VIDEO WEEKEND: "WAGON TRAIN" - "THE DAN HOGAN STORY"

This is the episode in which we meet the woman who married the episode's central character - the first Mary Richards.....

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And that brings to an end this year's annual TV Western Showcase in August.  And to have it end with a theory of relateeveety linking to one of my five favorite TV shows?  Couldn't ask for a better send-off!

BCnU!

ADDENDUM

Originally, I had the entire 'Wagon Train' episode "The Dan Hogan Story" slated to run today to cap off this year's salute to the TV Western.  But the story should have run back in August of 2014....  However, the death of James Garner that year meant a change in plans.  August 2014 became a showcase salute to Mr. Garner and his many co-stars in the movie version of 'Maverick'.  And that meant all those previously crafted posts had to be pushed forward to 2015.  

Unfortunately this is one post that refused to remain preserved; for whatever reason the episode was taken down at YouTube at some point after June of 2014.  (Luckily I got some screencaps which you'll see tomorrow.)

So here are the pertinent reasons I wanted to use it as the last Video Sunday in this month's salute to the TV Western.......

From the IMDb:

In a growing town, Seth meets a friend from his distant past. He remembers how they met and the circumstances bringing them west. When his friend's home is threatened, not ever wearing a gun surprisingly helps him rather than the reverse.

When the train arrives in a small but wild town Adams finds an old friend Dan Hogan. Dan is a great boxer but refuses to wear a gun. He was a constable in New York City who has come west with his wife and family. Hs friend Cliff is in debt to Jason Rance who wants Cliff's cattle herd. The local Marshal wants Dan to be a deputy as he thinks he can control the town and Rance. Dan declines but when he takes a stand against Rance for Cliff, he finds himself facing Rance or leaving town. His wife convinces him to leave town much to the chagrin of Adams and the citizens of the town. Dan is at peace with his decision until he learns Cliff has been killed. 

For me, the special interest of the story was that Rachel Ames played Mary Hogan, Dan's wife.  In a flashback sequence we learned that her maiden name was Mary Richards.  I see nothing that would hinder the theory of relateeveety suggestion that she had at least one brother whose grandson (Dr. Walter Reed Richards) would have named his daughter after his great aunt.  And therefore?  A hypothetical connection between 'Wagon Train' and 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'.

Movie Mistakes:
Major Seth Adams, played by Ward Bond, is introduced to Miss Mary Richards and addresses her as such. A few minutes later he says goodbye to Miss Richardson.

I don't see this as a mistake in the production of the episode.  Within the reality of the TV Universe, this was an example of Major Seth Adams' bad memory.  After all, he had only just met the woman!  It was a simple mistake to make.

One other point - it will always be my contention that Seth Adams was the brother of Dr. Galen Adams, the town doctor in Dodge City (as seen in 'Gunsmoke'.)

Tomorrow I'll delineate the lineage that links 'Wagon Train' and 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' as the final entry in this month's showcase.

Happy trails to you!