TV-"Wagon Train"- The Colter Craven Story (1960)

[ethanedwards]

THE COLTER CRAVEN STORY

DIRECTED BY JOHN FORD
PRODUCED BY HOWARD CHRISTIE
REVUE PRODUCTION
NBC TELEVISION

..
.................................................. .......... Shown in shadow is John Wayne as General Sherman.

More pictures and information
The Colter Craven Story

INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Plot Summary
Major Adams, comes across Dr. Colter Craven, and his wife,
by their broken wagon,and invites them, to join his train.
Although the Doctor, aids an injured boy, when it comes to perform
a life and death operation, he refuses.
Distraught after what he had seen in the Civil War,
he was now an alcoholic.
This prompts Seth Adams, to recount the story of his old friend Sam,
who overcame a drinking problem,
to become President Ulysses S. Grant
Summary by ethanedwards

Series Cast- Regular cast members.
Ward Bond .... Major Seth Adams
Robert Horton .... Flint McCullough
Terry Wilson .... Bill Hawks
Frank McGrath .... Charlie Wooster

Episode Cast
Paul Birch .... Gen. Ulysses S. 'Sam' Grant
Willis Bouchey .... Mr. Grant
John Carradine .... Park Cleatus
Ken Curtis .... Kyle
Richard H. Cutting .... Col. Lollier
Annelle Hayes .... Mrs. Grant
Chuck Hayward
Anna Lee .... Mrs. Craven
Cliff Lyons .... Creel
Mae Marsh .... Mrs. Jesse Grant
Jack Pennick .... Drill Sergeant
Chuck Roberson .... Junior
Dennis Rush .... Jamie
Charles Seel .... Mort
John Wayne .... General William Tecumseh Sherman (as Michael Morris)
Hank Worden .... Shelley
Carleton Young .... Colter Craven

Writing Credits
Tony Paulson (writer)

Episode Crew
Produced
Howard Christie .... producer

Original Music
Stanley Wilson

Cinematography
Benjamin H. Kline

Stunts
Dean Smith .... stunts
Paul Baxley .... stunts (uncredited)
Joe Canutt .... stunts (uncredited)
Gary Combs .... stunt double: Robert Horton (uncredited)
John Daheim .... stunts (uncredited)
Carol Daniels .... stunts (uncredited)
Evelyn Finley .... stunts (uncredited)
Fred Graham .... stunts (uncredited)
Carol Henry .... stunts (uncredited)
Ted Mapes .... stunts (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan .... stunts (uncredited)
George Orrison .... stunts (uncredited)
Rusty Richards .... stunts (uncredited)
Ronnie Rondell Jr. .... stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel .... stunts (uncredited)
Jesse Wayne .... stunts (1960-1965) (uncredited)
Henry Wills .... stunts (uncredited)
Terry Wilson .... stunts (uncredited)

Other crew
Vincent Dee .... costume supervisor
George Fredrick .... assistant editor
Stanley Wilson .... music supervisor
Steven Spielberg .... assistant editor (uncredited)

Trivia
This episode marked the first time that John Wayne played General Sherman.
He would play him again in the Civil War sequence in MGM's Cinerama spectacular How the West Was Won (1962).

Filming Locations
Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Stage 19, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Watch the Full Episode

[ethanedwards]

The Colter Craven Story was Episode #4.9.
and was aired on November 23rd. 1960.
and was part of the hugely successful WAGON TRAIN TV series.
Starring Ward Bond, who really controlled the whole series.

Directed By John Ford, this episode had
Carleton Young, as Colter Craven,
Anna Lee, Ken Curtis, Cliff Lyons,Jack Pennick,
John Carradine, Hank Worden, Chuck Roberson
and Duke as Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman.
Duke was credited as Michael Morris!!!

The Colter Craven Story remains unique, because it was directed by a legendary
John Ford as a testament to his friendship, with Duke and Ward.
According to Ford, he was unaware of Duke's appearance.
In fact Dukes's appearance is all of a few seconds, and he is almost
indistinguishable, in the dark shadows, of nightfall.

Note who's an uncredited, Ass. Editor...Steven Spielberg!!

Here is a link to, a great site,
with brilliant photos and film synopsis,

WAGON TRAIN-PHOTOS

User Review

Ward Bond Hosts His Friends
1 August 2006 | by bkoganbing (Buffalo, New York)

The week that Ward Bond died TV Guide was to feature an article about this Wagon Train episode. Bond got his mentor John Ford to direct this episode of Wagon Train which concerned an alcoholic doctor played by Carleton Young traveling on the Wagon Train.

This must have been a proud day for Bond. John Wayne, John Ford, and Ward Bond had been like the three musketeers ever since Ford spotted both these guys working as prop men and gave them their start in films.

For Bond however he was the odd man out. Either he and Wayne worked on a Ford film together or they worked on a film with another director, but with Wayne the star and Bond one of the supporting cast.

But due to Wagon Train, Bond was now THE STAR and Wayne and Ford worked for him. Wayne has an unbilled unseen cameo as General William T. Sherman during a flashback sequence during the Civil War. I still remember you see Wayne in silhouette in the background, but his voice is unmistakable.

Wayne is billed under his real name of Marion Michael Morrison in the cast and the cast of the episode itself reads like a John Ford movie.

It would have been one of the best received Wagon Train episodes in any event, but Bond's death made it a classic.

I wish I had saved that TV Guide with the rollicking story about Ford and Wayne working for Bond on the Wagon Train set and the heartfelt obituary for Bond in the same issue. In the obituary it was explained that they wanted to run the cover story as well as the obituary side by side, such was the place that Ward Bond as Major Seth Adams had in the affections of the American public.

[chester7777]

We haven't seen The Colter Craven Story, but actually have the other two on a VHS tape. JW has fairly small roles in both, if I remember correctly, but the stories were engaging.

Chester

[arthurarnell]

Hi

The episode of the Wagon Train Colter Craven Story is very good even if you forget that John Wayne is in it, In the brief final sequence he is heard but not seen.
The story line is good carried out with a fine cast which includes Carlton Young and John Carradine.

I think its worth watching.

The copy I have of Rookie of the year is not of the best quality, but again it is a watchable film with John Wayne playing the investigating reporter on the trail of a hot story.


Regards

Arthur

[ethanedwards]

Hi Arthur,
I've just compliled the reviews on those two.
Like your self, my version of Rookie is poor,
however the Colter Craven Story is fine.
I think the best thing to do is post them now,

[ethanedwards]

Hi,
Now that the topic is open, I have copied, Arthurs reply across to here.

Originally posted by arthurarnell@Feb 3 2006, 07:14 AM
Hi

The episode of the Wagon Train Colter Craven Story is very good even if you forget that John Wayne is in it, In the brief final sequence he is heard but not seen.
The story line is good carried out with a fine cast which includes Carlton Young and John Carradine.

I think its worth watching.
Regards
Arthur

[snapback]26386[/snapback]

[ethanedwards]

Hi,

For anyone interested in this episode, below is a link,
to a great site, with some good photos and film synopsis,

Scroll, down for some great shots,

Including Duke's appearence, Ward Bond,
John Ford, Hank Worden and others,


Shown in shadow is John Wayne as General

The Colter Craven Story

[Heber Snow]

Recently bought the box set of Wagon Train colour episodes which also has sixteen 'best of' monochrome shows. Sadly the Colter Craven Story isn't there. Some of the episodes look pretty corny now and there's a huge discrepancy between the usually excellent location shots, cutting to some very obvious studio 'exteriors'.
They're well-written though and the early Ward Bond episodes are to my mind the best.

[oliver13]

Is Wagon Train currently on television?

[arthurarnell]

Hi

Although it's very wrong to say it Wagon Train in my case was the best thing in the world for bringing on sleep. Every Monday night I would stay up to watch it, fall asleep just after the opening credits and wake up as the final credits were played -it never failed.



Regards

Arthir

[firstrebel]

We didn't have TV when this started here in the UK, but every Sunday evening I went to a neighbour's house to watch it, as religiously as going to Chapel in the morning and Sunday School in the afternoon.

Ward Bond was a great actor and was in some great films, but I think this enhanced his status greatly. I don't recall this one, but it was a long time ago. As much a TV Classic as Rawhide.

I thknk the reason some of these 'old-timers' look so corny is that we have become used to a higher standard of production, and costs; advancements in technology have transformed things greatly.

It's a bit like the early days of Rock'N'Roll and Sun and Cadence record labels.

Bob

[DukePilgrim]

Is the JW episode available on DVD?

[The Ringo Kid]

I dont recall seeing this discussed here before but and I found this out by chance yesterday while watching The Colter Craven Story on youtube or some place like that? that the John Ford TV shows he directed are coming out on DvD.

Oh and, I saw some weeks ago, that you cna now FINALLY get the Ford movie: Prisoner of Shark Island-on DvD-when you could only get it as part of that very expensive Ford boxed set that came out about 4 or so years ago.

If these both have been discussed before? sorry mods ;-))

[The Ringo Kid]

Confirmed as of a website I stumbled on--The Colter Craven Story will be in that DvD set.

[ejgreen77]

Ringo, I believe this may be what you sure talking about. If I remember right, I believe that "The Colter Craven Story" episode occurred during season four of Wagon Train, so it should be part of this box set.