Wagon Train is an American Western television series that was produced by Revue Studios. The series was inspired by the 1950 John Ford film Wagon Master. It ran for eight seasons, with the first episode airing in the United States on September 18, 1957 and the final episode on May 2, 1965.
What is a wagon on a train?
A wagon is an element of the train. It is a type of towed vehicle designed to move along a railway track. Unlike the car which is reserved for transporting people, the wagon is used for the transport of goods or animals.
Why did Ward Bond quit wagon train?
Bond died of a heart attack on the fourth season of ‘Wagon Train. ‘ Bond shockingly passed on November 5, 1960. John McIntire was brought in to replace the actor, acting as a new wagon master.
How many wagons are in a wagon train?
Wagon Trains were composed of up to 200 wagons, though more common were trains of 30 or less wagons. Wagon Trains had large numbers of livestock accompany them. Upwards of 2,000 cattle and 10,000 sheep joined the pioneers in their westward trek.
How much did it cost to join a wagon train?
The overland journey from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon or California meant a six-month trip across 2,000 miles of hard country. It was costly—as much as $1,000 for a family of four. That fee included a wagon at about $100.
Did Leslie Nielsen play on wagon train?
Wagon Train (TV Series 1957–1965) – Leslie Nielsen as Brian Conlin, Jeremy Dow – IMDb.
How many people are in a wagon train?
What exactly was a wagon train? It was a group of covered wagons, usually around 100 of them. These carried people and their supplies to the West before there was a transcontinental railroad.
Why did settlers travel by wagon train?
Pioneers often spread out for several miles across the plains to hunt, find grazing patches for their animals and avoid the choking dust clouds kicked up by other wagon trains.
What was life like on a wagon train?
The trail was rough, full of holes and rocks, so riding in a wagon was bumpy and uncomfortable. Most emigrants walked alongside instead, unless they were ill. Many settlers walked the full 2,000 miles of the trail. Wagon trains typically traveled 15 to 20 miles a day—less if they had to cross a mountain or a river.
Was Bill Hawks married on wagon train?
In Season 1, Bill and his wife, Emily Hawks, travel on the wagon train. Emily Hawks was played by Irene Windust, who was also billed under her maiden name, which was Corlett. … In Seasons 5 and 6, Bill states that he has never been married, and the storyline from the first season involving Emily Hawks is not referenced.
What was Ward Bond worth when he died?
Net Worth: | $5 Million |
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Date of Birth: | Apr 9, 1903 – Nov 5, 1960 (57 years old) |
Gender: | Male |
Height: | 6 ft (1.85 m) |
Profession: | Actor, American football player |
How fast did wagon trains travel?
The covered wagon made 8 to 20 miles per day depending upon weather, roadway conditions and the health of the travelers. It could take up to six months or longer to reach their destination.
When did wagon trains end?
Horses and wagons were common until the 1920s-1940s, when they were replaced by the automobile. Trains can take you from city to city, but only to train stations. After that wagon teams were used to take people literally everywhere else.
What was the leader of a wagon train called?
The wagon master had many responsibilities. It was vital that the wagon master be a knowledgeable and skilled individual in order for the people and goods to travel safely across the country. The wagon master also had to be familiar with the trail that they would be traveling.
What did they eat on wagon trains?
Those who operated freight wagon trains subsisted on coffee, bread, salt pork and beans or cornmeal. Delicacies included oysters, which were packed in tins in the early years and later shipped fresh, and alcoholic beverages such as French Champagne and claret.
Why didn’t most pioneers ride in their wagons?
People didn’t ride in the wagons often, because they didn’t want to wear out their animals. Instead they walked alongside them, getting just as dusty as the animals. The long journey was hard on both people and animals. It was even hard on the wagons, which usually had to be repaired several times during the trip.
How long did it take a wagon train to get to California?
The wagon train would travel at around two miles an hour. This enabled the emigrants to average ten miles a day. With good weather the 2,000 mile journey from Missouri to California and Oregon would take about five months.
Who was Leslie Nielsen married to?
Nielsen married four times: to nightclub singer Monica Boyar (1950–1956), Alisande Ullman (1958–1973), Brooks Oliver (1981–1983), and Barbaree Earl (2001–2010). He had two daughters from his second marriage, Maura and Thea Nielsen.
What happened to Robert Horton from wagon train?
Horton died of natural causes on March 9, 2016 at the age of 91 in a rehabilitation clinic in Los Angeles, California. According to his niece, he was injured in a fall in November 2015, and was placed in hospice care. At his request, he didn’t have a funeral. His remains were cremated.
Who played Susan on wagon train?
Susan Oliver | |
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Oliver in 1971 | |
Born | Charlotte GerckeFebruary 13, 1932 New York City |
Died | May 10, 1990 (aged 58) Woodland Hills, California |
Occupation | Actress |
Where did Pioneers sleep?
Some pioneers did sleep in their wagons. Some did camp on the ground—either in the open or sheltered under the wagon. But many used canvas tents. Despite the romantic depictions of the covered wagon in movies and on television, it would not have been very comfortable to travel in or sleep in the wagon.
How common were Indian attacks on wagon trains?
In fact, sustained attacks by Indians on wagon trains were rare and encounters between Indians and emigrants were, more often, peaceful and mutually advantageous. … In comparison, he estimates that more than 425 Indians were killed by emigrants during the same period.
What was the average size of a covered wagon?
Including its tongue, the average Conestoga wagon was 18 feet (5.4 m) long, 11 feet (3.3 m) high, and 4 feet (1.2 m) in width. It could carry up to 12,000 pounds (5,400 kg) of cargo. The seams in the body of the wagon were caulked with tar to protect them from leaking while crossing rivers.
How many miles a day did the settlers walk?
Average distance covered in a day was usually fifteen miles, but on a good day twenty could be traveled. 7:30 am: Men ride ahead on horses with shovels to clear out a path, if needed. “Nooning Time”: Animals and people stop to eat, drink and rest.
How many wagon trains went west?
Between 1840 and 1869, the year the Transcontinental Railroad was completed, more than 420,000 pioneers went West on the Oregon Trail.
What dangers did pioneers face on the Oregon Trail?
Major threats to pioneer life and limb came from accidents, exhaustion, and disease. Crossing rivers were probably the most dangerous thing pioneers did. Swollen rivers could tip over and drown both people and oxen. Such accidents could cause the loss of life and most or all of valuable supplies.
What did pioneers pack in their covered wagons?
The pioneers would take with them as many supplies as possible. They took cornmeal, bacon, eggs, potatoes, rice, beans, yeast, dried fruit, crackers, dried meat, and a large barrel of water that was tied to the side of the wagon. If the pioneers could take a cow, they would.
What kind of wagons did settlers use?
prairie schooner, 19th-century covered wagon popularly used by emigrants traveling to the American West.
What was it like in a covered wagon?
Traveling in a covered wagon would have been a difficult task in most cases. The average speed was about two miles an hour, so traveling in a wagon would have made for a slow trip. Americans would usually travel in a wagon train for safety.
Why did Ward Bond and Robert Horton not get along?
Ward Bond (Major Seth Adams) and Robert Horton (Flint McCullough) did not get along on the set. According to Horton, Bond spread rumors about his sexuality. … Bond died of a heart attack during the fourth season. No explanation was ever given on the show for Major Seth Adams’ disappearance.
What was the last episode of Wagon Train that Ward Bond was in?
“Wagon Train” The Beth Pearson Story (TV Episode 1961) – IMDb.
How many movies did Ward Bond make with John Wayne?
Bond starred in 23 films with John Wayne: Words and Music – bit part (uncredited) (1929) Salute – Midshipman Harold (1929)
What was John Waynes last film?
Wayne’s final film, The Shootist (1976), in which he portrays an aging gunfighter who is dying of cancer, was praised by many as his best western since Rio Bravo. This role was a poignant screen farewell for an actor who himself would succumb to cancer three years later.
Was John Wayne and Ward Bond friends?
Bond and Wayne were longtime friends for a reason. … According to Wayne they ended up bonding, “over corn whiskey and a few nocturnal escapades, Ward and I became close personal friends, and that friendship lasted until the day Ward died, over thirty years later.”
What was John Wayne’s last words?
He responded with his very last words ever, “Of course I know who you are. You’re my girl. I love you.” Wayne passed away from stomach cancer.
Did John Wayne and Clint Eastwood get along?
Wayne and Eastwood never worked together, however, they remain the two actors most associated with the Western genre.
What happened to John Wayne’s first wife?
Personal life. Pallete married Wayne in 1954, and they remained married until his death in 1979. In 1973 she moved out of their house; however, they were never legally separated or divorced. She has always made clear that they remained married until his death.
What was the fastest pace the wagon train achieved?
3 Miles an Hour on the Oregon Trail.
How many American pioneers died heading west?
Death on the Trail
It is estimated that as many as 1 in 10 emigrants died on the trail—between 20,000 and 30,000 people. The majority of deaths occurred because of diseases caused by poor sanitation.
How long was the average trip on the Oregon Trail?
The length of the wagon trail from the Missouri River to Willamette Valley was about 2,000 miles (3,200 km). It normally took four to six months to traverse the length of the Oregon Trail with wagons pulled by oxen.