Westward Ho the Wagons!

Westward Ho the Wagons!
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	William Beaudine
Produced by	Bill Walsh, Walt Disney
Written by	Tom Blackburn Mary Jane Carr (novel)
Starring	Fess Parker Kathleen Crowley Jeff York David Stollery Sebastian Cabot George Reeves
Music by	George Bruns
Cinematography	Charles P. Boyle
Edited by	Cotton Warburton
Production company	Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by	Buena Vista Distribution
Release dates	December 20, 1956 (1956-12-20)
Running time	90 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$2.75 million (US)^[1]

Westward Ho, The Wagons! is a 1956 live-action Disney western film, aimed at family audiences. Based on Mary Jane Carr's novel Children of the Covered Wagon, the film was produced by Bill Walsh, directed by William Beaudine, and released to theatres on December 20, 1956 by Buena Vista Distribution Company.

Fess Parker starred in the film, which also featured the final big-screen appearance of George Reeves. It was released on videotape March 18, 1997. The film was shot in Janss Conejo Ranch, California.

Plot

Summary: A wagon train must find another way than fighting to cross hostile Pawnee territory in 19th Century America.

A small group of families join together to travel to Oregon in 1846. Their leader is ostensibly James Stephen (George Reeves, TV's Superman), who has made the trip before, and is now bringing his family along. John Grayson (Fess Parker, TV's Daniel Boone), known as Doc for his ambition to study medicine, however, proves to be the real leader of the wagon train.

The pioneers deal with the elements and occasional raids, but after hostile Pawnees drive off their spare horses, they realize they may not make it to the Oregon Territory. While stopping at Fort Laramie, the pioneer children make friends with Sioux children. After the Sioux chief's son is injured in an accident, Doc Grayson helps heal him, earning the trust of the Sioux. As the story ends, the Sioux warriors escort the wagon train safely through Pawnee territory.

Cast

Fess Parker as John 'Doc' Grayson
Kathleen Crowley as Laura Thompson
Jeff York as Hank Breckenridge
David Stollery as Dan Thompson
Sebastian Cabot as Bissonette
George Reeves as James Stephen
Doreen Tracey as Bobo Stephen
Barbara Woodell as Mrs. Stephen
John War Eagle as Wolf's Brother
Cubby O'Brien as Jerry Stephen
Tommy Cole as Jim Stephen
Leslie Bradley as Spenser Armitage
Morgan Woodward as Obie Foster
Iron Eyes Cody as Many Stars
Anthony Earl Numkena as Little Thunder
Karen Pendleton as Myra Thompson
Jane Liddell as Ruth Benjamin
John Locke as Ed Benjamin
Brand Stirling as Tom Foster (uncredited)

Songs

Westward Ho, the Wagons! - lyrics by Tom Blackburn and music by George Bruns
The Ballad of John Colter - lyrics by Tom Blackburn and music by George Bruns
Wringle Wrangle - written by Stan Jones
"I'm Lonely, My Darlin'" (based on Green Grow the Lilacs, Traditional) - lyrics by Fess Parker and music arrangement by George Bruns
Pioneer's Prayer (from The Vanishing Prairie) - lyrics by Hazel "Gil" George and music by Paul J. Smith

References

↑ "Top Grosses of 1957", Variety, 8 January 1958: 30

External links

Films directed by William Beaudine

1920s-30s	Watch Your Step (1922) Catch My Smoke (1922) Heroes of the Street (1922) Her Fatal Millions (1923) Penrod and Sam (1923) The Printer's Devil (1923) The Country Kid (1923) Boy of Mine (1923) Daring Youth (1924) Wandering Husbands (1924) Daughters of Pleasure (1924) A Self-Made Failure (1924) Cornered (1924) Lover's Lane (1924) (unconfirmed) The Narrow Street (1925) A Broadway Butterfly (1925) How Baxter Butted In (1925) Little Annie Rooney (1925) That's My Baby (1926) Sparrows (1926) The Social Highwayman (1926) The Canadian (1926) Frisco Sally Levy (1927) The Life of Riley (1927) The Irresistible Lover (1927) The Cohens and the Kellys in Paris (1928) Heart to Heart (1928) Home, James (1928) Do Your Duty (1928) Give and Take (1928) Fugitives (1929) Two Weeks Off (1929) Hard to Get (1929) The Girl from Woolworth's (1929) Wedding Rings (1929) Those Who Dance (1930) Road to Paradise (1930) Father's Son (1931) Misbehaving Ladies (1931) The Lady Who Dared (1931) The Mad Parade (1931) Penrod and Sam (1931) Men in Her Life (1931) Three Wise Girls (1932) Make Me a Star (1932) The Crime of the Century (1933) Her Bodyguard (1933) The Old Fashioned Way (1934)

British films	Two Hearts in Harmony (1935) So You Won't Talk (1935) Dandy Dick (1935) Boys Will Be Boys (1935) Get Off My Foot (1935) Mr. Cohen Takes a Walk (1935) Where There's a Will (1936) Educated Evans (1936) It's in the Bag (1936) Windbag the Sailor (1936) Feather Your Nest (1937) Said O'Reilly to McNab (1937) Take It from Me (1937)

1930s-40s	Torchy Gets Her Man (1938) Torchy Blane in Chinatown (1939) She Done Him Right (1940) Four Shall Die (1940) Misbehaving Husbands (1940) Up Jumped the Devil (1941) Emergency Landing (1941) Mr. Washington Goes to Town (1941) Federal Fugitives (1941) Desperate Cargo (1941) Mr. Celebrity (1941) The Miracle Kid (1941) Blonde Comet (1941) Duke of the Navy (1942) Broadway Big Shot (1942) Lucky Ghost (1942) Professor Creeps (1942) The Panther's Claw (1942) Men of San Quentin (1942) Gallant Lady (1942) One Thrilling Night (1942) Phantom Killer (1942) Foreign Agent (1942) The Living Ghost (1942) The Ape Man (1943) Clancy Street Boys (1943) Spotlight Scandals (1943) Ghosts on the Loose (1943) Here Comes Kelly (1943) Mr. Muggs Steps Out (1943) Mystery of the 13th Guest (1943) What a Man! (1944) Voodoo Man (1944) Hot Rhythm (1944) Detective Kitty O'Day (1944) Follow the Leader (1944) Leave It to the Irish (1944) Oh, What a Night (1944) Shadow of Suspicion (1944) Bowery Champs (1944) Crazy Knights (1944) Mom and Dad (1945) Adventures of Kitty O'Day (1945) Fashion Model (1945) Blonde Ransom (1945) Swingin' on a Rainbow (1945) Come Out Fighting (1945) Black Market Babies (1945) Girl on the Spot (1946) The Face of Marble (1946) One Exciting Week (1946) Don't Gamble with Strangers (1946) Below the Deadline (1946) Spook Busters (1946) Mr. Hex (1946) Philo Vance Returns (1947) Hard Boiled Mahoney (1947) Too Many Winners (1947) Killer at Large (1947) Gas House Kids Go West (1947) News Hounds (1947) Bowery Buckaroos (1947) The Chinese Ring (1947) Angels' Alley (1947) Jinx Money (1948) The Shanghai Chest (1948) The Golden Eye (1948) Smugglers' Cove (1948) Incident (1948) Kidnapped (1948) Jiggs and Maggie in Court (1948) The Feathered Serpent (1948) The Lawton Story (1949) Tuna Clipper (1949) Forgotten Women (1949) Trail of the Yukon (1949) Jiggs and Maggie in Jackpot Jitters (1949) Tough Assignment (1949)

1950s-60s	Blue Grass of Kentucky (1950) Blonde Dynamite (1950) Jiggs and Maggie Out West (1950) Lucky Losers (1950) County Fair (1950) A Wonderful Life (1950) Second Chance (1950) Blues Busters (1950) Bowery Battalion (1951) Cuban Fireball (1951) Ghost Chasers (1951) Let's Go Navy! (1951) Havana Rose (1951) Crazy Over Horses (1951) Rodeo (1952) Hold That Line (1952) Jet Job (1952) Here Come the Marines (1952) The Rose Bowl Story (1952) Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952) Feudin' Fools (1952) No Holds Barred (1952) Jalopy (1953) Born to the Saddle (1953) Roar of the Crowd (1953) Murder Without Tears (1953) Yukon Vengeance (1954) Paris Playboys (1954) Pride of the Blue Grass (1954) High Society (1955) Jail Busters (1955) Westward Ho the Wagons! (1956) Up in Smoke (1957) In the Money (1958) Ten Who Dared (1960) Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966) Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966)

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