This week we lost one of my favorite actors and people, Wayne Rogers, born William Wayne McMillan Rogers III on April 7, 1933 in Alabama. After graduating from Princeton with a degree in history followed by three years in the Navy, he caught the acting bug– lucky for his fans. Best known for his iconic role as Trapper John McIntyre in the television series MASH, Wayne Rogers went on to excel in many other roles. One that comes to mind is his recurring portrayal of private eye Charlie Garrett in Murder She Wrote. Years before MASH, however, I remember Wayne Rogers from reruns of a 1960-61 television western entitled Stagecoach West. I have fond memories of watching the show after school with my sister. Wayne played U.S. Marshall Luke Perry, and the action revolved around the overland route of the Timberland Stage Line from Missouri to California. Sometimes I think the action adventure I prefer to include in my paranormal romances owes a debt to the shoot ’em up old timey westerns my family used to watch. Did you ever see Stagecoach West?
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Paranormal Romance
I was so sad to hear about Wayne Roger’s passing. I loved him in MASH. I never saw Stagecoach West, but I’m sure I would have loved it. I was a fan of westerns, especially Bonanza, Lancer, Custer, and Alias Smith and Jones. I even wrote westerns in my younger days and still have a completed trunk novel that I’d love to play around with if I ever find the time.
I too loved his cigar chewing Trapper John. I remember those westerns. Some I haven’t seen in a long time and need to look them up again. Did Wayne Maunder play Lancer? It seems to me he was a blonde actor who played Custer at one time.
Flossie, you’ve got a great memory. Wayne Maunder was another one of my “crushes” although I didn’t discover Lancer or Custer until later in life. And yep, he played in both….the title role in Custer and eastern son Scott Lancer in Lancer.
I liked Wayne Maunder too, and the story of Custer. Great old shows!
I haven’t seen this
Thanks for commenting, Cathy.
Great post. I loved Wayne Rogers too. Felt bad at how they jilted him in the M*A*S*H series. Westerns play a big part of my writing career as well. Thanks for the post.
Cindy, it’s interesting how westerns play a part in the way we write. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Any man’s passing away is a sad piece of news. But it gets even sadder when it’ s a famous actor. Westerns were favorite movies in my house. Especially those with John Wayne as leading part. I haven’t watched Stagecoach West, but like Mae, I’m sure I would have loved it.
Carmen, recently we have watched a number of John Wayne movies. They’ve been playing on one of the movie channels. I saw one I don’t remember viewing before, set in the desert and with a very young Sophia Loren. Do you recall that one?
Oh, is it Legend of the Lost? Where they go to find a lost treasure and also looking for the father of a man? Yes, it’s an old movie with a young Sophia. People say they had a love affair.
Yes, that’s the one, Carmen! It was set in an Arabian desert, but John Wayne still wore his cowboy outfit. Awesome movie.