bertha6621
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.
lacmms
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.
raysond
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.
