Wagon Train (1962)

 

Like Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, the year 1962 was both the best of times and worst of times for long-running western series Wagon Train. After surviving the unexpected death of its lead star Ward Bond in late 1960 and successfully replacing him with veteran actor John McIntire in the role of wagon master Chris Hale in early 1961, the series vaulted to the top of the ratings for the 1961-62 season, but its stay there would be short-lived. Its lofty spot in the ratings prompted ABC to lure the program away from NBC for the 1962-63 season, but NBC responded by placing its new full-color 90-minute western The Virginian in the Wednesday evening 7:30 time slot directly opposite Wagon Train. The increased competition no doubt hurt Wagon Train, which dropped to 25th in the ratings for 1962-63 with The Virginian right behind it. Also contributing to its decline was the departure of co-star Robert Horton, who had been playing wagon train scout Flint McCullough since the show's debut in 1957. Our previous posts have touched on Horton's long-running feud with co-star Bond as well as his criticisms of the show's soap operatic stories and string of high-profile guest stars that relegated regular stars such as himself to the background for entire episodes. Reaching the pinnacle of the ratings only provided the producers with more opportunities to lure feature-film heavyweights and other celebrities into rare TV guest appearances. The early Season 6 episodes that aired in fall 1962 featured Jane Wyman ("The Wagon Train Mutiny," September 19, 1962), repeat guest star Barbara Stanwyck ("The Caroline Casteel Story," September 26, 1962), Thelma Ritter ("The Madame Sagittarius Story," October 3, 1962), repeat guest star Joseph Cotten ("The John Augustus Story," October 17, 1962), Ann Sheridan ("The Mavis Grant Story," October 24, 1962), Robert Ryan ("The John Bernard Story," November 21, 1962), repeat guest star Eddie Albert ("The Kurt Davos Story," November 28, 1962), repeat guest star Ann Blyth ("The Eve Newhope Story," December 5, 1962), up-and-comer Peter Fonda ("The Orly French Story," December 12, 1962), and Art Linkletter ("The Sam Darland Story, December 26, 1962). However, it appears that Horton's previously cited criticism about the regular cast serving as traffic cops for these guest stars may have been correct, because this unprecedented star power failed to offset Horton's departure at the end of Season 5 in terms of ratings--the audience shrunk from an estimated 15.5 million per show for 1961-62 to just over 11 million for 1962-63, according to classictvhits.com.

But before the network change and ratings decline, the producers seemed to try to placate Horton's criticisms by featuring more stories centered around the regular cast and to exploit the casting changes by teasing further departures. It is clear that the Duke Shannon character is being groomed as Flint McCullough's replacement when he is featured virtually solo in "The Hobie Redman Story" (January 17, 1962) and "The Malachi Hobart Story" (January 24, 1962). And he features prominently in "The Levi Hale Story" (April 18, 1962), which also affords John McIntire an opportunity to play two characters in the same episode as he plays his usual Chris Hale character and his black-sheep brother Levi, whom Chris is summoned to pick up from the Wyoming Territorial Prison and ordered to remove from the Wyoming Territory or risk reincarceration. The elderly and sometimes disoriented Levi mistakes Duke Shannon for his own son whose sins and death he has avoided for years. This episode is also one of several from 1962 that highlight the stark difference between the character of Chris Hale and his predecessor Major Seth Adams. As played by Ward Bond, Adams was a loud, almost-swearing windbag whose primary emotion was consternation, whereas McIntire's portrayal of Hale is more reserved, though never ready to back down when the situation warrants it, and more philosophical. Early in this episode Hale explains to Duke that sometimes a man has to harbor certain illusions to go on living, as his brother Levi has done to avoid facing who his late son really was. When Duke helps Levi die peacefully by playing along with his death-bed confusion of Duke as his own son without shattering Levi's illusion that his son was a good man, Hale tells Duke that he harbors the illusion that Duke is also a fine young man and he asks Duke not to shatter his illusion.

The producers obviously thought this was a good look for the Duke Shannon character because they have him playing an almost identical role in "The Frank Carter Story" (May 23, 1962) when he is mistaken for the missing profligate son Jason Carter of ranch owner Mary Carter. Years ago Jason robbed the local bank's safe and fled, and was later killed in a bar-room fight in Mexico, leaving his half-brother Frank to run the ranch and manage his mother's delusional repression of what really happened to Jason. Even though he has no real motive to pretend to be Jason Carter, Duke eventually accepts the challenge and not only sets Mary Carter's mind at ease but exposes Frank's current and Jason's former girlfriend Martha Chambers as a duplicitous gold-digger. This episode is perhaps a prime example of Horton's complaint about soap operatic plots, and it really does little to flesh out the character of Duke Shannon other than to demonstrate that he will go to great lengths to help a group of total strangers.

But Duke Shannon isn't the only character receiving a higher profile in latter Season 5. Charlie Wooster takes center stage in "The Jeff Hartfield Story" (February 14, 1962) when he receives permission from Hale to follow a band of children who run away from the wagon train to escape what they perceive as poor treatment from their families. Bill Hawks gets to fly solo in "The Jud Steele Story" (May 2, 1962) when he gets a bee in his bonnet to investigate the false narrative about the titular outlaw he is forced to kill after he returns his dead body to his hometown, where the residents claim him as a war hero who died years earlier. Hawks also gets to play the hero in "The John Turnbull Story" (May 30, 1962) when he joins forces with eastern-educated Ute lawyer John Turnbull against corrupt town leaders who are plotting to steal valuable Ute territory.

While several stories feature Horton's Flint McCullough as the primary protagonist (that was, after all, part of the show's formula), it is unlikely that Horton enjoyed performing in them because the stories are some of the most maudlin of the season. The chief offenders in this regard are "The Swamp Devil" (April 4, 1962) and "The Nancy Lee Davis Story" (May 16, 1962). In the former episode, McCullough escorts a small offshoot of the wagon train through swampy territory to their final destination, all the while internally struggling with some mysterious catastrophe that befell his last journey along this route and vowing not to repeat it. What we finally learn after McCullough is separated from the rest of the party is that his last trip a year ago ended with a confrontation with keyboardist Joshua who refused to discard his piano and massive organ from his wagon to make it through the swamp, forcing McCullough to leave him and his wife behind. When his wife dies in the swamp, Joshua blames McCullough and waits an entire year to exact revenge. He also improbably not only salvages the massive organ, but constructs an elaborate tree house and hoists the organ up into it so that travelers through the swamp can hear him playing but have no idea where the music is coming from, prompting locals such as friendly Indian chief Bear Claw to assume the swamp is haunted by the titular swamp devil. Typical of early 20th-centuray melodramas, Joshua then knocks out McCullough from behind, hoists him into the tree house, and constructs a death trap for McCullough who, exhausted, must stand with a noose around his neck until his legs give out and he hangs himself. But this is not how McCullough exits the series, as Bill Hawks and Charlie Wooster come to his rescue and Joshua meets his just end after being forced to realize that he alone is responsible for his wife's death. 

Though we are teased about Horton's impending departure when Wooster tells Hawks he wouldn't be surprised if they didn't get word that McCullough had decided to marry a woman from Billings at the beginning of "The Terry Morrell Story" (April 25, 1962), "The Nancy Lee Davis Story" three weeks later paints McCullough as the typically eternally cursed lover that virtually all TV western heroes of the era must be. In this melodrama we see the death of McCullough's fiance 8 years prior at the hands of a trio of thieves who assault Nancy Lee and her mother to steal their silver dinnerware when McCullough is away. McCullough hunts down two of the thieves and witnesses their murders by others but can never catch up to the ring leader Lace Andrews, until 8 years later when the bartender at a small-town saloon mentions his name as McCullough, Hawks, and Wooster stop in for a drink. McCullough goes berserk at the chance of finally exacting revenge against the man who killed his one true love, but after telling his tale through flashback, he sees that Andrews over the passage of time has become a helpless cripple and decides to let the local sheriff prosecute him for his crimes since killing such a weakened opponent would bring no satisfaction.

Though McCullough's departure from Hale's wagon train team is never explained either at the end of Season 5 or early Season 6, the producers obviously enjoyed teasing viewers with the prospect of other characters marrying out of the series, as illustrated by Season 5-ending episode "The Heather Mahoney Story" (June 13, 1962), in which Chris Hale nearly ties the knot with wealthy Sacramento socialite Heather Mahoney, and the early Season 6 episode "The Madame Sagittarius Story" (October 3, 1962), in which Charlie Wooster is ready to marry astrologer and con artist Delphine Sagittarius. In both cases the romances progress far enough for the prospective grooms to say goodbye to the remaining wagon train members, but in the former episode the bride-to-be's mother finally persuades her daughter that she is being selfish in expecting the rough-hewn Hale to adapt to her refined social circle rather than adapting to his way of life and thus does not love him as much as she thinks she does, and in the latter episode Delphine miraculously runs into her estranged and presumed dead husband in the very town where she and Wooster planned to wed after leaving the wagon train. In the world of the midcentury TV western, the hero, and even a series jester like Charlie Wooster, can never succumb to the restraints of marriage because doing so would degrade the high-minded western drama into situation comedy, the only proper format in that era for depicting married life.

The other head-fake the Wagon Train producers gave viewers at the end of Season 5 to distract from the real-life departure of Robert Horton was the brief departure of his replacement, Duke Shannon, in "The Hiram Winthrop Story" (June 6, 1962). In this narrative, Duke decides to leave the Wagon Train when offered the position of deputy Indian agent by title character Hiram Winthrop, a greenhorn college professor from the east who is anxious to apply his naive theories on the Apache reservation in San Marcos, California. Winthrop mistakenly thinks he can pacify the Apaches by teaching them to be farmers, but he soon runs into a cultural roadblock as their Chief Two Arrows insists that their identity is that of hunters, not farmers, and Duke uncovers the dirty secret that local cattle rancher Lafe Riatt has been cheating them out of beef they are due per the most recently signed treaty with the government. When Duke has to try to bring Two Arrows back to face trial after the chief accidentally kills one of Riatt's ranch hands, he is forced to kill the Apache chief in self-defense because the latter would rather die fighting than at the end of a rope. The whole affair sours Duke's original ambition of negotiating peace between whites and Indians so much that he eventually returns to the wagon train, which he now considers to be his proper station in life. While order is restored on the wagon train for this episode, which attempts to solidify the Duke Shannon character as a wagon train scout and actor Denny Scott Miller's status as Horton's replacement, the Wagon Train producers apparently felt that Miller was not up to filling Horton's shoes after the precipitous ratings decline during Season 6 because they brought former Laramie co-star Robert Fuller on board as the new head scout for Season 7 in 1963. But the series was a bit like Humpty Dumpty in this regard--once it had fallen from the heights, there was no putting it back together again.

The Actors

For the biographies for Robert Horton, Terry Wilson, and Frank McGrath, see the 1960 post for Wagon Train. For the biographies for John McIntire and Denny Scott Miller, see the 1961 post for Wagon Train.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 5, Episode 14, "The Martin Onyx Story": Jack Warden (shown on the left, starred in From Here to Eternity, 12 Angry Men, and Run Silent, Run Deep and played Matt Gower on The Asphalt Jungle, Major Simon Butcher on The Wackiest Ship in the Army, Lt. Mike Haines on N.Y.P.D., Morris Buttermaker on The Bad News Bears, and Harry Fox, Sr. on Crazy Like a Fox) plays con man Randolph Shaw. Jack Albertson (starred in Days of Wine and Roses, Kissin' Cousins, The Flim-Flam Man, and Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and played Lt. Harry Evans on The Thin Man, Walter Burton on Room for One More, Lt. Cmdr. Virgil Stoner on Ensign O'Toole, Paul Fenton on Mister Ed, and Ed Brown on Chico and the Man) plays Purgatory Wells Mayor Jebediah Giddings. Sherwood Price (Gen. Jeb Stuart on The Gray Ghost) plays one Gantry brother. Morgan Woodward (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays the other Gantry brother. Sam Edwards (starred in Captain Midnight, Twelve O'Clock High, and The Beatniks and played Hank the hotel clerk on The Virginian and Mr. Bill Anderson on Little House on the Prairie) plays blind banjo player Banjo Billy Bales. Rhys Williams (Doc Burrage on The Rifleman) plays shipping mogul Angus Breck.

Season 5, Episode 15, "The Dick Pederson Story": James MacArthur (shown on the right, starred in The Young Stranger, Kidnapped, Swiss Family Robinson, Battle of the Bulge, and Hang 'Em High and played Danny Williams on Hawaii Five-O) plays former orphan Dick Pederson. Anne Helm (starred in Follow That Dream, The Interns, and Honeymoon Hotel and played Molly Pierce on Run for Your Life and Mary Briggs on General Hospital) plays eldest fatherless daughter Janey Cutler. Alice Frost (Mama Holstrum on The Farmer's Daughter) plays her pregnant mother. Cindy Carol (Alma Hanson on Leave It to Beaver, Binkie Massey on The New Loretta Young Show, and Susan on Never Too Young) plays her younger sister Renie. Susie Mathers (sister of Jerry Mathers) plays younger sister Ellie. Nora Marlowe (Martha Commager on Law of the Plainsman, Sara Andrews on The Governor and J.J., and Mrs. Flossie Brimmer on The Waltons) plays Pederson's employer Rebecca Brewer.

Season 5, Episode 16, "The Hobie Redman Story": Lin McCarthy (starred in Yellowneck, The D.I., and Face of a Fugitive and played Bill Talbot on Modern Romances) plays drunken widower Hobie Redman. Arch Johnson (starred in Somebody Up There Likes Me, G.I. Blues, and The Cheyenne Social Club and played Gus Honochek on The Asphalt Jungle and Cmdr. Wivenhoe on Camp Runamuck) plays small wagon train master Glen Andrews. Parley Baer (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet) plays aspiring businessman Clyde Montgomery. Amzie Strickland (Julia Mobey on Carter Country) plays Montgomery's wife Agnes. Barbara Eiler (former wife of Ozzie Nelson's brother Don and later married to Martin Sperzel of the vocal group The Sportsmen Quartet) plays runaway wife Ruth Carlson. Ann Jillian (shown on the left, starred in Babes in Toyland, Gypsy, and Mr. Mom and played Milly on Hazel, Jennifer Farrell on Jennifer Slept Here, Cassie Cranston on It's a Living, and Ann McNeil on Ann Jillian)plays her daughter Sandra. 

Season 5, Episode 17, "The Malachi Hobart Story": Franchot Tone (starred in Moulin Rouge (1934), Mutiny on the Bounty, Fast and Furious, Dark Waters, and I Love Trouble and played Dr. Daniel Niles Freeland on Ben Casey) plays con man Malachi Hobart. Wally Brown (appeared in Notorious, The Left Handed Gun, and The Absent-Minded Professor and played Jed Fame on Cimarron City and Chauncey Kowalski on The Roaring '20's) plays Duke's friend George Gresham. Irene Ryan (shown on the right, appeared in The Woman on the Beach, Bonzo Goes to College, and Desire in the Dust and played Granny Daisy Moses on The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction) plays his wife Martha. Steve Darrell (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Tales of Wells Fargo) plays husband with sick wife Roy Standish. 

Season 5, Episode 18, "The Dr. Denker Story": Theodore Bikel (shown on the left, starred in Moulin Rouge, The Defiant Ones, A Dog of Flanders, My Fair Lady, and The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! and played Marin Dimitrov on Falcon Crest) plays music teacher Dr. Denker. Peter Mamakos (Jean Lafitte on The Adventures of Jim Bowie) plays murderer Frank Morgan. William Tannen (Deputy Hal Norton on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays his accomplice Slater. Michael Burns (Howie Macauley on It's a Man's World and later played Barnaby West on Wagon Train) plays mute orphan Billy Latham. Jimmy Lydon (starred in Tom Brown's School Days, Little Men, Joan of Arc, and 9 Henry Aldrich features and played Biff Cardoza on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, Andy Boone on So This Is Hollywood, and Richard on Love That Jill) plays wagon train traveler George Blair. Kathleen O'Malley (Mrs. Moss on General Hospital) plays ex-Confederate's wife Emma Beaufort.

Season 5, Episode 19, "The Lonnie Fallon Story": Alan Hale, Jr. (Biff Baker on Biff Baker U.S.A., Casey Jones on Casey Jones, and The Skipper on Gilligan's Island) plays cattle drive boss Kirby. Gary Clarke (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1962 post on The Virginian) plays trailhand Lonnie Fallon. Lynn Loring (became President of MGM/United Artists Television Productions, married actor Roy Thinnes, and played the daughter on The Jean Carroll Show, Patti Barron Tate Whiting McCleary on Search for Tomorrow, Patty Walker on Fair Exchange, and Barbara Erskine on The F.B.I.) plays his wife Kathy Jennings. Frank Overton (starred in Desire Under the Elms, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Fail-Safe and played Major Harvey Stovall on 12 O'Clock High) plays her father Martin Jennings. Verna Felton (Mrs. Day on The Ezio Pinza Show and The Jack Benny Program, Hilda Crocker on December Bride and Pete and Gladys, and voiced Pearl Slaghoople on The Flintstones) plays Martin's mother Gran Jennings. Stacy Harris (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays Kiowa County Sheriff Francher. Paul Birch (Erle Stanley Gardner on The Court of Last Resort, Mike Malone on Cannonball, and Capt. Carpenter on The Fugitive) plays attorney Henry Weeker. Angela Greene (Tess Trueheart on Dick Tracy) plays saloon girl Laura. Pitt Herbert (played the telegrapher on The Virginian) plays Kiowa County physician Doc Spence.

Season 5, Episode 20, "The Jeff Hartfield Story": House Peters, Jr. (Dave Bennett on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and Sheriff Jim Billings on Lassie) plays bank robber Link Hartfield. Jackie Loughery (shown on the left, played Letty Bean on Judge Roy Bean and was once married to Jack Webb) plays his daughter Jenny. Michael Forest (starred in Ski Troop Attack, Atlas, and The Glory Guys and was the voice of Capt. Dorai on Street Fighter II: V and Olympus on Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue) plays Jenny's boyfriend Dallas. Roger Mobley (Homer "Packy" Lambert on Fury) plays 11-year-old runaway Steve Brewster. Billy Halop (appeared in Angels With Dirty Faces, They Made Me a Criminal, Tom Brown's School Days, and Sea Raiders and played Bert Munson on All in the Family) plays his father. Dennis Rush (Howie Pruitt on The Andy Griffith Show) plays even younger runaway Davey Adams. Mary Gregory (appeared in Sleeper and Coming Home and played Dr. Stanwhich on Knots Landing and Judge Pendleton on L.A. Law) plays Davey's mother. Ross Elliott (see the biography section for the 1962 post on The Virginian) plays Davey's father.

Season 5, Episode 21, "The Daniel Clay Story": Claude Rains (shown on the right, starred in The Invisible Man, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Casablanca, Phantom of the Opera, Notorious, and Lawrence of Arabia) plays notoriously stern judge Daniel Clay. Frances Reid (Grace Baker on As the World Turns, Rose Pollock on The Edge of Night, and Alice Horton on Days of Our Lives) plays his wife Margaret. Peter Helm (younger brother of actress Anne Helm) plays his son Ethan. Fred Beir (Larry Atwood on Days of Our Lives) plays legal pot-stirrer John Cole. Maggie Pierce (Barbara Crabtree on My Mother the Car) plays his "sister" Frances. Hal Smith (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Andy Griffith Show) plays wagon train traveler Carl Grant. Orville Sherman (Mr. Feeney on Buckskin, Wib Smith on Gunsmoke, and Tupper on Daniel Boone) plays traveler Joe Martin. George N. Neise (Capitan Felipe Arrellanos on Zorro, Dr. Nat Wyndham on Wichita Town, and Colonel Thornton on McKeever & the Colonel) plays Clay's successor Judge Eli Brown. Jean Inness (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Dr. Kildare) plays traveler Mrs. Lathrop.

Season 5, Episode 22, "The Lt. Burton Story": Dean Jones (shown on the left, starred in Jailhouse Rock, That Darn Cat!, The Ugly Dachshund, The Love Bug, The Million Dollar Duck, and Beethoven and played Ensign O'Toole on Ensign O'Toole, Linc McCray on The Chicago Teddy Bears, and Jim Douglas on Herbie, the Love Bug) plays young army officer Lt. Burton. Charles McGraw (appeared in The Killers, Blood on the Moon, The Narrow Margin, and Spartacus and played Mike Waring on The Adventures of Falcon) plays disgruntled veteran Sgt. Kiles. Ray Stricklyn (Dr. James Parris on The Colbys, Senator Pickering on Wiseguy, and Judge Harold Wells on Days of Our Lives) plays AWOL private Danny Maitland. 

Season 5, Episode 23, "The Charley Shutup Story": Dick York (shown on the right, played Tom Colwell on Going My Way and Darrin Stephens on Bewitched) plays an Indian that Duke dubs Charley Shutup. R.G. Armstrong (Police Capt. McAllister on T.H.E. Cat and Lewis Vendredi on Friday the 13th) plays bull-headed businessman John Musie. Dorothy Green (appeared in The Big Heat, Face of a Fugitive, It Happened at the World's Fair, and Tammy and the Millionaire and played Lavinia Tate on Tammy and Jennifer Brooks on The Young and the Restless) plays his wife Ethel. Anita Sands (later became astrologer to the stars and a self-help guru) plays their daughter Marie. John Bryant (Dr. Carl Spaulding on The Virginian) plays a cavalry officer.

Season 5, Episode 24, "The Amos Billings Story": Paul Fix (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Rifleman) plays ex-Confederate marauder Amos Billings. Jon Locke (Officer Garvey on Highway Patrol and Sleestack Leader on Land of the Lost) plays his son Gabe. Dennis Patrick (Paul Stoddard on Dark Shadows, Capt. Jack Breen on Bert D'Angelo/Superstar, Fred Foley on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Patrick Chapin on Rituals, and Vaughn Leland on Dallas) plays Billings' second-in-command Josh Anders. Jena Engstrom (daughter of actress Jean Engstrom) plays rescued orphan Loan. John Zaremba (Special Agent Jerry Dressler on I Led 3 Lives, Dr. Harold Jensen on Ben Casey, Admiral Hardesy on McHale's Navy, Dr. Raymond Swain on The Time Tunnel, and Dr, Harlem Danvers on Dallas) plays wagon train traveler Tom Keenan.

Season 5, Episode 25, "The Baylor Crofoot Story": Robert Culp (shown on the right, starred in Sunday in New York, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, and Breaking Point and played Hoby Gilman on Trackdown, Kelly Robinson on I Spy, Bill Maxwell on The Greatest American Hero, and Warren on Everybody Loves Raymond) plays school teacher Baylor Crofoot. Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock on Star Trek, Paris on Mission: Impossible, and Dr. William Bell on Fringe) plays his disabled friend Emetrio Vasquez. John Larch (starred in The Wrecking Crew, Play Misty for Me, and Dirty Harry and played Deputy District Attorney Jerry Miller on Arrest and Trial, Gerald Wilson on Dynasty, and Arlen & Atticus Ward on Dallas) plays boastful he-man Jethro Creech. Joyce Taylor (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Men Into Space) plays his daughter Ruth. Charles Herbert (appeared in The Colossus of New York, The Fly, Houseboat, and Please Don't Eat the Daisies and played David Barker on The Donna Reed Show, Peter McCauley on Men Into Space, and Rickey Selby on The Clear Horizon) plays Crofoot pupil Tad Hollister. 

Season 5, Episode 26, "The George B. Hanrahan Story": Lee Tracy (shown on the left, starred in Doctor X, Blessed Event, Dinner at Eight, Bombshell, and The Lemon Drop Kid and played John J. Malone on The Amazing Mr. Malone, Martin Kane on Martin Kane, and Lee Cochran on New York Confidential) plays Boston politician George B. Hanrahan. Harry Carey, Jr. (appeared in Red River, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Mister Roberts, and The Searchers and played Bill Burnett on The Adventures of Spin and Marty) plays his nephew Tim Hogan. Frank De Kova (Chief Wild Eagle on F Troop and Louis Campagna on The Untouchables) plays banished Ute medicine man Running Bear. Nora Marlowe (see "The Dick Pederson Story" above) plays a woman who has her fortune told. Dennis McCarthy (Dr. Sam Hodges on Cimarron City and the police lab technician on 87th Precinct) plays wagon train traveler Burton.

Season 5, Episode 27, "The Swamp Devil": Philip Bourneuf (shown on the right, appeared in Joan of Arc, Chamber of Horrors, and Pete 'n' Tillie and played Dr. Wickens on Dr. Kildare) plays long-lost piano player Joshua. Adrienne Marden (Mary Breckenridge on The Waltons) plays his wife Anna. Robert Bice (appeared in  Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, The Snow Creature, and It! The Terror From Beyond Space and played Police Capt. Jim Johnson on The Untouchables) plays friendly Indian Chief Bear Claw. Richard H. Cutting (Manners, the tiny butler in 1950s Kleenex commercials) plays complaining traveler Mr. Harris. Norman Leavitt (Ralph on Trackdown) plays wagon train traveler Frank. Dal McKennon (see the biography section for the 1961 post on 87th Precinct) plays wagon train traveler Dobie.

Season 5, Episode 28, "The Cole Crawford Story": James Drury (see the biography section for the 1962 post on The Virginian) plays former gunman Cole Crawford. Diana Millay (Laura Collins on Dark Shadows and Kitty Styles on The Secret Storm) plays his wife Helen Bentley. Robert Colbert (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Maverick) plays Helen's former boyfriend Blake Doherty. Ray Teal (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Bonanza) plays Blake's father Shag. Fay Wray (shown on the left, starred in The Street of Sin, The Four Feathers, The Vampire Bat, The Mystery of the Wax Museum, King Kong, Black Moon, The Cobweb, and Queen Bee and played Catherine Morrison on The Pride of the Family) plays snooty wagon train traveler Mrs. Edwards.

Season 5, Episode 29, "The Levi Hale Story": John McIntire (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Wagon Train) plays Chris Hale's brother Levi. Trevor Bardette (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays Rock Springs Sheriff Will Rudge. Myron Healey (Doc Holliday on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays Rudge's deputy. Hugh Sanders (appeared in That's My Boy, The Pride of St. Louis, The Winning Team, and The Wild One) plays Wyoming Territorial Prison Warden Packer. Dan White (appeared in Arizona Trail, Taza, Son of Cochise, and Attack of the Giant Leeches and played Dan Fraser on From These Roots) plays a wagon driver whose wheel breaks. 

Season 5, Episode 30, "The Terry Morrell Story": Henry Jones (shown on the left, played Dean Fred Baker on Channing, Owen Metcalf on The Girl With Something Extra, Judge Jonathan Dexter on Phyllis, Josh Alden on Mrs. Columbo, Homer McCoy on Gun Shy, B. Riley Wicker on Falcon Crest, and Hughes Whitney Lennox on I Married Dora) plays ugly outcast Ben Morrell. David Ladd (Golden Globe winner, son of Alan Ladd and husband of Cheryl Ladd, appeared in The Proud Rebel, A Dog of Flanders, Raymie, and The Wild Geese) plays his troubled step-son Terry. Vivi Janiss (Myrtle Davis on Father Knows Best) plays childless busybody Letty Morse. Paul Langton (Leslie Harrington on Peyton Place) plays her husband Ralph. Eve McVeagh (starred in High Noon, The Glass Web, and Tight Spot and played Miss Hammond on Petticoat Junction) plays disapproving wagon train traveler Yolanda Landrus.

Season 5, Episode 31, "The Jud Steele Story": Edward Binns (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1961 post on Brenner) plays wanted outlaw Jud Steele. Mary LaRoche (appeared in Run Silent, Run Deep, Gidget, Bye Bye Birdie, and The Swinger and played Barbara Scott on Karen) plays his wife Ursula. Arthur Franz (starred in Flight to Mars, The Member of the Wedding, and The Caine Mutiny and played Bill Winters on World of Giants and Hugh McLeod on The Nurses) plays banker Nathan Forge. Robert J. Wilke (appeared in Best of the Badmen, High Noon, The Far Country, Night Passage, and Stripes and played Capt. Mendoza on Zorro) plays Ansara Marshal Wesley Thomas. Cliff Osmond (appeared in The Raiders, Kiss Me, Stupid, The Fortune Cookie, and The Front Page) plays barfly Stan Simmons. Tim Graham (Homer Ede on National Velvet) plays undertaker Sam Boderick. Fred Sherman (Tommy the tailor on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and Burt Purdy on Cimarron City) plays the Ansara livery man.

Season 5, Episode 32, "The Mary Beckett Story": Anne Jeffreys (shown on the left, starred in Dick Tracy, Dick Tracy vs. Cueball, Riffraff, and Boys Night Out and played Marion Kerby on Topper, Jill Johnson on Love That Jill, Amanda Croft on Falcon Crest, Rita Hargrove on Finder of Lost Loves, Amanda Barrington on General Hospital and Port Charles, and Irene Buchannon on Baywatch) plays wealthy widow Mary Beckett. Carole Wells (Edwina Brown on National Velvet and Lucy Hanks on Pistols 'n' Petticoats) plays her daughter Ginny. Lee Begere (George on Hot L Baltimore and Joseph Anders on Dynasty) plays French con man Alex Lamont. Joe Maross (Fred Russell on Peyton Place, Capt. Mike Benton on Code Red, and Dr. Blakely on Dallas) plays gambler Robert Waring. Jocelyn Brando (Marlon Brando's sister, appeared in The Big Heat, The Ugly American, The Chase, and Mommie Dearest and played Mrs. Reeves on Dallas) plays desperate spinster Martha Lane. Whit Bissell (starred in He Walked by Night, Creature From the Black Lagoon, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, and Hud and played Bert Loomis on Bachelor Father, Calvin Hanley on Peyton Place, and Lt. Gen. Heywood Kirk on The Time Tunnel) plays her brother Frank.

Season 5, Episode 33, "The Nancy Lee Davis Story": Lory Patrick (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Tales of Wells Fargo) plays Flint's fiance Nancy Lee Davis. Cloris Leachman (shown on the right, starred in The Last Picture Show, Charley and the Angel, Dillinger, and Young Frankenstein and played Effie Perrine on Charlie Wild, Private Detective, Ruth Martin on Lassie, Rhoda Kirsh on Dr. Kildare, Phyllis Lindstrom on Mary Tyler Moore, Rhoda, and Phyllis, Beverly Ann Stickle on The Facts of Life, Mrs. Frick on The Nutt House, Emily Collins on Walter & Emily, Grammy Winthrop on Thanks, Dot Richmond on The Ellen Show, Ida on Malcolm in the Middle, Maw Maw on Raising Hope, and Mrs. Mandelbaum on Mad About You) plays saloon girl Loretta. Russell Collins (appeared in Niagara, Bad Day at Black Rock, and Fail-Safe and played Owen Sharp on Many Happy Returns) plays local physician Doc Shaw. Byron Foulger (Mr. Nash on Captain Nice and Wendell Gibbs on Petticoat Junction) plays store owner Hibbs. Sam Edwards (see "The Martin Onyx Story" above) plays saloon swamper Hody. John Mitchum (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Riverboat) plays a ruffian cowboy. 

Season 5, Episode 34, "The Frank Carter Story": Albert Salmi (Yadkin on Daniel Boone and Pete Ritter on Petrocelli) plays second son and ranch worker Frank Carter. Frances Reid (see "The Daniel Clay Story" above) plays his mother Mary. Gloria Talbott (starred in The Cyclops, Daughter of Dr. Jekyll,  and I Married a Monster From Outer Space and played Moneta on Zorro) plays Frank's girlfriend Martha Chambers. Edward Platt (shown on the left, appeared in Rebel Without a Cause, Written on the Wind, Designing Woman, and North by Northwest and played the Chief on Get Smart) plays Clayton attorney Cyrus Bolton. Norman Leavitt (see "The Swamp Devil" above) plays the Carters' neighbor Joe Casper. Jeanne Bates (appeared in The Phantom , The Strangler, Eraserhead, Gus, and Mulholland Drive and played Nurse Wills on Ben Casey) plays his wife Millie. William Fawcett (Clayton on Duffy's Tavern, Marshal George Higgins on The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, and Pete Wilkey on Fury) plays alcoholic Tapper.

Season 5, Episode 35, "The John Turnbull Story": Henry Silva (shown on the right, starred in Johnny Cool, The Manchurian Candidate, Cinderfella, and Ocean's Eleven) plays eastern-educated Ute Indian lawyer John Turnbull. Steven Geray (appeared in Phantom of the Opera (1943), Spellbound, Gilda, All About Eve, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and played Dr. Herman ver Hagen on The Danny Thomas Show) plays his law partner Jacob Solomon. Dayton Lummis (Marshal Andy Morrison on Law of the Plainsman) plays Pueblo, CO land owner T.J. Fingle. Warren Stevens (starred in The Frogmen, The Barefoot Contessa, Deadline U.S.A., and Forbidden Planet, played Lt. William Storm on Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers, and was the voice of John Bracken on Bracken's World) plays his business partner Jack Thorne. Carleton Young (starred in Dick Tracy (1937), The Brigand, Thunderhead - Son of Flicka, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and played Harry Steeger on The Court of Last Resort) plays corrupt Judge Eddie Burkhardt. Frank Wilcox (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Untouchables) plays nearby U.S. army commander Col. Draper. X Brands (Pahoo-Ka-Ta-Wah on Yancy Derringer) plays a Ute brave.

Season 5, Episode 36, "The Hiram Winthrop Story": Eduard Franz (shown on the left, starred in The Thing From Another World, Lady Godiva of Coventry, The Jazz Singer (1952), Sins of Jezebel, and The Indian Fighter and played Gregorio Verdugo on Zorro and Dr. Edward Raymer on Breaking Point) plays new San Marcos, CA Indian agent Hiram Winthrop. Art Lund (starred in Black Caesar, The Last American Hero, and It's Alive III: Island of the Alive) plays cattle rancher Lafe Riatt. Gregg Palmer (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays his ranch hand Barney. Ron Soble (appeared in The Cincinnati Kid, True Grit, and Papillon and played Dirty Jim on The Monroes) plays San Marcos Apache Chief Two Arrows. Frank Gerstle (Dick Gird on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and voiced Raseem on The Banana Splits Adventure Hour) plays reservation store owner Frank Carter. Aline Towne (Joan Gilbert on Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe) plays his schoolteacher sister Meg. Norman Leavitt (see "The Swamp Devil" above) plays nearby farmer Cory. Dorothy Neumann (Miss Mittleman on Hank) plays wagon train traveler Mrs. Ishman.

Season 5, Episode 37, "The Heather Mahoney Story": Jane Wyatt (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Father Knows Best) plays rich Sacramento widow Heather Mahoney. John Emery (appeared in Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Blood on the Sun, Spellbound, The Woman in White, and Rocketship X-M) plays her suitor Harry Breckenridge. Cyril Delevanti (Lucious Coin on Jefferson Drum) plays her butler Jamison. Addison Richards (starred in Boys Town, They Made Her a Spy, Flying Tigers, and The Deerslayer and played Doc Calhoun on Trackdown and Doc Landy on The Deputy) plays wagon train traveler spokesman Mr. Wilson. Harry Holcombe (appeared in The Fortune Cookie, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Foxy Brown, Escape to Witch Mountain, and Empire of the Ants and played Frank Gardner on Search for Tomorrow, Doc Benson on My Mother the Car, Mr. Kendricks on Barefoot in the Park, and Dr. J.P. Martin on Bonanza) plays a Mahoney party guest Forest Waterbury. Lillian Bronson (Mrs. Drake on Date With the Angels) plays his wife.

Season 6, Episode 1, "The Wagon Train Mutiny": Jane Wyman (shown on the left, first wife of Ronald Reagan, starred in The Lost Weekend, The Yearling, The Glass Menagerie, The Blue Veil, Magnificent Obsession, and Pollyanna, hosted Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre, and played Angela Channing on Falcon Crest) plays widowed mother Hannah Barber. Peter Helm (see "The Daniel Clay Story" above) plays her son Leland. Dan Duryea (starred in The Little Foxes, The Pride of the Yankees, Scarlet Street, and Winchester '73 and played China Smith in China Smith and The New Adventures of China Smith and Eddie Jacks on Peyton Place) plays mutinous traveler Amos. Regis Toomey (starred in Alibi, Other Men's Women, The Finger Points, His Girl Friday, and The Big Sleep and played Joe Mulligan on The Mickey Rooney Show, Lt. Manny Waldo on Four Star Playhouse, Lt. McGough on Richard Diamond, Private Detective, Bill Cochran on Shannon, Det. Les Hart on Burke's Law, and Dr. Barton Stuart on Petticoat Junction and Green Acres) plays worried father Mr. Hunter. Dickie Jones (voiced the title character in Pinocchio, appeared in Daniel Boone, Stella Dallas, and Requiem for a Gunfighter, and played Dick West on The Range Rider and Buffalo Bill, Jr. on Buffalo Bill, Jr.) plays his son John. Jose De Vega (starred in West Side Story, Blue Hawaii, and Ash Wednesday) plays wounded commanchero Renaldo Ortega. 

Season 6, Episode 2, "The Caroline Casteel Story": Barbara Stanwyck (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Barbara Stanwyck Show) plays Indian captive Lily Martell pretending to be Caroline Casteel. Charles Drake (starred in Winchester '73, Harvey, It Came From Outer Space, Bonzo Goes to College, and I Was a Shoplifter and played John Burden on Rendezvous) plays Caroline's husband Frank. Roger Mobley (see "The Jeff Hartfield Story" above) plays Caroline's son Jamie. Robert F. Simon (Dave Tabak on Saints and Sinners, Gen. Alfred Terry on Custer, Frank Stephens on Bewitched, Uncle Everett McPherson on Nancy, Capt. Rudy Olsen on The Streets of San Francisco, and J. Jonah Jameson on The Amazing Spiderman) plays unscrupulous Indian trader Samuel Schofied. Alice Frost (see "The Dick Pederson Story" above) plays intolerant traveler Abigail Stryker. Richard H. Cutting (see "The Swamp Devil" above) plays her husband. Dennis Rush (see "The Jeff Hartfield Story" above) plays their son Ham. Kathleen Freeman (Katie on Topper, Marilly on Mayor of the Town, Bertha Krause on The Bob Cummings Show, Flo Shafer on The Beverly Hillbillies, Kate Harwell on Funny Face, and Iris Belmont on Lotas Luck) plays intolerant traveler Mrs. Benson. Dal McKennon (see "The Swamp Devil" above) plays her husband.

Season 6, Episode 3, "The Madame Sagittarius Story": Thelma Ritter (shown on the left, 6-time Oscar nominee, starred in All About Eve, Pickup on South Street, Rear Window, Pillow Talk, The Misfits, Birdman of Alcatraz, and How the West Was Won) plays astrologer Madame Delphine Sagittarius. Richard Deacon (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Dick Van Dyke Show) plays Beaver City Mayor Hadden. Douglas Lambert (Eddie Weeks on General Hospital and Walter Schiff on Inside Story) plays young lover Dennis Hallock. Gail Bonney (Goodwife Martin on Space Patrol and Madeline Schweitzer on December Bride) plays his mother. Zeme North (appeared in Zotz!, Palm Springs Weekend, and That Funny Feeling and played Judy Kimball on The Secret Life of Henry Phyfe) plays his girlfriend Fessie Morgan. Murvyn Vye (Lionel on The Bob Cummings Show) plays her father Jeb.

Season 6, Episode 4, "The Martin Gatsby Story": Fred Clark (shown on the right, appeared in Sunset Blvd., A Place in the Sun, How to Marry a Millionaire, and Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, and played Harry Morton on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show and Dr. Roy Clyburn on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays impatient businessman Martin Gatsby. Virginia Christine (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Tales of Wells Fargo) plays his wife Elaine. Harry Carey, Jr. (see "The George B. Hanrahan Story" above) plays his hired hand Jeb Colton. James McCallion (appeared in Code of the Streets, Vera Cruz, and PT 109 and played Mi Taylor on National Velvet and Abner on The Ghost & Mrs. Muir) plays greenhorn train traveler Caleb Lefton. Jocelyn Brando (see "The Mary Beckett Story" above) plays his wife Grace. 

Season 6, Episode 5, "The John Augustus Story": Joseph Cotten (shown on the left, starred in Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons, The Third Man, Niagara, and From the Earth to the Moon and hosted The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial) plays southern gentleman John Augustus. Nobu McCarthy (appeared in The Geisha Boy, Love With the Proper Stranger, The Karate Kid, Part II, and Pacific Heights) plays Chinese slave Mayleen. James Hong (Barry Chan on The New Adventures of Charlie Chan, Frank Chen on Jigsaw John, and Doctor Chen Ling on Dynasty) plays Chinese merchant's assistant Ceong Wai Kok. Meg Wyllie (Mary Elizabeth Kissell on The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, Doris Roach and Lila Morgan Tolliver Quartermaine on General Hospital, and Aunt Lolly Stemple on Mad About You) plays intolerant traveler Matilda. Willard Waterman (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Dennis the Menace) plays her husband Hezekiah. Bern Hoffman (Sam the bartender on Bonanza) plays hotel owner James B. Burroughs.

Season 6, Episode 6, "The Mavis Grant Story": Ann Sheridan (shown on the right, starred in Angels With Dirty Faces, They Made Me a Criminal, They Drive By Night, Nora Prentiss, and The Opposite Sex and played Henrietta Hanks on Pistols 'n' Petticoats) plays ruthless businesswoman Mavis Grant. Parley Baer (see "The Hobie Redman Story" above) plays know-it-all businessman John Maitland. Anna Karen (Anna Chernak on Peyton Place) plays his wife Hattie. Mary Jane Saunders (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Tales of Wells Fargo) plays their daughter Sally. Dee Pollock (Billy Urchin on Gunslinger) plays Sally's suitor Gerald Morgan. Russ Conway (Fenton Hardy on The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure, Gen. Devon on Men Into Space, and Lt. Pete Kile on Richard Diamond, Private Detective) plays Gerald's father Tom. Rodd Redwing (Mr. Brother on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays Grant's scout Calli.

Season 6, Episode 7, "The Lisa Raincloud Story": Dana Wynter (shown on the left, appeared in The Crimson Pirate, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Sink the Bismarck!, and Airport and played Eva Wainwright on The Man Who Never Was and Jill Daly on Bracken) plays Indian princess Lisa Raincloud. Ken Mayer (Maj. Robbie Robertson on Space Patrol) plays fur thief Jeb Pearson. Jon Locke (see "The Amos Billings Story" above) plays his accomplice Farrell. Dal McKennon (see "The Swamp Devil" above) plays wagon train traveler Mr. Jethro.

Season 6, Episode 8, "The Shiloh Degnan Story": Russell Johnson (shown on the right, starred in It Came From Outer Space, This Island Earth, and Johnny Dark and played Marshal Gib Scott on Black Saddle, Professor Roy Hinkley on Gilligan's Island, and Assistant D.A. Brenton Grant on Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law) plays Chris Hale's old army friend Major Dan Marriott. Nancy Gates (starred in The Great Gildersleeve, The Atomic City, The Member of the Wedding, and Some Came Running) plays Marriott's wife Louisa. Peter Whitney (Sergeant Buck Sinclair on The Rough Riders and Lafe Crick on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays Marriott's second-in-command Sgt. Pat Galloway. R.G. Armstrong (see "The Charley Shutup Story" above) plays Fort Braverman commander Gen. Kirby. Barry Morse (starred in When We Are Married, Mrs. Fitzherbert, Daughter of Darkness, No Trace, and The Shape of Things to Come and played Lt. Philip Gerard on The Fugitive, Mr. Parminter on The Adventurer, Alec Marlowe on The Zoo Gang, and Prof. Victor Bergman on Space: 1999) plays Harper's Weekly reporter Jim Fogarty. Larry Kerr (Don Richard on A Time to Live) plays Marriott's commander Col. Shiloh Degnan. James Gavin (Sheriff Frank Madden on The Big Valley) plays Fort Braverman guard McClellan. Pitt Herbert (see "The Lonnie Fallon Story" above) plays Fort Braverman orderly Hathaway.

Season 6, Episode 9, "The Levy-McGowan Story": Liam Redmond (appeared in High Treason, Safari, Kid Galahad, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, and Barry Lyndon and played Grubbitt on Swizzlewick and Henry Armitage on You're Only Young Twice) plays Irish livery man Patrick McGowan. Nora Marlowe (see "The Dick Pederson Story" above) plays his wife Nancy. Gary Vinson (Chris Higbee on The Roaring '20's, George Christopher on McHale's Navy, and Sheriff Harold Skiles on Pistols 'n' Petticoats) plays his adult son Sean. Leo Fuchs (appeared in The Story of Ruth, The Frisco Kid, and Avalon) plays Jewish immigrant Simon Levy. Lory Patrick (shown on the left, see "The Nancy Lee Davis Story" above) plays his adult daughter Rachel. Kevin Brodie (son of Steve Brodie, wrote and directed A Dog of Flanders) plays his son David. Paul Birch (see "The Lonnie Fallon Story" above) plays extortionist Frank Lassiter. Robert Carson (Mr. Maddis on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show) plays wagon train traveler Walsh. Joseph V. Perry (Nemo  on Everybody Loves Raymond) plays wagon train traveler Gaines.

Season 6, Episode 10, "The John Bernard Story": Robert Ryan (shown on the right, starred in Crossfire, The Set-Up, Clash by Night, Bad Day at Black Rock, God's Little Acre, The Dirty Dozen, and The Wild Bunch) plays priest Father John Bernard. Perry Lopez (starred in Mister Roberts, Taras Bulba, Kelly's Heroes, and Chinatown and played Joaquin Castaneda on Zorro) plays sick Indian chief's son Mitsina. Cliff Osmond (see "The Jud Steele Story" above) plays Indian hater Ben Gill. Beau Bridges (Seaman Howard Spicer on Ensign O'Toole, Richard Chapin on United States, Dave Hart on Harts of the West, Judge Bob Gibbs on Maximum Bob, Dan Falco on Beggars and Choosers, Tom Gage on The Agency, Maj. Gen. Hank Landry on Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate SG-1, Carl Hickey on My Name Is Earl, Nick Brody on Brothers & Sisters, Barton Scully on Masters of Sex, and Tom Miller on The Millers) plays his nephew Larry. Doris Kemper (Zelda Harper on Westinghouse Playhouse) plays kidnapped traveler Mary Budgeon. William Fawcett (see "The Frank Carter Story" above) plays her husband Matthew. Herbert Lytton (Admiral Reynolds on McHale's Navy) plays Wayne City physician Dr. Porter. Jack Grinnage (appeared in Rebel Without a Cause, King Creole, and Wolf Larsen and played Ron Updyke on Kolchak: The Night Stalker) plays wagon train guard Sampson.

Season 6, Episode 11, "The Kurt Davos Story": Eddie Albert (shown on the left, starred in Roman Holiday, Oklahoma!, The Teahouse of the August Moon, The Sun Also Rises, The Longest Day, and The Longest Yard and played Larry Tucker on Leave It to Larry, Oliver Wendell Douglas on Green Acres and Petticoat Junction, and Frank MacBride on Switch) plays immigrant blacksmith Kurt Davos. Frances Reid (see "The Daniel Clay Story" above) plays dog-fearing widow Florence Hastings. Arthur Space (appeared in Black Beauty, The Cockeyed Miracle, and Target Earth and played Herbert Brown on National Velvet and Dr. Frank Weaver on Lassie) plays her brother Will Hershey. Amzie Strickland (see "The Hobie Redman Story" above) plays his wife Minnie. Karl Lukas (Pvt. Stash Kadowski on The Phil Silvers Show, Scotty on Family Affair, and Carl the maintenance man on St. Elsewhere) plays Hyattsville physician Dr. Parnell.

Season 6, Episode 12, "The Eve Newhope Story": Ann Blyth (shown on the right, starred in Mildred Pierce, The Great Caruso, Kismet, and The Helen Morgan Story) plays Bitter Springs saloon owner Eve Newhope. Tudor Owen (Joe Ainsley on Mayor of the Town and First Mate Elihu Snow on Captain David Grief) plays her father Patrick O'Shaughnessy. Jim Davis (Matt Clark on Stories of the Century, Wes Cameron on Rescue 8, Marshal Bill Winter on The Cowboys, and Jock Ewing on Dallas) plays her primary suitor Dan Ryan. Slim Pickens (starred in The Story of Will Rogers, Dr. Strangelove, Blazing Saddles, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, and The Howling and played Slim on Outlaws, Slim Walker on The Wide Country, California Joe Milner on Custer, and Sgt. Beauregard Wiley on B.J. & the Bear) plays prospector Grubstake Malloy. Richard Reeves (Mr. Murphy on Date With the Angels) plays his fighting opponent Orv Bassett. George Kane (Link Morrison on Love of Life) plays Eve's secondary suitor Paul Leighton. Jim McMullan (Officer Don Burdick on Chopper One, John Moore on Beyond Westworld, and Sen. Andrew Dowling on Dallas) plays barfly Arnie Swenson. Sid Tomack (Jim Gillis on The Life of Riley) plays bartender George.

Season 6, Episode 13, "The Orly French Story": Peter Fonda (shown on the left, starred in The Wild Angels, The Trip, Easy Rider, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Futureworld, and The Cannonball Run) plays bank robber Orly French. John Doucette (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Lock Up) plays Bible-quoting lawman Marshal Jason Hartman. Robert Cornthwaite (Professor Windish on Get Smart and Howard Buss on Picket Fences) plays wagon train physician Dr. Wilson. Sharon Farrell (Polly Holloran on Saints and Sinners, Det. Lorrie Wilson on Hawaii Five-O, and Florence Webster on The Young and the Restless) plays his terminally ill daughter Judy. 

Season 6, Episode 14, "The Donna Fuller Story": Jeanne Cooper (shown on the right, played Grace Douglas on Bracken's World and Katherine Chancellor Murphy on The Young and the Restless) plays temperance leader Donna Fuller. Sandra Gould (Mildred Webster on I Married Joan and Gladys Kravitz on Bewitched) plays fellow crusader Edith. Kathleen Freeman (see "The Caroline Casteel Story" above) plays crusader Dolly. Elvia Allman (Aunt Vera on I Married Joan, Jane on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Cora Dithers on Blondie, Mrs. Montague on The Bob Cummings Show, Elverna Bradshaw on The Beverly Hillbillies, and Selma Plout on Petticoat Junction) plays crusader Sabrina. Simon Oakland (starred in Psycho, West Side Story, and Follow That Dream and played Inspector Spooner on Toma, Tony Vincenzo on Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Brig. Gen. Thomas Moore on Black Sheep Squadron, and Sgt. Abrams on David Cassidy - Man Undercover) plays Sicilian winemaker Alonzo Galezio. Larry J. Blake (played the unnamed jailer on Yancy Derringer and Tom Parnell on Saints and Sinners) plays elixir salesman Professor Widdam.

Season 6, Episode 15, "The Sam Darland Story": Art Linkletter (shown on the left, host of People Are Funny, Here's Hollywood, Hollywood Talent Scouts, The Linkletter Show, The Art Linkletter Show, and Life With Linkletter) plays orphan patriarch Sam Darland. Bill Mumy (Will Robinson on Lost in Space, Weaver on Sunshine, and Lennier on Babylon 5) plays orphan Toddy. Rusty Stevens (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Leave It to Beaver) plays orphan Johnny. Tom Nolan (Jody O'Connell on Buckskin, Officer Hubbell on Jessie, and Mick on Out of This World) plays orphan Billy. Nancy Reagan (second wife of Ronald Reagan, starred in The Next Voice You Hear..., Donovan's Brain, and Hellcats of the Navy) plays concerned widow Mrs. Baxter. X Brands (see "The John Turnbull Story" above) plays Sioux brave Tulo.