6 fascinating things you never knew about the Wagon Train premiere

Find out what happened to the child stars and how Ward Bond hired his pals.

Image: The Everett Collection

The blueberry pie-eating contest may be the most unforgettable scene in Stand By Me, but our favorite moment in the 1986 coming-of-age classic is the fireside chat. 

"Mickey's a mouse. Donald's a duck. Pluto's a dog. What's Goofy?" Wil Wheaton's character asks. He then states, "Wagon Train is a really cool show, but did you ever notice they never get anywhere?"

Wagon Train was one of the most popular Western shows of the Fifties and Sixties. In fact, it held the No. 1 spot in the Nielsen ratings for a spell. Of course, it would have its influence on boys of the era. Some famous creators, too. Gene Roddenberry based his Star Trek off Wagon Train.

The series roped in tough veteran Ward Bond as its star, a contemporary of John Wayne. Wagon Train began its journey in the fall of '57 with the episode "The Willy Moran Story," which booked acclaimed actor Ernest Borgnine as its titular guest star. 

Let's take a closer look at this series premiere. 

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1. The young boy later became a groundskeeper for the studio that produced Wagon Train.

 

Fifties television aficionados might recognize Michael Winkelman, the young actor who plays Ben Palmer, the boy traveling with his family in the wagon train. The child star quickly landed a regular role as "Little Luke" in the sitcom The Real McCoys. That hit series ran for six years, but Winkelman found roles drying up. He joined the Navy and served in Vietnam. After the war, he became a groundskeeper on the Universal production lot, according to Kathy Garver's book X Child Stars: Where Are They Now? Universal Television also happened to be the studio that produced Wagon Train.

Image: The Everett Collection

2. Ward Bond's cursing nearly lost them another child star.

 

Winkelman was not the only kid riding in the wagon. Beverly Washburn portrayed his kin, Susan Palmer. She was 12 years old at the time. "Ward Bond was a nice man who would also use some colorful language," said recalled in Scott Allen Nollen's book Three Bad Men: John Ford, John Wayne, Ward Bond. "Because I was a minor," Washburn explained, "they have what was called a 'welfare worker'… At one point she went to the producer and said if he used one more swear word, she would pull me from the set." Bond apologized to the girl. She added, "He was really a kind-hearted man."

Image: The Everett Collection

3. It had direct ties to Star Trek.

 

Gene Roddenberry famously described his great creation Star Trek as "Wagon Train to the stars." It was more than an elevator pitch. "The Willy Moran Story" has some obvious ties to Trek. For starters, the aforementioned Beverly Washburn was an Enterprise crew member, a Blueshirt in the sciences division named Lt. Arlene Galway. Here she is alongside Bones in "The Deadly Years" (the one where everyone rapidly ages). Also, Herschel Daugherty, the director of "The Willy Moran Story," helmed two Star Trek episodes, "Operation: Annihilate" (the one with the slime blobs) and "The Savage Curtain" (the one with Abe Lincoln).

4. Ward Bond made the studio hire his buddies.

 

Ward Bond was a veteran Western actor with dozens of cowboy films under his belt, dating back to the early 1930s. Over those decades of work, he grew quite close to some fellow movie regulars, including Frank McGrath and Terry Wilson. When Bond signed his contract to headline Wagon Train as Major Seth Adams, he insisted that the producers hire his buddies McGrath and Wilson as regulars. One problem — they were mostly known as stuntmen with little experience as a primary speaking star. In fact, Western regular Harry Carey Jr. once said, "Frankie [McGrath] used to be kidded unmercifully on [John] Ford films because he couldn't say a line of dialogue." Wagon Train cast him as Charlie Wooster, the train cook. Bond coached him into becoming a better actor. Wilson, similarly, had worked as a stuntman, doubling for John Wayne in several movies. He landed a key role as Bill Hawks, though he is uncredited in "The Willy Moran Story."

Image: The Everett Collection

5. It's a good thing Ward Bond fought to put his pals on the show.

 

McGrath and Wilson were the only two cast members to appear throughout the entire series! Bond died in 1960 during season four of Wagon Train, to be replaced by John McIntire. Robert Horton, who played scout Flint McCullough, left after season five. Sometimes nepotism pays off.

Image: The Everett Collection

6. There was a sequel episode.

 

"Around the Horn," the season two premiere of Wagon Train, stands out for a few reasons. For starters, its title was the rare break from the "The ______ Story" template used to name 90% of Wagon Train episodes. Secondly, it was a sequel to "The Willy Moran Story," as Ernest Borgnine's Willy Moran character returned, no longer a drunk and now a respectable sheriff. "Around the Horn" was an atypical tale for the show, too, with William Bendix (pictured) as a sea captain. Not only that, but the plot was completely recycled by Bonanza two years later as the episode "San Francisco."

Image: The Everett Collection

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31 Comments

dkosich 23 months ago
One omission missing from the ties to Star Trek section. Gene L Coon, Wagon Train's chief writer, became the producer of Star Trek and had professional ties to Gene Rodenberry during the time Rodenberry worked mainly as a screenwriter. Coon was considered the series' true heart and soul by a number of those he worked with on Star Trek.
PBA 30 months ago
I never got to watch back then... dad controlled the remote. and now I'm watching a TV show from my past about an era way in the past. and I'm totally taken with Bill Hawks/ Terry Wilson... I'm crushing on a guy who's been dead over 20years!!! HA!
Larry 36 months ago
I love, "Wagon Train", both wagon masters and cast. My favorite will always be, Ward Bond. I have always loved the roles he played, whether it be from, "A Wonderful Life" or any other roles he played. He was a great pairing with, John Wayns.
RockySullivan 49 months ago
Great show and cast. Ward Bond made the show
shadowdance 50 months ago
I love Wagontrain still was really saddened by the loss of Ward Bond. He really made it all seem real.
Hoytereden 51 months ago
I’m old enough to remember watching it during its first run. It certainly was a favorite in my house. Ward Bond’s Major Adams was like a member of the family and I remember when Bond passed away I was saddened as if he really was.
Meima 53 months ago
This was always my favorite western. We watched it as an entire family
Lizzy 55 months ago
I love this show especially Flint McCullough (Robert Horton) because sometimes he is really funny.
Angela 55 months ago
I loved this show. Ward Bond was one tough son-of-a-gun and gave Robert Horton a very hard time.
49erFaithfulFan 55 months ago
I love the Wagon Train, as a kid I never saw it, until later.
Sooner 55 months ago
It seems like Bonanza was pretty blatant about "borrowing" plot lines from other Westerns.

Ward Bond was what glued this show together, just like Don Knotts was really the heart of Andy Griffith.
Moverfan 55 months ago
Actually, since it premiered in 1957 and I premiered in 1962, there's a whole lot I never noticed about any part of Wagon Train!
michaelangelo19 Moverfan 54 months ago
Why? You couldn't see the tv from your crib?
Moverfan michaelangelo19 33 months ago
You know how it is-we lived with my grandmother until I was almost two. And when we bought our own house, my room was upstairs.
sandman 55 months ago
Cool facts about Wagon Train. Love the stories about my favorite television shows
Srick sandman 55 months ago
The "what else did they act in" stuff is one reason I enjoyy Svengoolie. The trivia aspect is why I often visit IMDB. This article was a great combination of both -- and I don't even watch Wagon Train! This is so well done, I want to see that episode now ... unfortunately, I didn't see it until hours after it aired.
MichaelHollander 55 months ago
Michael Winklemen was a very good and talented child actor of the '50s..
EdwardOlson 55 months ago
Bring back so many childhood memories 🥰
segarolow4 55 months ago
Great TV show. When TV was worth watching.
michaelangelo19 segarolow4 54 months ago
Exactly as American culture is now skummy trash.
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