I’ve decided to begin the new year with something
that will become an annual event if it is well received in these pages, a look
back at ‘The Year In Westerns.’ Come to
think of it, maybe next December I’ll list the Western movies and TV shows of
the past year, and ask you Rounders to select your favorites.
WHAT WERE THE TOP WESTERN NEWS STORIES OF THE PAST YEAR? (I’m including links to the posts
with my original stories, for those who’d like to read more.)
QUENTIN TARANTINO CANCELS, RESTARTS ‘HATEFUL 8’ OVER
LEAKED SCRIPT!
With DJANGO UNCHAINED, director Quentin Tarantino
has done more to bring in new audiences, and attach a patina of coolness to
Westerns, than anyone else in recent memory.
Unfortunately, one of the down-sides of being worshipped as a cinema-god
is that fans are so eager to read his stuff that they won’t let him finish it
before posting it on the internet. When,
despite all of his precautions, a screenplay was posted, he was so angry that
he cancelled the film entirely.
Eventually, he decided to hold a single
script-reading with an all-star cast, as a benefit to the L.A. County Museum of
Art. Happily, the reading went so well
that it became the cinema event of the year – and Tarantino enjoyed himself so
much that he reversed his decision, put HATEFUL 8 back into pre-production, and
started writing another draft. This LINK will connect you to Andrew Ferrell’s coverage of the reading for the
Round-up.
Although ‘LONGMIRE’, the modern Western series about
lawman Walter Longmire, based on the novels by Craig Johnson, is by far the
most popular successful original series A&E has ever produced, they decided
the viewership skewed too old, and didn’t bring in the coveted youth
advertising dollars, so they cancelled it.
After extensive shopping and negotiations, LONGMIRE has found a new
home, Netflix, for at least the 2015 season.
ALMERIA FILM FESTIVAL STOLEN!
THE ALMERIA WESTERN FILM
FESTIVAL, created and run with great success for three years by Danny Garcia
and Cesar Mendez, was effectively stolen by Tabernas Mayor Mari Nieves Jaen,
who went behind the Fest creators’ backs and registered the festival name herself.
She decided to have the festival, or rather a festival of the same name, run by
others more simpatico with politicians who are more dedicated to photo ops than
film history. Happily, Garcia and Mendez
decided to add ‘INTERNATIONAL’ to their festival’s name, and go on with
it. I understand both events were successful.
‘RIO BRAVO’, ‘LITTLE
BIG MAN’ OTHER WESTERNS ADDED TO NAT’L FILM REGISTRY
As happens this time every year, twenty-five
films have been added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry. Among
them are several Westerns: RIO BRAVO (1959), Howard
Hawks’ and John Wayne’s contemptuous response to HIGH NOON; LITTLE BIG MAN
(1970), Arthur Penn’s entirely different take on Custer’s Last Stand; RUGGLES
OF RED GAP (1935), where transplanted English butler Charles Laughton proves
himself more American than his employers; and STATE FAIR (1933), the first of
three filmed versions of Philip Strong’s novel, starring Will Rogers. Among the
non-Western films named to the list are ROSEMARY’S BABY, FERRIS BEULLER’S DAY
OFF, HOUSE OF WAX and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. For the complete list, go here: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2014/14-210.html
‘A WORD ON WESTERNS’ – A DOZEN GREAT LIVE EVENTS AT
THE AUTRY
back row - Martin Kove, Rob Word, Robert Woods, Brett Hallsey
front - author Tom Betts, producer-director Bill Lustig
The third Wednesday of every month, Rob Word
produced A WORD ON WESTERNS, a remarkable free event that always packed the
Crossroads West Café, spilling over to the outside tables. Rob emceed and interviewed guests with a
different topic each month. January
marked LONESOME DOVE’S 25th anniversary, with producer Suzanne de
Passe, actor Barry Corbin, stunt coordinator Billy Burtin, and costume designer
Luster Bayless. With similarly stellar
guests, the other topics were HOW THE WEST WAS WON, WOMEN OF THE WEST, Sam Peckinpah
and THE WILD BUNCH, John Wayne – A Salute to the Duke, Spaghetti Westerns – the
Good, the Bad and the Music, Cowboys & Comics – the West in Comic Books,
Melody Ranch, Lights! Camera! Lone Pine, Hal Needham – Godfather of Modern
Stunts, Audie Murphy – No Name On His Bullets, and Cowboy Comedies. Among the actors who attended were Bruce
Boxleitner, Morgan Woodward, L.Q. Jones, Bo Hopkins, John Saxon, Robert
Forster, Michael Dante, Fred Willard, Chuck McCann, Mariette Hartley, Julie
Adams, Jane Withers, Martin Kove, Robert Woods, Brett Halsey, Donna Martel and
Patrick Wayne. I attended as many as I
could, always had a great lunch, a great time, and I learned a lot. I can’t
believe that ‘A Word On Westerns’ in not currently on The Autry schedule for
2015!
MORRICONE BACK INJURY DELAYS, THEN CANCELS U.S. TOUR
What was to be Maestro
Ennio Morricone’s first concert in Los Angeles, planned for March 20th at
the NOKIA THEATRE was postponed until June 15th. Surgery to
repair a slipped disc necessitated the delay. Morricone, the 85 year old
composer of over 500 scores, who gained fame for his soundtracks to Sergio
Leone westerns, issued the following statement: “It deeply saddens me to have
to postpone this concert. I am very much looking forward to my first Los
Angeles performance. Hollywood has been instrumental in bringing my work
to American audiences, and my 2007 performance in New York was one of the high
points of my career to date. I’m grateful and sorry to my fans for having
to delay this show. I look forward to seeing you in June.” Sadly,
he was not yet well enough to travel for the June date. His New York City concert also had to be
cancelled.
CLAYTON MOORE’S 100TH BIRTHDAY MARKED WITH
MULTIPLE EVENTS
CINECON, THE LONE PINE FILM FESTIVAL, and THE SILVER SPUR
AWARDS were among the many events that honored the versatile actor and greatest
of all Lone Rangers, Clayton Moore, on or around what would have been his 100th
birthday, September 14th. I
had the pleasure of discussing his career with his daughter, Dawn Moore. HERE is the interview.
It became a tradition on the DAVID LETTERMAN SHOW that around
Christmastime, comedian Jay Thomas would tell David’s all-time favorite story, about
when in his radio deejay days, Jay made an appearance at a car dealership with
Clayton Moore. With Letterman soon
retiring from his show, Jay told the story for the last time a few days ago. Click below to see it – you’ll be glad you
did.
WESTERN FILMS AND TV
SHOWS THIS YEAR
My reviews are linked
to each show’s title
ON THE BIG SCREEN:
KAUBOJI (‘COWBOY’ in Croatian) A Croation Western Comedy
ON
THE SMALL SCREEN:
GUNSLINGERS
on American Heroes Channel
STREAMING
AND/OR DIRECT TO VIDEO:
THE LAST ROUND-UP:
A look back at the
passing this year of the many men and women who contributed to the Western on the big screen and small, and on the page.
If you know of anyone I've missed, please let me know, so I may update.
Jane Adams, an actress
who was romantic lead to Johnny Mack Brown in several movies, and starred in
many Universal thrillers.
Giorgio
Ardisson, a star of spaghetti westerns, notable ZORRO, THE FOX.
Lauren Bacall, an actress and icon, who starred with John Wayne in his final film, THE
SHOOTIST.
Juanita
Bartlett, best known as producer of THE ROCKFORD FILES, was a writer on series
including NICHOLS, BONANZA and LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.
Eric Bercovici, the
Emmy-winning producer of SHOGUN, also scripted DAY OF THE EVIL GUN, THE
CULPEPPER CATTLE COMPANY and TAKE A HARD RIDE.
Richard Bull, an
actor with many western and non-western roles, and played Nels Olesen 147 times
on LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.
Thomas Burger, a
novelist who wrote LITTLE BIG MAN.
John Cabrera, the
British cinematographer of CAPTAIN APACHE, A MAN CALLED NOON and CALL OF THE
WILD.
Tap Canutt, a
stuntman since the 1950s in films like JOE KIDD, THE COWBOYS, THE LAST HARD
MAN, famously doubled for Charlton Heston in the chariot race in BEN HUR.
Remo Capitani,
an actor who played bartenders, sheriffs and soldiers in more than thirty
Euro-westerns.
John Fasano, a screenwriter who wrote THE LEGEND OF
BUTCH & SUNDANCE, HANNAH’S LAW, and who saved TOMBSTONE by deftly trimming
the script when the original writer/director was fired, and the project nearly
scrapped.
Mona Freeman, an actress who appeared with William
Holden in STREETS OF LAREDO, and guested in numerous western series.
Arthur Gardner, who with his partners at
Gardner-Levy-Levin produced THE RIFLEMAN, THE BIG VALLEY, and a number of
Western features.
James Garner, a Western icon who starred as the
title character in MAVERICK, played Wyatt Earp in HOUR OF THE GUN, and did many
other Westerns.
Menahem Golan, a co-founder of Cannon Films, who
produced two Israeli westerns starring Lee Van Cleef, GOD’S GUN and KID
VENGEANCE.
Craig Hill, a supporting player in American movies
who went to Spain and became a star beginning with HANDS OF A GUNFIGHTER.
Tex Hill, a stunt man whose credits include THE
ALAMO, CAT BALLOU and THE RIDE TO HANGMAN’S TREE.
Martha Hyer, an actress who appeared in THE SONS OF
KATIE ELDER and many other Westerns.
Don Ingalls, a producer and writer on HAVE GUN WILL
TRAVEL, THE TRAVELS OF JAIMIE MCPHEETERS, and many others
Herb Jeffries, the Bronze Buckaroo, star of many
all-black westerns, and last of the singing cowboys
Russell Johnson, an actor best known for playing The
Professor on GILLIGAN’S ISLAND, he starred as Marshal Gib Scott in the series
BLACK SADDLE.
Christopher Jones, an actor who portrayed Jesse
James in the series THE LEGEND OF JESSE JAMES
Dick Jones, an actor
perhaps best known as the voice of PINNOCHIO, he was a fabulous horseman who
starred on TV as BUFFALO BILL JR., and opposite Jock Mahoney in THE RANGE RIDER.
Don Keefer, a character
actor whose 170 credits include BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, and ten
GUNSMOKES.
Ernest Kinoy, a former WGA East president, who wrote
BUCK AND THE PREACHER.
Glen A. Larson, a producer and writer on THE
VIRGINIAN, creator of ALIAS SMITH AND JONES.
Audrey Long, who appeared with John Wayne in TALL IN
THE SADDLE, and in other westerns.
Andrew V. McLaglen, a
dean of action directors, he helmed more episodes of GUNSMOKE and HAVE GUN,
WILL TRAVEL than anyone else, and directed John Wayne six times.
Gary McClarty, a stuntman
who began his long career with THE WAY WEST.
Denny Miller, star of
WAGON TRAIN and many other westerns.
Maximo Munzi,
cinematographer of several Hallmark Westerns, most recently SHADOW ON THE MESA.
Ed Nelson, a PEYTON
PLACE star often played handsome villains in nearly 100 western TV episodes.
Bob Orrison, a stuntman who began his career with
BANDOLERO!
Riz Ortolani, a composer twice Oscar-nominated for
MONDO CANE and MADRON, created the scores for about fifteen westerns, from
SHATTERHAND to MASSACRE AT FORT HOLMAN.
Ted Richmond, who started on poverty row westerns went
on to produce for Audie Murphy and Tyrone Power, and to make RETURN OF THE
SEVEN, VILLA RIDES and RED SUN.
Stanley Rubin, a
producer whose credits include DESTRY, THE RIVER OF NO RETURN, and the series
HOTEL DE PAREE.
Joseph Sargeant, in
addition to directing episodes of BONANZA and GUNSMOKE, he acted in many
Western series.
Paul Savage, longtime writer on GUNSMOKE, and many
other series and Western features.
Dick Smith, make-up genius who aged Dustin Hoffman
for LITTLE BIG MAN.
Shirley Temple, the biggest child star ever in film,
and a great talent, starred in TO THE LAST MAN and FORT APACHE.
Misty Upham, an actress who appeared in several
westerns, most recently DJANGO UNCHAINED.
Ralph Waite, actor best remembered as the father in
THE WALTONS also appeared in CHATO’S LAND, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN RIDE, BONANZA,
and others.
Eli Wallach, the brilliant character actor who was
unforgettable as Calvera in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, and as Tuco in THE GOOD, THE
BAD & THE UGLY.
Gordon Willis, a brilliant cinematographer who shot
BAD COMPANY and COMES A HORSEMAN.
Patrice Wymore, an actress starred opposite Errol
Flynn in his best western, ROCKY MOUNTAIN, and then married the actor.
Efrem Zimbalist Jr., a Warner Brothers TV star who
guested in their western series, and played Zorro’s father in the first season
of THE NEW ZORRO.
THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2015:
6 BULLETS TO HELL – I’ll be seeing this Almeria-lensed,
Texas-cut Spaghetti and Chili Western on January 15th, and reporting
back!
HATEFUL 8, Quentin Tarantino’s new Western,
concerning a group of travelers seeking shelter in a blizzard, began filming in
December, and is set for a November 2015 release. It stars, among a large ensemble cast,
Channing Tatum, Bruce Dern, Samuel L. Jackson, and Kurt Russell.
BONE TOMAHAWK, a new thriller-western starring Kurt
Russell, written and directed by S. Craig Zahler, is in the can. I visited the set during filming, and will
file my report shortly.
WESTWORLD, produced by Jerry Weintraub for HBO, is a
mini-series based on the 1973 film written and directed by Michael Crichton and
produced by Saul David. The tale of a
robot-populated resort for people who want to live out their fantasies will
feature Anthony Hopkins, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, and Ed Harris as Man in Black, Yul Brynner’s character in the
original.
THAT'S A WRAP!
I hope you had a very festive New Year celebration, and I thank you for your continued support of the Round-up! I just started writing a new Western screenplay, and set myself the goal of five pages a day. I wrote six on Friday, five on Saturday, so I should be up to 16 now, but I finished the Round-up today instead. I guess that means nine pages to do on Monday. Wish me luck!
Happy Trails,
Henry
All Original Contents Copyright January 2015 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved
