THE OREGON TRAIL (1976-1977) – Another seasonal post for Frontierado, which celebrates the myth of the Old West and not the grinding reality. The Oregon Trail was basically a 1970s attempt to imitate the classic western series Wagon Train. In the 1840s a recent widower played by Rod Taylor and his children join a wagon train headed to the Pacific Northwest.
The California Gold Rush had not yet started, hence Oregon as the destination instead. A 2-hour pilot movie in 1976 was followed by a tryout set of episodes but a full series never came to be.
THE OREGON TRAIL (Jan 10th, 1976) – Pilot Movie. The story opens in 1842 on the wedding day of widowed Illinois farmer Evan Thorpe and his second wife Jessica (Blair Brown). The next day, they and Evan’s children join a wagon train headed for America’s Pacific Northwest.
The three children were Andrew (Andrew Stevens), Rachel (Gina Hummer) and William (Tony Becker). Evan’s widowed father Eli (Douglas Fowley) joined the family for their westward trek. Other guest stars in this pilot film were David Huddleston, G.D. Spradlin, Eddie Little Sky, J.D. Cannon, Jerry Hardin, Linda Purl and Hoke “Crapout” Howell. Continue reading
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