Hudson's Bay was a television series produced by Northstar Productions and distributed by United Artists Television Inc. The series lasted for one season, producing 39 episodes; all of which are found in this collection. The series follows the fictional adventures of Johnathan Banner (played by Barry Nelson), the chief trader of the Hudson Bay Fur Company, and his guide Pierre Falcon (played by George Tobias). All of the episodes were filmed in Canada, except the final episode. Canadian directors Sidney J. Furie and Alvin Rakoff produced and directed twenty-nine and eight episodes, respectively.
The show is a balance of outdoor adventure and humor. Banner and Falcon travel the Northern wilderness to conduct trade for the Hudson Bay Fur Company and occasionally manage diplomatic relations between the company and indigenous tribes, trappers, and the British and French militaries. Banner's knowledge and appreciation of Native Americans and Canadians allows him to navigate tense situations with integrity. Though he avoids violent conflicts whenever possible, he often ends up fighting to maintain justice. Pierre Falcon is Banner's right-hand man, often showing up in the nick of time to save Banner's life. He complements Banner's rugged independence and rationality with his constant gaffes, one-liners, and superstitions.
The collection comprises 39 reels of 16 mm film. Each episode runs approximately 30 minutes. The films are in black and white with optical sound. The films are in generally good condition, although a few of the prints are under-exposed, making the picture very bright and difficult to watch.
