The Wagon Master  The Wagon Master is a 1929 Western motion picture starring Ken Maynard, directed by Harry Joe Brown, and written by Marion Jackson and Leslie Mason. The film was edited by Fred Allen and the cinematographer was Ted D. McCord. Maynard's character in the film was referred to as "the Rambler." There is a whip fight in this kinetic film. Maynard is believed to have been the first onscreen "Singing Cowboy" in this movie, succeeded by John Wayne as "Singin' Sandy" Saunders in "Riders of Destiny" (1933) and Gene Autry after Wayne eventually declined to flourish a dubbed singing voice in future endeavors; Autry "auditioned" for the mantle in the 1934 film "In Old Santa Fe" starring Ken Maynard.