LESTER CUNEO – THE FIRST ITALIAN WESTERN STAR! PLUS TCM FEST, COWBOY FEST, AND SELECTED SHORTS!

LESTER CUNEO – THE FIRST ITALIAN WESTERN STAR!

The idea of an Italian western star immediately conjures up the 1960s, and the image of a handsome European, perhaps with an Americanized moniker, riding a horse through the Tabernas Desert.  But the first, actually a Chicago-born actor of Italian heritage, started his screen career in 1912 in the United States.  Lester Cuneo’s name is largely unknown today, because he died before the transition of films from silents to talkies, and because his films have long been unavailable.  But now Grapevine Video has made two of his starring features, SILVER SPURS and BLAZING ARROWS, both from 1922, available.  His work is overdue for reappraisal.       

Born in 1888, the tall and handsome Cuneo, with dark eyes and a Roman nose, was a stage actor from his teens, and entered movies at the age of 24.  He was lucky to be in Chicago, headquarters of film pioneer Col. William Selig, and went to work at Selig-Polyscope Studios. For more information on Cuneo and Selig, I turned to Andy Erish, author of the definitive biography of the man, and history of the studio, SELIG – THE MAN WHO INVENTED HOLLYWOOD. 

He told me, “(Cuneo) only made a couple of films at Selig's Chicago studio hub before traveling to Colorado to join the company's Western unit. Ironically, one of the films made in Chicago was a comedy/drama about Italian immigrants in the US called ACCORDING TO LAW, but Cuneo played an immigration cop - not one of the immigrants! Anyway, Cuneo appears to have been assigned to the Colorado unit as a replacement for Tom Mix, who decided not to renew his contract early in 1912 in order to help organize and participate in the first Calgary Stampede. Cuneo played the same sorts of roles Mix had opposite William Duncan - occasionally as the hero, but more often as the villain. When the director of Selig's Colorado troupe, Otis B. Thayer, left after a few months, Duncan took over. Cuneo still alternated playing villain and hero with Duncan.

“Mix rejoined the Selig western unit at Canon City, Colorado around Thanksgiving 1912 after sustaining some serious injuries in the Stampede and the rodeo circuit. Now Mix was often cast in the roles that had been played by Cuneo or Duncan, though all three at various times continued to play hero, villain or henchman. The troupe moved to Prescott, Arizona at the beginning of 1913 where they remained for a year and a half. Duncan directed all of the films and wrote most of them, too, until Mix began writing scripts around September 1913 that more fully integrated his cowboy skills and athletic prowess into his characters and plots. Mix had written a handful of scripts since first joining the company in 1910, and suggested bits of business (physical action) to liven up others' scripts (including those written by Duncan). But the movies written by Mix that were made in Prescott in the fall of 1913 completely transformed the movie cowboy into an action hero whose exploits were an outgrowth of rodeo stunts. Mix had already developed an international following in 1910-11, but the content and success of the films he wrote in Prescott put him in a class by himself.

“Cuneo became the odd man out, serving as sidekick or henchman to Mix's heroes or villains. At the end of 1913 Duncan was reassigned to focus his energies solely on directing Mix - no more acting. Mix had brought a couple of old rodeo and ranch pals into the Prescott unit, notably Sid Jordan, further displacing Cuneo. By the time Selig moved the Western Unit to Glendale, California in mid-1914, Mix had already taken over as director, writer, producer, star, (with) Duncan leaving for Vitagraph. Cuneo seems to have remained behind in Prescott, where he starred in a handful of Selig Western shorts directed by Marshall Farnum (brother of better known actors William and Dustin). Sometime during the summer of 1914 Cuneo left Selig for Essanay, and appears to have relocated to their Chicago studio.” 

Lester Cuneo established himself as a star in Westerns, and unlike many of his contemporaries, starred in films of many other genres.  A more versatile actor than most, he was screen-tested by Ernst Lubitsch for the title role of FAUST in 1923 (sadly, the film was never made).  In 1920 he married beautiful co-star Francelia Billington, and they would produce fourteen movies – and two children – together.  Already a notable actress in her own right, the previous year she had what would be her most important film role, as the married woman pursued by Austrian officer Erich Von Stroheim in BLIND HUSBANDS. 

SILVER SPURS, co-directed by Henry McCarty and James Leo Meehan – both first-time directors! – opens in contemporary (for 1922) Manhattan, as the very cosmopolitan Lester, a western novelist, is at his gentlemen’s club, kidded by his friends for wanting to escape to the simpler life of the imagined west.  They surprise him with a good-luck gift of a pair of silver spurs, and he is on his way. 

In the California town of San Vincente he befriends the local padre (Phil Gastrock), and soon becomes embroiled in helping lovely Rosario del Camarillo (Lillian Ward), by inheritance the queen of the rancho, who has been swindled out of her property and position by Juan Von Rolf (Bert Sprotte).  Von Rolf is such a swine that although married, he treats his wife like dirt, and flaunts his relationship with cantina-girl Carmencita (Zalla Zarana), who makes a play for Lester, in part to make Von Rolf jealous.

In BLAZING ARROWS, again directed by McCarty, an Indian couple, Gray Eagle (Clark Comstock) and Mocking Bird (Laura Howard) discover a white couple, dead by their wagon, and a helpless baby.  The childless couple raises the baby – calling him Sky Fire – as their own.  Abruptly the babe has grown into college student John Strong (Lester Cuneo).  He is on the verge of proposing to wealthy co-ed Martha Randolph (Francelia Billington), but in a nod to Conan Doyle, she is an orphan being raised by guardian Lafe McKee.  Lafe has mismanaged her money, is in hock up to his ears to villainous Lew Meehan (who also co-wrote the script), and will do whatever it takes to keep her from marrying, and gaining control of her fortune. 

John Strong is about to reveal to Martha that he is an Indian (he doesn’t know he was adopted) when Lafe announces it, and forbids the marriage.  Crushed, John drops out of college, goes home to his Indian family.  Distraught, Martha is sent away to the country to ‘get over’ John.  And wouldn’t you know it – they end up in the same place where, as luck would have it, Lew Meehan is known and reviled as a crooked exploiter of Indians.  Contrived as it may sound, the film is very entertaining. 

Although not in the Tom Mix league, Cuneo was a talented horseman, and in both films acquits himself well in the saddle.  Both films have plenty of plot-motivated riding and shooting and fighting, and effective villains.  Unusually, the SILVER SPURS villain, Juan Von Rolf, is described as a German and Mexican ‘half-breed,’ perhaps carrying some lingering hostility after the recent Great War.  Ethnicities, and the views of the period, are important in both stories.  In BLAZING ARROWS it is a given that Martha could not marry an Indian.  However, in a switch on the old Cavalry pictures, it is the Indians to the rescue when the good guys are hopelessly outnumbered.  In SILVER SPURS, Cuneo sees Rosario’s devoted Indian servant, Tehana carrying her mistresses’ laundry, and in a courtly manner carries the load for her – but he doesn’t let her ride!  She still walks while he stays on his horse!

Another interesting aspect of Westerns of the early 20^th century is that they didn’t think of the ‘old west days’ as over, and happily mix debonair Manhattan parties with Indians in tepees and every westerner on horseback.    

Lester Cuneo

Tragically, three years later, the very talented and promising actor would be dead, and by his own hand.  He had fallen out of favor as a leading man, and had begun taking supporting roles in poor films.  He had begun to drink to excess.  Francelia filed for divorce; the decree came in November of 1925.  Reportedly, he told his children, “Daddy’s going away,” took a pistol from a closet, locked himself in the bedroom, and killed himself.  He was 37.  After his death, his widow, who had appeared in 140 films, would make only one more without Lester, before the coming of sound, and four years later would make her one ‘talkie’ movie, a supporting role in a Hoot Gibson western, before succumbing to tuberculosis, and dying at age 39.

But SILVER SPURS and BLAZING ARROWS preserve that moment when Fracelia were young, active, attractive, and full of hope.  Each film is available for $16.95 from Grapevine Video HERE  .  BLAZING ARROWS also includes UNCOVERED WAGONS (1923), a one-reel comedy starring Charlie Chase’s kid brother James Parrott.  It features pioneers in Calistoga Model-Ts, and Indians on bicycles, and is an irreverent hoot!

In researching this piece, I came upon an article from the November 1920 issue of Screenland magazine, with Lester Cuneo telling about an adventure in the Mexican desert.  The text is below.

COMING EVENTS!

There are so many interesting events on the near horizon that it’s time to start marking up your datebook, and making reservations!  I’ll have more details on some of these as the dates get closer.

THE PAPERBACK COLLECTOR SHOW – SUNDAY, MARCH 22^ND

For decades fans of soft-back books have met annually to buy and sell, and for the second year in a row this event is being held at the Glendale Civic Auditorium, with a paltry admission price of five bucks.  More than 80 dealers will be showing their wares.  This is a not-to-be-missed event in my book – sorry – and I’ve always had great success filling in missing gaps in my Tarzan, Fu Manchu, Luke Short, and other series here.  You can buy very high end, or be a cheapie like me, and buy what are sneeringly called “reader copies”.  In addition to regular paperbacks, there are many pulp magazines of all genres. 

Earl Hamner signing books last year

Best of all, over 45 artists and authors will be attending and signing their books for free!  Sadly, there are rarely Western authors there, but among writers of particular interest are TWILIGHT ZONE writer George Clayton Jackson, TZ writer and THE WALTONS creator Earl Hamner Jr., sci-fi writers Ib Melchio, William F. Nolan, and Bob and Ray biographer David Pollack.  You can learn more HERE.

THE TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL – MARCH 27^th  THROUGH MARCH 29^th

History According to Hollywood is this year’s theme.  Turner Classics pulls out all the stops for this annual Hollywood event, which will feature way-more-screenings-than-you-can-see at Grauman’s Chinese with their new IMAX screen, the Chinese Multiplex, Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre, The Ricardo Montalban Theatre, and poolside at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.  The Red Carpet opening will feature a restored SOUND OF MUSIC with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and other stars in attendance.  The current schedule, still in flux, lists 27 movies.  Of particular interest to Round-up readers are the musical CALAMITY JANE (1953), starring Doris Day as Jane, and Howard Keel as Wild Bill Hickok; and the world premiere of the restoration of THE PROUD REBEL (1958), directed by Michael Curtiz, and starring Alan Ladd, Olivia De Havilland, and David Ladd – and David Ladd will attend! 

Among other guests attending will be Ann-Margaret, Dustin Hoffman, Alec Baldwin, William Daniels, Sophia Loren, Spike Lee, Norman Lloyd, astronaut James Lovell, and stunt-man Terry Leonard.  You can learn more, and buy passes, HERE.

MONSTERPALOOZA MARCH 27^th – MARCH 29^th

Julie Adams

The Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center will play host to as creepy a bunch of people and near-people as you have ever seen, at this annual event that attracts horror-movie fans from around the world for screenings, panel discussions, and a tremendous dealers’ room.  Guests of particular interest to western fans will be Michael Biehn and Julie Adams.  Also attending will be NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD director George Romero, Sonny Chiba, Linda Blair, Yaphet Kotto, Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Margot Kidder, Valerie Perrine, Sybil Danning, Richard Anderson and Gary Conway.  You can learn more HERE.

MYSTERY AUTHORS’ LUNCHEON – MARCH 29^TH

At the Sheraton Park Hotel in Anaheim, Behind The Badge is the name of the event which will feature a talk by LONGMIRE author Craig Johnson, as well as writers Allison Brennan and Robin Burcell.  You can learn more HERE. 

THE SANTA CLARITA COWBOY FESTIVAL – APRIL 18^TH – APRIL 19^TH

For the 22^nd year, fans of cowboy poetry, cowboy music, cowboy literature, cowboy movies, and art, and clothes, and food, and cowboy everything imaginable will converge on Santa Clarita, an early home to western moviemaking.  For several years now the joyous gathering has been at Gene Autry’s old Melody Ranch, but that venerable movie studio, now run by the Veluzat family, has become so busy with the upswing of western movie and TV production that the celebration will take place in the heart of Santa Clarita proper. 

The action and entertainment will be at several easy-to-walk venues clustered around Main Street, including The Vu Theatre, The Repertory East Playhouse, The Canyon Theatre Guild, The OutWest Boutique and Bookstore, and there will be three stages and many other exciting escapades featured at William S. Hart Park, once home to one of the greatest of cowboy stars. 

In addition to covering the event for the Round-up, I will be for the second year be taking part in events at OutWest, moderating panel discussions and doing one-on-one interviews with writers.  There’s no schedule yet, but among the poets, authors, artists and songwriters taking part will be John Bergstrom, Almeda Bradshaw Al P. Bringas, Margaret Brownley, Karla Buhlman, Jim Christina, Peter Conway, Mikki Daniel, Eric H. Heisner, Dale Jackson, Jim Jones, C. Courtney Joyner, Andria Kidd, Stephen Lodge, Petrine Day Mitchum. Audrey Pavia, Karen Rosa, Katie Ryan, J.R.Sanders , Tony Sanders, Peter Sherayko, Janet Squires, Miles Swarthout, and  Cowgirl Hall of Fame, stuntwoman Shirley Lucas Jauregui. 

Next week I’ll have a run-down of the musical performers.  To learn more, and to buy tickets, go .HERE 

THAT’S A WRAP!

If you haven’t yet read Andy Erish’s book, COL. SELIG – THE MAN WHO INVENTED HOLLYWOOD, there is likely to be a gaping hole in your movie-history education: there certainly was in mine.  The other great movie moguls who outlived him rewrote Hollywood history, and the poor Colonel got largely deleted, but his contribution to cinema is remarkable, and should be known to all who care about our art-form.  You can learn more, and buy it,.HERE

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright February 2015 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved   

LUKE PERRY'S THIRD ‘GOODNIGHT FOR JUSTICE’

 

 

The third entry in star and creator Luke Perry’s Hallmark Movie Channel Western franchise, GOODNIGHT FOR JUSTICE will premiere on Saturday, January 26^th.  Luke Perry continues as circuit judge John Goodnight, and in GOODNIGHT FOR JUSTICE: QUEEN OF HEARTS a stagecoach hold-up brings Goodnight face-to-face with beautiful woman-on-the-run Lucy Thoreau, played by Katherine Isabelle of ENDGAME.  Best of all, the man who stands in her way is Rick Schroder, Newt from LONESOME DOVE, and it’s about time we had him back in the saddle again!  More details as the date gets closer.

 

INVEST IN ‘ANDRE DE TOTH – THE DIRECTOR’S DIRECTOR’

 

Filmmaker Patrick Francis first met legendary director Andre de Toth at a party at Leonard Maltin’s, and they hit off immediately.  The normally reticent director opened up to Francis, and their many long conversations led to the documentary which Francis is fund-raising to finish. 

 

 

Known to the general public for his Vincent Price 3D starrer HOUSE OF WAX, Hungary-born de Toth worked in England for the Korda’s before coming to America.  He excelled in films noir, and smart, tough and unflinching Westerns like DAY OF THE OUTLAW, RIDING SHOTGUN, INDIAN FIRE, and RAMROD, reteaming his wife, Veronica Lake, with her SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS co-star Joel McCrea.  De Toth directed a string of Randolph Scott pictures, and directed episodes of some of the best Western TV series: ZANE GREY THEATRE, MAVERICK, BRONCO, and Sam Peckinpah’s THE WESTERNER. 

 

This documentary is not just a ‘potential’ movie – it exists.  The purpose of the Indiegogo campaign is to raise completion money, to pay for post-production fees, the rights to use film-clips, and other nuts-and-bolts needs.  I’ll be talking more to Patrick Francis about Andre de Toth in the Round-up very soon.  But at the moment, there are just nine days left to this fund-raiser.  If you’d like to learn more, and hopefully contribute, please go here: http://www.indiegogo.com/Andre-deToth

 

 

CHRISTMAS BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Personally, I can’t think of a better Christmas or Hanukkah gift than a good book, and I’ve got four great ones to recommend.  Though I’ll be doing detailed reviews of each soon, I wanted to get the word out early for those of you who haven’t finished your holiday shopping (and those like me that haven’t started our shopping!). 

 

COL. WILLIAM SELIG -- THE MAN WHO INVENTED HOLLYWOOD, is a fascinating biography of one of the most important men in the history of film.  All the more remarkable, although his contributions equal those of D.W. Griffith, and surpass those of DeMille, until Andrew Erish wrote this fine biography, Selig’s work was virtually unknown even among the top tier of film historians.  In addition to being a highly entertaining read, SELIG is an essential addition to the library of any serious film buff.   I’ll be featuring my interview with Andy Erish in the Round-up shortly.

 

ARIZONA’S LITTLE HOLLYWOOD – SEDONA AND NORTHERN ARIZONA’S FORGOTTEN FILM HISTORY 1923 -1973, by Joe McNeill, is a lively and informative telling of the busy history of Western movie production in one of the most beautiful spots on Earth.  Joe covers it all in remarkable detail, from the silent days of Rex the Wonder Horse, and early Zane Grey stories, through THE OUTLAW, ANGEL AND THE BADMAN, LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN,  the original 3:10 TO YUMA and THE ROUNDERS, even unearthing details of a Nazi-propaganda Western! 

 

HENRY DARROW – LIGHTNING IN THE BOTTLE by Jan Pippins and Henry Darrow, is the delightful biography of the actor we all discovered as Manolito Montoya on THE HIGH CHAPARRAL.  While I always loved the series (happily playing now on INSP), and particularly the character of Manolito, I had no idea of the character’s and the actor’s importance to the Hispanic community, being, with costar Linda Cristal, the first Latino actors to star as Latino characters in a TV series.  Darrow went on to be the first Latino to play ZORRO as well, a character he portrayed in three separate productions.  This book is not only the life and career story of a highly talented actor, it is also an in-depth study of HIGH CHAPARRAL, and any fan of the series will enjoy it.  Just this week I interviewed Mr. Darrow, who was not only charming and informative, but kept me laughing practically from ‘Hello’ on.  I’ll be running the interview asap.

 

GUNSMOKE – AN AMERICAN INSTITUTION by Ben Costello is an in-depth look at twenty years and 600 episodes of one of the absolutely finest TV series of any genre, and why it’s still popular and relevant half a century after it transitioned from radio to TV.  A big, beautiful coffee-table book, generously illustrated, painstakingly researched; it draws on the memories of dozens of actors, directors and writers.  It features a capsule description of every episode, and in-depth interviews with cast members Dennis Weaver, Buck Taylor and Burt Reynolds.

 

 

‘WILD HORSE, WILD RIDE’ ON DVD FOR CHRISTMAS

 

 

 

This beautiful, inspiring documentary is about folks who take part in a competition whose purpose is to raise money to rescue wild horses on government land.  100 people each take on a completely wild mustang, and have 100 days to train it for a competition.  (If you haven’t read my review, see it HERE)

It’s now available on DVD – the flyer above has the details.

 

NO "THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES"! 

 

If you're as big a fan of the late Bob Hope as I am, you may have been planning to go to his Toluca Lake home today or Sunday for his garage sale, where, it was said, tons of Christmas decorations and stuff were going on sale to the public for cheap.  I'll save you a trip: although they announced an opening time of 9:00 a.m., they started letting people in at 7:00.  There is NOTHING left!  My daughter, who got there before 8:30, described the scene as post-apocalyptic, with crowds surging from one empty table to the next in near panic.  There are two-hour lines of ‘Sooners’ waiting to pay for everything.  Too bad.  Just did a search, and the only Bob Hope movies on schedule are on TCM.  A week from tomorrow it’s THE IRON PETTICOAT, co-starring him with Kate Hepburn, and said to be one of his worst.  The following Tuesday there’s the delightful SEVEN LITTLE FOYS.  In the meantime, I’m gonna dig out my VHS copy of PALEFACE.

 

TCM FANATIC - WESTERN NOW ONLINE!

And speaking of TCM (okay, nobody was), have I mentioned that the segment I was interviewed for is now viewable here?






 

THE AUTRY NATIONAL CENTER

Built by cowboy actor, singer, baseball and TV entrepreneur Gene Autry, and designed by the Disney Imagineering team, the Autry is a world-class museum housing a fascinating collection of items related to the fact, fiction, film, history and art of the American West. In addition to their permanent galleries (to which new items are frequently added), they have temporary shows. The Autry has many special programs every week -- sometimes several in a day. To check their daily calendar, CLICK HERE. And they always have gold panning for kids every weekend. For directions, hours, admission prices, and all other information, CLICK HERE.



HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE MUSEUM

Across the street from the Hollywood Bowl, this building, once the headquarters of Lasky-Famous Players (later Paramount Pictures) was the original DeMille Barn, where Cecil B. DeMille made the first Hollywoodwestern, The Squaw Man. They have a permanent display of movie props, documents and other items related to early, especially silent, film production. They also have occasional special programs. 2100 Highland Ave., L.A. CA 323-874-2276. Thursday – Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. $5 for adults, $3 for senior, $1 for children.



WELLSFARGO HISTORY MUSEUM

This small but entertaining museum gives a detailed history of Wells Fargo when the name suggested stage-coaches rather than ATMS. There’s a historically accurate reproduction of an agent’s office, an original Concord Coach, and other historical displays. Open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Admission is free. 213-253-7166. 333 S. Grand Street, L.A. CA.


WESTERN ALL OVER THE DIAL


INSP’s SADDLE-UP SATURDAY features a block of rarely-seen classics THE VIRGINIAN and HIGH CHAPARRAL, along with BONANZA and THE BIG VALLEY. On weekdays they’re showing LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, BIG VALLEY, HIGH CHAPARRAL and DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN.


ME-TV’s Saturday line-up includes BRANDED, THE REBEL and THE GUNS OF WILL SONNETT. On weekdays it’s DANIEL BOONE, GUNSMOKE, BONANZA, BIG VALLEY, WILD WILD WEST, and THE RIFLEMAN.


RFD-TV, the channel whose president bought Trigger and Bullet at auction, have a special love for Roy Rogers. They show an episode of The Roy Rogers Show on Sunday mornings, a Roy Rogers movie on Tuesday mornings, and repeat them during the week.


WHT-TV has a weekday afternoon line-up that’s perfect for kids, featuring LASSIE, THE ROY ROGERS SHOW and THE LONE RANGER.


TV-LAND angered viewers by dropping GUNSMOKE, but now it’s back every weekday, along with BONANZA.


That’ll do it for this week.  Coming soon in the Round-up I’ll have word of a new Western starring APPALOOSA’S Ed Harris, another Western that started as a web series but is going to be a feature, my interview with Henry Darrow, and some Spaghetti Western suggestions to put you in a DJANGO UNCHAINED frame of mind!

 

Happy Trails,

 

Henry

 

All Original Contents Copyright December 2012 by Henry C. Parke  - All Rights Reserved