggia, who makes an appealing Baca--nicknamed El Gato--later played another Cat: in the 1966-67 series “T.H.E. Cat,” about an ex-cat burglar and aerialist turned bodyguard.

In the ‘80s he did “Emerald Point N.A.S.” and later appeared as the title character in “Mancuso, FBI,” for which he earned an Emmy nomination. He also starred in the short-lived “Sunday Dinner.”

Movie-wise Loggia’s no slouch either. He was nominated for an Oscar for “Jagged Edge” (1985) and is still going strong; his latest films: “Shakespeare’s Sister” and “Live Virgin.”

Even more reasons to watch “Walt Disney Presents”:

* A yellow dog named Spike is among the honorees in “Disney’s Greatest Dog Stars” (Tuesday at 11 p.m.). He was discovered in a Van Nuys animal shelter and would later co-star in “Old Yeller” (1957). Others in the tribute, hosted by Dean Jones, are Rolph von Wolfgang, a German wire-haired pointer who starred in “The Biscuit Eater”; Pluto; and the star of “The Shaggy Dog.”

* Rae Dawn Chong’s professional acting debut was not “Choose Me” (1984), “Quest for Fire” (‘81) or even “Stony Island” (‘78). It was the two-part “The Whiz Kid and the Mystery at Riverton” (Wednesday at 11:05 p.m. Part 2 airs Aug. 20 at 11 p.m.). That was 1974--she was 12.

DETAILS, DETAILS: In Robert Loggia’s series “T.H.E. Cat,” what did the T.H.E. stand for? Answer next week. Answer to last week’s quiz (Who beat out Nick Nolte for an Emmy for lead actor in a limited series for the 1975-76 season?): Hal Holbrook, for “Sandburg’s Lincoln.”

Set Your VCR

“Bonanza” is gone from KDOC Channel 56 and will leave the Family Channel soon. But don’t panic; you can watch it starting Aug. 31 on KPXN Channel 30, weekends at 3 p.m.

The Family Channel also has stopped showing “Diagnosis Murder” and “The Big Valley,” but you’ll be able to see those on KPXN as well. “Diagnosis Murder” will air weekdays at 10 p.m.; “The Big Valley” airs weekends at 4 p.m.