# John Wayne's Hondo TV Series

> John Wayne's 1967 Western TV series based on his 1953 film was canceled after 17 episodes.
- Title: John Wayne's Hondo TV Series · SlashFilm | Shortify
- Summary: John Wayne's 1967 Western TV series based on his 1953 film was canceled after 17 episodes. John Wayne's production company created a short-lived Western TV…
- Keywords: john wayne, hondo, wayne-fellows productions, batjac productions, abc, star trek, 1967, western series, 17 episodes, hondo pilot, entertainment, culture
- Source: SlashFilm — https://slashfilm.com/2276811/john-wayne-producer-western-series-based-movie-hondo
- Author: Joe Roberts
- Published: 2026-10-05T21:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: john wayne, hondo, wayne-fellows productions, batjac productions, abc, star trek, 1967, western series, 17 episodes, hondo pilot, entertainment, culture
## John Wayne's 1953 Western Film
John Wayne starred in the 1953 3D Western film Hondo based on Louis L'Amour's short story.
## Wayne-Fellows Production Company
Wayne founded Wayne-Fellows Productions in 1953 with Robert Fellows to adapt the story.
## Hondo Film Success
Hondo earned $4.1 million domestically and became Wayne-Fellows' most successful project at the time.
## 1967 Hondo TV Series Launch
ABC premiered the Hondo TV series on September 8, 1967, with Ralph Taeger as the lead character.
## Hondo TV Series Changes
The TV series altered the film's backstory, making Hondo marry a Native American who was later killed by U.S. Army officers.
## Hondo Series Cancellation
The Hondo TV series was canceled after 17 episodes in December 1967 due to competition with Star Trek.
## Key takeaway

John Wayne's production company created a short-lived Western TV series in 1967 that aired for 17 episodes before cancellation.