Seen it?
Custer
Not streaming in your region — see every region's options
Custer, also known as The Legend of Custer, is a 17-episode military-western television series which ran on ABC from September 6 to December 27, 1967, with Wayne Maunder in the starring role of then Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. During the American Civil War, Custer had risen to the rank of major general, the youngest in the Union Army. He was demoted after the war during force reductions to the rank of Captain, but was reinstated in 1866 as a Lieutenant Colonel in command of the Seventh Cavalry, stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. Many of the soldiers in the regiment were derelicts, former Confederates, or even criminals. The series was cancelled before the script timeline would have reached the Little Big Horn River of southeastern Montana, where all perished on June 25, 1876, in a Sioux Indian ambush,
Robert F. Simon played Custer's commanding officer, U.S. General Alfred H. Terry, who disapproved of Custer's long hair and much of his methodology of fighting Indians. Slim Pickens starred as a scout named California Joe Milner. Michael Dante appeared as Sioux Chief Crazy Horse. Peter Palmer played Sergeant James Bustard, a former Confederate soldier. Grant Woods appeared as Captain Myles Keogh. Read Morgan, formerly a cavalry officer on NBC's The Deputy, appeared in the episode "Spirit Woman" in the role of a medicine man.
Cast
Episodes by season
Season01
- S01E01Sabers in the SunSeptember 6, 1967—An expedition into the Black Hills becomes deadly when a lieutenant who hates Colonel Custer disobeys orders, forcing the 7th to return to
- S01E02Episode 2October 6, 1967—
- S01E03AccusedSeptember 13, 1967—Custer and the 7th must help delivery cattle with a man that hold all cavalrymen in comtempt.
- S01E04Glory RiderSeptember 20, 1967—Custer is assigned to track down a Native American prisoner who escaped from Army custody.
- S01E05To the DeathSeptember 27, 1967—Custer and his troops are assigned to take a secret shipment through hostile Native American territory.
- S01E06MassacreOctober 4, 1967—When Custer and Crazy Horse are both captured by Blackfeet who are hostile to both whites and the Sioux, the two enemies must work together
- S01E07War Lance and SaberOctober 11, 1967—Lt. Moreno is a Kiowa in the cavalry who his men suspect him of being a spy. The men of command presume that Moreno is trying to thwart the
- S01E08SuspicionOctober 18, 1967—After a period of leave, Custer takes a stagecoach back to Fort Hays that is menaced by both outlaws and hostile Native Americans.
- S01E09BreakoutNovember 1, 1967—Custer tries to halt the spread of smallpox amongst the Pawnee tribe.
- S01E10
Desperate MissionNovember 8, 1967—A renegade scout who hates Custer cuts a deal with Sioux chief Crazy Horse. In return for gold, he'll lead Custer into an ambush. - S01E11Under FireNovember 15, 1967—A detachment of the 7th Cavalry ends up killing a peaceful Cheyenne hunting party. This event puts a Cheyenne chief and a female reporter af
- S01E12Death HuntNovember 22, 1967—Custer escorts a survey party through a settlement of former Confederates who aren't very happy to see a former Union foe in their midst.
- S01E13Blazing ArrowsNovember 29, 1967—Custer and two other officers match wits with a dangerous Native American warrior at a remote relay station.
- S01E14Dangerous PreyDecember 6, 1967—Custer tries to protect a Sioux mystic woman from both white and Native American enemies.
- S01E15Spirit WomanDecember 13, 1967—Custer is given the task of stopping a band of Irish fanatics who are plotting to invade Canada.
- S01E16The GauntletDecember 20, 1967—Custer enlists the aid of some Kiowas to help him discover the parties responsible for a series of wagon train raids.
- S01E17PursuedDecember 28, 1967—Custer goes in pursuit of a scout who escaped from Army custody after being convicted of theft and killed a trooper while making his bid for
Shows like Custer all similar shows
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
- 01Drama·Western·CrimeMarshals2026–present·CBS
Marshals stars Luke Grimes reprising his role as Kayce Dutton.Compare - 02Drama·WesternDutton Ranch2026–present·Paramount+The Dutton Ranch, home to Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, is a testament to the peace they sought, fought for, and nearly died for, as they've come to cherish their 7,000-acre land.Compare
- 03Drama·Western·CrimeJustified2010–2015·FX
Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens is something of a 19th century-style officer in modern times, whose unconventional enforcement of justice makes him a target with criminals and a problem for his superiors in the U.S.Compare - 04Drama·Western·ThrillerLongmire2012–2017·Netflix
Longmire, a contemporary crime thriller set in Big Sky country, is based on the Walt Longmire Mystery novels by best-selling author Craig Johnson.Compare - 05Drama·Western·Science-FictionWestworld2016–2022·HBOWestworld is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin.Compare
- 06Drama·Western·SupernaturalWynonna Earp2016–2024·Syfy
Based on the IDW Comic, Wynonna Earp follows Wyatt Earp's great granddaughter as she battles demons and other creatures.Compare
Head-to-head pick any opponent
Stack Custer's full episode-rating history against a rival, on one chart.
Keep exploring top shows
ShortcutThe essential episodes
Short on time? The pilot-to-finale shortcut, only the episodes that matter.
MatchupCompare with another showTwo shows' episode ratings on one chart — settle it.
NetworkBest ABC showsMore from the same network, ranked by rating.
GenreBest western shows & filmsThe top of the western pile, across both mediums.
GenreBest drama shows & filmsThe top of the drama pile, across both mediums.