Episode 20, "The Dora Gray Story" starred Linda Darnell as a wanderer heading to San Francisco with Doc Lockridge (John Carradine), who trades liquor for army rifles, selling the arms to marauding Indians. Flint McCullough (Robert Horton) discovers the hidden rifles and takes them both captive, but the cunning Doc is able to escape when Dora diverts Flint's attention. Flint decides to take her to the nearest army post, unaware that they swapped their rifles for Doc's whiskey, and are forced to imprison Flint to maintain their secret. Among a fine cast, Mike Connors plays the lieutenant of the army post, and Dan Blocker plays the sergeant, but it's John Carradine who gives the best performance, meeting a bad end from the Indians who never got their rifles. Carradine rejoined Ward Bond, director John Ford, and John Wayne (billed as Michael Morris) in the 1960 episode "The Colter Craven Story," while Linda Darnell returned as Dora Gray in "The Sacramento Story." This was the last pairing of Carradine and Darnell, formerly at 20th Century-Fox, where they appeared together in "Brigham Young," "Chad Hanna," "Blood and Sand," and "Fallen Angel."
3 Reviews
The lowest form of frontier life
bkoganbing24 December 2013
While scouting for Indians reputed to be on the warpath, Robert Horton comes across John Carradine traveling with Linda Darnell. Being the suspicious sort Horton examines the wagon they're traveling in and discovers a lot of repeating rifles. As in thousands of B westerns white folk who sell rifles to the Indians. Carradine escapes but Horton takes Darnell into custody and takes her and the rifles to a small I guess you would call satellite army post commanded by Lieutenant Michael Connors.
Big mistake because this is the first time in any western I recall an army man selling rifles. But Connors doesn't like wasting away on that post for $54.00 a month. It doesn't support the lifestyle he likes.
And Darnell just wants to get away from it all. She wants the big city of San Francisco and will do what it takes to get there including trying to seduce Flint McCullough. Darnell who was one of the most beautiful women ever to grace the big screen must be doing something wrong as Robert Horton won't give her a tumble.
It all works out for both of them in the end and you won't forget Linda Darnell as Dora Gray, a woman who can get, well almost any man to do her bidding.
Big mistake because this is the first time in any western I recall an army man selling rifles. But Connors doesn't like wasting away on that post for $54.00 a month. It doesn't support the lifestyle he likes.
And Darnell just wants to get away from it all. She wants the big city of San Francisco and will do what it takes to get there including trying to seduce Flint McCullough. Darnell who was one of the most beautiful women ever to grace the big screen must be doing something wrong as Robert Horton won't give her a tumble.
It all works out for both of them in the end and you won't forget Linda Darnell as Dora Gray, a woman who can get, well almost any man to do her bidding.
Wagon Train - Season 1 Disc 5
schappe126 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
"The Jesse Cowan Story" January 8, 1958
"The Gabe Carswell Story" January 15, 1958
"The Honorable Don Charlie Story" January 22, 1958
"The Dora Gray Story" January 29, 1958
The Jesse Cowan Story is about a Hatfield-McCoy style feud that's visited upon the Wagon Train. One family, after years of killing, has decided to move west and two members of the other follow them to Major Adams' train. Jesse is well-played by George Montgomery, torn between his traditional feelings and a growing affection for the daughter of the opposed family. Mort Mills and Lee Van Cleef play unevolved adversaries. Things get complicated when the train is attacked by a large party of Indians. This is one of the best first season episodes.
Another is The Gabe Carswell Story. Carswell is a legendary frontiersman who has live with the Arapahoe tribe for years and fathered a son, played by Scott Marlowe, who is torn between his father's people and the tribe he's always lived with. Carswell decides the tribe has no future and that his son has got to learn to join the white man's society. The wagon train is the site of his first attempt to bring them together.
The Honorable Don Charlie Story is another "loveable rogue' story, this one starring Cesar Romero as a gambler who claims to be a member of royalty. He joins the train to get away from some army troopers who think he's been dealing from the bottom of the deck. He romances a naive young woman played by Diane Brewster, (who had begun playing the very un-naive Samantha Crawford on Maverick). The question is: is he serious or not?
That one was a little boring but "The Dora Gray Story" is not. Flint discovers an old con man played by John Carradine has been selling guns to the Indians. He also discovers Dora, an attractive young woman with him, (Played by Linda Darnell). Flint decides to bring them both into the nearest fort. Carradine escapes. Dora insists that she's an innocent part who thought Carradine was just selling blankets, as he claimed. She wants to get to San Francisco. Flint insists on bringing her in, despite her attempts to seduce him. She warns him not to go to that nearest fort. It turns out to be run by a corrupt lieutenant, (played by Mike Conners), with the aid of an equally corrupt sergeant, (played by Dan Blocker). They have bene selling supplies to the Indians through Carradine.
Three out of four is a good batting average.
The Jesse Cowan Story is about a Hatfield-McCoy style feud that's visited upon the Wagon Train. One family, after years of killing, has decided to move west and two members of the other follow them to Major Adams' train. Jesse is well-played by George Montgomery, torn between his traditional feelings and a growing affection for the daughter of the opposed family. Mort Mills and Lee Van Cleef play unevolved adversaries. Things get complicated when the train is attacked by a large party of Indians. This is one of the best first season episodes.
Another is The Gabe Carswell Story. Carswell is a legendary frontiersman who has live with the Arapahoe tribe for years and fathered a son, played by Scott Marlowe, who is torn between his father's people and the tribe he's always lived with. Carswell decides the tribe has no future and that his son has got to learn to join the white man's society. The wagon train is the site of his first attempt to bring them together.
The Honorable Don Charlie Story is another "loveable rogue' story, this one starring Cesar Romero as a gambler who claims to be a member of royalty. He joins the train to get away from some army troopers who think he's been dealing from the bottom of the deck. He romances a naive young woman played by Diane Brewster, (who had begun playing the very un-naive Samantha Crawford on Maverick). The question is: is he serious or not?
That one was a little boring but "The Dora Gray Story" is not. Flint discovers an old con man played by John Carradine has been selling guns to the Indians. He also discovers Dora, an attractive young woman with him, (Played by Linda Darnell). Flint decides to bring them both into the nearest fort. Carradine escapes. Dora insists that she's an innocent part who thought Carradine was just selling blankets, as he claimed. She wants to get to San Francisco. Flint insists on bringing her in, despite her attempts to seduce him. She warns him not to go to that nearest fort. It turns out to be run by a corrupt lieutenant, (played by Mike Conners), with the aid of an equally corrupt sergeant, (played by Dan Blocker). They have bene selling supplies to the Indians through Carradine.
Three out of four is a good batting average.
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