When it comes to classic televisionWesterns, few are as easily watchable as a show likeWagon Train. The series was inspired in part bytheJohn FordfilmWagon Master, but quickly took on a life of its own, becoming almost an anthology program that churned out new stories about settlers on the open frontier. It was a grand production in size and scale, and certainly gave its contemporaries a run for its money, whether it was airing on NBC or ABC at the time. But compared to some of the other shows of its day,Wagon Trainwas possibly the most expensive, with an impressive budget that one can clearly see on the screen in each and every episode.
‘Wagon Train’ Was an Expensive Production That Used Its Budget Wisely
According to theMuseum of Broadcast Communications,a single episode of this hour-long Western cost a bolstering $100,000. Whether this was consistent across all eight seasons or varied is unclear, but it was not exactly standard for the day. Compared to many of the other hour-long programs at that time,includingCheyenne,Sugarfoot, and others, that was about $30,000 more on average per episode. ButWagon Traincertainly put that money to good use, using that budget to film on location in the San Fernando Valley and hire an array of impressive guest stars — which included folks likeLon Chaney Jr.,Bette Davis,Claude Rains,Peter Fonda,Leslie Nielsen,Jeanette Nolan,Dennis Hopper,Johnny Cash,and evenJohn Waynehimself. For 32 episodes, the series even expanded to a 90-minute format, though it eventually returned to 60 minutes as ratings declined, leading to its eventual cancellation after eight seasons.
In general,WagonTrainmay have been one of the most expensive TV Westerns out there, perhaps the most expensive before it was axed by ABC in 1965. The problem is, we can’t fully compare its per-episode budget to other heavy hitterslikeGunsmokeorBonanza. We simply don’t have the exact figures.Gunsmokestarted as a half-hour program (in black-and-white) before moving to an hour-long runtime. Eventually, the show switched to color, which would no doubt have inflated the costs. It’s impossible to say for certain what an episode ofGunsmokewould run for, althoughBroadcasting Magazinereports that the show cost $135,000 to get started, including building sets, costumes, etc. Likewise,some estimations ofBonanza’s budgetput it at over $100,000 per episode early on, rising to around $200,000 in its later years. This would mean thatBonanza(and most likelyGunsmoke) cost more thanWagon Trainon average, which would make sense given the raw star-power necessary to maintain it.
By contrast,Remind Magazinereports that the hour-longRawhide— which gaveClint Eastwoodhis start — cost around $40,000 per episode, even less than some of its contemporaries but still quite hefty for a television series of that day. With similar production needs (and many familiar guest faces),Wagon Trainwas able to utilize its extra $60,000 to the max, splurging for authentic wagons, dozens of horses, and impressive guest directors that includedSydney Pollock,Richard Donner, and even John Ford.Each episode was a stunning examination of the Old West, highlighting the dangers, joys, trials, and troubles of the frontier.
‘Wagon Train’s Anthology-Like Format Thrived on Network Television
But a massive budget can only get you so far. For a show likeWagon Train, the audience must be emotionally invested in not just the recurring cast members — who often felt more like side characters than leading stars — but also the one-and-done guest stars who would carry each episode. As noted before,Wagon Trainwas basically an anthology production. While not quite as committed to that idea asa show likeDeath Valley Days, each episode highlighted a new member of the titular group as they pressed on from St. Louis into the wild unknown. AsTim BrooksandEarle Marshput it inThe Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present, “Some were God fearin’ settlers, others young adventurers, others scoundrels.” The beauty of a series like this is that it showed all walks of life, and pushed audiences into the minds (and often hearts) of complicated characters on the frontier.
It’s no wonder thatWagon Trainwould eventually beat outGunsmokein the ratings, becoming the number one series on television during the 1961-62 season.To dethrone Marshal Matt Dillon(James Arness) was no small feat, andWagon Trainproved that it had some life left. However, coupled withthe tragedy of losingWard Bond(who played wagon master Major Seth Adams) halfway through the fourth season to a heart attack and the rising production costs associated with shooting several episodes in color during Season 5, NBC cancelled the show. Of course, ABC would pick it back up for the remainder of its run, but it would never again rise pastGunsmokein the ratings. Even so, audiences continued to stick withWagon Train. Ironically, followingWagon Train’s success in the ratings,Gunsmokeadapted an anthology-like formula itself once it moved to an hour-long runtime.
This Classic TV Western Changed Most of Its Cast Halfway Through Its Run
This series was never the same after the tragic loss of lead actor Ward Bond.
It’s Becoming Harder To Watch Classic Westerns Like ‘Wagon Train’
Althoughclassic Western TV showslikeGunsmokehave beenrising in the streaming charts lately, not every television horse opera has had the pleasure of being widely available. Shows likeHave Gun — Will TravelandThe Virginianare only available on select platforms, and there are plenty of shows that have fallen to the wayside entirely. Unfortunately,Wagon Trainis one of them. Although a single episode of the series (Season 6’s “Alias Bill Hawks”) is available for streaming on Tubi, the show is not available anywhere else for purchase or rent digitally. For a series that was so notable in its time (and certainly still has an audience),it’s quite a tragedy that it has been kept from finding a new audience. Aided by its massive budget,Wagon Traincertainly made its mark on Western history and remains one of the best of its time.
A single episode ofWagon Trainis available for streaming on Tubi.
Wagon Train
