Executive
Stunt Coordinator
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2010
- Messages
- 97
- Real Name
- Jeff Margulis
In July 2011 I ran into the same problem on Encore Westerns as I once did back in 1983 (when I first viewed this and many other great old shows on CBN Cable) : The syndication package ends about 24 episodes into the 4th season!! Next Thursday Encore is going back to the beginning of the series -- just one episode short of airing "The Christopher Hale Story" that brought John McIntire to WAGON TRAIN as the new aging wagonmaster to replace Ward Bond after Bond had died late in 1960. History would repeat itself 7 years later when McIntire replaced the late Charles Bickford as Shiloh owner on The Virginian. According to episode guides, several of the McIntire episodes before The Christopher Hale Story aired out of order during the original NBC run, in which the drawing of McIntire came after Robert Horton (who got top billing for the rest of the fourth year). However, as you may have noticed those episodes have no sign of John -- with Bill and Charlie in one of them talking about "when Chris gets back" at the beginning. The syndicated stories have Flint in charge or at least center around him. The only way to see Hale currently is if you've seen the 90 minute color episodes from the 7th Season. The rest of the 4th, 5th, and 6th seasons as well as the 8th Season (in black & white again for budgetary reasons) all still seem to be "lost". And yet in Encore Western's ads, they also list Robert Fuller's name.... According to their episode list, the last episode they have is "The Nancy Palmer Story" with Audrey Meadows. Before that are 3 episodes I've never seen including "The Sam Elder Story" (aired yesterday, which I recorded to watch this weekend), "The Jed Polk Story", and "The Odyssey of Flint McCollough". Anyone know when the Season 4 set is supposed to be released?