The Wagon Train regulars are little in evidence in The Patience Miller Story. Ward Bond had died two months before this episode was shown in January of 1961 and it's possible this one was done while the producers were searching for a new wagon master.
Patience Miller is a very recent Quaker widow whose husband is killed in an Indian attack at the beginning of the episode. Despite that she's determined to push on and take her husband's place at the Arapahoe mission where they were assigned. A very reluctant Robert Horton delivers her at the beginning of the story and then doesn't return until the very end.
The episode is taken from The King And I with a bit of The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine thrown in because one of the plot elements is a blood feud between the Arapahoe and Comanche. But before that's settled she's got to deal with Michael Ansara the Arapahoe chief. Yul Brynner as the King of Siam had nothing on Ansara for imperiousness.
The episode is directed with style by movie veteran Mitchell Leisen and he directs Rhonda Fleming in a great performance that plays down her sexpot image and plays up the red hair. The Arapahoe are a bit intimidated by it, not too many redheads in their neighborhood. it gives her a bit of leverage which she skillfully uses.
Patience Miller is a very recent Quaker widow whose husband is killed in an Indian attack at the beginning of the episode. Despite that she's determined to push on and take her husband's place at the Arapahoe mission where they were assigned. A very reluctant Robert Horton delivers her at the beginning of the story and then doesn't return until the very end.
The episode is taken from The King And I with a bit of The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine thrown in because one of the plot elements is a blood feud between the Arapahoe and Comanche. But before that's settled she's got to deal with Michael Ansara the Arapahoe chief. Yul Brynner as the King of Siam had nothing on Ansara for imperiousness.
The episode is directed with style by movie veteran Mitchell Leisen and he directs Rhonda Fleming in a great performance that plays down her sexpot image and plays up the red hair. The Arapahoe are a bit intimidated by it, not too many redheads in their neighborhood. it gives her a bit of leverage which she skillfully uses.
