Wagon Train is an AmericanWestern television series that aired for eight seasons, first on theNBC television network (1957–1962) and then onABC (1962–1965).Wagon Train debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of theNielsen ratings. It is the fictional adventure story of a large westboundwagon train through theAmerican frontier fromMissouri toCalifornia. Its format attracted famous guest stars for each episode, appearing as travelers or residents of the settlements whom the regular cast encountered.[1]
The series was inspired by the 1950 filmWagon Master[2] and the 1930 earlywidescreen filmThe Big Trail, both featuring Bond. The series influenced the development ofStar Trek, pitched as "Wagon Train to the stars" and launched in 1966.
Episodes revolve around the stories of guest characters portraying members of the massive wagon train or encountered by it. Many starring roles were played by already famous actors such asErnest Borgnine,Bette Davis,Jane Wyman,Ronald Reagan,Lee Marvin, andJoseph Cotten. Episode titles routinely emphasize the guest characters, such as "The Willy Moran Story" and "The Echo Pass Story".
As a favor to Ward Bond, film director John Ford joined the show to direct a 1960 segment titled "The Colter Craven Story", which includes many members of the "John Ford Stock Company", momentarily featuringJohn Wayne speaking from the shadows and billed in the credits as "Michael Morris".[3]
Ward Bond as wagon master Major Seth Adams (1957–61, seasons 1–4). Bond died of a heart attack in the middle of the fourth season, and was replaced by John McIntire as wagon master. No explanation was ever given on the show.
Robert Horton as scout Flint McCullough (1957–62, seasons 1–5).
John McIntire as Christopher Hale (1961–65, seasons 4–8), replacing Bond as wagon master upon Bond's death. McIntire had guest starred in a Season 3 episode in the role of preacher Andrew Hale, apparently Christopher's brother according to a reference made by Christopher later in the series.
Robert Fuller as scout Cooper Smith (1963–65, seasons 7–8) replacing the McCullough character after Robert Horton left the series. Fuller had previously played a lead in the Western seriesLaramie and physically resembled Horton. Fuller and McIntire rotated top billing from week to week on the series. Fuller even shared the same birthday as Horton, albeit nine years apart.
Frank McGrath as cook Charlie Wooster (1957–65, seasons 1–8), one of only two regulars to last the entire series.
Terry Wilson as Bill Hawks (1957–65, seasons 1–8), was one of only two regulars to last the entire series.
Michael Burns as Barnaby West (1960–65, seasons 6–8).
Denny Miller (aka; Scott Miller) as Duke Shannon (1961–64, seasons 4–7).
Chick Hannan[4] in various roles (1957–65, seasons 1–8), mostly as a wagon train member.
In the first four seasons, Ward Bond wasbilled above Robert Horton in the opening credits. In season five, Horton rotated top billing with relative newcomer John McIntire, a practice which subsequently continued with McIntire and Robert Fuller rotating top billing from episode to episode when Fuller joined the series in the seventh season.
During the sixth season, Horton had left and Fuller had not yet replaced him, so McIntire carried the show with the supporting cast. Neither Bond nor McIntire, both veterans of dozens of supporting roles in movies, routinely had a leading role in theatrical films, although Bond did in at least oneB-picture. Rivals Bond and Horton frequently quarreled on the set, an extensively publicized development at the time, while their characters disputed within the episodes.[5] According to Scott Eyman in his biography of John Wayne, Bond's jealousy of Horton was fueled by Horton receiving more fan mail. Eyman stated Bond would try to limit Horton's screen time and interfere with any good lines Horton might be given in the scripts. They eventually reconciled shortly before Bond's death.[5]
Claude Akins appeared in four episodes during the show's first four seasons.
Anna Maria Alberghetti carried the lead in "The Conchita Vasquez Story" (1959), cast as part of a gang ofComancheros who intend to attack the wagon train to steal rifles headed to theUnited States Army. Conchita decides to leave the Comancheros and move west after she falls in love with the scout Flint McCullough, but she is killed by a bullet from her own people when they ambush the wagon train.
Eddie Albert appeared as Kurt Davos in the 1962 episode "The Kurt Davos Story" as a blacksmith forced to leave the train by a crippling injury.
Roscoe Ates appeared in the 1958 episode "The Sacramento Story" in his later familiar role of "Old Timer".
Parley Baer appeared in three episodes in different seasons, usually as a disgruntled passenger.
Carla Balenda appeared as Martha Leeds in "The Annie Duggan Story" (1963), credited as Sally Bliss.
Martin Balsam appeared as Marcey Jones in the 1964 episode "The Whipping".
Trevor Bardette was Will Rudge in "The Levi Hale Story" (1962), Sheriff Lund in "The Lily Legend Story", and Henry Ludlow in "The Antone Rose Story" (both 1963).
William Bendix, in the second season, played a sea captain who hadshanghaied Adams and Wooster in "Around the Horn".
Charles Bickford andRoger Smith, five months before Smith was cast on77 Sunset Strip, appear in "The Daniel Barrister Story", which aired on 16 April 1958 (Season 1, Episode 29). In this segment, Daniel Barrister, played by Bickford, objects to medical treatment for his wife, Jenny, the victim of a wagon accident. Meanwhile, Dr. Peter H. Culver, played by Smith, has successfully fought asmallpox epidemic in a nearby town. He is brought to the wagon train by scout Flint McCullough to treat Mrs. Barrister. Viewers never know if Barrister yielded to allow Dr. Culver to treat Jenny.
Theodore Bikel appeared in "The Dr. Denker Story", season five, episode 14, in the role of a traveling musician who is transporting a mysterious shipment ofdynamite to San Francisco for the United States Army.
Ernest Borgnine appeared five times onWagon Train, including twice as "Willy Moran" (albeit for only a few moments in Moran's second appearance). In the pilot episode on 18 September 1957, Borgnine's Moran is revealed as a former boxer consumed by alcoholism but seeking sobriety.Michael Winkelman guest starred as young "Ben Palmer" in this episode, as he was beginning his regular role as Little Luke McCoy on ABC'sThe Real McCoys. On 1 October 1958, Borgnine reprised the role of Willy Moran in the episode "Around the Horn". Major Adams had fought with Moran at theBattle of Gettysburg.
Neville Brand appeared in "The Zebedee Titus Story" in 1964 as an aging pioneer who joins the wagon train as a scout.
Henry Brandon appeared six times, most notably in "The St. Nicholas Story" (1959).
Lon Chaney Jr. appeared as Louis Roque in "The Jose Morales Story", Season 4, episode 5 (1960), and in the 1961 episode, "The Chalice", as Carstairs.
Jan Clayton andBeulah Bondi highlight "The Prairie Story", written by Jean Holloway, which examines how the forbidden prairie, particularly the strong wind, plays havoc on the lives of the women on the wagon train. This theme is also examined in the novelThe Wind byDorothy Scarborough. Robert Horton carries the lead in this episode that aired on 1 February 1961, three months after the death of Ward Bond.
Jeanne Cooper guest stars in an episode titled "The Whipping" shown during season 7 (1963–64) of Wagon Train.
Lou Costello appeared as the title character in one of his last roles, "The Tobias Jones Story" (1958). It was written byHarry von Zell, the announcer and comedian from theBurns and Allen television series, who also appears in that episode. Von Zell also appears in the 1964 episode "The Link Cheney Story".
Walter Coy, one of the narrators of the 1955-56Frontieranthology series on NBC, appeared five times onWagon Train between 1957 and 1964.
Child actorJohnny Crawford appeared in "The Sally Potter Story" (1958).
Yvonne Craig guest-starred in "The Link Cheney Story" (1964).
Henry Daniell appeared twice in "The Christine Elliott Story" (1960) and the two-parter "Trial for Murder" (1960).
Linda Darnell guest starred in "The Dora Gray Story" (29 January 1958) as an attractive young woman trying to reach San Francisco. Dora is traveling west with an unsavory peddler, played byJohn Carradine, who is selling guns to the Indians. Robert Horton carries this episode, withMike Connors andDan Blocker portraying corrupt U.S. Army officers.
Bette Davis appeared in three episodes as different characters; as Bettina May (1961), Ella Lindstrom (1959) and Madame Elizabeth McQueeney (1959).
Laraine Day played the title character in "The Cassie Vance Story" (1963).
William Demarest appeared in "The Christopher Hale Story" (1961).
Frank de Kova plays the lead in "The Isaiah Quickfox Story" (31 January 1965), a mystery set in a ghost town amid a stunning bat cave.Andrew Prine andJohn Doucette guest star in the roles of Eric Camden and Bert Enders, respectively. Cast members Robert Fuller and Frank McGrath carry this episode.
Andy Devine appeared in the 1959 episode "The Jess MacAbbee Story".
Angie Dickinson portrays the lead role in "The Clara Duncan Story" (1959).
John Doucette played the title characters in the 1963 episode, "The Michael McGoo Story" as a retired sea captain, and the 1964 episode, "The Ben Engel Story", as well as supporting roles in six other episodes.
Charles Drake played the title characters in the 1958 episode, "The Charles Maury Story" as an ex-Confederate marauder, and the 1960 episode, "The Sam Livingston Story" as a wagon driver with bitter memories, and the 1963 episode, "The Hollister John Garrison Story" as a Southerner with a desperate secret, and the 1964 episode, "The Link Cheney Story" as a wounded gambler hoping to retire, and supporting roles in two other episodes.
Dan Duryea made seven appearances on the series, his first role being that of the title character in "The Cliff Grundy Story", broadcast on 25 December 1957. Cliff Grundy, an old friend of Flint McCullough, joins with the Wagon Train in time for a buffalo hunt. After an accident, Cliff and Flint are stranded in the wild, trying to survive until they can reach a small town. This was one of Dan Duryea's rare "sympathetic" roles, and one that he would reprise for the final Wagon Train episode of the same season.[6] In his fourth appearance on Wagon Train, he played a mentally unstable man obsessed by demons and superstitions in "The Bleymier Story", broadcast 16 November 1960, eleven days after the death of Ward Bond. Samuel Bleymier opposes the interest shown to his daughter, Belle, portrayed byElen Willard, by a young pioneer, Justin Claiborne, played byJames Drury, some two years before the start of hisThe Virginian series. The episode is filmed mostly in the dark or during heavy rains, high winds and a cyclone, and involves pioneers passing through aSioux burial ground.
Jena Engstrom appeared three times. In 1961 she was featured in "The Jenna Douglas Story" with guest starCarolyn Jones. In 1962 she was featured in "The Amos Billings Story", guest-starring Paul Fix. And in 1964 she appeared in support ofJoseph Wiseman in "The Santiago Quesada Story".
Glenda Farrell appeared in the 1959 episode "The Jess MacAbbee Story" as Andy Devine's character's wife.
Ron Foster appeared twice in the 1957 episodes "The John Cameron Story" and "The Julia Gage Story".
Rhonda Fleming appeared three times. In the 1958 episode "The Jennifer Churchill Story", in the 1961 episode "The Patience Miller Story" and in the 1963 episode "The Sandra Cummings Story".
Med Flory was cast as Sheriff Gile in "The Nancy Palmer Story", withAudrey Meadows in the guest-starring role (1961).
Nina Foch appeared as the title character in "The Clara Beauchamp Story".
Louise Fletcher appeared as different characters in two Season 3 episodes.
Eduard Franz appeared in the lead in 1957 in "The Les Rand Story", andJames Philbrook had a minor role in the same episode.
Kathleen Freeman appeared in five different episodes, usually as the embodiment of ignorance or intolerance.
George Gobel appeared as Major Adams' country cousin in "The Horace Best Story", the Season 4 premiere episode.
Don Grady appeared in "The Christine Elliot Story" (1960).
Lorne Greene appeared in "The Vivian Carter Story" (1959).
Tom Greenway appeared as Dr. Quinn in "The Dan Hogan Story" (1958).
Kevin Hagen appeared four times onWagon Train as Lansing in "The Willy Moran Story" (1957) and as Claymore in "The Nels Stack Story" (1957) and "The Annie MacGregory Story" (1958) and as Ed Prentiss in "The Silver Lady" (1965).
Sessue Hayakawa appeared as the title character in "The Sakae Ito Story" (1958).
Peter Helm appeared three times onWagon Train in 1962 and 1963: "The Daniel Clay Story", "The Wagon Train Mutiny", and in the title role "The Tom O'Neal Story", withMyron Healey cast as his father.
Darby Hinton, achild actor, appeared in March 1964 as Benjie Diel in the 75-minute episode "The Ben Engel Story".
Dennis Holmes, another child actor, appeared three times onWagon Train, including the role of Danny Blake in "Those Who Stay Behind", along withPeter Brown andBruce Dern (8 November 1964).
Dennis Hopper appeared as the title character in "The Emmett Lawton Story" as the crippled son of the murdered sheriff in a town taken over by outlaws, March 1963.
Sherry Jackson appeared as the title character in "The Geneva Balfour Story", which was originally broadcast on 20 January 1964.
Anne Jeffreys and her husband,Robert Sterling, play a couple with an unusual "half-marriage" courtship arrangement brought about by an attack of fever in the episode "The Julie Gage Story", the fourteenth episode of the series broadcast on 18 December 1957.
Brad Johnson andSusan Oliver in the title role appear in the 9 November 1960, episode "The Cathy Eckhardt Story", with Johnson cast as Will Eckhardt.
I. Stanford Jolley appeared ten times, but not in the lead role of an episode.
Carolyn Jones appeared during the show's first four episodes, also as the title characters in "The Jenna Douglas Story" (1961) as a traumatized woman found by the wagon train, and in "The Molly Kincaid Story" (1963) as an escaped captive of the Indians intent on punishing the husband who abandoned her.
Dick Jones was cast as John Hunter in "The Wagon Train Mutiny" (1962).
J. M. Kerrigan appeared in "The St. Nicholas Story" (1959).
Brett King appeared five times onWagon Train, his last as a lieutenant in "The Sandra Cummings Story" (1963).
Charles Laughton appeared as Albert Farnsworth in "The Albert Farnsworth Story". (1960)
Linda Lawson guest starred in "Princess of a Lost Tribe" (1960).
Art Linkletter appeared as the title character in "The Sam Darland Story" (1962).
Peter Lorre played the title character in "The Alexander Portlass Story" (March 1960).
Dayton Lummis appeared in three episodes: as Maj. Barham in "The Martha Barham Story" (NBC, 1959), as T.J. Gingle in "The John Turnbull Storey" (NBC, 1962), and as the Rev. Philip Marshall in "The Myra Marshall Story" (ABC, 1963), withSuzanne Pleshette in the title role.
Lee Marvin appeared as Mexican bandit Jose Morales in the Season 4 episode "The Jose Morales Story". After 20 episodes he appeared as newly hired wagonmaster Jud Benedict in the Season 4 episode that introduced the Chris Hale character, "The Christopher Hale Story".[7]
Raymond Massey guest starred in "Princess of a Lost Tribe" (1960).
Mike Mazurki appeared in "The Duncan McIvor Story" (1964).
Tyler McVey appeared six times onWagon Train, including a two-part 1960 episode "Trial for Murder".
Audrey Meadows played the title character in "The Nancy Palmer Story" (1961).
Joyce Meadows appeared three times: as Martha Williams in "The Conchita Vasquez Story" (1959), as Rheba Polke in "The Jed Polke Story" and as Melanie in "The Artie Matthewson Story" (both 1961).
Ralph Meeker appeared in the title role of "A Man Called Horse" (season one, ep 26, trans 26 March 1958) in a story that served as the basis for theRichard Harris filmA Man Called Horse, a decade later.
Burgess Meredith guest starred in "The Grover Allen Story" (1964).
Vera Miles appeared three times onWagon Train as the lead role in "The Sister Rita Story" (1959), as Janice Stuart in "The Bob Stuart Story" (1964) and as Anne Reed in "The Silver Lady" (1965).
Ricardo Montalbán appeared as the title character in the second episode of the series, "The Jean LeBec Story".
Archie Moore, African-American prizefighter, appeared as a cowboy in "The Geneva Balfour Story", which was originally broadcast on 20 January 1964.
Read Morgan appeared three times: as Ben Denike in "The Vincent Eaglewood Story" withWally Cox in the title role (1959), as Curly Horse in "The Martha Barham Story" withAnn Blyth (1959), and as Jake in "The Myra Marshall Story".
Ed Nelson guest stars in the episode "Alias Bill Hawks", a story of townspeople covering for a murder, and trying to dig a neededartesian well. Terry Wilson, as the real "Bill Hawks", arrives to put the puzzle together.
Leonard Nimoy appeared in four episodes-—twice as a Mexican, once as an Indian and once as one of three Spanish brothers.
Susan Oliver guest starred in four episodes: "The Emily Rossiter Story" (1957), "The Maggie Hamilton Story" (1960), "The Cathy Eckhart Story" (1960), and "The Lily Legend Story" (1963).
Prolific Western actorGregg Palmer appeared in three episodes: as Groton in "The Mary Halstead Story" (1957), as Paul Dawson in "The Riley Gratton Story" (1957), and as Raleigh in "The Jose Morales Story" (1960).
Michael Parks was cast as Hamish Browne in "The Heather and Hamish Story" with fellow guest starAnne Helm (1963), and as Michael Malone in "The Michael Malone Story", withJoyce Bulifant (1964).
John Pickard appeared as Jed Otis in the 1959 episode "The Matthew Lowry Story".
Ronald Reagan, in one of his final acting roles prior to his entering politics, played Captain Paul Winters in the seventh-season episode "The Fort Pierce Story", first broadcast in September 1963.
Michael Rennie appeared in two episodes: "The John Cameron Story" (1957) and "The Robert Harrison Clarke Story" (1963).
Cesar Romero appeared in "The Honorable Don Charlie Story" (1958).
Mickey Rooney guest starred as "greenhorn" Samuel T. Evans in "The Greenhorn Story" (1959), and again as Samuel T. Evans with young wife Melanie (Olive Sturgess) in "Wagons Ho!", the 1960 season premiere.Ellen Corby played the role of Aunt 'Em in both episodes. Sturgess in her role had to wear the lowest of heels so as not to tower over the 5'2" Rooney.[8]
Pippa Scott guest-starred in "The Link Cheney Story" (1964).
Roger Smith - (see "Charles Bickford" earlier in the list)
Arnold Stang played the lead in "The Ah Chong Story", the tale of an ebullient Chinese cook who joins the wagon train with a rickshaw. Ah Chong produces higher quality and more reliable food service than Charlie Wooster, who has become arrogant because of his success at poker playing. Ah Chong introduces wagonmaster Chris Hale and his assistant, Bill Hawks, tobird nest soup. Wooster soon sees Ah Chong as a threat in both cooking and poker, and hurls insults at him.Frank Ferguson plays a sheriff at the beginning of this episode, which aired near the end of the fourth season on 14 June 1961.
Rod Steiger portrayed a blind doctor heading west in "The Saul Bevins Story" (1961). The other travelers object to his inclusion on the train because of the obstacles he must overcome.Vivi Janiss plays his sister, Martha Bevins;Charles Herbert, his son Job Bevins. Janiss also appeared in five otherWagon Train episodes.
Charles Stevens appeared twice in "The Nels Stack Story" (1957) and "The Mark Hanford Story" (1958).
Dean Stockwell appeared in four episodes, including "The Rodney Lawrence Story" (10 June 1959), in which he portrays a young white man whose parents were massacred by other whites, and he is reared by a single Indian. The Indian urges Rodney to rejoin his people when the wagon train passes through the area, and soon after he joins the train he is accused of murder and theft. Scout Flint McCullough proves that Rodney is innocent, and he becomes attracted to a young white woman, Mandy McCrea (Cynthia Chenault).Roger Mobley plays Lawrence as a child in a flashback.
Akim Tamiroff appeared in "The Joe Muharich Story" (1961).
Phyllis Thaxter was cast in the title role of "The Christine Elliott Story" (1960), in which a young woman takes a group of orphan-boys, who had previously lived in her late father's orphanage, to a new life in the West.Don Grady andGary Hunley also appear in this episode.
Franchot Tone appeared in the lead role in "The Malachi Hobart Story" as a traveling preacher who loses confidence in his ownChristian message.
Lee Van Cleef appeared in "The Jesse Cowan Story" (1958).
Johnny Washbrook appeared as Tommy Peeks in "The Swift Cloud Story", with Rafael Campos in the 1959 title role, and as Ron Pearson in "The Beth Pearson Story", withVirginia Grey in the 1961 title role.
Ben Johnson,Harry Carey Jr. andWard Bond inJohn Ford's feature film,Wagon Master (1950), one of the primary cinematic inspirations for the series. Ford dressed Bond identically to this, with the black hat and checkered shirt, in theWagon Train episode that Ford later directed titled "The Coulter Craven Story" featuring many regulars from Ford films, includingJohn Wayne.
John Wayne appeared briefly, partly obscured by distance and shadow, in a long shot in the episode directed byJohn Ford, "The Coulter Craven Story", in which he portrays GeneralWilliam Tecumseh Sherman and speaks briefly. In this episode, Wayne is billed under the pseudonym "Michael Morris", a reference to his real name, Marion Michael Morrison.[9] Several otherregulars from Ford's films also appeared, includingJohn Carradine,Ken Curtis andHank Worden. Ford used action footage from his 1950 filmWagon Master in this episode, which was shown 18 days after Bond's death and is the only episode in this series directed by Ford.[10] Wayne also played Sherman under Ford's direction in the movieHow the West Was Won, and was billed as "Michael Morris" for a lengthy Ford-directedcameo appearance in theAlcoa Premiere television anthology show episode titled "Flashing Spikes" (1962) starringJames Stewart.
Marlene Willis played a supporting role in "The Jess MacAbbee Story" starring Andy Devine.
Shelley Winters appeared during the show's first four episodes.
Jane Wyman appeared twice, once in "The Doctor Willoughby Story" (1958), as a woman doctor heading west. And, again in "The Wagon Train Mutiny" (1964).
Dick York guest-starred in "The Michael Malone Story" (1964) as Mitchell.
Tony Young guest-starred as Quent Loomis in "The Melanie Craig Story", withMyrna Fahey in the title role (1964).
Harry von Zell guest-starred in "The Link Cheney Story" (1964) and "The Tobias Jones Story" (1958).
Taking inspiration from John Ford's 1950 filmWagon Master,Revue Productions conceived of a semi-anthology series with an emphasis on strong storytelling and quality direction with weekly guest stars known for their work in motion pictures and other media but retaining a regular cast of characters to provide a touchstone for audiences.
At an initial budget ofUS$100,000 (equivalent to $1,120,000 in 2024) per segment,Wagon Train episodes cost over 40% more than most contemporary hour-long Westerns, allowing it to film on location in California'sSan Fernando Valley and afford its expensive guest stars.[11]
The first season theme "Wagon Train" was written byHenri René andBob Russell, and lyrics were not used. The theme was conducted by Revue musical director Stanley Wilson. In the second season, a new more modern sounding theme was introduced. "(Roll Along) Wagon Train" was written bySammy Fain andJack Brooks and sung by Johnny O'Neill. About midway through the second season this was replaced with an instrumental version by Stanley Wilson. In the third season a more traditional sounding score was introduced. "Wagons Ho!" was written and conducted byJerome Moross, who adapted it from a passage of music he had written for the 1959 filmThe Jayhawkers. This theme would last through the series's run and is the most rememberedWagon Train theme. Stanley Wilson re-recorded "Wagons Ho!" when the series was broadcast in color in 1963, then an abbreviated version of the 1963 re-recorded theme was used for the final season when it returned to black-and-white.[12]
The show ran for 284 episodes over 8 seasons: the first aired on September 18, 1957, and the final segment was broadcast on May 2, 1965.
The series aired for most of its run as hour-long episodes in black-and-white except for five episodes during the 1961–62 season which were produced and broadcast in color to promote NBC's parent company RCA's color television sets. After its move to ABC the show mirrored "The Virginian" on NBC by filming in color and expanding to 90 minutes. In its final and eighth season and due to declining ratings, the show returned to its hour format and was filmed in black and white.
When the original Ward Bond episodes were broadcast weekday afternoons on ABC beginning in 1963, a new series title "Seth Adams Trailmaster" was given to the episode to avoid viewer confusion becauseWagon Train was still on the ABC evening schedule. A new theme song, the "Trailmaster Theme", written and conducted by Stanley Wilson, was used for these syndicated episodes. The later episodes from the John McIntire era were syndicated under the simpler title "Trailmaster." All episodes eventually reverted to their original titling after the series left the air. The 75-minute episodes were usually syndicated separately, sometimes shown on local stations as "movies."[citation needed]
One episode very seldom shown is "Princess of the Lost Tribe" (season 4 episode 6, shown 6 Nov 1960), in which Flint McCullough happens upon the hiding place of descendants of theAztec Indians - now moved up from central Mexico to the vicinity of Arizona, withRaymond Massey playing their king, Montezuma IX, speaking English with flawless educated diction.
In 2004,Alpha Video released three episodes ofWagon Train onDVD. Four years laterTimeless Media Group released a DVD selection consisting of 12 episodes on three discs. Also in 2008, it releasedThe Complete Color Season, a 16 disc box set with season seven and 16 select episodes from the other seasons. From 2010 to 2013, Timeless Media Group released the series in eight box sets of one season each, and the seventh season lacks the bonus episodes.[13]: 89
Gene Roddenberry said he pitchedStar Trek as "Wagon Train to the stars", referring to the concept of a recurring cast on a long journey with famous guest stars becoming the focus of various stories. In his March 11, 1964, initial pitch document, he wrote, "Star Trek is aWagon Train concept—built around characters who travel to worlds 'similar' to our own."[14]
