WAGON TRAIN - RETURNING TO THE GREAT OLD WESTERN - WAGONS HO!

WAGON TRAIN

~ WAGONS HO ~

Wagon Train aired on September 18, 1957 to begin an eight year run which would eventually place the tv show in the number one spot in the Nielson ratings.

Wagon Train attracted big name guest stars whose stories were told across the panorama of the American Western expansion in the post Civil War period. Each episode was titled around the story of a passenger on the train.

Ward Bond played Wagon Master, Major Seth Adams.  Robert Horton played the Wagon Train Scout, Flint McCullough.

Former stuntmen Terry Wilson, as Bill Hawks and Frank McGrath as Charlie Wooster rounded out the Wagon Train's staff in the early years. Denny Miller joined the train later as Duke Shannon.

Ward Bond died on November 5, 1960. John McIntire assumed the job of Wagonmaster as Christopher Hale.

After five seasons, Robert Horton left the show to pursue a career in the musical theatre. He left the stage briefly in 1965 to be the sole star of tv's A Man Called Shenandoah.

Jess Harper, Robert Fuller took on the job of Scout for the train. Called "Coop", for Cooper Smith.

Barnaby West, played by Michael Burns, joined the cast in late 1963.

In 1963 for one season they tried taking the show to an hour and a half format & filming it in color. This was to compete with the tv show, Virginian. This proved unsuccessful & the following, final year the show returned to the original one hour length. They also returned to shooting in black & white which seemed to drive the viewing audience away.

Wagon Train switched networks in 1962 and although reports of the sums for this vary, ABC paid huge amounts to bring the show under their umbrella.

Main Cast:

Ward Bond
Robert Horton
John McIntire
Robert Fuller
Terry Wilson
Frank McGrath
Denny Miller
Michael Burns

WAGON TRAIN - INTRO

The information on the shows I review are compiled through various tv, cable programming news & related info resources. I have taken an interest in reviewing network shows that not only do I enjoy week to week, but that hold an intent & purpose to help change the world that we live in for the good. It is all about being the change I want to see in the world - today!