The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
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The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
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One of television's most illustrious westerns, Wagon Train wedded the cowboy genre to the anthology show format. Premiering in 1957, when the western first conquered prime time, Wagon Train told a different story each week about travelers making the long journey from St. Joseph, Missouri, to California during the post-Civil War era. Such guest stars as Ernest Borgnine and Shelley Winters interacted with series regulars: the wagonmaster (first played by Ward Bond, then after his death, by John McIntire); the frontier scout (first Robert Horton, then Scott Miller and Robert Fuller); and the lead wagon driver (Frank McGrath). Inspired by John Ford's The Wagonmaster, the hour-long series (expanded to 90 minutes during the 1963-64 season) was shot on location in the San Fernando Valley and produced by MCA, giving the episodes a cinematic sheen. For three years Wagon Train placed a close second to Bonanza before becoming the most popular series in the nation during the 1961-62 season. The show left the air in 1965 after 284 episodes.
Cawelti, John. The Six-Gun Mystique. Bowling Green, Ohio, Popular Press, 1984.
MacDonald, J. Fred. Who Shot the Sheriff? The Rise and Fall of the Television Western. New York, Praeger, 1967.
West, Richard. Television Westerns: Major and Minor Series, 1946-1978. Jefferson, North Carolina, McFarland, 1994.