In 1995 there was a short lived series on TV called, “Legend.” It has been said, if “The Wild, Wild West” and “Maverick” had a child, it would have been “Legend.” The science fiction western, set in 1876, was based on Ernest Pratt and his adventures as “Legend.”
The car and the stars
This smart, funny, and exciting show only lasted for 11 episodes but there are legions of fans who still love the show, discuss it on social media, watch it on DVD, and wish it would come back.
The DVD
Richard Dean Anderson stars as Ernest Pratt, a gambling, hard-drinking writer who has created a dashing literary hero, Nicodemus Legend. Legend is the main character in a wild series of dime novels set in the dangerous untamed West. Pratt has created Legend in his own image, and all the novels are written in the first person. Because of this, many of his 1870s readers believe that Ernest Pratt is indeed Nicodemus Legend. The irony is that while Pratt himself is something of a lost soul, he has created in Legend a romantic hero who embodies all the optimism and creative spirit of America in the 1870s.
Legend’s vehicle in the Midtown Mall
Legend’s sidekick, Bartok, creates steampunk-like inventions that spring from his visionary mind. All of these inventions are fascinating and many are well ahead of their time. Legend’s audience was treated to such creations as the first All-Terrain Vehicle, which Bartok has named the “Bartok Steam-Powered Town and Country Quadrovelocipede.”
You can’t get more steampunk than this!
… And guess what? That vehicle, the exact one used in the series is right here in the Midtown Mall! And it’s for sale for only $11,000. How exciting to be able to see, and have the chance to buy, this beloved piece of television history! It’s made to look like a steam powered vehicle but it’s actually built on a Volkswagen engine. It has an automatic transmission and power brakes. The wooden wheels were made by the Amish in Pennsylvania. And, guess what else? The series was filmed right here in Tucson.
Amish-made wheels
So come on in and check out this great one-of-a-kind automobile. We’ll see you in the mall! 4443 E. Speedway, Tucson, AZ
Carol Fenn 6-2017
Midtown Mercantile Merc 