Wagon Train (1957–1965) User Reviews (23)

Crossing the Plains

[bkoganbing · 9/10 · 26 August 2006]

As a lad way back in the day I was one big fan of this TV series. Even at that age I appreciated all the famous guest stars this series seemed to attract.

Take a look at the film credits of Ward Bond. You can hardly find a player, male or female, who at one point did not work with Ward Bond. All the more remarkable when you consider his rightwing politics and championing of the blacklist. The man was hated in some circles, but apparently no one denied his talent.

It was a simple concept, Ward Bond as Major Seth Adams and his team led a group of hardy pioneers across the plains and mountains to California post Civil War. EAch episode focused on those traveling in a particular wagon or someone they met on the way who was usually a name guest star.

Wagon Train was enormously popular. When Ward Bond died in November of 1960 it was national news. It was quite a month, his death and that of Clark Gable almost put the election of a new president named Kennedy out of the headlines.

Bond's death also allowed Wagon Train to pioneer what Law and Order later perfected, the revolving change of regulars. Only Frank McGrath and Terry Wilson stayed with the show for the entire run.

Frank McGrath and Terry Wilson were a pair of stunt men who worked a whole lot for John Ford and though they had done some roles with dialog in front of the camera, Wagon Train made their faces familiar to the public. McGrath was funny little guy as cook Charlie Wooster who must have kept them all amused because the regulars were forever complaining about his lousy cooking.

Wilson played Bill Hawks and comments have been made about the horrible continuity Wagon Train had. It sure did and the most glaring example was that when the show first started, Hawks had a wife named Emily in that first season. She was not only dropped. but later on Hawks referred to himself as a bachelor. Couldn't do that today.

John McIntire replaced Bond and was more than adequate as the father figure wagonmaster. There was a good episode that introduced McIntire as a temporary and sadistic wagonmaster played by Lee Marvin takes over and at the same time, the train picks up McIntire who's just seen his family massacred by Indians. McIntire is a former wagonmaster and he and Marvin have a confrontation.

Robert Horton was scout Flint McCullough and several episodes featured him in the lead and they took him to the places he was scouting with guest stars there for him to interact with. Supposedly political differences were pretty rife between him and Bond. He quit as he was planning to do anyway as I remember even after Bond died. Bad career move though, he never got anything as good as Flint McCullough again.

After that a host of new regulars came on the show, Robert Fuller, Denny Miller, and Michael Burns. The train came to an end in 1965. I was sorry to see it end.

Hallmark channel runs Wagon Train sometimes, here's hoping they start them again.

Ever wished for a western movie running for a day, here it is..

[v-k-subramani · 8/10 · 19 December 2012]

Whenever i watch any western movie, i wish for long running time even thought it is only a wagon running or horse riding or coach journey. and i like the old days Western movie production, new one are not up to the mark. I didn't know about Wagon Train TV serial before, i accidentally watched Wagon Master, i impressed with the story and wagon master characters, so started searching something related, guess what i got "Wagon Train", i am watching it like a treasure map.

Each episode is beauty, as of now i am in season 1 episode 7. Brilliant. I can say this is one of the best TV serials i watched so far.

And also surprisingly in parallel i am also watching, Andromeda, Game of Thrones and Rome all are related to different periods.. cool.. i love this life. :) Thanks Youtube for Wagon Train complete episodes.

Flint, Charlie and the Major

[bugsmoran29 · 8/10 · 19 September 2016]

I remember watching "Wagon Train" when I was a child. It ranked up there with such western classics as "Gunsmoke," "Bonanza," "Have Gun Will Travel," and "Laramie." I think the earlier episodes that featured Ward Bond as the Major and Robert Horton as Flint were somewhat better than the last few years the show was on. Of course, Charlie the cook was everyone's favorite character. It was interesting to see what obstacle the wagon master had to overcome on a weekly basis: blizzards, floods, Indians, outlaws, religious fanatics, small pox, snakes, droughts and so on. There's an episode featuring the great Charles Laugthon as a pompous Englishman that is my favorite. This television program is the epitome of true grit on the lonely frontier.

Tall in the saddle,Robert Horton

[raysond · 5 May 2002]

When it came to the contestants on Survivor,they wouldn't have a fighting chance of the western frontier with actor Robert Horton. As frontier scout Flint McCullough on Wagon Train(which was on two networks,the first was on NBC-TV from 1957-1962 for the black and white episodes,then it went to ABC-TV from 1962-1965 for the color episodes and was the only show on ABC that was in color and also was expanded to a 90 minute format),he was always pushed to his physical limits. While reconoitering the Conestogas' westward trail,Flint would get waylaid by a windstorm,blizzard or raging river,rattlesnake bites,savage Indians, Mexican bandits,outlaws,and cattle rushers-he took it all in stride. Each week,he'd pick himself up and return to the caravan to report, "Trouble ahead,Major". The wagon master,Major Seth Adams(played by film star Ward Bond),was the big wheel when it debut in 1957 on NBC-TV. Horton's rugged good looks gave the show some necessary sex appeal as those sturdy Conestogas trekked from St. Joesph's Missouri to California,stopping along the way for guest stars like Ronald Reagan,Bette Davis,Barbara Stanwyck,Lee Marvin,Charles Bronson and even a special appearance by John Wayne. However,Horton left the show in 1962 when it moved to ABC. Horton was replaced by actor Robert Fuller(who was a regular on another western series called "Laramie",and also went on to play Dr. Kelly Brackett on the "Emergency" TV series during the 1970's) who took over the reigns of the show until its cancellation in 1965. Wagon Train was not your ordinary western by any means,but its was a history lesson that took you to a time when all you have are your wits to stay alive in the vast frontier of the United States during the 1800's. Catch the episodes on the Family Channel or on the Encore Western Network.

Best Way To See Episodes Of Wagon Train

[riesen2b · 10/10 · 29 June 2009]

I had never watched WAGON TRAIN when I was growing up as at that time I wasn't particularly fond of westerns. The only one I remembered enjoying was Death Valley Days. So it was with some amusement that when I ordered Wagon Train: The Complete Color Season at Amazon.Com, I was thinking at the time I was ordering the other shows. At 50, my mind was already slipping. When it came, I decided to give it a try. The DVD set includes all 32 episodes of Wagon Trains only color season, plus 16 episodes of the best of the black and white seasons. It turned out to be one of the best television series I have ever bought. What made the color season unique was that the shows were ninety minutes long, each story practically a movie unto themselves. The colors on the transfers were still vivid and the black and white episodes were crisp and clear. Unlike other comments, I really enjoyed John McIntyre in the role of Chris Hale as Wagonmaster. He reminded me almost of John Wayne in his later years, in movies such as True Grit and The Sons Of Katie Elder. The ensemble cast on this show was excellent as well as the endless parade of guest stars, most notably in the color season with Barbara Stanwyck, appearing in two episodes, Suzanne Pleshette, playing a very unsympathetic bad girl role, and Burgess Meredith in a touching, sentimental role that will leave tears in your eyes. Wagon Train was truly one of the great westerns. If you can't find it on TV, I suggest you get it on DVD in whatever form you can find.

Wagon Train.....The Best Television show, ever!!!!

[michaelt-41415 · 10/10 · 19 July 2020]

I can't fault this show. It's excellent. I can only give 10 stars, but if it were possible i'd give it a million....

The Golden Standard from the Golden Age...Remembering Wagon Train on its 60th anniversary

[rcj5365 · 10/10 · 8 March 2018]

This was the quintessential Western from the golden age of television and even 60 years later it still holds the title. The series was a runaway hit lasting an astounding eight seasons on the air producing 284 episodes airing on two major television networks throughout it's run. First it ran for five seasons on NBC premiering on September 18, 1957 until June 13, 1962 airing on Wednesday nights in prime time producing 226 episodes all in black and white(with the exception of five episodes that aired in color during the fifth season). After NBC canceled the series in the summer of 1962, ABC picked up the series for it's last three seasons airing from September 19, 1962 until May 2, 1965 where a total of 95 episodes were produced with Season 6 producing 37 episodes in black and white and Season 8 producing 26 episodes. Then on September 16, 1963 the series moved from Wednesday nights to Monday nights for it's seventh season where the show expanded to 90 minutes in color where 32 episodes were produced. The series was produced by Revue Studios from 1957 until 1963. From 1963 to 1965 the series was produced by Universal Television.

The series debuted in the fall of 1957 at number 15 in the Nielsen ratings, rose to number two in the next three seasons,and peaked at number one in the 1961-1962 season. When it moved to ABC in the fall of 1962 the ratings began to decline and "Wagon Train" never again make the top 20 listings. The series starred Ward Bond as Major Seth Adams(Seasons 1-4) and was replaced upon his death by John McIntire as Christopher Hale(Seasons 4-8),and Robert Horton as Scout Flint McCullough(Seasons 1-5),and was replaced by Scott Miller(Seasons 6-8),and Robert Fuller(Seasons 7-8) along with Michael Burns(Seasons 5-8). Actors Frank McGrath and Terry Wilson were the only cast members that were with the series throughout it's entire run.

An array of directors included Virgil W. Vogel (who directed over 80 episodes of the series), along with Joseph Pevney, Jerry Hopper, Allen H. Miner, Earl Bellamy, Herschel Daugherty, David Butler, Christian Nyby, Sutton Roley, Sidney Lanfield, Andrew V. McLaglen, Mark Stevens, and William Witney. Fantastic writers included Norman Jolley, Jean Holloway, Aaron Spelling, Thomas Thompson, Calvin Clements, Gene L. Coon, David Swift along with Harold Swanton and John McGreevey contributed to some of the stories. "Wagon Train" was so popular it became the attraction for an impressive array of guest stars ranging from Bette Davis, Rhonda Fleming, Barbara Stanwyck, Lee Marvin, Ronald Reagan, Leslie Nielsen, Joan Crawford, Ernest Borgnine, Carolyn Jones, Robert Culp, Agnes Moorehead, Glibert Roland, Charles Bronson, James Caan, Burgess Meredith just to name a few. And lists goes on and on...."Wagon Train" kept on rolling in as the new regulars were added to the episodes until the train came to an end in the Spring of 1965.

Wagon Train is much more than a Television series. It is an education to how we should all behave today.

[michaelt-41415 · 10/10 · 24 November 2020]

Hi to those people reading my review, please continue reading.

Wagon Train is much more than a television series..

Wagon Train is a Bible, an Education about how we should all live today in the year 2020. Manners, courtesy, politeness, morality, and moral standards.

Wagon Train portrays real men and real woman.. Men with moral standards and real woman that look after the home and their children.

Early Stars in the series like Ward Bond, Frank McGrath, Terry Wilson, and Robert Horton portray the ultimate gentlemen, tough, reliable, and trust worthy.

Ward Bond plays the ultimate father figure, everybody looks to him.

I could say much more, but my point is made.

By the way im not religious. I just know right from wrong. And Wagon Train leaves me in tears sometimes due to profound story lines that grip my heart and soul, because I know that Western society today is morally corrupt, from the politicians down to the man and woman on the street....

"Wagons, Ho!"

[strong-122-478885 · 6/10 · 12 March 2018]

On the strength of this vintage TV' show's 1st season (where I watched all of its 39 episodes) - I enthusiastically give Wagon Train my personal recommendation.

Even though (at a 50-minute running time) a number of the episodes did tend to wear a little thin at times - (For the most part) - The overall majority of these 39 episodes were quite tightly scripted and believable.

I also found the "Old West" settings seemed authentic and the actors could usually be counted on to give convincing performances.

All-in-all - For anyone who enjoys watching top-notch TV Westerns from the 1950s - Wagon Train (filmed in b&w) was right on the mark. I especially liked actors Robert Horton and Terry Wilson.

A series of adventure and human hearts

[michelleishappy · 8/10 · 22 March 2022]

Even though this series aired before I was born, it's been a joy to discover. I wish they'd have kept and credited the awesome vocals of the theme song throughout the series. Popular voiceover artist and singer Thurl Ravenscroft (of Tony the Tiger fame) was a part of the vocal ensemble behind the theme song. My Mother loves the character drawings in the opening and closing scenes. So much behind-the-scenes talent help make this series a true western gem.

Too many seasons, should have quit after Season 6.

[mts43 · 6/10 · 7 July 2020]

The cast member who left and was most missed was Robert Horton. I didn't miss Ward Bond, who was never leading man caliber and already burned out by the time he began this series. But it was increasingly poor writing that eventually doomed the series. Season 8 was especially bad (except for the memorable "Herman" episode), and the series mercifully ended after just 26 episodes. It seems like John McIntire decided to exit earlier than that, as he wasn't even featured in several of the last episodes. Instead, Frank McGrath, who had spent his career as a Stunt Man before this series, seemed to have more screen time than anyone else. The writing became so uninspired that they resorted to "flashback" plots, the supernatural (2 episodes), and one that included the Earps. McGrath was the only series "Regular" in the final episode, and then only as a supporting character.

Conejo Valley

[daviddaveinternational · 10/10 · 19 January 2018]

I'm from Thousand Oaks and like watching this old show just to say: "Look! George and I used to ride bicycles there!" and later: "Look! I used to ride my dirt bike there!" Conejo Flats is in a lot of scenes and I've heard they have yet to build houses there. Let's hope that's true. One of the kids in "Stand By Me" once said that the "Wagon Train" never seems to get anywhere. Now, when I watch it, I tell my wife: "They never seem to leave the Conejo Valley." Easy,

David Fruhling, TOHS Class of 1973

The later the better

[drystyx · 6/10 · 29 January 2014]

One would think that the episodes of this Western that featured super star Ward Bond would have been much better, but the opposite was true.

The wagon train that should have had great stories foundered with the most predictable clichés during the run in which Ward Bond and Robert Horton were the mainstays. The writing was simply a rehash of every Hollywood formula ever. It looked to be written for women instead of men, as any gorgeous babe was killed off during this spree. One got the idea that the directors and writers were being jilted by (or for) such women.

The writing got much better for the later wagon master, and the later romantic muscle man, Duke. The stories became much more unpredictable, and had a taste of true theatrics to them.

The series had some action, but most was implied, and the "stage presentation" was of the utmost importance. That's why the writing was so important. It isn't because of the actors, who all did their jobs well. It was the direction and writing that plagued this series for too long. The subject matter was such that this should have been much better. This turned out to be one of the biggest disappointments in TV series history.

Way too long of a trip...

[dmsesquire · 2/10 · 27 August 2022]

The reason they never made it to Oregon was because they were constantly parked! And those sets were like black and white Hee-Haws. The acting is awful, and they constantly have a guest "star" (so you never really get to know the "main" characters), and they seem to stop every five miles. The episodes are also way too long: sixty-ninety minutes for a story that could have been told in thirty. Give me GUNSMOKE. I feel like I'm writing a high-school essay, because it has to be six-hundred characters long. And they don't tell you how many characters you have written. And I dislike this show very much.

Wagon Train - Robert Horton

[donahue-1 · 27 April 2005]

I'm not quite sure how your website allows for the addition of biographical information - so I'm entering this comment in this forum in the hope that you might be able to add this to Mr. Horton's biographical sketch. I thought that your readers would find it interesting - as I did - that Mr. Horton wrote the biography for his character Flint McCullough in Wagon Train.

At the Western Film Festival in Tombstone Arizona (2004) - Mr. Horton stated that since the writers often changed from episode to episode - he wrote the biography for Flint McCullough - to ensure consistency for his character across all episodes. For example - one writer would write his character as an expert horseman - and the next would write his character as being less than expert with horses.

One of the Best Guest Casts Ever

[bertha6621 · 9/10 · 25 March 2014]

When I think of Wagon Train, I think of the great guest stars that populated every show. There were dozens of "A" listers (Bette Davis, Rhonda Flemming, Ernest Borgnine, Edward G Robinson, Katherine Ross, Ronald Reagan, Joan Fontaine, Claude Rains, Peter Falk, Franchot Tone, Ellen Burstyn, Dennis Hopper, Charles Laughton, Gloria DeHaven, Joan Blondell, Peter Lorre, John Wayne, James Caan, James Coburn, Lou Costello, Cliff Robertson, William Bendix, Shelly Winters, Rod Steiger, Dean Stockwell, Jane Wyman, Barbara Stanwyck, Carolyn Jones, Leslie Nielsen, Lee Marvin, Trevor Claire and Ricardo Montalban to name a few). Bette Davis and Rhonda Flemming each appeared three times in a variety of roles.

There were great "B" listers and superb character actors (Agnes Moorehead (Endora), Cesar Romero (the Joker), Elizabeth Montgomery (Samantha), Chuck Connors (Rifleman), Ryan O'Neil (Love Story), Robert Loggia (the Soprano's), Andy Devine (Twilight Zone), Angie Dickenson (Police Woman), Wally Cox (Underdog), Richard Deacon (Dick van Dyke), Dawn Wells (Gilligan), Russell Johnson (Gilligan), Hal Smith (Andy Griffith), Francis Bavier (Andy Griffith), Betty Lynn (Andy Grifith), Jack Cassidy (He and She), Ed Begley (12 Angry Men), James Gregory (Barney Miller), Robert Culp (I Spy), Don Grady (My Three Sons), Jay Silverheels (Tonto), James Whitmore (Twilight Zone), Archie Moore (Boxing Champ), Glenn Yarbrough (Singer), Yvonne Craig (Batgirl), Allen Hale Jr. (the Skipper), Fabian (Singer), Linda Evans (Dallas), Jay North (Dennis), Kim Darby (True Grit), Barbara Bain (Mission Impossible), Martin Landau (Mission Impossible), Ann B Davis (Brady Bunch), Annette Funicello (Singer), Warren Oates (Gunsmoke), Jack Albertson (Chico and the Man), Burgess Meredith (the Penguin), Nancy Reagan (First Lady), Joe Flynn (McHale's Navy), Dan Blocker (Bonanza), Bobby Darin (Singer), Cloris Leachman (Frau Blucher) Johnny Cash (Singer) and Leonard Nimoy (Spock) to name some of the hundred great "B" list stars).

This is not to minimize the contributions of Ward Bond, Robert Horton, John McIntire, Terry Wilson, Frank McGrath, Denny Miller, Robert Fuller and Michael Burns. Most were great actors/character actors in their own right, and deserve great credit for being able to work with the wide variety of guest stars that appeared each week.

Great casts and writing make for great shows, and this was a great cast (adequate to good writing). Only very rarely did a guest star fit poorly into the storyline, and the producers and directors integrated the guest stars into the show seamlessly. For someone who prefers science fiction and suspense to westerns, this is still one of my all-time favorite shows. Wagon Train can now be seen Tuesday through Saturday on MeTV. MeTV plays two episodes on Saturday; a 1 hour b/w show early in the morning, and a 1 1/2 hour color episode later in the day.

Missing information

[rosevhouser49 · 10/10 · 19 December 2017]

A few years ago IMDb had more trivia and comments on this show. One of the things I remember is that when Bill Hawks joined the show he was traveling with his family. In later shows family is gone and claims he was never married. When did you change your format to exclude such valuable trivia?

A tribute to Charlie Wooster

[actionsub · 10/10 · 7 August 2022]

I never cared much for "Wagon Train" when I was younger, because the only ones that were shown were from the 90-minute season. (A 90 minute episode does not sit well with a boy with a short attention span...) There was a show on called "Trailmaster" that I never bothered watching because it usually conflicted with something else I wanted to see.

As an adult, though, reruns of the hour-long episodes on RTN and Encore Westerns grew on me fast. So imagine my surprise in adulthood to discover that "Trailmaster" WAS the original "Wagon Train" shows in rerun!

That said, I enjoyed all the hour-long shows no matter who was in them because of one constant. Watching one today, it grew on me just how important Frank McGrath's portrayal of beleaguered cook Charlie Wooster was to the overall chemistry. Seth Adams could be replaced by Chris Hale as the brains, Robert Horton could (sort of) be replaced by Robert Fuller as the brawn...but Charlie Wooster was the heart of the train! As Charlie Wooster, McGrath brought a warmth to the show in his acceptance of almost everyone as well as his habit of championing people who had been wronged. (Not to mention Wooster wasn't a bad guy to have on your side if things got physical; he could brawl with the best of them!)

"WAGONS HO-OH!" And Again and Again and Again........._

[redryan64 · 8/10 · 13 March 2008]

The idea of a story featuring 8, 10 or a Baker's Dozen of characters, all caught up in several different stories of their own; has long been a favourite in Hollywood; for making that "Big" movie. You know that one that the Studio Moguls all fancied to be their shortcut to "Best Picture Oscar."

The Genre's greatest exponent and possibly the earliest example lies in GRAND HOTEL (MGM, 1932) with Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Wallace Berry, Lionel Barrymore, et al. It's cousin or sort of Wartime example of the type (sharing Playwright Vicki Baum); is HOTEL BERLIN (Warner Brothers, 1945) with Faye Emerson, Helmut Dantine, Raymond Massey, Andrea King, Peter Lorre, Alan Hale, Kurt Krueger, George Coulouris, Peter Whitney, Steven Geray, Hank Daniell* and a whole lot of other regular Warners Players.

Dangerous passage on Commercial Airliners was a popular variation on the "Troubled Microcosm" type story and THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY (Wayne-Fellows/Warner Brothers, 1954) with "the Duke" and a huge supporting cast headed up this parade of Winged Tragedy. The Troubled Skies would soon grow crowded. Read on.

Arthur Hailey's novels provided fodder for adaptation; leading off with HOTEL (Warner Brothers, 1967). Following it by three years, we saw AIRPORT (Universal, 1970). Once again we have a film with a top notch cast featuring: Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Jean Seberg, Jacqueline Bisset, George Kennedy, Helen Hayes, Van Heflin, Maureen Stapleton, Barry Nelson Dana Wynter, Lloyd Nolan, Barbara and our old friend from Courts' Hollywood Collectibles Shows here in Chicago, the very talented and personable Mr. Paul Picerni.

Arthur Hailey's AIRPORT, which has been called "HOTEL with Wings", is a unique movie. The one feature that sets it apart is that the film not only sired several sequels; but also a bastard of the line in the Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker production, the send-up, AIRPLANE (Paramount, 1980).

AS it turns out, AIRPLANE! is a fracturing of another airliner disaster microcosm film, ZERO HOUR (Paramount, 1957) with Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell and Sterling Hayden; which in turn was scripted by the same Arthur Hailey!! So when the "Microcosm of Mankind" idea is to be applied to Network Television, what sort of a series would be the lucky recipient? THE WINNER is a Western, of course! Remember, Schultz; this was 1957 and the Horse Opera ruled Supreme!

WITH all of this expositional comparison and lead in done; we can now dig in to our victim of Today's "Roast", which is of course "WAGON TRAIN" (Revue Studios/Universal TV, 1957-65). The Series started off a winner and stayed out in front in the ratings race for most of its run on the Networks; being NBC, 1957-61 and ABC 1962-65.

It's simple, yet one that is deeply seeded in the Collective Psyche of the American People. We all know about pioneers, striking out from the relative safety of settlements in Colonies (Later States) located near either the Atlantic or the Gulf Coast and transporting whole families and their household possessions Westward; hoping for a new start, a better life and a chance to give their families what they never had for themselves. And all of this enduring of hardship was complicated by the uncertainty of their dealing with Hostile Indians, floods, snowy blizzards, mountains desserts and potential near starvation in "impassible passes."

The WAGON TRAIN Series began with a solid foundation. The cast was headed up by Ward Bond as Major Adams (1957-61) and was replaced after his death by John McIntire as new boss Christopher Hale (1961-65). Both men were properly autocratic and enough of a Father Figure to pull it off as THE Big Kahuna of the operation. Other regulars were: Terry Wilson (as Bill Hawks 1957-65), Denny Miller (as Duke Shannon1961-65), Robert Fuller (Cooper Smith 1959-65), Michael Burns (Barnaby West 1960-65), Robert Horton (Flint McCullough 1957-62) and last, but not least; everybody's Favourite Frank McGrath (Charlie Wooster 1957-65). Mr. McGrath's and Terry Wilson's being the only two players to go coast to coast with the weekly convoy of horse drawn "Ships of the Plains."

AS for Guest Stars, WAGON TRAIN never wanted for any; and it was designed to have at least one or two per weekly visitation in our homes. The list of visiting dignitaries from Hollywood's top Stars and Character Actors is as long as your arm. It included Dan Duryea, Carolyn Jones, Everett Sloane, Dana Wynter and Art Linkletter!

Each Hour-Long Drama was like a "B" Movie, telling the stories of yet again yet a different journey from oh, say Missouri to California, or the Oregon Territory, which as we all know includes the present day State of Washington as well as Oregon.

Now that mad for an awful lot of trips taking months and months; but we didn't care, as each story came to an acceptable, if not exactly always happy ending.

NOTE: * Okay, we give up! It should be Henry Daniell, not Hank Daniell. Boy, what a difference a little nickname makes! Just call it an early April Fools Joke, courtesy of Schultz and Myself!

Chris, better ask an Indian for the way to Californee.

[govett · 9/10 · 24 May 2014]

Loved the show, but one thing about it always bothered me. The opening credits show a traveling wagon train with Mt. Whitney behind them. This means that they were traveling east, from the southern Sierra Nevada. Wagon trains never traveled in that area, and if they were traveling east, well, they needed a new wagon master because they were lost. Not to mention the time of year, with snow choking the passes. The following is repeated text, to satisfy IMDb's ridiculous minimum word count. Loved the show, but one thing about it always bothered me. The opening credits show a traveling wagon train with Mt. Whitney behind them. This means that they were traveling east, from the southern Sierra Nevada. Wagon trains never traveled in that area, and if they were traveling east, well, they needed a new wagon master because they were lost. Not to mention the time of year, with snow choking the passes.

Overlong Vintage TV Western

[StrictlyConfidential · 4/10 · 2 April 2020]

I believe that if "Wagon Train's" episodes had been kept down to 25 minutes (instead of being 50 minutes, and, then, eventually, 90 minutes) - This vintage TV Western from yesteryear (1957-1965) would've been (IMO) a whole lot more entertaining.

Not only did I find that with these seemingly overlong 50-90 minute episodes of "Wagon Train" contained far too many filler scenes - But, on top of that - The irksome element of soap opera also managed to repeatedly work its unwelcome way into the story-lines, as well.

And, another aspect of this show that equally annoyed me was that Christianity (yawn! ho-hum!) frequently found its objectionable way into these tall tales of the Old West, too.

The "Gold" from the TV Western's Golden Age

[dinky-4 · 18 October 2000]

Perhaps the quintessential show from the Golden Age of TV westerns, this series ran from 1957 to 1965 and it had a simple but compelling format. Each week it told the story of one of the travelers on an 1870's "wagon train" making its way across the American West. This format thus combined the sweeping backdrop of an ever-changing frontier with the small, personal story of a single individual.

So popular did the show become that it attracted an impressive array of "guest stars" -- Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, Rhonda Fleming, Barbara Stanwyck, Leslie Nielsen, Lee Marvin, etc.

The earlier shows in the series were probably the best since they featured Ward Bond as the leader of the wagon train and Robert Horton as his scout. Ward's death in 1960 and Horton's departure in 1962 weakened the series though it maintained a respectable level of production for several more years.

While the TV westerns that arose in the Eisenhower years are now nostalgically regarded as fine "family" entertainment, it's curious that they often showed their leading actors stripped half-naked and subjected to various forms of torture. "Wagon Train" was no exception. On the 1-15-1958 episode titled "The Gabe Carswell Story," for example, a bare-chested Robert Horton is staked out spreadeagle-style under the scorching sun and left to die by a villainous "half-breed." And in the 12-13-1961 episode titled "The Traitor," Horton is stripped to the waist, tied to a wagon wheel, and whipped across his bare back. In both cases the sado-masochistic nature of these sequences is emphasized rather than muted and the exposed muscularity of the actor is openly exploited.

While Ward Bond could never be replaced, many viewers looked kindly on his successor, John McIntire. Robert Fuller, however, never quite seemed adequate as Robert Horton's replacement.

Wagon Train

[lacmms · 8 December 2005]

Would like to know why Wagon Train is never shown in reruns. It was one of my favorite westerns and I would love to see the episodes again. I remember watching it every week with my Dad (who also loved westerns), in fact, the first time my future husband came to my house, we were watching Wagon Train, and he watched it with us, even though he didn't really care for westerns! It's a wonder we made it together, but we have been married now for 43, almost 44 years. I really preferred Ward Bond as the wagon master, but of course, he died and they had to replace him. Flint McCullough was my favorite character. I thought he had the most exciting role, being the one who always went ahead to check things out for the rest of the wagon train.