TWO NEW WESTERN COMEDIES (MAYBE) PLUS OSCARS!

ADAM SANDLER TO STAR IN ‘RIDICULOUS 6’ WESTERN COMEDY

Although there are no story details yet, one can guess from the title that it will be a spoof of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.  Movie will star Sandler, and will be written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy, whose previous collaborations include BILLY MADISON, HAPPY GILMORE, THE WEDDING SINGER, THE WATERBOY, LITTLE NICKY and MR. DEEDS.  To be produced by Sandler’s Happy Madison company, Deadline Hollywood reports that it is already slated for a Spring Break 2014 release. 

SETH MACFARLANE COUNTS ‘A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST’!

Deadline Hollywood reports that Universal has the current high-bid in the auction to make MILLION WAYS, Seth MacFarlane's Western comedy, which currently boasts a cast including McFarlane, Amanda Seyfried and Charlize Theron. It's described as a kindred spirit to BLAZING SADDLES.

ADAM SANDLER POSTPONES ‘RIDICULOUS 6’ WESTERN COMEDY

In a stunning reversal that left western aficionados and comedy fans breathing a collective sigh of relief, Adam Sandler has announced that he will not make RIDICULOUS 6 his next big-screen outing, but will instead make a ‘blended family’ comedy at Warner Brothers.  Sandler, who earlier this week won the coveted Razzy Award for his performance in THAT’S MY BOY – that’s his second straight ‘win’ after last year’s JACK AND JILL –  didn’t say whether Seth MacFarlane’s announcement had anything to do with his decision.

OSCARS A GOOD NIGHT FOR WESTERN FANS

Hal Needham

Tonight’s Academy Awards were shared among an unusually wide number of films, the result of a year with so many exceptional films.  The highlights for Western fans?  DJANGO UNCHAINED won Best Original Screenplay -- Quentin Tarantino, and Best Supporting Actor  --  Christoph Waltz.  LINCOLN won Best Actor – Daniel Day-Lewis, and Best Production Design – Rick Carter and Jim Erickson.  Also of particular delight to Western fans, stunt man and stunt coordinator Hal Needham was presented with an honorary Oscar for a splendid career.  As writer C. Courtney Joyner noted on Facebook, “In a way, it meant that Andy McLaglen, Burt Kennedy, Henry Hathaway, Gordon Douglas, John Stugess and Peckinpah were all at tonight's ceremony, thanks to Hal.”

WILD WILD WESTERNERS – BOOK REVIEW

If you’re read Western Clippings by Boyd Magers – and if you haven’t, you definitely should – you’ve read the work of Tom Weaver, who has an interview in nearly every issue.   Tom has cherry-picked some of his best for THE WILD WILD WESTERNERS, which comes from Bear Manor Media, is about 200 pages, and sells for $18.95. 

It’s a highly entertaining and informative collection, focusing and big-screen and small, big-budget and tiny, oaters, with a very eclectic selection of story-tellers.  Some of the speakers are famous – a long interview with Fess Parker for example.  Others are well-known to Western buffs – Andrew J. Fenady talking about the making of THE REBEL, and Ed Faulkner discussing his John Wayne-related career.

Mostly these are not ‘career interviews’, but ones that focus on a particular series or movie or personality, and are highly revealing, and full of unexpected details.  Robert Clarke talks about the James Warren and Tim Holt pictures he did at RKO, and what wonderful western director Lesley Selander was famous for – Paul Wurtzel remembers him for the same thing.  Robert Colbert remembers acting in the Warner Brothers TV Westerns, going from CHEYENNE to BRONCO to MAVERICK, and how Warners made him a 3^rd Maverick brother when James Garner threatened to walk.  His story of how WB handled a WGA strike alone is worth the price of the book! 

Gary Clarke shares how he got himself dropped from THE VIRGINIAN.   June Lockhart, who never starred in a western series, discusses the many guest appearances she made.  Among my favorites is UNTOUCHABLE Paul Picerni’s memories of making THE SCALPHUNTERS with Burt Lancaster and Telly Savalas.  His memories of Shelly Winters are worth twice the price of the book!  And actress Ann Robinson’s memories of stunt doubling for Shelly couldn’t be more different.   And who knew Ann Robinson started out doing horse stunts?

Not all of the stories come from actors.  Make-up artist Kenneth Chase discuses doing Ross Martin’s disguises on WILD, WILD WEST.  Cinematographer Richard Kline remembers when, as an assistant cameraman, he worked with Charlie Starrett on the DURANGO KID films.  Pat Fielder describes writing THE RIFLEMAN.  Paul Wurtzel recalls in the late 1950s, working as assistant director on the Bel-Air westerns, produced on a tight budget in Kanab, Utah by Howard W. Koch and Aubrey Schenck. 

WILD WILD WESTERNS is a fascinating collection of reminiscences, with plenty of fun for fans of all the sub-genres of American Westerns.  Weaver is never intrusive, always letting his subjects tell their stories.  And unlike so many books of interviews, it has an index, so you can quickly find those Chuck Connors or Lon Chaney Jr. stories you want to read to your wife.  Strongly recommended.  

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 THE REBEL and WAGON TRAIN. 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.

THE WRAP UP

That's all for this week's Round-up!   On Saturday, March 9th, the Hallmark Movie Channel will premiere OUR WILD HEARTS -- if you remember reading about it in the Round-up as just WILD HEARTS, you remember correctly: they've changed the title.  I hope to have an interview with its star and director Ricky Schroder in next week's Round-up.

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright February 2013 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved