The Highwayman is an American action-adventure-themed television series starring Sam J. Jones, set in "the near future". It was created by Glen A. Larson and Douglas Heyes. The pilot aired in September 1987 and was followed by a series of nine episodes, with significant changes to the cast and format, that ran from March until May 1988.
Opening narration by William Conrad (all episodes after the pilot): <blockquote> There is a world, just beyond now, where reality runs a razor-thin seam between fact and possibility; where the laws of the present collide with the crimes of tomorrow. Patrolling these vast outlands is a new breed of lawman, guarding the fringes of societyâÂÂs frontiers, they are known simply as âÂÂHighwaymenâÂÂ... and this is their story... </blockquote>
The film and subsequent series follow the adventures of "The Highwayman", one of a mysterious group conducting crime-fighting missions and solving bizarre mysteries. Each Highwayman in this group is equipped with a high-tech, multi-function truck.
The pilot movie used a different opening narration voiced by William Conrad:
<blockquote>
Most crimes in our society begin or end on some stretch of road, where laws often terminate at county lines. Combatting these legal blackouts is a new breed of lawman; working the fringes of society's frontiers, and known simply as Highwaymen. This is the storyâÂÂand the legendâÂÂof one such man: The Highwayman. </blockquote>
The 1987 pilot film starred Sam J. Jones. The lead character is more mysterious than any of the other Highwaymen in that his real name is never revealed (he is only known as "The Highwayman" or "Highway"). He drives a large, black, computerized truck with a bullet-shaped cabin, which is the nose of a concealed helicopter (an Aérospatiale Gazelle) that can detach from the rest of the truck. The truck can also operate in "stealth mode" to become invisible. A concealed futuristic sports car (a Lotus Esprit) can emerge from the truck's rear.
Claudia Christian co-starred as the Highwayman's liaison, Dawn, and Stanford Egi as technical wizard Mr. Toto. The pilot was re-titled Terror on the Blacktop when shown as a stand-alone TV film.
After the 1987 pilot film, only Jones returned for the weekly series. The retooling premises eliminated the truck's stealth mode, which was never mentioned again. The Highwayman was joined by a new sidekick, Australian outback survival expert Jetto, played by Mark "Jacko" Jackson; Jane Badler as the Highwayman's boss, Ms. Tania Winthrop; and Tim Russ as D.C. Montana, who was responsible for the maintenance and modifications to the vehicles. The Highwayman was filmed entirely on location in the American Southwest. Unusually, the show even switched production companies (the pilot was the last co-production between Glen Larson Productions and Twentieth Century Fox Television, the series was independently produced by Larson's New West Entertainment).
After Jetto's truck, which was identical to the Highwayman's, was destroyed in the first episode, "Road Ranger", he is given his own, unique truck, the front half of which can separate into a futuristic car. The truck was later used in the first episode of Power Rangers Time Force.
The original Highwayman truck (the one with the Gazelle helicopter cab) was designed and built by Jon Ward. Jetto's truck with the detachable Peterbilt tractor was put for the sale in the 2020s.
Note, one episode was shown out of its intended order. It is listed here in the intended order with explanatory notes.
Production number order, reflecting the order that the episodes began filming, does not match either the actual nor the intended airing order.