John Wayne Made A Stealth Cameo In This Classic Western Series (But His Voice Is Unmistakable)

John Wayne made a secret appearance on famed Western series Wagon Train – though his voice still gave him away. There’s a persistent rumor John Wayne turned down Gunsmoke, 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 to Gunsmoke as a favor to leading man James Arness.

Aside from Gunsmoke, another of the major Western shows from this period was Wagon 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 Train itself was partly inspired by John Wayne’s first major film The Big Trail – which was such a bomb it set his career back nearly a decade.

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 Train was initially fronted by actor Ward Bond, who appeared in many films with Wayne, including The Searchers and Rio 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 Wayne under 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 in Wagon Train turned out to be research for Wayne too, since he would play the general once again only two years later in the Western epic How 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 this Wagon Train episode stand out from 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.

Of course, it probably helped that Ford had directed Bond in 1950’s Wagon Master, which alongside The Big Trail, was a direct inspiration on Wagon 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’s Wagon Train appearance 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 series Screen 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.

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 of Alcoa Premiere. This was another baseball-focused outing and starred James Stewart, Jack Warden and John Wayne’s son, Patrick Wayne.

Just like his Wagon Train appearance, 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 show Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In or Maude. 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.

Source: FETV

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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.

Release Date

September 18, 1957

Finale Year

November 30, 1964

Cast

Frank McGrath
, Terry Wilson
, robert horton
, John McIntire
, Ward Bond
, Denny Miller
, Robert Fuller
, Michael Burns

Seasons

8