''Westward Ho the Wagons!'' is a 1956 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film starring

Fess Parker Fess Elisha Parker Jr. (born F. E. Parker Jr.;Weaver, Tom.Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers p. 148 (McFarland 2012). August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010),(March 18, 2010Daniel Boone Actor Fess Parker Dies at 85" ''CBS ...

and

Kathleen Crowley Kathleen Crowley (born Betty Jane Crowley; December 26, 1929 – April 23, 2017) was an American actress. She appeared more than 100 times in movies and television series in the 1950s and 1960s, almost always as a leading lady. Biography E ...

and produced by

Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October 1 ...

. Based on Mary Jane Carr's novel ''Children of the Covered Wagon'', the film was produced by Bill Walsh, directed by

William Beaudine William Washington Beaudine (January 15, 1892 – March 18, 1970) was an American film actor and director. He was one of Hollywood's most prolific directors, turning out films in remarkable numbers and in a wide variety of genres. Life and car ...

, and released to theatres on December 20, 1956 by Buena Vista Distribution Company. The supporting cast features

Jeff York Jeff York (March 23, 1912 – October 11, 1995) was an American film and television actor who began his career in the late 1930s using his given name, Granville Owen Scofield. He was also sometimes credited as Jeff Yorke. Career York served in ...

, Sebastian Cabot (in his first film role for Disney),

David Stollery David John Stollery, III (born January 18, 1941 in Los Angeles, California) is a former American child actor and, as an adult, an industrial designer. He appeared in numerous Disney movies and television programs in the 1950s. He is best known for ...

, and

George Reeves George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 – June 16, 1959) was an American actor. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series '' Adventures of Superman'' (1952–1958). His death at age 45 from a g ...

(his final feature film appearance).

Plot

A small group of families join together to travel to Oregon in 1846. Their leader is ostensibly James Stephen (

, TV's ''

Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...

''), who has made the trip before, and is now bringing his family along. John Grayson (

, TV's "Davy Crockett" and ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

''), 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 The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. O ...

. While stopping at

Fort Laramie Fort Laramie (founded as Fort William and known for a while as Fort John) was a significant 19th-century trading-post, diplomatic site, and military installation located at the confluence of the Laramie and the North Platte rivers. They joined ...

, the pioneer children make friends with

Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota: /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations peoples in North America. The modern Sioux consist of two major divisions based on language divisions: the Dakota and ...

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

as John 'Doc' Grayson *

as Laura Thompson *

as Hank Breckenridge *

as Dan Thompson * Sebastian Cabot as Bissonette *

as James Stephen *

Doreen Tracey Doreen Isabelle Tracey (April 13, 1943 – January 10, 2018) was a British-born American performer who appeared on the original ''Mickey Mouse Club'' television show from 1955–59. Early life Tracey was born in St Pancras, London, England. He ...

as Bobo Stephen *

Morgan Woodward Thomas Morgan Woodward (September 16, 1925 – February 22, 2019) was an American actor who is best known for his recurring role as Marvin "Punk" Anderson on the television soap opera ''Dallas'' and for his portrayal of Boss Godfrey, the sungla ...

as Obie Foster *

Barbara Woodell Barbara Woodell (May 25, 1910 – January 16, 1997) was an American film and television actress, born in Lewistown, Illinois. Selected filmography * ''Lady, Let's Dance'' (1944) * '' The Mysterious Mr. Valentine'' (1946) * ''Carnegie Hall'' ...

as Mrs. Stephen *

Iron Eyes Cody Iron Eyes Cody (born Espera Oscar de Corti, April 3, 1904 – January 4, 1999) was an American actor of Italian descent who portrayed Native Americans in Hollywood films, famously as ''Chief Iron Eyes'' in Bob Hope's '' The Paleface'' (1948). ...

as Many Stars * John War Eagle as Wolf's Brother *Anthony Numkena as Little Thunder * Cubby O'Brien as Jerry Stephen *

Karen Pendleton Karen Anita Pendleton (August 1, 1946 – October 6, 2019) was an original ''Mickey Mouse Club'' Mouseketeer on the ABC television series from 1955 to 1959. She was one of only nine Mouseketeers who were on the show during its entire original r ...

as Myra Thompson * Tommy Cole as Jim Stephen *Jane Liddell as Ruth Benjamin *

Leslie Bradley Leslie Ernest Bradley (1 September 1907 – 20 July 1974) was an English actor. He died in Desert Hot Springs, California. Filmography * ''The Way of Youth'' (1934) as Lieut. Burton (film debut) * ''Play Up the Band'' (1935) as Jack Heckd ...

as Spencer Armitage *

Jon Locke Joseph Lockey Yon, also known as credited as Jon Locke, (October 10, 1927 – October 19, 2013) was an American actor who appeared in many television and film westerns. Early life Locke was borne in Orlando, Florida. He became involved in theat ...

as Ed Benjamin Additionally, several actors appear in the film uncredited. They include:

Max Wagner Max Wagner (November 28, 1901 – November 16, 1975) was a Mexican-born American film actor who specialized in playing small parts such as thugs, gangsters, sailors, henchmen, bodyguards, cab drivers and moving men, appearing more than 400 ...

as a Wagon man; Chuck Courtney as a Wagon man,

Gertrude Astor Gertrude Astor (born Gertrude Irene Eyster; November 9, 1887 – November 9, 1977) was an American motion picture character actress, who began her career playing trombone in a woman's band. Early years Gertrude Irene Eyster was born in Lakew ...

as a Wagon woman,

Eddie Little Sky Eddie Little Sky (August 15, 1926 – September 5, 1997), also known as Edward Little, was an indigenous North American actor of the Oglala Lakota tribe. He had parts in 36 feature films and over 60 television shows,''Indian Country Today'', r ...

as a Pawnee Indian, and

Carl Mathews Carl Mathews (February 19, 1903 – May 3, 1959), also sometimes credited as Carl Matthews, was an American character actor and stuntman of the 1930s through 1950s. Born on February 19, 1903 in Oklahoma, his first film role would be in '' Rough ...

as an Indian.

Songs

* ''Westward Ho the Wagons!'' - lyrics by Tom Blackburn and music by

George Bruns George Edward Bruns (July 3, 1914 – May 23, 1983) was an American composer of music for film and television. His accolades include four Academy Award nominations, and three Grammy Award nominations. He is mainly known for his compositions for ...

* ''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 Green Grow the Lilacs is a folk song of Irish origin that was popular in the United States during the mid-19th century. The song title is the source of a folk etymology for the word ''gringo'' that states that the Mexicans misheard U.S. troops si ...

, Traditional) - lyrics by

and music arrangement by George Bruns * ''Pioneer's Prayer'' (from ''

The Vanishing Prairie ''The Vanishing Prairie'' is a 1954 American documentary film directed by James Algar and released by Walt Disney Productions. The theme music was given a set of lyrics by Hazel "Gil" George. It was rechristened as "Pioneer's Prayer" in ''Wes ...

'') - lyrics by Hazel "Gil" George and music by Paul Smith

Production

stars in the film, which also features the final big-screen appearance of

. It was released on videotape in 1986 then March 18, 1997. The film was shot in

Janss Conejo Ranch Wildwood Regional Park is a suburban regional park in the western Simi Hills and Conejo Valley, in Ventura County, California. It is located in western Thousand Oaks, northern Newbury Park, and southern Moorpark. Wildwood is home to over 27 m ...

, now known as Wildwood Regional Park in

Thousand Oaks, California Thousand Oaks is the second-largest city in Ventura County, California, United States. It is in the northwestern part of Greater Los Angeles, approximately from the city of Los Angeles and from Downtown. It is named after the many oak tr ...

. Four Mousketeers from the "Mickey Mouse Club" were in the film: Tommy Cole, Doreen Tracey, Cubby O'Brian, and Karen Pendleton. The film was only a moderate success, and received mixed reviews. Fess Parker's version of the song "Wringle Wrangle" from the movie was released as a single.

Reception

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' noted, "Cinemascope treatment allows a vast panorama against which to limn the simple, yet stirring, narrative, and there's the marquee lure of Fess Parker for the younger trade particularly." ''

Harrison's Reports ''Harrison's Reports'' was a New York City-based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publisher ...

'' wrote, "Set against highly impressive outdoor backgrounds and beautifully photographed in CinemaScope and Technicolor, this Walt Disney live-action western should go over well with the family trade, particularly the youngsters, for children play an important part in the proceedings." ''

The Monthly Film Bulletin ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 to April 1991, when it merged with ''Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a ...

'' wrote, "Walt Disney's latest western adventure contains neither the excitement, the good humour nor the high spirits of his ''Davy Crockett'' films. There is a sense of strain; the humour hangs heavy; the action and its outcome is always predictable. The undaunted Fess Parker, however, remains as resolute as ever, and sings with the same charm and style."

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Westward Ho The Wagons! 1956 films 1956 Western (genre) films Walt Disney Pictures films 1950s English-language films Films about Native Americans Films based on American novels Films directed by William Beaudine Films produced by Bill Walsh (producer) Films produced by Walt Disney Films set in 1846 Films set in Wyoming Films shot in California Films adapted into comics Films scored by George Bruns American Western (genre) films CinemaScope films 1950s American films