Wagon master is a 1950 western film produced and directed by john ford and starring ben johnson, harry carey jr. The 2 leading actors are good in their respective roles,major adams played by ward bond and flint mccullough. A legend has developed that country singer johnny horton died in an automobile accident while driving to see bond at a hotel in dallas to discuss a possible role in the fourth season of wagon train. The official ward bond fan club public group facebook. Both bond and wayne continued in films, but it was wayne who ascended to stardom, while bond would have to be content with bit roles and character parts throughout the 1930s. Here is an edsel commercial shown at the beginning of the program. Rounding out the regular crew was adamss trailhand bill hawks terry wilson and cook and resident laughingstock charlie wooster frank mcgrath. Tv westerns wagon train episode pictures fiftiesweb. Watch wagon train episodes online season 2 tv guide.
Thinking he is not welcome by the white man or his people, an educated chiracua indian returns to find prejudices among both of them and must find a way to overcome all of them before it is too late. Wagon train first rolled on the air 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. Mostly playing traffic cops, bus drivers and western heavies, bond began getting better breaks after a showy role as the murderous cass in john fords young mr. That night, at the couples hotel, ward suffered a massive heart attack and was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Wagon train was a hit on both sides of the atlantic between 1957 and 1965. The screenplay concerns a mormon pioneer wagon train to the san juan river in utah. For the first time, nbc universal and tmg bring you the complete, uncut first season of wagon train. Rarely playing the lead in theatrical films, he starred in the television series wagon train from 1957 until his death in 1960. American actor ward bond was a football player at the university of southern california when, together with teammate and lifelong chum john wayne, he was hired for extra work in the silent film salute 1928, directed by john ford. The fourth season of wagon train brought real life tragedy to the travelers heading west. Horton was ward bond, who played the grizzled wagon master, maj. The season and the wagon train started out each september in st.
A veteran of the civil war, he ran his wagon train with all the finesse of a bull in a china store. Wagon train was one of the most popular western tv. Meet the cast and learn more about the stars of of wagon train with exclusive news, photos, videos and more at. See more ideas about tv westerns, train and john mcintire. Hand color tinted hoto of ward bond from the 1950s television series, wagon train. Robert horton, handsome wagon train star who wanted more. Three years together on tvs wagon train have failed to warm.
The wagon train was led by wagon master major seth adams ward bond and the train s young, dashing scout flint mccullough robert horton. Wagon train was nbcs number one series when bond unexpectedly died of a heart attack. Robert horton left will play the advance scout and ward bond the wagonmaster in wagon train, the adult western series starting on nbctv, wednesday, sept. However, mcintyre did such a good job as christopher hale, the new wagon train boss, that he would later be earmarked to succeed the late charles bickford as the. Bond died of a heart attack in 1960, and john mcintire became the new wagon master. Robert horton, a ruggedly handsome actor who found television stardom in 1957 as the scout flint mccullough on wagon train. With frank mcgrath, terry wilson, robert horton, john mcintire. Thank you so much for this wonderful interview with robert fuller, my childhood hero. Wardell edwin bond was an american film character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and in the nbc television series wagon train from 1957 to 1960. Also, a ward bond memorial park is in his birthplace of benkelman, nebraska. Wagon train is an american western series that aired on the nbc television network national. A veteran of the civil war, he ran his wagon train with all the finesse of.
A member of the wagon train falls in love with vivian carter, oblivious to the fact that shes going west to meet her fiance. Jul 14, 20 wagon train opening theme when ward bond was the trail master. Bond made his screen debut in 1929 in john fords salute, and thereafter played over 200 supporting roles, never playing the lead in a single theatrical release but starring in the television series wagon train from 1957 to 1960. He appeared in 31 films released in 1935 and 23 in 1939. Wagon train the complete first season starring ward bond and robert horton.
This page was created in memory of all of the stars of the old wagon train, and those who love this show. Wagon train the beth pearson story tv episode 1961 imdb. There were regulars and some action, but the emphasis was on strong storytelling and top guests such. The lead character of wagon master major seth adams was played into season four by ward bond who was replaced by john mcintire after his real life death. The leaders of the wagon train are taken aback when they see a woman asking to join the wagon train who is the twin of major adams one and only love who died in his arms. After having gotten the wagon train safely to california, ward bond, frank mcgrath and terry wilson get a visit from mr. Ward bond seth adams 4 episodes 19602019 terry wilson bill hawks. We hardly see each other on the show because of a new arrangement, so we get along fine, the 35 year old horton said cryptically of his relationship with his gruff, though older, partner. Wagon train the malachi hobart story, full episode, classic western tv. The widow of ward bond, star of the 1950s television series wagon train, died in a fire early thursday in her vista home.
Each episode was a minimovie in itself and the weekly featured player was chosen for his or her ability to portray the character upon whom the episode revolved. Original caption three years together on tvs wagon train have failed to warm the personal coolness between costars ward bond foreground and robert horton. This is a group for anyone who likes, knows of, has seen a picture of, or even heard the name of ward. Bond was reunited with his old friends john ford and the great john wayne for one last episode together the colter craven story. John was chosen to replace the iconic ward bond as wagon master following bond s death in 1960. It was a tough spot to fill because bond had been the heart and soul of the series. See more ideas about western movies, tv westerns and american actors. On november 5, 1960, midway into wagon train s fourth season, ward bond and his wife were in dallas to attend a cowboysla rams football game. May 18, 2014 two clips of the underrated ward bond as elder wiggs, with ben johnson as travis.
The ward bond episodes are usually syndicated separately from the john mcintire episodes. Wagon train depended upon the high caliber of performance of its main stars, robert horton and ward bond, and the supporting cast as well as the excellent writers and directors. The 73yearold widow of actor ward bond, star of the longrunning television series wagon train, died in a fire thursday in her vista home, where she apparently had been smoking in bed. Stories of the journeys of a wagon train as it leaves postcivil war missouri on its way to california through the plains, deserts, and rocky mountains. Wagon train opening theme when ward bond was the trail master. Wagon train was first broadcast in 1957 and ended its eight season run in 1965. Also, did wagon train have two scouts with robert fuller and scott miller being in the program. That makes this the 8th and final episode of the original version of wagon train. When the original ward bond episodes were broadcast weekday afternoons on abc beginning in 1963, a new series title seth adams trailmaster was given to the episode to avoid viewer confusion because wagon train was still on the abc evening schedule. A new theme song, the trailmaster theme, written and conducted by stanley wilson, was used.
The 2 leading actors are good in their respective roles,major adams played by ward bond and flint mccullough played by robert horton and there are several quite big name stars doing guest spots. After a unfathomably successful film career, bond settled into television on the popular western series wagon train. It initially starred veteran movie supporting actor ward bond as the wagon master, later. The film inspired the us television series wagon train 19571965, which starred ward bond until his death in 1960. No wonder the nebraska native would become best buddies with john wayne. With ward bond, robert horton, virginia grey, frank mcgrath. Share onfollow us onwagon train western tv show page 3 wagon train is an american western series that ran on nbc from 195762 and then on abc from 196265 the network also aired daytime repeats, as major adams, trailmaster and trail master post1961 ward bond episodes from january 1963 to september.
This classy western followed the trials of a californiabound wagon train after the civil war. Malachi hobart is a generous and charitable preacher who may in fact be a con man. A popular urban myth holds that on the day he died, bond was scheduled to meet singer johnny horton in dallas to sign a contract to appear on wagon train 1957. Horton was ward bond, who played the grizzled wagon master, major seth adams. Robert horton, left, with ward bond in wagon train in 1958. Wardell edwin ward bond april 9, 1903 november 5, 1960 was an american film actor whose rugged appearance and easygoing charm were featured in over 200 movies and the television series wagon train.
No longer would that booming onstage voice hold steady the weekly western trek of the wagon train. Raised in nebraska and colorado, bond was a star of the usc football team, which is how, along with lifelong friend and fellow usc football alum john wayne, he was cast in john fords 1929. This is an episode i well remember from the old wagon train series, it was the first episode of their second season. The actor and singer was best known for playing flint mccullough on the western series. Horton died in an auto accident, hit by a drunk driver, at 1. Ward bond was in dallas on november 5, 1960, to attend a football game when he had a massive heart attack in his hotel room and died around noon. For the first time, nbc universal and tmg bring you the complete, uncut first season of wagon train, one of americas most enduring and sought after tv westerns of all time.
Wagon train the malachi hobart story, full episode. However, the 1960 calendar year was a momentous one for. Wagon train was one of the most popular western tv series of all time, running for nine. Sadly, the star died midway through the fourth season of the show. The series was inspired by the 1950 film wagon master directed by john ford and starring ben johnson, harry carey jr. Ward bond, robert horton, frank mcgrath, terry wilson. Wagon train overtook gunsmoke atop the nielsen ratings in 1961. The film was a personal favorite of ford himself, who. He was frequently typecast as a friendly policeman or as a brutal thug. Nov 2, 2018 explore sheiladales board ward bond, early wagon train and movies. A new way to watch old tv old tv shows, old tv, classic television.
The answer may be in this board somewhere but could someone tell me why he left the show. Unlike other shows in the western genre, 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. As flint leads the wagon train west across the hundreds of miles of arid prairie, the toll the trip takes on the women is revealed. With ward bond, robert horton, rafael campos, frank mcgrath. The role of wagon master on wagon train was then given to john mcintire. Wagon train the malachi hobart story, full episode, classic. Wagon train online full episodes of season 8 to 1 yidio. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. No more of the offtheset carousing, the grand insults which were really terms of endearment, the gentleness masquerading beneath a tough exterior. Mar 16, 2016 bond died of a heart attack in 1960, and john mcintire became the new wagon master. Ward bond died during production of the 196061 season and john mcintire was brought in as the new wagon master, christopher hale. Robert horton, 91, scout on wagon train the boston globe. This video is the full uncut version of the episode.
Three years together on tvs wagon train have failed to. Wagon train alias bill hawks season 6, episode 34 when bill hawks goes to visit a native american friend, he finds that his friend is missing and the unfriendly local townspeople are drilling for water on his land. The great ward bond, succumbed to illness and passed away partway through the season. The series initially starred veteran movie supporting actor ward bond as the wagon master, later replaced upon his death by john mcintire, and. Ward bond net worth, biography, age, weight, height.
Ward bond wardell edwin bond, known professionally as ward bond, was a prolific american film character actor whose rugged appearance and easygoing charm were featured in over 200 films and the television series wagon train. Wagon train western tv shows free westerns on the web. Joseph, missouri, as a group of pioneers joined together under wagonmaster major seth adams, played by the veteran actor ward bond, to travel by covered wagons across the plains and the mountains, and arrive in june, thirtyseven episodes later yes, that was 37, not the. It survived cast changes to the leading actors and changes to the format which is testimony enough to the shows popularity.
Stories of the journeys of a wagon train as it leaves postcivil war missouri on its way to. Wagon train actor ward bonds connection to vista the. Mar 15, 2016 robert horton, left, with ward bond in wagon train in 1958. Wagon train 1957 1965 opening and closing theme youtube. He is most remembered for playing the role of seth adam in the nbc tv series wagon train. This is a powerful story and one that sees flint in the role of the wagon master, after the death of ward bond. Ward bond robert horton frank mcgrath 19571965 adventures of a wagon train traveling from missouri to california. American actor ward bond 1903 1960 starring in the nbc hit television series wagon train. Although the deaths occurred on the same day, they were unrelated. Westerns wagon train starring ward bond and john mcintire tv vintage, mejores. Bond made his screen debut in salute and thereafter was a busy character actor, playing over 200 supporting roles. Rarely playing the lead in theatrical films, he starred in the television series wagon train.
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