Marshall Jack Ragan (Larry Ward). Deputy J.D. Smith (Jack Elam). Deputy Del Stark (Chad Everett). Deputy Vance Porter (Mike Greene). The Lawman. The Gunslinger. The Killer's Son. The Gentle Giant. Unlikely companions on the trail of justice, but thanks to a shared injustice, the four come together as an unstoppable, unwavering quartet of crimefighters out to ensure that evil never again be allowed to flourish in the badlands of the Dakota territory. The Dakotas quickly established itself as a breed apart from William T. Orr's other classic Warner Bros. TV Westerns. Its heroes were a bit darker, its tales a bit more daring, its corner of the West a bit more grim and gritty. Future TV superstars having a sojourn in this stark series include Russell Johnson (Gilligan's Island), Richard Jaeckel (Spenser: For Hire), Werner Klemperer (Hogan's Heroes), Telly Savalas (Kojak) and DeForest Kelly (Star Trek).