John Wayne’s Blink-and-You’ll-Miss-It TV Role That Left Fans Guessing
John Wayne’s only recurring TV series appearance was a brief, uncredited cameo in a 1960 episode of Wagon Train, directed by John Ford. This rare moment on television was a favor to friends and so quick that many viewers questioned if it was really him.
Today, it ’s almost expected for Hollywood ’s biggest names to make the jump to television, with many drawn by the promise of top-notch scripts and compelling stories. But back when John Wayne was at the height of his fame, things were different. The rise of television had studio bosses worried about empty seats in movie theaters, and many actors saw TV as a step down. If you were a true box office draw, the thinking went, people would pay to see you on the big screen, not catch you for free at home.
For a long time, appearing regularly on a TV show was seen as a sign that a movie star’s best days were behind them. While some, like Jack Nicholson, avoided television almost entirely—only showing up for special occasions—Wayne wasn’t quite as strict. Still, he never wanted to become a fixture on the small screen. He did take on leading roles in a couple of anthology series episodes, both directed by his longtime collaborator John Ford, but those were one-off appearances, not part of any ongoing series.
Wayne’s Uncredited Cameo on Wagon Train
There was just one occasion when Wayne appeared in a recurring network drama. In 1960, he made a brief, uncredited appearance as General Sherman in an episode of Wagon Train. The episode, titled “The Colter Craven Story,” was the ninth of the show’s fourth season and, not coincidentally, the only one directed by John Ford. Wayne’s involvement was a favor to both Ford and Ward Bond, the show’s star and one of Wayne’s closest friends.
Wayne later explained,
“It wasn’t completely unconditional. Because it was as a favor to Pappy and Ward Bond. Ward was the star of the western TV series, Wagon Train, and Jack Ford was directing an episode, so he asked me to make a fleeting appearance as General Sherman. I was billed as Michael Morris, and I was on and off so fast people were left wondering if that had been John Wayne they’d seen.”
A Rare TV Appearance for The Duke
Wagon Train ran for eight seasons and produced over 280 episodes between 1957 and 1965. Despite its popularity, Wayne only ever appeared in that single hour-long drama, and he did so under a pseudonym. His cameo was so brief that many viewers weren’t even sure they’d seen him at all.
The episode held special meaning for Wayne, as it gave him one last chance to work with Bond, who passed away from a heart attack less than three weeks before the episode aired. For fans, it remains a unique and almost mythical moment—a rare glimpse of a Hollywood legend stepping into the world of television, if only for a heartbeat.