He later would reteam with Garner, creating theBret MaverickTV series, reviving Garners card-playing wiseacre.
Dawson wrote all 18 episodes of its lone season in 1981-82 on NBC.
The action series was a slow-builder, missing the year-end primetime Top 30 during its first two seasons.
Gordon Dawson, left, and Bob Dylan in ‘Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,‘1973Everett Collection
But it would finish at No.
18 for its third full season in 1995-96 and made a TV star of martial arts legend Norris.
The series aired nearly 200 episodes during its eight-season run that wrapped in 2001.
The series rebootWalkerstarring Jared Padalecki airs on the CW.
Dawson was nominated for a WGA Award in 2000 for the TNT Western moviePurgatory.
Erik Pedersen contributed to this report.
