John Wayne made a secret appearance on famed Western seriesWagon Train- though his voice still gave him away.There’s a persistent rumor John Wayne turned downGunsmoke, one of the longest-running TV shows in history. While major stars regularly cross over from movies to television now, this was almost unheard of back in the 1950s, and an actor of Wayne’s stature would never have even considered fronting a TV show. Still,Wayne recorded an intro toGunsmokeas a favor to leading man James Arness.
Aside fromGunsmoke, another of the major Western shows from this period wasWagon Train. Running for eight seasons, this followed the misadventures of the titular wagon train as it made its way to California and encountered guest stars like Charles Bronson, Leonard Nimoy and Bette Davis along the trail.Wagon Trainitself was partly inspired byJohn Wayne’s first major filmThe Big Trail- which was such a bomb it set his career back nearly a decade.
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John Wayne Played General William T. Sherman In His Secret Wagon Train Cameo
John Wayne’s secret Wagon Train cameo is given away by his distinct drawl
Wagon Trainwas initially fronted by actor Ward Bond, who appeared in many films with Wayne, includingThe SearchersandRio Bravo. Bond enlisted some favors for “The Colter Craven Story,” a special season four episode centering on an alcoholic doctor who has lost faith in his abilities. It’s one of the show’s most famous outings - and was made all the more poignant due to Bond’s passing shortly before it aired.“The Colter Craven Story” also features a brief scene featuring General William T. Sherman, who is played by John Wayneunder the pseudonym Michael Morris.
Not only is he billed under a different name, but Wayne’s face is obscured throughout his scene. Regardless,it’s impossible not to recognize Wayne’s unique drawl and walk throughout this flashback. His appearance as Sherman inWagon Trainturned out to be research for Wayne too, since he would play the general once again only two years later in the Western epicHow the West Was Won.
John Ford Directed Wagon Train’s “The Colter Craven Story” As A Favor
Wagon Train was the final collaboration between old friends Ford, Wayne and Bond
Bond worked with John Ford over 20 times, and convinced the filmmaker to helm “The Colter Craven Story.“Having Ford - one of the most iconic filmmakers of his era - directing an episode naturally makes thisWagon Trainepisode stand outfrom the crowd. It also shows how much respect Bond received from both Ford and Wayne that they’d be willing to work on a TV series, which would also sadly mark the last time all three worked together.
John Ford directed John Wayne in 14 movies, starting withStagecoachin 1939 and ending with 1963’sDonovan’s Reef.
Of course,it probably helped that Ford had directed Bond in 1950’sWagon Master, which alongsideThe Big Trail,was a direct inspiration onWagon Train. The film was one of Ford’s personal favorites of his own works, with footage from the film finding its way into “The Colter Craven Story.” The story itself follows Bond’s wagon master, Adams as he tries to make Craven come to terms with his trauma from the Civil War so he can perform as a doctor. This also includes some flashbacks, including an encounter with Wayne’s General Sherman.
Wagon Train Wasn’t John Wayne’s Only TV Appearance
Wayne only attempted TV under very specific circumstances
Wayne’sWagon Trainappearance is the definition of a cameo, right down to using a pseudonym for it. This wasn’t the first Wayne and Ford collaboration to land on television, with the duo having previously made “Rookie of the Year” for the anthology seriesScreen Directors Playhouse.1955’s “Rookie of the Year” is unique among Wayne’s filmography for being the only time he played a lead role on a television show, and involved his sportswriter recognizing a promising new player as the son of an infamous baseball star.
Just like hisWagon Trainappearance, Wayne’s role in “Flashing Spikes” is another cameo.
It was an interesting experiment for both director and star (who plays against type as a far more cynical character) but it’s not an essential entry in their work together either.Wayne and Ford would collaborate on television once again for “Flashing Spikes,“a 1962 installment ofAlcoa Premiere. This was another baseball-focused outing and starred James Stewart, Jack Warden and John Wayne’s son, Patrick Wayne.
Just like hisWagon Trainappearance, Wayne’s role in “Flashing Spikes” is another cameo. In the years ahead, Wayne largely focused on movies, but he would make more cameos on the likes of variety showRowan & Martin’s Laugh-InorMaude. It would have been interesting to see Wayne and Ford tackle something like a Western miniseries for television, but that wasn’t meant to be. Still, given how much of a movie star he was, it’s a fun curio to see him popping up on hit shows from back in the day.
Wagon Train
Cast
Wagon Train is a Western TV series that aired from 1957 to 1965, following the adventures of a wagon train heading west from Missouri to California. The show stars Ward Bond as Major Seth Adams and Robert Horton as scout Flint McCullough, depicting the challenges and interactions faced by pioneers on their perilous journey. The series highlights themes of perseverance, camaraderie, and the diverse stories of the travelers.
