Wagon Master Seth Adams (Ward Bond) accepts a group of young ladies under the care of their "teacher" Bette Davis. She tells Seth that she is taking them west to start a girls' finishing school. They are actually entertainers or dancers and she is planning to start a first class saloon or entertainment palace. This fact isn't learned until they are well under way on the trip. Major Adams has to deal with the wives of the men on the wagon train, who want the attention grabbing young ladies sent away. Another actor, calling himself a Count and played by Robert Strauss (Stalag 17), is brought into camp by Indians saying he tried to steal from them including a woman. Bette Davis hires him to drive their wagon. One of the show girls falls in love with the son of one of the women of the wagon train. Just when Major Adams thinks things can't get more nasty, Spotten Fever hits the train. With so many sick and in danger of death, it is Bette Davis and her girls who pitch in and nurse the ill. Nothing more can be said without revealing the ending, however it can be said that Bette Davis was at her usual best.
5 Reviews
Bette gets to cut a rug!
mark.waltz19 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
It is obvious from the TV series that I've seen where Bette Davis guest starred that she was not only earning a paycheck but having fun as well! whether it be TV westerns or anthology series or taking over for an ailing Raymond Burr, Bette got to have more freedom to be herself as she entertained audiences on the small screen as she had been doing for 30 years on the big screen. For her second episode of "Wagon Train", she is the head of a group of traveling female performers, considered bad girls by the women in the Wagon Train even though she has apparently appeared in front of the crowned heads of Europe.
Once again, Bette has great chemistry with Ward Bond (apparently not recognizing her as a look alike of the mother with seven children who had to find places for them in an earlier episode), even getting from the waist up to pretend to be doing a bar room style dance. not only is she like Molly Brown in that sense, she becomes the Molly Brown of the Wagon Train as in spite of the judgment of the women (Marjorie Bennett and Meg Wyllie), she provides nursing to victims of a sudden plague. Robert Strauss is a long as a man of mystery, but his presence really seems to be unnecessary. All eyes are on Bette especially when she predicts that one day women will stand right next to men in every profession, and when Bette says it, you believe it and support it. It's fun and fast-paced yet bittersweet as well, providing laughs and tears and an hour that is not a waste.
Once again, Bette has great chemistry with Ward Bond (apparently not recognizing her as a look alike of the mother with seven children who had to find places for them in an earlier episode), even getting from the waist up to pretend to be doing a bar room style dance. not only is she like Molly Brown in that sense, she becomes the Molly Brown of the Wagon Train as in spite of the judgment of the women (Marjorie Bennett and Meg Wyllie), she provides nursing to victims of a sudden plague. Robert Strauss is a long as a man of mystery, but his presence really seems to be unnecessary. All eyes are on Bette especially when she predicts that one day women will stand right next to men in every profession, and when Bette says it, you believe it and support it. It's fun and fast-paced yet bittersweet as well, providing laughs and tears and an hour that is not a waste.
Bette Davis does a mean can can
bkoganbing17 October 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Bette Davis plays the manager of a troupe of show girls who are traveling incognito on the Wagon Train as young ladies ready to start a finishing school in the new frontier. But that secret doesn't stay secret for long. After that the blue noses on the Wagon Train, led by the women who don't want their husbands led astray.
Then an epidemic of spotted fever strikes the Train. And as it turns out Davis had some considerable nursing experience in ante bellum New Orleans. She and her girls do a considerable amount to help the Wagon Train weather the epidemic, but the cost is high.
The finale is one of the best from the series as Davis and her girls strut their stuff and do a mean can can. Worth seeing it for that alone.
Then an epidemic of spotted fever strikes the Train. And as it turns out Davis had some considerable nursing experience in ante bellum New Orleans. She and her girls do a considerable amount to help the Wagon Train weather the epidemic, but the cost is high.
The finale is one of the best from the series as Davis and her girls strut their stuff and do a mean can can. Worth seeing it for that alone.
One of the very best episodes
jillbaeder11 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The Elizabeth McQueenie Story is, to me, the best that Wagon Train has to offer. Ward Bond and Bette Davis spark for the second time in the series. A compelling story about a woman and her ten girls headed for Nevada to open a girls school (saloon & theater). They're not treated very well by the wagon train members especially the women. Major Adams and the boys like them, especially Mrs. McQueenie'.
Disaster strikes when the spotted fever hits the train hard. Liz who had been through the yellow fever epidemic in New Orleans leaps into action with her girls and tend the stricken. They work tirelessly and save many but the losses are significant even losing one of her own.
Still, Elizabeth McQueenie and her girls are just barely tolerated by the women of the train. So, what does Liz do? She has her girls in costume dance for all the men on the train! So cool.
Robert Strauss makes an appearance as a thief caught by Liz. I enjoyed his little side plot but as another reviewer said it wasn't really necessary. Davis, Strauss and the girls ride off to Nevada and their dream.
Some great writing in this episode and great, great actors. This is worth a good watch; it has everything except Flint. Too bad Bond and Horton couldn't get over themselves to work on the same set??
Bette Davis at her TV best
tonyandpam30 April 2022
She was on Wagon Train 3 times and each time is a treat but I think this one is my favorite. Her artful dodge with Major Adams about her business was done with straight faces! She was an "actor's actor" and her screen presence steals this show. As another reviewer said, I think she was having fun!
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