John Herrick McIntire was an American character actor who appeared in 65 theatrical films and many television series. McIntire is well known for having replaced Ward Bond, upon Bond's sudden death in November 1960, as the star of NBC's Wagon Train. He played Christopher Hale, the leader of the wagon train from early 1961 to the series' end in 1965. He also replaced Charles Bickford, upon Bickford's death in 1967, as ranch owner Clay Grainger on NBC's The Virginian for four seasons.
McIntire as Chris Hale in Wagon Train (1961)
McIntire and James Stewart in The Far Country (1955)
1962 Wagon Train cast with (clockwise) McIntire, Terry Wilson, Frank McGrath, and Scott Miller.
With Wagon Train guest stars Dan Duryea and Jane Wyman, 1962
Wardell Edwin Bond was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series Wagon Train from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are Bert the cop in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Captain Clayton in John Ford's The Searchers (1956). As a character actor, Bond frequently played cowboys, cops and soldiers.
Publicity image of Bond for Wagon Train, c. 1957
As Reverend Captain Clayton in The Searchers (1956)
With John Wayne in The Searchers (1956)
Lobby card for Wild Boys of the Road (1933)