‘HELL ON WHEELS’ FIRST PEEK, PLUS ‘THE LAST SHOOTIST’, ‘AUTRY VOL. 10’ REVIEWED!

‘HELL ON WHEELS’ FINAL SEASON STARTS JULY 18

When I said here that HELL ON WHEELS, the best original Western series in decades, would begin its fifth and final season on July 18^th, I heard from star Anson Mount.  “Just to clarify, it’s not our final season, it’s our final order.  We’re airing seven of them this year, and seven of them next year, so there will be a ‘quote-unquote’ sixth season.” 

The first big difference will be that Cullen Bohanan (Mount) will be switching his allegiance from the Southern Pacific Railroad to their rivals in the race to Promontory Point, the Central Pacific.  I’ll have my review of the opening episode as we get closer to the 18^th, and you can read my interview with Anson Mount in the September issue of TRUE WEST MAGAZINE.  In the meantime, here’s our first peek at the new season:

THE LAST SHOOTIST by Miles Swarthout – a Book Review

Glendon Swarthout is one of the most respected and enduring of Western novelists, and THE SHOOTIST may well be his finest work in the genre – the Western Writers of America voted it #4 in its list of Ten Best Western Novels of all-time.  So I can imagine the trepidation his son, Miles Swarthout, felt in doing a sequel.  But he has more right than anyone else, and not just because his father wrote the original.  In a unique-in-Hollywood package deal, before offering the original novel for publication, Glendon offered his son the chance to adapt it to a screenplay, and they were sold together.  So Miles was intimately involved in the story of aging gunslinger J.B. Books from the very beginning.

Many people know the story of THE SHOOTIST from the novel, but immeasurably more know it from the film, in which John Wayne gave his final performance, and one of his finest, due in no small part to father and son Swarthouts’ wonderful story and script, and Don Siegel’s equally fine direction.  SPOILER ALERT!  Of course, if you’ve read the novel or seen the movie, the quandary facing a sequel is clear: Books dies in the end.  The obvious approach would be to do a prequel, usually a disappointing, bastardized form of storytelling, where the reader, instead of being surprised, already knows the ending, and has to unexciting chore of judging how convincingly the teller gets there.  Instead, in THE LAST SHOOTIST, Miles has continued not the story of J.B. Books, but that of Gillom Rogers (Ron Howard in the film), the obnoxious son of Books’ landlady, Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall). 

Miles Swarthout with Courtney Joyner

And Miles has done an absolutely enthralling job!  If you haven’t read the first book, and you should, you don’t really know Gillom.  Ron Howard’s version was something of a punk, but on paper, Gillom Rogers is the poster-boy for callow youth.  As the story begins, continuing directly from the end of the first novel, Gillom, who has already stolen from the dying gunman, gives Books, at his request, the coup de gras as he lies bleeding, and keeps Books’ fabled pair of Remingtons as a prize.  

The possession of these pistols triggers a series of sometimes frantic adventures that send him running out of town, running for his life.  At first his wanderings seem random, but they are driving him to a dramatic conclusion, which will see Gillom become, if not quite a mature or wholly admirable man, at least someone on that road.  The way there is full interesting characters, both real and fictional. 

There is friendship, romance, and plenty of brutal bloodletting, much of which would not be necessary if Gillom used his head more often, which is, amazingly, much of the tale’s charm.  While the story is certainly not heartless, there is an often humorous sense of, “Well, what did he think was going to happen when he put himself in this position?”  You want to see what Gillom does next in the same way that you want to see where a runaway stagecoach will go.  

Hemingway described imitating another author’s style as, “…trying to beat dead men at their own game,” and Miles, while clearly influenced by his father’s work, does not slavishly copy Glendon, and has a very readable style all his own.  He also enjoys sharing the sort of detail that makes period stories come to life.  When you finish THE LAST SHOOTIST, in addition to being entertained, you will be prepared to start a new life, at the turn of the 20^th century, as either a horse-breaker, or a whore in a mid-range brothel.  You can buy a signed copy of THE LAST SHOOTIST, as well as a DVD of the film THE SHOOTIST, from our friends at OutWest HERE.

GENE AUTRY COLLECTION # 10 – a Video Review

This newest collection of Public Cowboy #1’s movies features four early films, and much of the added pleasure is seeing both Gene’s and the film series’ growth from picture to picture.  The set features one movie per year from 1935 through 1938, and with Gene making eight pictures a year, the progress from picture to picture is striking.  All films feature sidekick Smiley Burnette and Champion.

In THE SINGING VAGABOND (1935), one of his few period Westerns, Gene leads a singing group of riders, the Singing Plainsmen, who rescue a wagon-train of showgirls, and Gene gets framed for horse-theft for his trouble.  Lovely Ann Rutherford, a runaway heiress, is his leading lady.  It’s a lot of fun, but the musical numbers are often operatic, and feel like they should be in a Dick Foran Western rather than an Autry.  Gene wears way too much make-up, and he hasn’t started playing himself – he’s ‘Tex’ Autry in this one.  Keep your eyes open for future Republic star Ray ‘Crash’ Corrigan in one of his earliest roles.

In OH, SUSANNA! (1936), fives movies later, it’s modern day (for 1936), and Gene plays radio star Gene Autry, who is once again framed, this time for murder.  The make-up is gone, the songs are more appropriate to Gene, and better incorporated.  But Gene does something you rarely see in later films – he kisses the girl, Frances Grant, at the end!  Directed by one of Republic’s finest, Joe Kane, the action is first rate.  It also features, as Aunt Peggy, one of the great stars of the silent screen, Clara Kimball Young.

In ROOTIN TOOTIN’ RHYTHM (1937), no one plans to frame rancher Gene Autry until he and Smiley knowingly steal and don clothes of known criminals!   The stress is on humor as well as action in this one, and the story is by Johnston McCulley, who created the character Zorro!  Mexicali Rose is one of the stand-out songs.  An amusing braggart character is Buffalo Brady, played by Hal Taliaferro (pronounced ‘Toliver’), who had been a star as Wally Wales, but had a much longer career after, as a supporting player.  Armida is Gene’s girl, and for the first of many times in a film, he sings in Spanish.  When they move in for a clinch at the end, the fans had already spoken their disapproval, so Gene and Armida actually step out of frame for a moment, then come back, and only Ernst Lubitsch fans will know they kissed! 

Finally with WESTERN JAMBOREE (1938), all of the elements you expect from an Autry movie are present, including Smiley Burnette’s classic wardrobe of checkered shirt and crushed black hat.  Also present was Ring-Eye, Smiley’s white horse, who had a black circle around one eye, presumably in tribute to Petey, the ring-eyed pit bull from the Our Gang comedies.  And what a plot!  Half is a lift from LADY FOR A DAY, the Capra-filmed Damon Runyon story, here about an old saddle tramp whose friends, including Gene, help him pass himself off as the owner of a dude ranch to impress his daughter and his would-be in-laws.  The other half of the plot is about helium rustlers!  The cast includes famous comic dancer Joe Frisco, Ken Maynard’s brother Kermit, and soon-to-be Western singing star Eddie Dean. 

The special features for the GENE AUTRY COLLECTION sets always match up each movie with stills and posters, interesting production facts, excerpts from the Melody Ranch Radio Show, and intros from MELODY RANCH THEATER.  MELODY RANCH THEATER was a 1987 TV series on The Nashville Network, where Gene and sidekick and movie historian Pat Buttram would introduce Gene’s movies.  Always entertaining, the four intros here are a remarkable collection not only for Gene’s fans, but for fans of Westerns in particular, and Hollywood in general.  The first features an interview with Gene’s leading lady not only in SMILING VAGABOND but in three other movies, Ann Rutherford.  They discuss not only her work with Gene, but her career at MGM, as Polly Benedict in the HARDY FAMILY films.  The second interview features Gene’s wife, Jackie Autry, and a discussion of the plans for the then not-yet-built Gene Autry Museum.  The third chat is with Alex Cohen, who started out as the teenage president of Gene Autry’s fan club in Britain, and later became Gene’s tour advance man and assistant for decades.  Finally, the boys talk to George Sherman, who directed Gene seven times, and John Wayne nine times -- from PALS OF THE SADDLE (1938) to BIG JAKE (1971).  Pat quizzes them, and hearing what George and Gene have to say about Republic Pictures, budgets, salaries, block booking, and colorization is, alone, worth the price of the collection. 

The folks at Gene Autry Entertainment tell me that by the end of 2015, every Gene Autry movie, TV show and his serial, THE PHANTOM EMPIRE, will be available on home video.  And they’re all available from our friends at The Autry Museum Store HERE.

THAT’S A WRAP!

Next week I’ll have news about and exciting new radio talk-show about Western writers, a potential new AMC Western series from the producer of JUSTIFIED, and my review of the new Scottish/Kiwi Western coming to home video, SLOW WEST!  Have a great week!

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright June 2015 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved

JOHN WESLEY HARDIN BIOPIC TO ROLL SOON!

Outlaw-turned-lawyer John Wesley Hardin is one of the most fabled characters of the Old West, and has been portrayed, on big-screen and small, by actors as talented and varied as Randy Quaid, Jack Elam, Charles Bronson, John Dehner, Neville Brand, James Griffith, Scott Marlowe, Richard Boone, Richard Webb, Rock Hudson, and Lash LaRue.  But he’s never been the lead character – it’s never been Hardin’s own story.  But that is about to change.  Partners Miguel Corona, Justin Ament, and Larry Zeug have announced HARDIN, their biographical film of the notorious badman.

The real John Wesley Hardin

Miguel, whose company is Southwest Pistolero Productions, tells me, “Larry wrote the script, I pulled the team together, and Justin is the one who is getting us our financing.  We’re working together.  Larry’s in Washington, I’m in California, and Justin’s in Oregon.  We’re buddies; we’ve all worked on films together in the past.  Last time, Justin had a movie called SHADOWHEART (2009).  Larry and I were actors in that film.  Now we’ve come up with our own film between the three of us.” 

“Where we plan to shoot is Texas, hopefully in or near Brackettville.  Larry has already been in touch with the Texas Film Commission, researching possible locations.  Because John Wesley Hardin was a son of Texas.  We’re going to do a historically accurate film.  The script is accurate, the guns are accurate, the wardrobe will be accurate. 

“He killed more men in the Old West than Billy the Kid, Wild Bill Hickok and Doc Holliday put together.  He killed forty or more men.  Nobody else has a record like that, and yet no one has told his story.  We’re telling his whole life story, from when he was small, up until the end.

Producer Miguel Corona

“Larry did two or three years of research, and (based) a lot of it on Hardin’s own autobiography.  We’re really excited.  We hope to shoot sometime next year.  There’s not much more to tell you right now: it’s early in the production.”  I’ll be keeping in touch with Miguel, and keeping the Round-up informed.  

 23^RD LEBEL OLD WEST AUCTION SATURDAY, JUNE 23^RD, IN DENVER!

Sharpshooter Frank Butler's Shotgun

Once again, Brian Lebel’s Old West Show and Auction astonishes, with their amazing collection of art, artifacts and weaponry of the old west.  For Western movie fans, there are posters from Col. Tim McCoy’s movies and Wild West shows; hats of Tom Mix, John Wayne and Hoot Gibson; and Nudie-made Republic costumes of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.  For lovers of real-west paper ephemera there’s an arrest warrant signed by Pat Garrett; an autograph of bank-robber Emmett Dalton; and on a single slip of paper, signatures of lawman Bat Masterson and bandit Al Jennings. 

Wyatt Earp

There’s a ‘wanted’ dodger for Jesse and Frank James that I particularly covet, because it looks nothing like the fake wanted posters we used to see in the movies and on TV.  There is one of Zane Grey’s own photo albums; a collection of Pawnee Bill ephemera; and pages of Buffalo Bill Cody items.  There are weapons remarkable for who owned them; others remarkable for their rarity and beauty; and oddly enough, ‘relic’ guns valued for their degree of corrosion.  There’s a striking portrait of Wyatt Earp by Frederic Mizen, probably commissioned for Stuart Lake’s celebrated bio.  There’s even a drawing, by White Bull, of the killing of Custer, notable because, not only was White Bull there, he is thought by many to be the man who did the deed.  With over 400 lots, I can only whet your appetite.  To see the entire catalog online, and to bid, go HERE: http://www.denveroldwest.com/index.html.  While the auction is Saturday, the show is Friday through Sunday.

Black Bart

White Bull's Custer sketch

HATFIELDS VS. MCCOYS ROUND THREE HEADS TO NBC!

Just in case you watched Fred Olen Ray’s BAD BLOOD: HATFIELDS & MCCOYS, then watched Kevin Costner in the History Channel’s HATFIELDS & MCCOYS mini-series, and said to yourself, “What I need is more Hatfields and McCoys,” you’re in luck!  NBC has announced that they’ve acquired an H&M project from ABC, which will be produced by actress Charlize Theron, with EAGLE EYE writer John Glenn set to script.

This disappointing news is that (a) it will be not a period story, but a contemporary one, and (b) Charlize Theron, who has previously produced several movies, including her Oscar-winner MONSTER, is not, for now, set to appear in it.  Isn’t it time Charlize Theron did a Western?

ROBERT BLAKE TO SIGN NEW BOOK AT HOLLYWOOD SHOW!

Robert Blake, who first gained attention as Mickey Gubitosi in the MGM Our Gang comedies, then fame as Little Beaver in Republic’s Red Ryder film series, and as an adult starred in IN COLD BLOOD and the BARETTA series, will be attending the Hollywood Show at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Convention Center on August 3^rd-5th.   Blake, who has kept a generally low profile since his acquittal for the murder of his wife, did show up unannounced at the Republic Pictures 75^th Anniversary celebration.  In February of 2011, he attended the Hollywood Show, and signed autographs for free.  This caused delight to the fans, and consternation among some stars who were there to sell their autographs, and Blake was eventually forced out by security!

This time he will be signing his new book, TALES OF A RASCAL, WHAT I DID FOR LOVE.  Priced at $25, it’s self-published, and while I haven’t seen any professional reviews yet, all six reader-reviews posted on Amazon are overwhelmingly enthusiastic.  Other stars attending the show who will be of interest to Western fans include Walt Disney’s Elfago Baca (and star of my film, SPEEDTRAP) Robert Loggia, DALLAS and TRIGGER FAST star Christopher Atkins, CAT BALLOU star Michael Callan, and MY NAME IS NOBODY and DALLAS star Steve Kanaly.

Blake with fan Mike Stern at Republic 75th

ROBERT HORTON NOMINATED FOR COWBOY HALL OF FAME

Robert Horton played Flint McCullough in 187 episodes of WAGON TRAIN, starred in the Western mystery series A MAN CALLED SHENANDOAH, and has appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows.  As a kid I always was happy when WAGON TRAIN focused on Flint, and I feel the same way today when I catch the show on Encore Westerns.  He’s an excellent actor, from Westerns to sci-fi to romance. 

Oren Truitt put a notice up on the Wild West History Association Facebook page, which I wanted to share.  “Robert Horton’s name has been listed for consideration for the next Cowboy Hall of Fame award.  All the proper papers have been file.  We now need to send letters encouraging the committee to finally make this award, long deserved, and long delayed.

“Please write to: The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63^rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73111.  Letters are more effective than emails in this case.

“Bob deserves this award for his iconic role as Flint McCullough in WAGON TRAIN, A MAN CALLED SHENANDOAH and his other roles in Westerns.  He has been an avid supporter of the Western genre and has received several awards for his contribution to Western films, and the ideals of a true Westerner.

“Let’s do this for Bob.  He is now 87.  Let’s not wait until it is too late for him to know how much we appreciate his contributions.”

I think this is a great idea, and I urge you to write a letter, and to pass this on to your friends who might do the same.

ANN RUTHERFORD DIES AT 94

The brunette with the huge, innocent eyes, who gained fame as Scarlett O’Hara’s youngest sister in GONE WITH THE WIND, has died.  Loved as Mickey Rooney’s love interest, Polly Benedict, in the ANDY HARDY films, and as Red Skelton’s girlfriend in the WHISTLING comedy series (which are delightful, by the way), she is also well-remembered as a favorite leading lady to Gene Autry, in THE SINGING VAGABOND, MELODY TRAIL, COMIN’ ROUND THE MOUNTAIN and PUBLIC COWBOY #1.  She also costarred with a very young John Wayne three times, in THE LONELY TRAIL, THE OREGON TRAIL, and THE LAWLESS NINETIES.  She took particular pride in being the only actress Gene ever kissed in a movie.  "I was Gene Autry's first leading lady and the only one he ever kissed.  After that, he kissed his horse."

That's about all for the Round-up.  Next week I'll feature details on the upcomng BBC America series COPPER, and reviews of two books by Peter Sherayko.

Happy Trails,

Henry

All original contents copyright June 2012 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved

14th SILVER SPURS HONORS BEST OF THE WEST

On Friday, October 14^th, the Reel Cowboys presented their 14^th Annual Silver Spur Awards, in the Empire Ballroom of the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City.  The successor to the Golden Boot Awards, Reel Cowboys President Robert Lanthier explains, “We are pretty much the Oscar awards for Westerns.” 

(Early arrivals check out the silent auction)

The Reel Cowboys is made up of people in and around the motion picture and television industry with a Western bias.  The Spur gala’s purpose is to recognize career excellence, and it is also a fund raiser for a different worthy cause each year.   This year’s recipient is the Autry Center’s ‘All Aboard!’ program.  Lanthier explains, “It provides free bus transportation to California children in Title 1 schools (to the Autry), so they can learn more about their history and discover the different influences that play a part in their lives today.  This program has brought over 17,000 kids to the museum.”  Additionally, those kids and their parents receive a years’ membership at the Autry.  Currently there are more than fifty classes on the waiting list, hoping to take part.

(Karin McKechnie and the pink corset

 she contributed to the silent auction)

The doors to this very elegant event opened at six, and early arrivers, dressed in stylish western-wear, began streaming in, many of them eager to check out the items at the silent auction.  These included art, posters and lobby cards, autographed DVD collections, costume items and other mementos. 

(Dick Jones, A.J. Fenady and their ladies) 

Music was provided by Cowbop, featuring lead singer Pinto Pammy.  Among the early arrivers were singer Johnny Western.  One of the most distinctive voices in Western music, long associated with Gene Autry and Johnny Cash, he’s best remembered as the writer and singer of the theme from HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, The Ballad of Palladin.  He also co-wrote songs for BONANZA and THE REBEL.  In addition to singing a medley of Western themes, Johnny Western would co-emcee the evening with Sam Neely, known as ‘The Cowboy Auctioneer.’

(Producer Rob Word beside a picture of himself as s child,

visiting John Wayne on the set of THE SEARCHERS)

Other early arrivals included past Silver Spur recipients, the beautiful Stella Stevens, television's WYATT EARP, Hugh O'Brien, and infamous Western villain (and WYATT EARP co-star) Morgan Woodward.  Near the silent auction I spotted one of the night’s recipients-to-be, Andrew J. Fenady, and I asked him about the importance of the occasion.  He grinned. “Well, I read the obituaries.  They’re pretty damned depressing.  But if I see my name’s not there – any day’s an important day.  But seriously, there’s a lot of old friends here who I haven’t seen in quite a few years,  people that I’ve worked together with during the things that we did: THE REBEL and BRANDED and HONDO, and unfortunately your paths don’t cross  as often as you would like them to.  So it’s a great opportunity to see some of us survivors.  It’s a happy occasion – it beats the Hell out of funerals.”

(Hugh O'Brien arrives)

A few minutes later I ran into producer Rob Word.  “I’m here to present to the great Andrew J. Fenady, the writer producer of THE REBEL and BRANDED and HONDO – he even named one of his sons Duke.  And he wrote and produced one of the last of the epic films that Wayne did, CHISUM.  And it’s an honor for me; Andy was the one who nominated me for a Golden Boot Award, so it’s nice for me to be able to present to him. “     

(Morgan Woodward lets me squeeze into a picture with him)

When everyone had found their seats, the program officially began with Presentation of Colors by the Merced County Sheriff Posse, the Pledge of Allegiance led by World War II veteran Ivan Creggar, the singing of God Bless America led by Erwin Jackson, and an invocation by former Wheel of Fortune hostess Dr. Susan Stafford. 

(Autry Curator Jeffrey Richardson and Mrs. Richardson)

While eating our steak and salmon we were serenaded with a Western medley by Lloyd Reading, whose voice is as full and melodic at 92 as it was when he was singing with the Rocky Mountain Cowboys in the 1940s.  Later, Johnny Western would delight us with a medley of his own and others’ Western TV themes.  We were welcomed by Reel Cowboys President Robert Lanthier, introduced to several 911 First Responders who were honored guests, and heard from event producer Cyndi Tracy, Autry National Center President Daniel M. Finley, and were treated to a brief auction by Sam Neely, who sold, among other items, a sailing trip on the late Spencer Tracy’s yacht!

(L.Q. Jones and his wife chat with Courtney Joyner and his finace, Mary)

After dinner, the first award was presented by 2003 Honoree Ann Rutherford to Fay McKenzie.  Fay started her screen career at ten weeks old, playing Gloria Swanson’s baby, and was a busy child actress on stage and screen,  Starting in 1934, at age 15, she played Western female leads opposite Wally Wales, Ken Maynard, Randolph Scott, and above all, Gene Autry, with whom she costarred five times.  Presenter Ann, equally remembered as Polly Benedict in the ANDY HARDY films, and as Scarlet O’Hara’s youngest sister in GONE WITH THE WIND, revealed that she has the distinction of being both the first and last girl to get a big-screen kiss from Gene Autry.   The reaction of the largely boy audience was so negative that Gene went back to kissing Champion.

(l to r front row -- Johnny Western, Andre Veluzat, A.C. Lyles, John Moio, Ann Rutherford, Fay McKenzie, Dick Jones, Rob Word, Renaud Veluzat.  Back row, Sam Neely, Ted White, L.Q. Jones.  Far right, applauding, Cyndi Tracy)

Next up, Rob Word presented The Silver Spur to A. J. Fenady.  Fenady, looking back on his career, talked about the luck of timing, that he arrived when television was so new that anyone who had an idea had a good idea.  “There’s an old saying that you can tell a lot about somebody by the company he or she keeps.”  He paid tribute to an amazing string of actors he’d worked with over the years, starting with, “Nick Adams, Jim Drury, Stu Whitman, Steve Forrest, Peter Graves, Jamie Farr… and that giant of all giants, John Wayne.”  It was an impressive list even before he got to the Oscar winners.  “Gloria Grahame, Ben Johnson, Ray Milland, Don Ameche, Arthur O’Connel, Dean Jagger, Broderick Crawford, and that beloved Ernie Borgnine.  And someone who should have won at least one or two of those, for CAPE FEAR, NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, HEAVEN KNOWS MR. ALLISON, Robert Mitchum.  I hope that maybe a little of their talent, and accomplishments, rubbed off on me.  A long time ago I wrote a line for Dick Powell:  ‘When you get old, you start tripping over your memories.’  But some memories are worth tripping over.  This is one of them.”

(Erwin Jackson, Cyndi Tracy, Johnny Western, Robert Lanthier)

Then treasured character actor and all-around wild-man L.Q. Jones took to the stage to honor James Drury, and actor who will always be recalled as the unnamed character The Virginian, whom he portrayed in 249 episodes.  Speaking about the grueling pace of production, Jones pointed out that each VIRGINIAN was 90 a minute TV-movie, and they started a new one every eight days!  Drury recalled, "I was in Fredericksburg, Texas recently, making a personal appearance.  And this man came up to me and said, 'It must be wonderful to be Jamie Drury, The Virginian.  Because everywhere you go, people are happy to see you.'  Well, I hadn't really thought of it that way.  But it's true.  THE VIRGINIAN moved so many people, on so many levels.  And now that it's back on Encore, I have grandfathers calling me -- and I'm a grandfather -- and saying, 'Jim, my kids are watching your show without being asked, and without being told.'  And that's the most gratifying thing that I could possibly hear." 

In one of the more sentimental moments in an already very sentimental evening, Johnny Western and Dick Jones stepped to the podium to honor the late, great Gene Autry.  Dick Jones, a child actor of the 1930s and 1940s, remembered by many as the voice of the little wooden boy in Disney’s PINNOCHIO, had an even busier career in Westerns due to his skill as a horseman.  Known as The World’s Youngest Trick-Rider and Trick-Roper at age four, by six he was performing in Hoot Gibson’s rodeo.  His horsemanship was shown off to great effect in dozens of movies, ROCKY MOUNTAIN (1950) with Errol Flynn being one of the best.  But his connection with Autry was legendary, starring in five features with Gene, with appearances in Gene’s own series and ANNIE OAKLEY, and two starring Flying A series of his own: THE RANGE RIDER, with Jock Mahoney, and BUFFALO BILL JR.  Both Jones and Johnny Western, the self-described “Last man standing in the Gene Autry Music Organization,” said they felt like Gene was a father to them.  So how perfect that his widow, Jackie Autry, is a recorded appearance, said that Gene, who never had children, thought of Johnny and Dick as his sons. 

A well-deserved, yet highly unusual, award went to Andre and Renaud Veluzat.  These brothers bought Melody Ranch from Gene Autry in the 1990s, after it had been largely destroyed by fire, and painstakingly rebuilt it to its former design and former glory.  It’s now one of the busiest and finest of movie ranches, and soon to be the home Quentin Tarantino’s new Western, DJANGO UNCHAINED.  The award was presented by the Ambassador and Elder Statesman of Paramount Studios, and unquestionably the most dapper man in Hollywood, A.C. Lyles.   Lyles, who started his career at Paramount in 1928, and is still there today, began producing with RAWHIDE, was consulting producer for DEADWOOD, and in the interim produced more than a dozen Western features. 

(Cake in the shape of a boot with a Silver Spur)

The final honoree of the night was stuntman Ted White, whose presenter was John Moio, a fellow stuntman whose career goes back to THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL and THE CINCINNATI KID.  A Marine wounded during World War II, White used the G.I. Bill to attend the University of Oklahoma, where he excelled in football and boxing.  When he came to L.A., he met legendary stuntman Roydon Clark, who encouraged Ted to get into the business.  Ted not only took the advice, in 1961 he and eleven other stuntmen formed the Stuntmen’s Association.  Ted has doubled Clark Gable, Rock Hudson, Fess Parker, John Wayne, and many others. 

All too soon the evening was over, and folks started making their way home.  But the good news is that, while The Silver Spurs are given out only once a year, the Reel Cowboys are accessible all year round.  Robert Lanthier explained, “Saturday mornings we meet at Big Jim’s Restaurant in Sunland – at the corner of Lauren Canyon and Sheldon.  The public is welcome.  And we discuss upcoming events, what’s going on in our organization, and then we have about a half hour of fine country music.  And we’ll be doing that again tomorrow.  Hopefully Johnny Western will be able to come there and sing with us.”  I understand Johnny Western sang for 45 minutes on Saturday.

JERRY BRUCKHEIMER SACRIFICES SUPERNATURAL COYOTES TO SAVE LONE RANGER!

Probably the first case of animal sacrifice that I heartily approve of! In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, producer Bruckheimer, explaining how they cut the budget from $250 million to $215 million said, “We cut a sequence involving a coyote attack—supernatural coyotes—and a small animated segment.” 

MORE ‘DJANGO UNCHAINED’ CASTING

Although no deal-memo is signed yet, reportedly Quentin Tarantino is hoping to add Joseph Gordon-Levitt, of INCEPTION and 500 DAYS OF SUMMER,  to his cast.  No details yet on who he’d play. 

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 entrepeneur 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 permenant 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 Hollywood western, 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.

WELLS FARGO 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.


FREE WESTERNS ON YOUR COMPUTER AT HULU

A staggering number of western TV episodes and movies are available, entirely free, for viewing on your computer at HULU. You do have to sit through the commercials, but that seems like a small price to pay. The series available -- often several entire seasons to choose from -- include THE RIFLEMAN, THE CISCO KID, THE LONE RANGER, BAT MASTERSON, THE BIG VALLEY, ALIAS SMITH AND JONES, and one I missed from 2003 called PEACEMAKERS starring Tom Berenger. Because they are linked up with the TV LAND website, you can also see BONANZA and GUNSMOKE episodes, but only the ones that are running on the network that week.

The features include a dozen Zane Grey adaptations, and many or most of the others are public domain features. To visit HULU on their western page, CLICK HERE.

BONANZA, GUNSMOKE and BIG VALLEY

Every weekday, TV LAND airs a three-hour block of BONANZA episodes from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. They run a GUNSMOKE Monday through Thursday at 10:00 a.m., and on Friday they show two, from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m.. They're not currently running either series on weekends, but that could change at any time.  INSP is showing THE BIG VALLEY every weekday at noon, one p.m. and nine p.m., and Saturdays at 6 p.m..  They'll soon be adding DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN to the mix.

NEED YOUR BLACK & WHITE TV FIX?

Check out your cable system for WHT, which stands for World Harvest Television. It's a religious network that runs a lot of good western programming. Your times may vary, depending on where you live, but weekdays in Los Angeles they run DANIEL BOONE at 1:00 p.m., and two episodes of THE RIFLEMAN from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.. On Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. it's THE RIFLEMAN again, followed at 2:30 by BAT MASTERSON. And unlike many stations in the re-run business, they run the shows in the original airing order. There's an afternoon movie on weekdays at noon, often a western, and they show western films on the weekend, but the schedule is sporadic. 

AMC has been airing a block of THE RIFLEMAN episodes early Saturday mornings, usually followed by Western features.

And RFD-TV is currently showing THE ROY ROGERS SHOW at 9:30 Sunday morning, repeated several times a week, and a Roy feature as well -- check your local listings.

That’s all for now! 

Happy Trails,

Henry

All original content copyright October 2011 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved