# The Outcasts: First Black Co-Star in 1960s Western

> ABC's 1968 Western 'The Outcasts' featured Otis Young as the first Black co-star in a TV Western series, changing the genre despite short run.
- Title: The Outcasts: First Black Co-Star in 1960s Western · SlashFilm
- Summary: ABC's 1968 Western 'The Outcasts' featured Otis Young as the first Black co-star in a TV Western series, changing the genre despite short run. ABC's 1968…
- Keywords: the outcasts, otis young, don murray, abc, 1968, western television, black co-star, clint eastwood, rawhide, entertainment, culture, Outcasts
- Source: SlashFilm — https://slashfilm.com/2286360/the-outcasts-short-lived-60s-western-show-changed-genre
- Author: Joe Roberts
- Published: 2026-10-20T11:45:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: the outcasts, otis young, don murray, abc, 1968, western television, black co-star, clint eastwood, rawhide, entertainment, culture
## The Outcasts Debuts
ABC launched 'The Outcasts' in September 1968 as a Western series starring Don Murray and Otis Young.
## First Black Co-Star
Otis Young became the first Black actor to co-star in a television Western series, appearing alongside Don Murray.
## The Show's Story
The Outcasts followed two former Civil War figures as bounty hunters, foiling scams and being framed for murder.
## Short Run
The series lasted only one season despite its groundbreaking casting, with no clear reason for cancellation.
## Kerner Commission Impact
The Outcasts emerged after the Kerner Commission report in February 1968 urged networks to hire more Black actors.
## Critical Reception
Critics called 'The Outcasts' a 'routine oatburner' but praised Otis Young for his 'strength and humor' as a bounty hunter.
## Key takeaway

ABC's 1968 Western 'The Outcasts' made Otis Young the first Black co-star in a TV Western series, influencing the genre's evolution.