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Was Frank McGrath (Wagon Train's Charley Wooster) In This Film?


Hey folks,

Having just watched this film once again last night, I think I saw Frank McGrath in a short shot near the end of the film. Frank McGrath was the man who is well known for playing Charlie Wooster in the "Wagon Train" TV series.

Nearing the end of "High Noon," Will Kane sits down at his desk to write his will. Kane looks up at the wall clock which shows it is 11:57 AM. From this point, there is a succession of short 1 or 2 second shots of different things including people in the saloon, in the church, shots of the town, and the empty railroad tracks. Counting from the time the clock shows 11:57, I think it is the 15th or 16th short shot which shows the heads and shoulders of two old fellows waiting. The man on the right has a cigarette or cigar in his mouth, and the man on the left sure does look like Wagon Train's Charlie Wooster as his head turns in the brief shot.

The series of short shots I mentioned are not flash shots by any means. Each shot, while brief, is a few seconds in length so the viewer can clearly see the faces and emotion of the folks shown.

I did not see Frank McGrath listed as a cast member in the IMDb list, and I also checked his IMDb page, but he has no credit listed there for being in "High Noon." I checked other sites, but I was unable to find anything that cited Frank McGrath as having been in the film.

If that fellow was not Frank McGrath, then he certainly was a dead ringer for him. I don't know how many times I have seen this film since 1952, but last night was the first time I ever noticed the man who looks like Charlie Wooster. Has anyone else noticed the man I mentioned, and did anyone else think it might be Frank McGrath?

Best wishes,
Dave Wile




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No . . . I thought it was Wishbone from "Rawhide". Too many cantankerous cooks with beards in the chuck wagon, I suppose.

Clintessence

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Yes, it was Frank McGrath. He's in a couple of shots and is listed in the opening credits.

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Hey Watcher,

I just watched the opening credits again, and I did not see his name listed. IMDb does not show him in the High Noon credits (even under full cast), and IMDb does not list High Noon as one of McGrath's credits.

YouTube has a 2 minute clip of the film titled "Waiting For Frank Miller" at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MooNISe8aM. If you go to 1:17 of the clip, there is a two shot with a 3/4 front face shot of a guy that just has to be our Charley Wooster (Frank McGrath). Why I cannot find anything to definitive show it really was he, I simply do not understand. I know he is only on screen for a few seconds, but there ought to be something that confirms he was in the film as an un-credited actor.

If he is actually listed in the credits on the film, please let me know I missed it. It would not be the first time something went over my head.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

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Hey Clint,

Have you had a chance to check Watcher's and my own post that followed yours and that Youtube clip I linked? I looked at that clip over and over and simply do not see Wishbone there. Then I started to wonder if you already knew it was Charlie Wooster and you were just pulling my leg. If you really know it was Charlie Wooster, how about taking that hook out of my mouth. I have been hanging on long enough don't you think. I figured you would know for sure just who it was.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile



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