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Benjamin Franklin "Frank" McGrath (February 2, 1903 – May 13, 1967) was an American television and film actor and stunt performer who played the comical, optimistic cook with the white beard, Charlie B. Wooster, on the western series Wagon Train [1] for five seasons on NBC and then three seasons on ABC. McGrath appeared in all 272 episodes in ...
Frank McGrath. Actor: The Reluctant Astronaut. Frank McGrath was born on 2 February 1903 in Mound City, Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), Wagon Train (1957) and Tammy and the Millionaire (1967). He was married to Libby Quay Buschlen. He died on 13 May 1967 in Hollywood, California, USA.
- February 2, 1903
- May 13, 1967
Benjamin Franklin McGrath (February 2, 1903 – May 13, 1967) was an American television and film actor and stunt performer who played the comical, optimistic cook with the white beard, Charlie B. Wooster, on the western series Wagon Train for five seasons on NBC and then three seasons on ABC. McGrath appeared in all 272 episodes in the eight seasons of the series, which had ended its run only ...
- The TV Show Was Famous For Its High Profile Guest Stars
- Ward Bond Nearly Got A Child Actor Removed from The Set
- The Show Inspired Star Trek
- The Theme Song Changed Three Times
- Ward Bond insisted That Two of His Friends Were Cast in The Show with Him
- Ward Bond Was Replaced During The 4th Series But No Explanation Was Given
- The Show Is mentioned in The Film Stand by Me
- Famed Western Director John Ford Directed An Episode
- Ward Bond and Robert Horton Were Rivals For A Time
Some of the most notable names included major Hollywood stars like Barbara Stanwyck, Ernest Borgnine, Bette Davis, Jane Wyman, Ronald Reagan, Lee Marvin, Louise Fletcher, Leonard Nimoy and James Drury. Because the studio prioritized being able to afford these high profile guests, the show was filmed in the San Fernando Valley outside of Hollywood.
Bond was known for his cursing on set, despite being an incredibly nice guy. When a young Beverly Washburn appeared on the show at the age of 12, the welfare worker on set told the producers that she would remove the young girl from the set if Bond didn't watch his language. Luckily, he listened!
No, really. Gene Roddenberry originally pitched his hit sci-fi television series as "Wagon Trainto the stars." Which makes sense. Both shows are on a neverending journey where the main stars meet some interesting characters along the way. Not to mention Leonard Nimoy appeared in both shows.
While "Wagons Ho" is definitely the most recognized theme, it didn't come into play until the third season. The first theme was "Wagon Train," a song with no lyrics by Henri René and Bob Russell. The studio decided it sounded too traditionaland changed it in the second season to "(Roll Along) Wagon Train" by Sammy Fain and Jack Brooks, performed by...
When Bond was signing his contract for the TV series, he asked the studio to bring on two actors he had become friends with over the years during his time on western film sets — Frank McGrath and Terry Wilson. McGrath had been on numerous John Ford films and was constantly teased because he had trouble remembering his lines. Bond actually helped hi...
Sadly, Bond passed away while the fourth season was in the middle of filming. John McIntire stepped in to take Major Seth Adams' position as Wagon Master as the character Chris Hale. And that was that. No explanation was given to the show's dedicated viewers. But that didn't stop the series from continuing on for another four seasons.
In the classic '80s film based on the Stephen King novel, the character Wil Wheaton says, "Wagon Trainis a really cool show, but did you ever notice they never get anywhere?" He actually does have a point.
Due to the show's wild popularity at the time, John Forddirected the 1960 episode, "The Colter Craven Story." He also received a "story by" credit for the episode that was written by Tony Paulson. Coincidentally, the series was inspired by Ford's 1950 film Wagon Master, which also featured Ward Bond.
Apparently, Bond was billed as the show's lead but would get jealous because Horton was the one receiving more fan mail. The producers even tried to cut down Horton's lines so that Bond would stand out more on the set. Despite disagreements, the two apparently made amends before Bond passed away in 1960.
Frank McGrath married Libby Quay Buschlen, and they had one child. He often appeared in Western films, performing lots of comedic roles....Read more He is known for The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), Wagon Train (1957-1965), and Tammy and the Millionaire (1967). Frank McGrath died in Hollywood, California, USA, on May 13, 1967, due to a heart attack.
Feb 9, 2024 · Frank McGrath. Cause of Death (1967):He passed away on May 13, 1967, at the age of 64, succumbing to a heart attack in Beverly Hills.
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Frank McGrath. Actor: The Reluctant Astronaut. Frank McGrath was born on 2 February 1903 in Mound City, Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), Wagon Train (1957) and Tammy and the Millionaire (1967).
