Wagon Train was one of the most groundbreaking and influential Westerns to ever air on network
television.
It originally aired on NBC from 1957 to 1962 before jumping over to ABC for another three
years before finally ending in 1965.
Some of the biggest names in show business ended up guest-starring on the program throughout
its run, and its main cast members delivered some truly killer performances.
At first, it starred film actor Ward Bond as the show's wagon master, but following
his death in 1960, Bond was replaced by John Mcintire.
In a supporting role, Robert Horton played the scout, however, he was later replaced
by Robert Fuller.
Wagon Train was inspired by a 1950 film called Wagon Master which was directed by John Ford
and starred Ward Bond, Ben Johnson, and Harry Carey Jr.
It also drew inspiration from a 1930 film entitled The Big Trail which starred John
Wayne in his very first leading role.
In addition to shows like Bonanza, The Rifleman, and The Virginian, Wagon Train helped revolutionize
the Western genre.
Throughout the 1960s, Westerns were one of the most popular varieties of TV shows to
hit the airwaves.
Audiences couldn't seem to get enough of the Old Wild West, and Wagon Train enjoyed extremely
high Nielsen Ratings throughout its run.
At one point, it was even the most popular television show in the nation.
Seeing as how Wagon Train ended 57 years ago, it's not surprising that the majority of its
cast are sadly no longer with us.
Join us as we take a look at how each of the show's actors passed away.
We'll also let you know which Wagon Train actors are still alive.
After watching this facts-packed video, let us know in the comments who your favorite
Wagon Train cast member was.
Ward Bond
Born on April 9, 1903, as Wendell Edwin Bond, this American actor appeared in more than
200 films throughout his decades-spanning career.
Most notably, he played the Wagon Master, Seth Adams, on Wagon Train from 1957 to 1960.
You might also remember him as Bert the police officer in the 1946s Christmas classic, It's
a Wonderful Life, or as Captain Clayton in John Ford's 1956 film The Searchers.
Bond spent the first 16 years of his life in Benkelman, Nebraska.
In 1919, he and his family relocated to Denver, Colorado.
After graduating from high school, Bond attended the University of Southern California, where
he played football on the same team as Jess Hill, the now-legendary USC coach.
Another one of Bond's teammates was John Wayne, who was still going by his birth name, Marion
Robert Morrison, at the time.
Bond and Wayne became lifelong friends, and in 1929 they were both selected to appear
in a football film named Salute directed by John Ford and starring George O'Brien.
Bond and Wayne would go on to appear in a number of Ford's later films.
After appearing in that film, Bond enjoyed a prolific acting career, but perhaps his
most notable role was that of the Wagon Master.
Sadly, Bond suffered a massive heart attack on November 5, 1960, while he and his wife
were staying at a hotel in Dallas, Texas.
After being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead at 57.
Following his death, John Mcintire was brought in to replace him in his role.
John Mcintire
John Herrick Mcintire was born on June 27, 1907, in Spokane, Washington.
At an early age, his family moved to Eureka, Montana, where he grew up around ranchers.
He would later use that experience to add authenticity to his performances in dozens
of Western films and television series.
Mcintire appeared in a total of 65 feature films and countless television shows.
His biggest role of his career was that of the Wagon Master on Wagon Train, Christopher
Hale.
He would stick with that role from 1961 to the series end in 1965.
Mcintire would also replace Charles Bickford on NBC's The Virginian following his death.
Mcintire died from emphysema and lunge canceler in Pasadena, California on January 30, 1991,
at the age of 83.
Robert Horton – Still Alive
Born Mead Howard Horton Jr on July 29, 1924, in Los Angeles, California, Horton grew up
in a Latter-day Saint household.
After graduating from 1943 at 19, he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard but ended
up being medically discharged because of having an enlarged kidney.
In 1945, Horton ran into a talent scout looking for someone to play an uncredited role in
the 1945 Lewis Milestone film Walk in the Sun.
After being given that part, he decided to study drama at the University of Miami before
transferring to UCLA, where he graduated cum laude.
He then moved to New York City, where he struggled to find work as an actor.
He would eventually move back to California, and when he was 28, he landed a contract with
MGM which led to him appearing in many films.
Horton's most noteworthy television role was that of the frontier scout, Flint McCullogh,
in Wagon Train.
He would play that role from 1957 to 1962.
While he enjoyed working alongside the likes of Ward Bond and John Mcintire, Horton eventually
quit the show to instead focus on musical theater.
After leaving the show, Robert Fuller was called in to play the scout, Cooper Smith.
Horton died of natural causes on the 9th of March, 2016, at 91 in Los Angeles, California.
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Frank McGrath
Born on the 2nd of February, 1903, Mcgrath was a television and film actor and stunt
man who was best known for playing the comical and always optimistic white-bearded cook Charlie
B. Wooster on Wagon Train.
McGrath appeared in all 272 episodes of the series.
Just two years after the series ended, McGrath passed away at 64 on May 13, 1967, of a heart
attack in Beverly Hills.
Terry Wilson
Born on September 3, 1923, Wilson appeared in 35+ films and television series between
1948.
While most of these roles were uncredited, his most well-known role was on Wagon Train,
in which he played the assistant trail master Bill Hawks.
Wilson would appear in all 8 seasons of the series throughout both its NBC and ABC years.
After Wagon Train, Wilson went on to appear in numerous other westerns including the 1957s
short-lived series Custer and Hondo and four episodes of The Virginian.
He also had a small role in Don Knot's 1968 Western comedy film The Shakiest Gun in the
West.
His final film role was in 1979s The Treasure Seekers.
He passed away of natural causes at the age of 75 in Canoga Park, California on March
30, 1999.
Michael Burns – Still Alive
Michael Thornton Burns was born on December 30, 1947, in Mineola, New York.
His father was a director and producer named Frank Xavier Burns, best known for his work
on television series like Private Eye and Martin Kane.
At the age of 13, after being discovered by the head of casting for 20th Century Fox,
Lee Wallace, Burns made his television debut in a 1960 episode of The Many Loves of Dobie
Gillis entitled A Taste of Lobster.
That same year, he also guest-starred on Wagon Train playing the son of Leslie Nielsen in
the episode titled The Jeremy Dow Story.
While still working as an actor, Burns attended the College of Willam and Mary in Williamsburg,
Virginia, before transferring to UCLA.
He ended up graduating summa cum laude in 1976 with a Bachelor in Arts in history before
obtaining his Master of Arts degree in European History.
While pursuing his education, Burns continued to make appearances on various television
shows and films, including Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation, Gunsmoke, Journey to Shiloh, and
Thumb Tripping.
In 1977 he enrolled at Yale in New Haven, Connecticut.
He would eventually earn his PH.
D in Modern European History.
In 1980, he would leave Hollywood behind and became a professor of History at Mount Holyoke
in South Hadley, Massachusetts.
Since then, he has authored a book called Dreyfus a Family Affair.
In 2002, he entered retirement.
At 74, Burns is still alive, enjoying his golden years alongside his wife, Elizabeth.
Scott Miller
Born Dennis Linn Miller on April 25, 1934, Miller was an actor best known for his role
as Duke Shannon on Wagon Train.
He was discovered on Sunset Boulevard by a Hollywood talent scout while he was attending
the University of California.
He was signed with MGM and was the first blond actor to play Tarzan in the 1959 film Tarzan,
the Ape Man.
After appearing in several westerns, including Have Gun, Will Travel, and The Rifleman, Miller
was cast on Wagon Train in 1961.
He would be a series regular until 1964.
After Wagon Train ended, Miller would enjoy an active film and television career for the
next couple of decades.
After being diagnosed with ALS in January of 2014, Miller died in Las Vegas, Nevada,
on September 9, 2014 at the age of 80.
Robert Fuller
Originally named Leonard Leroy Lee, Fuller was born on July 29, 1933, in Troy, New York.
When he was six years old, his family moved to Key, West Florida.
There, his parents owned a dance school and from an early age, Fuller cultivated a deep
love for acting and dance.
After attending from Key West High School for only a few months, Fuller ended up dropping
out at the age of 14.
Two years later, he traveled to Hollywood with his family, where he was given his first
job in the entertainment industry as a stunt man.
After changing his name to Robert Fuller to joining the Screen Actors Guild, Fuller started
his acting career when he was given a small role in the 1952 flick Above and Beyond.
Although he would appear in several films during the early years of the 1950s, Fuller
would really step into his element once he landed television roles, guest-starring on
Westerns.
During his five decades on TV, Fuller was known for his booming, raspy voice.
In the 1960s and he was a very familiar face for American television audiences, especially
after he was given the role of scout Cooper Smith on Wagon Train in 1963.
He would appear on that program for seasons 7 and 8 before the series wrapped up in 1965.
After Wagon Train ended, Fuller was also known for starring in the 1970s medical drama series
Emergency as the lead Dr. Kelley Brackett.
As of 2022, Fuller is still alive at the age of 88.
That about wraps up our rundown of all of the Wagon Train cast members that are no longer
with us.
Who was your favorite?
And can you think of any other actors that made appearances on Wagon Train that we failed
to mention?
Let us know in the comments.
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