With his all-black ensemble and defiant attitude, Paladin was unlike any other Western man on television during that time. Richard Boone, was a frequent Western actor, though no two roles he played were truly alike. However, for Boone, the series Have Gun – Will Travel defied type – and genre.
According to an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Boone revealed that he didn't actually feel that the term "western" was an apt description for his television series. The actor, who helmed the series for six years, believed that the show's setting couldn't be reduced to a simple genre.
He said, "Have Gun isn't really a western. It's a period piece about a particular guy's relationship to people and their problems that just happens to be set in the old west."
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The actor also believed that his character didn't fit the vibe of a true Western star. Rather, he felt that the importance of Paladin lay in his ability to set himself apart from his fellow man.
He maintained, "Paladin isn't a conventional hero. The main switch, aside from his urbanity, is his sense of humor and his slight touch of cynicism." He added, "Also, there's an aura of mystery about the guy. We've never said where he's from or why he's doing what he's doing. Audiences can use their imagination."
It was a character choice that only seemed to garner audience investment, not only in Paladin but in the series as a whole. This was a level of engagement that Boone himself shared; as immersed as he was in the series, Boone never tired of the vintage ambiance that Have Gun – Will Travel brought. Perhaps Boone considered it a period piece instead of a Western because he held it close to his own heart.
He said, "I was born too late. I would like to have lived in the 1870s, the period of Have Gun, so I could wear my costumes all the time."
