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Wagon Train's Terry Wilson said that he wouldn't recommend being a stuntman to anyone
Wilson didn't mince words when it came to the harsh realities of a stuntman's work.
Being a stuntman is no easy feat. It requires focus, determination, and a whole lot of durability. Take it from a man who is frequently considered a master stuntman, Terry Wilson. Wilson is best known as Bill Hawks in the series Wagon Train, but he also had an extensive career in stunt work.
However, according to an interview with The Times-Tribune, despite Wilson's talent for the profession, he wouldn't recommend it as an occupation to anyone who wasn't willing to dedicate themselves to the craft.
"Seriously, no," he said. "I won't recommend this to anyone. It has to be in your blood. I've known and loved horses, for example, since I was younger. Stunting in Westerns, you see, is fun for me. It's not work."
Wilson recounted an incident that left him apologizing to the director after he accidentally fell beneath a stagecoach while it was moving. Any other actor might have been frightened for their life, but seeing as Wilson was seemingly born for the job, he wasn't at all fazed.
Wilson was given the role of Bill Hawks because of his friendship with Ward Bond, the series star of Wagon Train. Bond phoned Wilson late one night and asked, "How about coming on home and helping me out on a new TV series called Wagon Train?" to which Wilson immediately agreed. The two men originally met after working on multiple John Ford projects. Ford was a well-known director who had headed many successful Western films, including Wagon Master.
"[John Ford] is one of the best directors in the business," Wilson said. "He surrounds himself with good actors — like Bond and Wayne — and the best technicians he can find. I'll work for him any time he asks me."
