Number 1 Programs: WAGON TRAIN

WAGON TRAIN is one of the classic TV westerns, during the golden age of the genre. It was inspired by the 1950 John Ford film WAGON MASTER. The series debuted on September 18, 1957 on NBC and ended on May 2, 1965 on ABC. The jump from NBC to ABC happened after the fifth season on NBC, the season which the series reached #1. A total 284 episodes were produced over the two networks, with many actors and characters featured in the main story telling.

BROADCAST HISTORY:

Sep. 18, 1957 – June 13, 1962 —  Wednesdays (7:30 – 8:30 p.m.) on NBC
Sep. 19, 1962 – June 5, 1963 — Wednesdays (7:30 – 8:30 p.m.) on ABC
Sep. 16, 1963 – Apr 27, 1964 — Mondays (8:30 – 10:00 p.m.) on ABC
Sep. 20, 1964 – May 2, 1965 — Sundays (7:30 – 8:30 p.m.) on ABC

THE RATINGS:

WAGON TRAIN placed #27 in the ratings for its first season. Seasons two through four. the series was the #2 program each season, behind GUNSMOKE. The finally, in its fifth season, WAGON TRAIN was the  #1 program on TV for the 1961-62 season.

That following fall, the series jumped to ABC, but the ratings began to decline. During the 1962-63 season, WAGON TRAIN fell to #25. It didn't help that NBC scheduled its new western THE VIRGINIAN directly opposite the series, on Wednesdays nights and the two series effectively split the audiences.

For its seventh season, ABC moved the series to Monday nights and expanded it to 90 minutes. It was now airing opposite THE LUCY SHOW, THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW and THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, all top 10 programs. This moved dropped WAGON TRAIN out of the top 30 charts. Meanwhile, that new western on NBC Wednesday nights, THE VIRGINIAN, also a 90 minute program, rose to #17.

The eight and final season WAGON TRAIN was moved, again, to Sunday nights. It was also scaled back to 60 minutes. But, it was too little to late. Ratings never recovered and in May, 1965 the series ended.

About WAGON TRAIN:

"Stories of the journeys of a wagon train as it leaves post-Civil War Missouri on its way to California through the plains, deserts and Rocky Mountains. The first treks were led by gruff, but good-at-heart Major Seth Adams, backed up by his competent frontier scout, Flint McCullough. After Adams and McCullough, the wagon train was led by the avuncular Christopher Hale along with new scouts Duke Shannon and Cooper Smith. Many stories featured the trustworthy assistant wagonmaster Bill Hawks, grizzled old cook Charlie Wooster and a young orphan, Barnaby West." (IMDB.com)



CAST:

• Ward Bond – as Major Seth Adams (Seasons 1-4). 
• Robert Horton – as Flint McCullough (Seasons 1-5).
• John McIntire – as Christopher Hale (Seasons 4-8).
• Robert Fuller – as Cooper Smith (Seasons 7-8).
• Frank McGrath – as Charlie Wooster (Seasons 1-8).
• Terry Wilson – as Bill Hawks (Seasons 1-8).
• Michael Burns – as  Barnaby West (Seasons 6-8.)
• Denny Miller – as Duke Shannon (Seasons 5-7).