The Nellie Jefferson Story (5 Apr. 1961)

When actress Nellie Jefferson joins the wagon train, her incessant demands for special treatment come to grate on Hale and Hawks, but Wooster is totally smitten with her. Meanwhile a ... See full summary »

Director:

Virgil W. Vogel

Writer:

Harold Swanton

Stars:

John McIntire, Robert Horton, Janis Paige

Cast

Episode cast overview:
John McIntire	...	Christopher Hale
Robert Horton	...	Flint McCullough
Janis Paige	...	Nellie Jefferson
Don Megowan	...	Sean Hennessey
Frank McGrath	...	Charlie Wooster
Terry Wilson	...	Bill Hawks
H.M. Wynant	...	Bart Haskell
Hank Worden	...	Trader
Dennis Rush	...	Homer
Don C. Harvey	...	Marshal (as Don Harvey)
Vince Williams	...	Stuart Knight
Gail Bonney	...	Mrs. Schroeder

Storyline

When actress Nellie Jefferson joins the wagon train, her incessant demands for special treatment come to grate on Hale and Hawks, but Wooster is totally smitten with her. Meanwhile a fanatical man from her past is following her, talking about how she will meet her fate like the biblical Jezebel.

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Plot Keywords:

character name in title

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 April 1961 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Revue Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

The Scrapbook Was a Good Surprise

These Wagon Train episodes really do watch like they could just be about a western saloon or hotel, hardly distinctive of a wagon train.

Fortunately the glitch here wasn't that bad if you could manage to overlook it.

Janis Paige is Nellie Jefferson, a famous actress who finds herself traveling on the wagon train to basically get away from her ex-husband (apparently a boxer and evangelist, as he preaches the two times he speaks) Charlie is a fan of Jefferson, but he doesn't tell her that. She travels with him and he puts up with her demands to be in the first wagon and stop and wait so she can pick flowers. Charlie also borrows fine china to serve Nellie like she is accustomed to.

Much of this falls flat for the character of Charlie.

Nellie's destination is a two-day out of the way locale, so she and Charlie must separate from the wagon train, and Charlie will meet up with them again at a future spot.

It is off alone, as Charlie and Nellie read Shakespeare together that that EX-HUSBAND turns up! Out in the middle of nowhere! Its like they could have been sitting in a saloon together or something! Charlie is hurt defending Nellie, and as she seeks to get some aid (what is there? water and a rag?) she finds his scrapbook of her performances.

Nellie was more primadonna when she should have been a diva. Paige managed to get some emotion across and very well when the child mocked her and when she suddenly wants to be nice to Charlie.

Unfortunately all we are left to conclude from the ending is that Charlie hated saying good bye. Doubtful they had a one night stand and then parted. So now Charlie's broken heart has him making the food taste like bug poison.

The husband out of nowhere was a minus, but the scrapbook was a plus.