He then segued to playing an Air Force sergeant who is married to a Las Vegas chorus girl (Juliet Prowse) in the short-lived NBC sitcom Mona McCluskey. A continuity problem not uncommon, Linda. If you're a Wagon Train fan and don't understand the reason behind Bond's decision to leave the show, keep reading this article.ThatWagenzugLasted eight seasons and during that time had more guest appearances than any other western series. Love the show, love the cast. When they fail to return to the wagon train, Cooper Smith sets out to find them. - Young Maverick leaders he met as commissioner of Indian affairs. - Circus Boy Preston of the Yukon I was only a kid then but I simply cannot recall the train ever arriving at its destination in those early years. He signed a movie contract at MGM after his screen test was directed by George Cukor and appeared in an uncredited role in the Frank Sinatra drama Some Came Running (1958). Offers may be subject to change without notice. - Little House on the Prairie Standing behind them from left are John. - Lancer My hero when I was a boy was Flint McCullough played by Robert Horton in Wagon Train. He was one of the best stuntmen that ever lived. I also have to mention Perry Mason, I know this is mostly Cowboy Shows but I think he warrants a mention here. Sadly, the star died midway through the fourth season of the show. Now, nothing on TV except all these Reality type shows, and most of them are so awful, so unreal, so scriptednever fell in to that trap thank goodness. Back in 1950, John Ford directed the Western drama "Wagon Master" about two young cowhands (Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr.) who join a Mormon wagon train traveling to Utah. In the much later episode with Robert Fuller about the man and his three sons that rob and steal in revenge if the late wife and mother, that same house front is where the crooked traders shop is. As a young man he served 15 months in Korea during the conflict there. Wagon Train is an American semi-anthology Western series following the journeys of a wagon train as it leaves Saint Joseph, Missouri on its way to California through the plains, deserts, and Rocky Mountains.Initially starring wagon master Major Seth Adams (Ward Bond - later replaced upon his death by John McIntire as Christopher Hale) and scouts Flint McCullough (Robert Horton) and Cooper . others had learned that their parent company had assigned notorious wagon I never watched every episode in its entirety. It was all to do with the cost per episode (colour was very expensive) and the shows ratings which began to wane. Miller wrote an autobiography titled Didn't You Used to BeWhat's His Name? - Broken Arrow In Season 1, Bill and his wife, Emily Hawks, travel on the wagon train. Michael played Barnaby West in 46 episodes of the series, although he actually appeared in 51. An Interview With Whether you watched Wagon Train when it aired on prime TV between 1957 and 1965, or you're catching reruns on MeTV, it's evident that the western series left a mark on many of its viewers. The young McIntire also rode Denny portrayed Duke Shannon, the scout who replaced Flint McCullough, in 106 episodes from 1961 until 1964. - Destry Robert Fuller was and is a GREAT actor no matter what he is remembered as. I stand corrected on this issue, AGAIN, Cindy. The wagon master and his men lead the wagon train and its passengers through hostile country, still allowing for plenty of action, but with solid stories and a better than average budget it was never difficult for producers to attract top name guest stars. As for Santon, I would imagine he was dubbed, although that is only a guess. Does anyone know if that was because of weight loss or just a coincidence? We are watching the replaying of the series by the INSP channel. When I first met Ward I had nothing but admiration and respect for him. - The Rebel You made me laugh. Michael Burns (1947 ) 51 episodes (1960-65). Miller became the first blond Tarzan in Tarzan, the Ape Man (1959), a cheapie/quickie which lifted most of its footage from earlier Johnny Weissmuller movies. Denny Miller was born in Bloomington, Indiana, where his father, Ben Miller, was a physical education instructor at Indiana University. But I got to see his bit recently when watching an old run of The Rifleman where Sammy played a dude who was an incredible shot when it was actually OConnors doing the shooting from the alley (PS: The Riflemans skill was pure fiction; I was a state champion, on 3 different rifle teams, and the best trick shooters I knew, well, you get the idea. Ooops! They also got, was it Barnaby?, to his father in California but he went back with Bill to the wagon train. - Cowboy G-Men For once, Sammy didnt take the bait (he loved to show off). Horton was a class act who really should have gone on to bigger things. it was empty. I was quite pathetic about it. While surfing to find something different, I came across a channel (MeTV) dedicated to just running older shows. The strapping 6-foot-4 Miller, who played basketball at UCLA for legendary coach John Wooden in the 1950s, also is known for his role as Western movie actor Wyoming Bill Kelso in the delightful 1968 Peter Sellers comedy The Party, directed by Blake Edwards. not agree with forcing civilians to serve a military cause against their will. I dont think that I missed many episodes, while I was growing up. John McIntire, the character actor who portrayed the stolid, laconic wagonmaster in the hit television series "Wagon Train" in the early 1960's, died on Wednesday at St. Luke's Hospital in . In his senior year, while working as a furniture mover to pay for school, Denny was discovered on Sunset Boulevard by a talent agent, who signed him with MGM. - Wanted Dead or Alive His first appearance was with Ward Bond wagon master Major Seth Adams which aired January 25, 1961. He and his brother, Kent, began playing basketball almost from the day they were born. Obviously, there is a lot of trick photography and the use of illusion, editing and substitution in the picture business, but the end result nearly always is worth the subterfuge. The Miller brothers played together at UCLA for one year, and their father joined the faculty of UCLA. He looked you in the eye and said his lines with honesty and conviction. I stopped watching when Ward Bond died and Robert Horton left the series. Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes, Top 10 Historical Movies About The American West, Top 10 Historical 19th/20th Century Dramas, Gay/Bisexual Actors in Old TV Shows ( Pt 2 ). Fuller portrayed chief scout Cooper Smith in 60 episodes of Wagon Train towards the end of the series, but is probably best remembered as Jess Harper in Laramie (1959-63). Santa Monica, attended USC for two years, and then worked as a seaman traveling Featuring Ernest Borgnine. - Stagecoach West Story" (March 15, 1961) when Flint finds him sitting on what is left of In his senior year, while he was working as a furniture mover to pay for school, Miller was discovered on Sunset Boulevard by a Hollywood agent who signed him with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. I didnt realize how significant he really was until the season in which he had simply disappeared. I cant pick a favorite between the two but if I absolutely had to, Id go with McIntire. spouses, not even a steady girlfriend among them. Also, and this is something that only a nit-picking veteran and target shooter such as myself would notice, the picture of Leonard Nimoy wearing bandoleers over his shoulders shows rifle cartridges that are clearly spire-point bullet, rimmed case Springfield 30.06 ammunition which was developed and adopted by the U.S. ARMY in 1906 (!) One night his manager tried to get Sammy to show his fast gun skills (he had won some contest). We learn more of the Hale family's fate in "The Janet Hale Thankyou. - Rough Riders John McIntyre (1907-91) 152 episodes (1959-65) John & his wife Jeanette Nolan. - Frontier Doctor Anything I have ever seen Robert Fuller in, he was great, just like Ward Bond and John McIntire. in 50s or 60s. Was it either of them? In fact he was a life-long friend of Frank McGrath and the two men performed together on the rodeo circuit and at prison rodeos before finding their way into the movies. Hes just an extension of Ward Bond. What I should have said was that it took them EIGHT YEARS to get somewhere. years, he played the Gorton's Fisherman in TV commercials.[1]. Robert Fuller (dual starring role as Cooper Smith and Captain Terence O'Rouke) Episode 5. Do you know? In Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), he was in the male chorus line and danced with Marilyn Monroe. Barney is 14. - Andy Burnett I was surprised to see how short Robert Fuller was in scenes with the other male cast members. I was born in 42 so Maverick, Wagon Train, etc., were significant to me (but TV reception was terrible). McIntire told TV GUIDE, I knew I was sticking my neck out to follow a man like Bond, but so far the result has been encouraging. have also trailed the elder Shannon and Wooster to the mine, and after finding Why did Robert Fuller leave wagon train? 1961 constitute a deliberate effort by the show's producers to rebuild the - Zane Grey Theatre - Archives, The Stuntmen - Neil Summers - Father Murphy Hed be hollering at me at every possible moment and Id be smiling back as I rode away from him., Horton added, Toward the end of the third season, I decided to use my own horse on the show. Just searched alfred hitchcock presents episodes with robert horton, and seven titles came up. - The Big Valley Married men donning and removing wedding rings during multiple takes was one of the things continuity was supposed to keep an eye on. That classic,. officer and chairman of the board at Universal) in 'The Duke Shannon Story'. It seems far-fetched that she would have stayed in Sacramento for years without her husband, so the writers handled her absence in another way in later seasons. - Tales of Wells Fargo Background [ edit] In doing so, I noticed that there is a noticeable weight loss in Ward Bond and that he had started wearing black pants, vest and hat instead if his usual light colored attire. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. - Lawman - Tales of the Texas Rangers His screen test was directed by George Cukor.[2]. From 1957 until 1965 the prairie schooners of TVs Wagon Train series rolled over 284 episodes. - Archives, Silent Western Reviews At the same time we enjoyed a great rapport on camera. his gold mine. Glad to find for your site - I'll check in again! flint mccullough was a very handsome man. In 1965-66 he starred (as Denny again) with Juliet Prowse in Mona McCluskey (1965). He left a wife and three children. - Branded All Rights Reserved. McCullough has his saint-like reverence for Bridger shattered because he does Cheyenne, Wyatt Earp, etc.) - Annie Oakley - Here Come the Brides One of these survivors is Michael Burns who evolved into a regular after appearing in an early episode as a boy stricken speechless by the murder of his father. Like you, I grew up with all those shows (except Bronco) and they were part of the reason why I fell in love with TV and movies. Denny Miller, who played scout Duke Shannon on the classic TV Western Wagon Train and was the first blond Tarzan on the big screen, has died. He retired from teaching in 2002 and he and his wife moved to Kentucky and now raise thoroughbred horses. Sadly, Bond died during season 4 of Wagon Train. He was also a nightclub singer and a recording artist. compassion, the citizens are ready to aid the soldiers who offer them By all means, Bill, feel free to disagree with me at any time. Interestingly, the actress who appeared as Emily Hawks later appeared on Wagon Train in another role entirely. - Californians in January 28, 2004[1] and a book about obesity in the United States called Toxic Waist? Did the actress actually sing? They were both so nice great people. - Wild Bill Hickok Irene Windust as Charity Harris in Season 3, Episode 15 of 'Wagon Train'. He is now (2018) in his 85th year and still appearing at western nostalgia outings attended by his still strong fan base. In the third season a more traditional sounding score, Wagons Ho! was written and conducted by Jerome Moss and was used through the series run, although Stanley Wilson re-recorded Wagons Ho! for the last two seasons. In his, All 8 seasons have been released on DVD by, Born in Spokane, Washington, McIntire grew up on a ranch in The plot of the western series was supposed to take place entirely in the first few years after the Civil War, which ended in 1865. The Duke Shannon Story. I got a laugh at one mistake that stood out to me: the bad guy took a punch and his hat flew off exposing his balding head and in the next shot he is lying on the ground with the hat securly on his head. The series was inspired by the 1950 film Wagon Master directed by John Ford and starring Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr. and . I only met them that one time but they could not have been nicer. I have since learned from comments on this site that they did eventually arrive somewhere but I forget where. broncos, winning a national competition at age 16. gold-prospecting father Henry is a member of Hale's wagon train and wanders off - The Lone Ranger - Archives, Do You Remember? But I disagree that they never reached their destination. - Two Faces West Me to they were a good dual and should have not been replaced Horton and Bond the best. They also brought in Robert Fuller - Legend of Jesse James The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. In later episodes of that initial season, Bill explains that Emily has traveled to Sacramento, Calif., where she will stay while he, Charlie B. Wooster (Benjamin Franklin McGrath), and Seth Adams (Ward Bond) are traveling to South America to find a new wagon train. Two years after the Wagon Train series ended, Frank succumbed to a heart attack at 64. - Overland Trail is run off. Bill Hawks (Terry Wilson) was one of the key characters on the show, but there was some confusion for viewers surrounding his background. A native of Bloomington, Ind., Miller was thinking about pursuing a career as a basketball or football coach when he was spotted by an agent on Sunset Boulevard. The only major stars I can think of who were born in Montana are Gary Cooper and George Montgomery, Mike. Same here! Emily Hawks was played by Irene Windust, who was also billed under her maiden name, which was Corlett. Interestingly, four episodes written for Bond were given to Horton. - Buckskin when he is brought back to camp, but when the others learn that he is We saw each other quite often and we became more friendly. It explains how Duke became a scout for Wagon Train. Wagon Train fell to 25th place while James Drury nailed #26 in the Nielsen ratings. He was perfect for the role of Major Addams & much of the intrigue was largely due to the profound character he had created and Wards powerful presence on screen. There were eight actors who were more or less regulars in Wagon Train. But a pair of greedy eavesdroppers [JB] 6.5 [194] Wagon Train: THE JOHN AUGUSTUS STORY 17-Oct-1962 ABC Wed Teleplay and Story by . why did robert fuller leave wagon train. In his new role as Bond's replacement, McIntire He was one of only two characters who stayed on the series for all eight seasons, as Wagon Train focused on a semi-anthology format. Denny Miller was Duke Shannon in the series from 1964-7 (seasons five through seven), but in 1965 he landed the role of Juliet Prowses husband in the sitcom Mona McCluskey and left Wagon Train to play it. Ward just dropped dead. The two men wept at either end of the phone. - Trackdown They ended up in San Francisco where Seth, Bill, and Charlie were shanghaied. was raised by Angie Matthewson rather than Jim Bridger. master with no explanation as to where Seth Adams went. ABC blinked. Paramount Network Has Already Given the Green Light to Season 4 of 'Yellowstone', Milburn Stone Aka "Doc" Didn't Leave 'Gunsmoke' by Choice. Suddenly, Wagon Trains hour-long black and white episodes looked somewhat paltry next to the expansive full color outdoor Western which felt more like a movie than a TV episode. Although my favorites revolved around Flint Mcculloughs adventures, I also realized how great an actor Ward Bond was. I doubt if they were concerned that he might go so unexpectedly. Scott (Denny) Miller as Duke Shannon 6.1 [190] Wagon Train: THE WAGON TRAIN MUTINY 19-Sep-1962 ABC Wed Written by Norman Jolley Directed by Virgil Vogel Music Score: Jerry Goldsmith . I was a nervous, inexperienced person in the acting field and he and I became very good friends. she dies--find her natural-born son Artie and make sure he hasn't backslid into He was 80. wagon train, caravan of wagons organized by settlers in the United States for emigration to the West during the late 18th and most of the 19th centuries. He was a former US Marine who served in the Second World War, a football star and a stunt man/rodeo rider. - Tim McCoy Show - Bat Masterson - Daniel Boone can t use carpenter's workbench skyrim; how long does it take a rat to starve to death; cowboy hat making supplies; why would i get a letter from circuit clerk - Whispering Smith It was Gary Cooper that was on the ship with my father and is the other Montana actor. joined the cast as scout Duke Shannon and Robert Horton left mid-season for Broadway (110 in the Shade). Bill Hawks and Duke Shannon later find her in a western hamlet - the richest and most hated person there. - Bret Maverick These included Gone with the Wind and Drums Along the Mohawk in 1939, The Grapes of Wrath and The Mortal Storm in 1940, The Maltese Falcon (1941), Gentleman Jim (1942), The Searchers (1956), plus many more major features. Both were equally important roles for him. Late in his acting career, he appeared in two episodes of Walker Texas Ranger and was the spitting image of Jim Davis as Jock Ewing from Dallas, the greatest show of all time. The series underwent more changes in Season 5 also. Though they have committed no murder, they seem sentenced like the Biblical - The Rifleman Many times the train would have to "circle the wagons" to defend itself against Indian attacks. Thankyou for your comment, Susan. Actually, season 1 has a few references to Hawks being married. From the Megan Herring Collection For reasons that are not clear, the producers originally under utilized Miller, often relegating him to pointing "thataway" or answering in monosyllabic utterances. Robert Horton (1924-2016) 189 episodes (1957-65) Barbara Ruick. Ward Bond died of a heart attack while the Wagon Train was still on its fourth season. His three marriages included one to the delightful Barbara Ruick. 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