SCHWARZENEGGER’S COMING, WESTWORLD’S RETURNING, ‘HIGH CHAPARRAL’ P.M. IS TALKING, TCM’S FEST-ING, AND MORE!

UPDATED 10:11 AM 2-16-18 -- SEE 'LOS ANGELES ITALIA FESTIVAL'

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER TO STAR IN WESTERN ‘OUTRIDER’

Okay, he’s not the King yet, but maybe the Kaiser of the Cowboys? The body-building champ, movie star and former Governor of California, whose only previous Western was Hal Needham’s 1979 comedy THE VILLAIN -- in which he played Handsome Stranger to Ann-Margaret’s Charming Jones, and Kirk Douglas’s Cactus Jack -- will be heading to the Amazon West, to star in the series OUTRIDER, for Producer Mace Neufield, who previously produced GODS AND GENERALS.

Set in the late 1800s, when Oklahoma was still Indian Territory, the story centers on a deputy assigned to capture a famous outlaw, with the help of a ruthless Federal Marshal (Schwarzenegger). As the tale progresses, alliances will shift, and the demarcation between hero and villain will be obscured.  The show will be co-written and exec-produced by Trey Callaway and Mark Montgomery.

‘WESTWORLD’ RETURNS IN APRIL!

As Superbowl fans learned last Sunday, WESTWORLD will be starting its second season, on HBO, on April 22^nd. The teaser trailer, seen below, doesn’t give too much story away, but it does confirm that it will be a western WESTWORLD, not the eastern Samurai variation last season’s ending hinted at (Whew!). As with season one, HBO remains tight-lipped. So fasten your seatbelts!

AUTRY ‘SERGEANT RUTLEDGE’ SCREENING 2/17 INTRO’ED BY ‘LEFTY BROWN’ DIR.

As part of the Autry’s long-running ‘What is a Western?’ film series, they will be screening John Ford’s classic Western courtroom mystery, 1960’s SERGEANT RUTLEDGE. Tremendously daring for its subject matter even today, and one of the high points of Woody Strode’s career. He star as a Buffalo Soldier on trial for the rape and murder of a white child. The film also stars Constance Towers and Jeffrey Hunter.  I wrote an article on RUTLEDGE, and other Buffalo Soldier films, for True West Magazine, and had the privilege of speaking to both Ms. Towers, and Olympic Decathlon Gold Medalist Rafer Johnson, who played a Buffalo Soldier in the film. To read ‘Ford Set The Bar High’, click HERE.  The film will be introduced by Jared Moshé, director of the current Western THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN. The program in the Wells Fargo Theatre begins at 1:30 pm, and admission is free with your museum admission. 

‘L.A. ITALIA FESTIVAL’ FEB. 25TH!
UPDATED 10:12 AM 2-16-18 -- DIRECTOR/STAR RICHARD HARRISON WILL INTRODUCE HIS FILM 'TWO BROTHERS IN TRINITY'

In two weeks the L. A. Italia Festival, the 13^th annual celebration of Italian culture and especially Italian cinema, will begin on Sunday, February 25^th, at the Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood, and run for a week, through Saturday, March 3^rd, Oscar eve. This year’s festival will be dedicated to legendary Italian directors Franco Zeffirelli and Lina Wertmuller.  There are screenings of dozens of Italian movies, both new and classics, all free, on a first come, first seated basis. There are also special programs that require reservations, and the red carpet is often packed with stars. The schedule of films was announced last night, and there is just one Italian Western on the bill. On Saturday, at 4:50 pm, TWO BROTHERS IN A PLACE CALLED TRINITY, starring Richard Harrison, will be screened. The program notes, “Harrison wrote, produced and directed the film, and understandably, it is his personal favorite among the Italian westerns he appeared in.” It doesn’t say whether or not Harrison will attend; I’ll try to find out. To find out about all of the films being screened, and their times, go HERE.

TCM FESTIVAL – LOOKING FORWARD AND BACK

I was surprised to find this shot of me and Shirley

Jones on the Red Carpet at the TCM site!

The annual TCM Classic Movie Festival returns to the Chinese Theatre Complex and elsewhere around Hollywood, starting April 26^th, and running through the 29^th. This year’s theme will be that all-too-often ignored aspect of movies, the written word. According to TCM, “From original screenplays to unique adaptations to portrayals of writers real and imagined, we will celebrate the foundation of great film: the written word.”  The Fest will open with a screening at the Chinese IMAX of THE PRODUCERS, with writer/director Mel Brooks attending. Other guests already announced include writer/director Robert Benton, and actress Marsha Hunt.  

Dick Cavett introducing a film

Last year, although the number of Westerns featured was small, what there was, was choice. DAWSON CITY – FROZEN TIME is a fascinating documentary by Bill Morrison. A boomtown in the heart of the Yukon Gold Rush that started in1898, Dawson’s movie theatres were not only the hub of entertainment, they were the end of the line for movie prints that had made their way around the world. In 1978, a construction crew bulldozed an old sports club, and found hundreds of reels of film buried, some of them preserved, in the permafrost, most of them films thought to be lost forever. And that’s only the beginning of the story. The film is available from Kino-Lorber.

A frame from POLLY OF THE CIRCUS (1917)

partly decomposed, from DAWSON CITY

1952’s THOSE REDHEADS FROM SEATTLE was re-premiered at the Fest, not just restored, but seen in 3-D for the first time since its release. This lively movie from Paramount’s famous ‘Dollar Bills’, Bill Pine and Bill Thomas, was the first 3-D musical. It stars Gene Barry, Rhonda Fleming, Agnes Moorhead, and a bevy of singers and dancers, including the Bell Sisters, one of whom, to the audience’s delight, attended. It tells the story of a family of women that head to -- you guessed it -- Dawson City during the Gold Rush to be entertainers. This one is also available from Kino-Lorber. With their story overlap, I’m surprised REDHEADS and DAWSON aren’t offered as a set. 

Paramount Studio Head Archivist Andrea Kalas presented a talk, and clips from dozens of Republic Pictures in all imaginable genres. Paramount has acquired the entire Republic Library (minus, I assume, Gene Autry’s films, as he acquired all of them), and have for seven years been restoring them at the rate of 100 a year. Needless to say, this left all the Western fans in attendance salivating, but at the moment, no definite plans for releasing the films has been announced.

Peter Bogdonovich and Illeana Douglas

And speaking of things not yet announced, thus far only eighteen films have been announced for this year’s Fest, and there’s not a Western in the bunch. But last year they showed 83 films, so there’s plenty of space to squeeze in some oaters. Stand by for updates as we get closer to the event.

SPEND ST. PATRICK’S DAY WITH KENT MCCRAY!

Kent McCray with High Chaparral stuntwoman

Jackie Fuller

On Saturday, March 17^th, Kent McCray, who produced or production-managed BONANZA, THE HIGH CHAPARRAL, and THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, will be au the Autry, speaking about his career, and signing his new autobiography, KENT MCCRAY: THE MAN BEHIND THE MOST BELOVED TELEVISION SHOWS. A Q&A will be hosted by Dean Butler, who played Almanzo Wilder on LITTLE HOUSE, and other guests from McCray shows are expected. In addition to his extensive Western work, McCray spent years managing Bob Hope’s travels to entertain our troops around the globe. His friendship with Michael Landon, developed on the BONANZA set, led to a producing partnership on LITTLE HOUSE and HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN.

My next Round-up will feature an interview with McCray. And HERE is a link to the current True West Magazine, about McCray’s recent celebration of HIGH CHAPARRAL’s 50^th Anniversary.

TWO-GUN HART – BY JEFF McARTHUR

A Book Review by Henry C. Parke

It’s not so surprising that a young man’s early association with Western actor William S. Hart would inspire him to become a real-life western lawman. It’s not the first time a man changed his name in tribute to his idol – magician Eric Weiss dubbed himself Harry Houdini after French illusionist Robert-Houdin. The stunner is the name that he changed: lawman and prohibition agent Richard ‘Two-Gun’ Hart had been Christened in Sicily as Vicenzo Capone, and his brother, Al Capone, would make quite a name for himself on the other side of the law!

Jeff McArthur tells a fascinating, and entirely fresh, story of a man who reinvented himself totally, yet could never totally escape his family’s influence. Hart was a remarkable complex man, and his successes and struggles throughout the Great Depression are, by turns, inspiring and infuriating.

As a teenager, I was obsessed with Depression-era gangsters, and I devoured every word I could find on Al Capone. There is more information on the life of Scarface Al, and insight into his character and personality here, than I have ever seen before, and with a good reason. For the first time, the Capone family has opened up to an author, and granted unprecedented access to MacArthur.

Whether your interest is in lawmen, criminals, or simply humanity, you will be astonished. TWO-GUN HART is published by Bandwagon Books.               

HEAVIES PLAY HEROES IN ALPHA RELEASE

Tom Tyler had a few standout sympathetic roles, as Captain Marvel in the Republic serial, and as Stony Brooke in some of the THREE MESQUITEERS entries. But most of his other outstanding, and best remembered roles were villains: Luke Plummer, the man who killed John Wayne’s brother in 1939’s STAGECOACH; King Evans in William Wyler’s THE WESTERNER (1940); and as the seemingly soulless gunman in POWDERSMOKE RANGE (1935). Likable, strong-jawed Kermit Maynard was as good an actor, and handsomer, than his superstar brother Ken Maynard, but no one else could do what Ken could with a horse. Kermit played countless drovers and henchmen and stagecoach drivers.  But once in a blue moon, these supporting players got a chance to shine, and in a new double-bill from Alpha Video, each man proves that he could carry a movie on their own.

In RIDIN’ THRU (1934), Tom Tyler and sidekick Ben Corbett come to the aid of a rancher-turned-dude-rancher friend whose horses are being rustled, and determine they’re being led away by a mysterious white stallion. In FIGHTING TROOPER (1934) Kermit Maynard stars as a Mountie sergeant whose superior, and personal antagonist, is murdered. While undercover, investigating a likely suspect, fur trapper LeFarge (LeRoy Mason), he grows to suspect LeFarge is being framed.

Also from Alpha is the long-thought-lost B Western DESERT MESA (1935), starring Wally West, a stuntman-turned-actor who pretty quickly turned back to stuntman. It's a story about two men, West and an old rancher (William McCall), whose paths cross as both seek the same man, who ruined their lives by killing West’s father and McCall’s wife. Not a great movie, but a surprisingly good print, it’s curious to note that as late as 1935, some poverty row Westerns felt almost like silents, between the stilted performances and West’s mascara. One of the more natural performances, as an unbilled sidekick named Art, is the film’s producer and director Art Mix, real name Victor Adamson, who was sued by Tom Mix to stop borrowing his last name.  It’s double billed with THE TEXAS TORNADO, aka RANCH DYNAMITE, from 1932, starring Lane Chandler as a Texas Ranger who takes on the identity of a Chicago gangster to infiltrate a gang. Master stuntman Yakima Canutt plays a henchman, and does stunt doubling in the spirited fights. It’s written and directed by Oliver Drake, who decades later would co-author Canutt’s excellent autobiography, STUNTMAN.

…and that’s a wrap! 

For your amusement, here are a few not quite 2” by 3” Swedish gum cards. My favorite is the one that identifies our most decorated soldier of World War II, and a fine Western actor, as Audrey Murphy. Things get lost in translation.

In the next Round-up, I’ll have my interview with Kent McCray, and a look at two upcoming Spaghetti Westerns from the folks who brought you 6 BULLETS TO HELL! And I’ll be updating this Round-up as titles become available for the TCM Classic Movie Festival.

Happy Trails!

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright February 2018 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved

JOHN WAYNE TRIBUTE PACKS CINERAMA DOME

On Thursday night, November 10^th, more than 800 of Marion Robert Morrison’s closest friends and biggest fans filled the Arclight Cinerama Dome in Hollywood for a tribute to Oscar-winning movie star John Wayne.  Wayne, who died more than thirty years ago, has been in the Harris Poll of Top Ten Movie Stars every year for over fifteen years – and he’s the only deceased actor on the list.  It was a perfect location for the tribute, as so many John Wayne movies, among them, HOW THE WEST WAS WON, had played there over the years.

(Nikki Pelley shows off buckle)

Folks in Western costume and regalia massed outside the theatre, and filled the lobby.  One I spotted was trick-rider and costumer Nikki Pelley, showing off the John Wayne Rodeo buckle she’d won at the Dean Smith Tribute to John Wayne Rodeo, where she and Western actor Ben Cooper were penning partners.  Also spotted were SILVER SPUR AWARD producer Cyndi Tracy and Western film and TV producer Rob Word. 

The orchestra section of the theatre was quickly filling up as the 7:30 start of the program neared, and sizing up the remaining spots, I grabbed the last seat in the first row of the balcony, reasoning that any farther back and I’d be looking through a sea of Stetsons. 

(Tommy Morgan and Clyde Lucas)

Music was provided, at an on-stage campfire set, by harmonica virtuoso Tommy Morgan, accompanied by singer and guitarist Clyde Lucas.  Morgan’s distinctive sound can be heard in John Wayne movies like HOW THE WEST WAS WON, THE WAR WAGON, RIO BRAVO, RIO LOBO, CHISUM, THE COWBOYS, and other Westerns from THE WILD BUNCH to BLAZING SADDLES, DANCES WITH WOLVES, and the current video game RED DEAD REDEMPTION.  He even plays solos on The Hollies’ ‘HE AIN’T HEAVY, HE’S MY BROTHER’, and the Beach Boys’ ‘GOOD VIBRATIONS.’ 

After a well-deserved hand for Morgan and Lucas, and ‘a word from our sponsor’ – in this case Land Rover of Encino -- the program began with Jules Verne Festival co-founders Jean-Christophe Jeuffre and Frederic Dieudonne speaking about their organization and its many good works – their annual Legendaire Award is their principal fund-raiser.  To underline where their inspiration comes from, they showed an original 1871 edition of Verne’s 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, which they’ve carry around for inspiration, from the Arctic to the Amazon when making their documentaries. 

Next onstage was John Wayne’s son Patrick Wayne, who commented, “If you had told me, in 1980 that my father’s popularity and celebrity would be as it is today, I would have said you were crazy.  I am in awe and amazed and humbled – and happy to have you all here – and I’m not alone.”  He asked his siblings, nieces and nephews, and step-mother to stand up, and it was a quite a group – well over a dozen.  He pointed out that the poll that still puts Wayne in the top ten movies stars, is taken with people from eighteen to twenty-six, none of whom were alive when Wayne died. 

Patrick next did an onstage Q&A with Nick Redman, whose WILD BUNCH documentary was Oscar-nominated.  “My dad was driven; he was driven to be successful.  He was focused.  When he was in high school he wanted to go to the Navy Academy, but they didn’t have the political connections to get him in there.  By the way – if he got into the Navy Academy he would have been the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  He was offered a football scholarship to S.C..  He played football his freshman year, and during the summer he broke his shoulder showing off for the girls in Newport Beach.  He couldn’t play football; he lost his scholarship.  But the kids who played football at S.C. worked at the studios for summer jobs, So he started working as a prop man, a stunt man…and went on to become John Wayne.  He was going to be successful wherever he went, and it just turned out by fate that it was to be in films...  He was encouraging.  He never tried to tell any of his children what they should do in their lives, he was always supportive.  But I think he was proud that Ethan and I decided to work with him.” 

Patrick Wayne was just a boy when John Ford offered him a whopping five bucks a day to work along with his dad in movies.  “It was a very special experience for me, because at that time I had four brothers and sisters, and none of (them were) interested in working in film.  So when I’d go on a film with my dad, I had him to myself, and didn’t have to share him.  It was special.”  He talked about how Ford was, “…brilliant, cynical, acerbic,” and how anyone who worked with Ford knew that one day they would become his target.  Patrick actually fared pretty well, outside of playing gin rummy with Ford.  “I thought I was pretty good, so I thought, ‘Well, I’ll let this old man win one.’  He catches on and says, ‘From now on, just play with Ward Bond and young boys.’”

Patrick held up the TRUE GRIT eye patch, which he explained was actually ‘a’ TRUE GRIT eye patch, because Wayne decided, what with dirt and sweat and make-up, to use a new one every day, so there were something like sixty eye patches. 

(Patrick, Marisa, Ethan and Pilar Wayne admire Legendaire Award)

Next to speak, briefly, was Ethan Wayne, and then Duke’s daughter Marisa and former wife Pilar were brought onstage to receive the Jules Verne Legendaire Award.

Next was Robert Mitchum’s son Christopher, who appeared with Duke in BIG JAKE.  “Duke was one of three mentors in my life.  My father of course, and much later Charlton Heston.  But in the middle I did three films with Duke, and he was my mentor.  And he took me from a two-line part in CHISUM, introduced me to Howard Hawks, to a co-starring role in RIO LOBO.  He asked me, ‘How’d you like to play my son?’  How do you say ‘no’ to that?  I love this family.  And I’m delighted and proud to be here.”

(Earl Holliman and Christopher Mitchum)

Next up was Duke’s brother from the SONS OF KATIE ELDER, Earl Holliman.  “It was a thrill for me.  I was a movie usher, and I used to see all these John Wayne movies.  I could never call him ‘Duke.’  It was always ‘John’ and ‘Big John.’  I was never a member of that inner clan.  I was like an orphan on THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER, because John had all these other people he’d worked with all these years – it was like a family.  And there was Dean Martin, who was in a world of his own – who was a great guy, a wonderful guy.  So I just kind of stood aside and watched all these folks, and it was really a great experience.  I think John at first kind of doubted my potential, because he didn’t know me at all.  And when he found out that I could fight and I could shoot and actually act, he was wonderful.”  And turning to Chris Mitchum, he added, “And your father, I played with too, in ANZIO.  It was a great experience.  It’s great fun to be here – thank you for letting me come.” 

Next onstage was John Wayne’s costar from TRUE GRIT, Kim Darby.  “I want to thank the Wayne family for asking me to be here tonight, and always being so supportive of me.  There is one story that sticks out in my mind, and that was at Paramount.  We had been on location, and we were back at the lot shooting.  And there was a big picture being taken of all the stars at Paramount.  They were shooting there (on the lot) all at the same time: Barbra Streisand, Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Goldie Hawn, and there were some others in there.  There was this big room, and in the middle was (Paramount boss) Bob Evans.  So I was standing on the side watching this, and – I never called him Duke either – Mr. Wayne stepped out of the picture, walked over to me and said, ‘You’re not going to be on the side,’ and put me right in the middle of the picture with him.”

(Ethan and Pilar Wayne, Kim Darby, with Councilman Tom LeBonge presenting a proclamation)

There was one last surprise before the screening of TRUE GRIT on the Dome’s giant screen.  A filmed greeting was shown from Glen Campbell, who looked very well, and showed no signs of the Alzheimer’s Disease he’s been diagnosed with.  He told the story of John Wayne coming backstage after one of his concerts, because one of his daughters thought Campbell had talent, and offering him the part of LeBoeurf in TRUE GRIT.  When Campbell worried that he had no acting experience, Wayne assured him, “…that he could drag me through it alright.”  He had a great time on the film, though he was put out by the fact that, because he had little riding experience, “…what they gave me was a Shetland pony,” and Wayne enjoyed needling him with, “You understand that when we all ride off, you’re supposed to keep up with us!”  Always modest, Campbell claims that it was his own poor performance that helped make Wayne look so good that he got his Oscar.  But as we all saw a little while later, Campbell’s performance is solid, and considering his lack of experience, compares well to Matt Damon’s as the same character in the recent remake.  And yes, Campbell’s horse does appear to be a Shetland pony.        

EX-GOVERNOR ARNOLD BLOODIED BUT UNBOWED

Former California Governor and action movie-star Arnold Schwarznegger Tweeted this picture of himself, direct from the set of THE LAST STAND his modern-day Western directed by the Korean director of the wonderful THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE WEIRD, Jee-Woon Kim. "Got a little banged up on set today. Thanks to the medical staff who got me back in action an hour later!"

The story about a small-town sheriff tracking down drug dealers who escape from court, the picture also stars Oscar Winner (for LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) Forest Whitaker (in the role previously announced for Liam Neeson), Rodrigo Santoro, Johnny “JACKASS” Knoxville, and one of the greatest of all Western villains, Harry Dean Stanton.

RFD-TV UNVEILS ROY ROGERS TOURNAMENT OF ROSES FLOAT

The Annual New Years Day Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena will feature an RFD-TV-sponsored float honoring the 100^th birthday of the King Of The Cowboys, Roy Rogers!  And though they’ve been gone longer than Roy, riding the float will be Trigger, the smartest horse in the movies, and Roy’s wonder-dog, Bullet!  The artfully taxidermied pair has been touring the country, making public appearances, for about a year, since network owner Patrick Gottsch purchased the dynamic duo at the big Roy Rogers Estate Auction.  RFD-TV shows an episode of the Roy Rogers Show every Sunday, and a Roy Rogers movie – this week it’s JESSE JAMES AT BAY – every Tuesday, with repeats.  To get you in a Roy Rogers mood, click HERE to watch him on HEE HAW, singing a song about an auctioneer.

NEW TV TRAILER FOR INSP’S NOV 25^TH ‘WHIPPERSNAPPER FEST’

The Friday after Thanksgiving, when all those dummies are standing on lines to buy gifts they could as easily buy a week later for the same price, many smart characters like myself will be sitting at home watching the Big Valley Young Whippersnapper Marathon on INSP, featuring guest performances by youngsters on the edge of stardom.  Here’s a preview:

 

TV WESTERNS ALL OVER THE DIAL!

More and more, classic TV Westerns are available all over the TV universe, but they tend to be on small networks that are easy to miss. Of course, ENCORE WESTERNS is the best continuous source of such programming, and has been for years. It’s not in my current satellite package, which is why I often forget to mention it, but currently they run CHEYENNE, MAVERICK, LAWMAN, THE VIRGINIAN, WAGON TRAIN, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, GUNSMOKE, BRET MAVERICK, CIMMARON STRIP, and HOW THE WEST WAS WON. (I’d get it in a minute, if I didn’t have to buy a huge package of STARZ and ENCORE channels just to get the one!)

But there are several new, or at least new-to-me, channels showing sagebrush fare. GEB, which stands for Golden Eagle Broadcasting, is largely a religious-programming cable outlet that runs at least one Western on Saturdays – the ones I’ve caught have been public domain Roy Rogers and John Wayne pictures – and sometimes have weekday afternoon movies as well.

For those of you who watch TV with an antenna, there are at least a couple of channels that exist between the standard numbers – largely unavailable on cable or satellite systems – that provide Western fare. ANTENNA TV is currently running RIN TIN TIN, CIRCUS BOY, HERE COME THE BRIDES, and IRON HORSE.

Another ‘in between’ outfit, ME-TV, which stands for Memorable Entertainment TV, runs a wide collection: BIG VALLEY, BONANZA, BRANDED, DANIEL BOONE, GUNS OF WILL SONNETT, GUNSMOKE, MARSHALL DILLON (the renamed black and white GUNSMOKE), RAWHIDE, THE RIFLEMAN, and WILD WILD WEST. Some of these channels are hard to track down, but if they show what you’ve been missing, it’s worth the search. 

TCM FANATIC - WESTERN NOW ONLINE!

That's right, 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 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've stopped running GUNSMOKE.  INSP is showing THE BIG VALLEY every weekday at noon, one p.m. and nine p.m., and Saturdays at 6 p.m., and have just added DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN to their schedule.

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.

Have a great Thanksgiving, and take a minute to think about what you've got to be thankful for -- I mean besides getting the drumstick!

Much obliged,
Henry

All original content copyright November 2011 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved

NBC ORDERS 3 WESTERN PILOTS!

‘THE FRONTIER’ -- A THIRD WESTERN IN DEVELOPMENT AT NBC

In addition to RECONSTRUCTION and the as-yet untitled western script from Pete Berg and Liz Heldens, of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS fame (for details on RECONSTRUCTION, go HERE ), NBC has asked COLD CASE exec producer Shaun Cassidy to write the pilot for THE FRONTIER, an 1840s-set Western to be directed by Thomas Schlamme.   It will detail the adventures of a group heading west from Missouri.

‘YELLOW ROCK’ NEARS END OF POST-PRODUCTION

(Mixer Doug Latislaw at work)

(actor Chris Backus looping his lines)

(Foley artist Lorita de la Cerna; her job is to record live sound effects -- in this case boot-shod footsteps -- in synch with the picture)

Co-producer, co-author and star Lenore Andriel tells me the post work, being performed at Monkeyland Audio, is going swimmingly.  “We've been fortunate to be able to have all the actors come in for the ADR (looping). This is not always easy – they’re usually working on other projects, but luckily, we walked ‘between the raindrops’ on this one.  We should be done with ADR by the end of next week, and have the film completed by mid-October! This should co-ordinate nicely with all the film festivals that are happening in the fall, especially in November with the Native Festivals, i.e. Red Nation, and the AFM in Santa Monica.”

‘LAST STAND’ GAINS MORE CAST

Okay, a little more cast.  The modern-day Westerner starring ex-Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger will now include Swedish actor Peter Stormare, who has  been seen in FARGO and ARMAGEDDON among many others.  Screenplay is by Andrew Knauer, Jeffrey Nachmanoff and George Nolfi.  Korean director Jee-woon Kim directed the wonderfully exuberant THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE WEIRD.

SPECIAL ‘TOMBSTONE’ SCREENING PACKS ‘EM IN AT THE AUTRY

The Saturday, September 17^th screening of TOMBSTONE (1993) was the best-attended entry thus-far in the Autry’s ‘What Is A Western?’ series.  Hosted by Curator Jeffrey Richardson, the event included a discussion with Michael F. Blake, author of HOLLYWOOD AND THE O.K. CORRAL: PORTRAYALS OF THE GUNFIGHT AND WYATT EARP, who opined that one of the reasons for the tremendous following for TOMBSTONE is the portrayal of the friendship between Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday: we all wish we could have a friendship like that. 

(Michael Blake and Jeffrey Richardson)

A surprise bonus was the presence of Joseph A. Porro, TOMBSTONE’s costume designer.  Porro, who designed costumes for INDEPENDENCE DAY, SHANGHAI NOON and many others, confirmed that, while for most Westerns, costume design is all about a visit to Western Costume to go through the racks, he had a unique problem: the costumers for WYATT EARP (the Costner/Kasdan version) and GERONIMO had gotten there ahead of him and wiped the place out!  He travelled to Italy for some of the clothes, but most had to be made from scratch – and the striking individual character of the wardrobe makes it clear that this was all to the good.

(TOMBSTONE costume designer Joseph Porro)

A personal observation here; I’d seen TOMBSTONE two or three times before, though never on a screen, and while I thought it was very good, I frankly never understood its fanatical following.  Now that I’ve seen it on the big screen, I ‘get’ it.  Some movies truly need a huge image to unleash their power, Westerns especially.

The ‘What Is A Western?’ series, all with 35mm prints, continues October 22^nd with Anthony Mann’s brilliant WINCHESTER ’73 (1950) starring James Stewart; November 12^th with Clint Eastwood’s western-directing apex, UNFORGIVEN (1992) -- although I wish he’d called it something else, as it’s sort of marginalized John Huston’s equally fine but unrelated THE UNFORGIVEN (1960).  There’s no entry for December, but next year’s entries will include THE PROFESSIONALS, THE WILD BUNCH, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (for even more O.K. Corral fun), BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID and THE GUNFIGHTER.  

HAPPY 86^TH BIRTHDAY MORGAN WOODWARD!

(Me and Morgan)

Morgan Woodward, the movie and TV villain par excellence who gained fame – and started the vogue for mirrored sunglasses -- with his role in COOL HAND LUKE celebrated his 86^th birthday Friday, September 16^th, at BONANZACON2011 at the Burbank Marriott – and I’ll have more about that event in next week’s Round-up.   First garnering attention portraying Shotgun Gibbs opposite Hugh O’Brien on the WYATT EARP series, Morgan appeared in every western and non-western series you can think of, notably eight times on BONANZA, a dozen times on WAGON TRAIN, and a record nineteen times on GUNSMOKE – and was killed by Matt Dillon more often than any other actor.  I’m proud to say that he also starred opposite Joe Don Baker in the first movie I wrote, SPEEDTRAP.  

2^ND ANNUAL ‘ROPE AND WIRE’ STORY COMPETITION BEGINS

If you’ve got a hankerin’ to tell a Western yarn, you might want to submit it to the Rope and Wire contest HERE. 

The entry fee is $15, and the first place winner gets $10 from each entry.  Scott tells me, “Last year we had 25 entries. The top prize was $250. We expect to do better this year.”  If you’d like to read last years’ winners, go HERE.  (note: you have to scroll a long way down)

TCM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE POND

Just heard from Davy Turner in England that their programming on Turner Classics is very different from our in the States: “They’re showing the old western series I grew up watching, currently MAVERICK and GUNSMOKE.  RAWHIDE (my fave as a Clint fan) and BONANZA were shown last year.  They emailed me after I wrote to thank them, that HIGH CHAPARRAL will be next, in early October.  Look forward to watching Uncle Buck and Manolito ridin’ the Tucson trails again.” 

FORD’S ‘TWO ROAD TOGETHER’ AT LACMA TUESDAY

On Tuesday, September 20^th, at 1 p.m., the Los Angeles County Museum of Art will show John Ford’s TWO ROAD TOGETHER, starring James Stewart and Richard Widmark, script by Frank S. Nugent from a novel by Will Cook.  It tells the story of a couple of tough characters bringing a group of settlers home from years of Comanche captivity.

TCM FANATIC - WESTERN NOW ONLINE!And speaking of TCM, 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.

TV LAND - BONANZA and GUNSMOKE

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.

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.

That's it for today, folks!  Next week I'll have details on BONANZACON, a review of BLACKTHORN, and a review of the book AND...ACTION!

Until then, Happy Trails!

Henry

All contents copyright September 2011 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved