‘HIGH CHAP’ REUNION WEBCAST! PLUS FORD’S ‘IRON HORSE’ W/LIVE SCORE, ‘MAN, PRIDE & VENGEANCE’ TO BLU-RAY!

‘HIGH CHAPARRAL’ REUNION ON WEBCAST!

The ‘High Chaparral Reunion’, which starts this Thursday, March 19^th, is the first event of its kind that I know of, to be webcast so that those of us who can’t get there can still watch in real time, and in fact can watch until April 8^th!  And it’s just been announced that Charlie LeSueur, Arizona’s Official Western Film Historian, will be moderating many of the events. 

Penny McQueen, Producer of the High Chaparral Reunion, told me, “Charlie is great; he's going to elevate things all around. I'm very excited about the webcast.  I'm sure it won't be polished and perfect, but then it's not supposed to be, as it’s real life, giving fans a way to see and participate when they can't come to the event in person.”    

And Charlie LeSueur is asking for your input.  “I'm inviting you to send me your questions to ask the stars. Just go to my website, www.abouttheoldhollywoodtrail.com and find the discussion page. Or you can send them more privately at www.azfilmhistorian.com.”

The Reunion runs from Thursday, March 19^th through Sunday, March 22^nd, and the webcast will feature events on Thursday, Friday and Sunday.  For a complete schedule of events, go HERE.   

Stars and behind-the-scenes folks taking part include Henry Darrow, who played Manolito; Don Collier, who played ranch foreman Sam Butler; Rudy Ramos, who played Wind; stunt-man and Western historian Neil Summers; producer Kent McCray; casting director Susan McCray (whose father, composer Harry Sukman, composed the HIGH CHAPARRAL theme); and writer and historian Boyd Magers.  To register, go HERE!  To get a peek at the webcast video set-up, and see a great teaser, go HERE.  The webcast will cost $65.  To register for the webcast, go HERE . 

Penny tells me that among the events being webcasted will be Don Collier’s ‘Confessions of an Acting Cowboy’ on Sunday evening.  Throughout the weekend she’ll be inserting highlights from previous Reunion events. 

One special thing Penny will be showing at the Reunion is the original HIGH CHAPARRAL pilot.  The copy comes from the family of William Claxton, who directed it, and directed eighteen episodes of the series – three times as many as anyone else.  (He also directed 57 BONANZAS, more than anyone else, and is acknowledged by many involved with either series as their best director.)  It’s from a faded 16mm print, but contains scenes that were never broadcast. 

All Western-movie or TV get-togethers are fun, but there’s something very special about celebrating a show on the actually locations, and set buildings, where it was actually shot.  Just a short drive out of Tucson, Old Tucson Western Movie Ranch was built for the film ARIZONA (1940), starring William Holden and Jean Arthur, right on the edge of mountains and a saguaro-cactus desert.  Hundreds of Western films and TV shows have been shot there, and the streets built for RIO BRAVO have changed very little.  An arson fire some years ago destroyed a lot, but there is still much that is magical in the old place.  If you can’t go for the Reunion, find another time to go. 

I saw this on Charlie LeSueur's Facebook page and had to 'borrow' it.  It's a 1979 Hubba Bubba Bubblegum commercial starring Don Collier and Dub Taylor.

‘BONANZA: LOST EPS’ RESPONSE SO STRONG, INSP CHANGES SCHEDULE!

Last week I reported that INSP had acquired BONANZA: THE LOST EPISODES, and celebrated with a Sunday marathon.  At that time, I said the shows would become part of the regular INSP lineup in April.  Well, Melissa Prince, Director of INSP Corporate Communications tells me the response to the marathon was so enthusiastic that they’ve bumped the shows ahead a few weeks.  Two showed on Saturday, and two more will run next Sunday night – check the listings in your time zone and service!

THE PAPERBACK COLLECTOR SHOW – SUNDAY, MARCH 22^ND

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

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

FORD’S SILENT ‘IRON HORSE’ SCREEN MARCH 26^TH AT AUTRY WITH NEW LIVE SCORE!

John Ford’s rarely seen 1924 silent Western about the building of the transcontinental railroad, THE IRON HORSE will be screened at 7pm on Thursday, March 26^th, in 35mm, at the Autry.  And since, as The Autry reminds us, silent movies were never seen silent, it will be presented with a new soundtrack by Grammy-nominated composer Tom Peters.  It’s a computer-synchronized soundscape that will be partly performed live.  The cost is $10 for Autry members and students with I.D., $20 for non-members, and reservations are warmly suggested.  Visit TheAutry.org

‘MAN, PRIDE AND VENGEANCE’ COMING MAY 26^TH TO BLU-RAY!

Just got word that the Blue Underground Blu-Ray of the fascinating MAN, PRIDE AND VENGEANCE will be released on May 26^th.  Starring Franco Nero, Tina Aumont and Klaus Kinski, the film is directed by Luigi Bazzoni.  C. Courtney Joyner and I had a great time doing the audio commentary on this one, which was also released in some areas as WITH DJANGO COMES DEATH – a hoot considering that it not only is not a Django film, it’s actually based on the novel CARMEN, on which the Bizet opera is also based.  Blue Underground provided a copy to screen at the Los Angeles Italia Festival last month, and I’m told that it looked marvelous!  Below is the trailer, which also looks great.

THAT’S A WRAP!

Next week, I’ll be sharing my interview with actor, stuntman, musician and artist Michael Horse, best known for his portrayal of Tonto in 1981’s THE LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER!  I’ll also be updating my info on the coming TCM Classic Film Festival and the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival!

Until then,

Happy Trails!

Henry

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

‘WESTERN RELIGION’ GOES TO CANNES! PLUS ‘HIGH CHAP’ REUNION, SANTA CLARITA AND TCM FEST UPDATES, ‘WESTERN MOVIE QUIZ BOOK’ REVIEW!

UPDATED 3-9-2015 -- SEE TCM FEST DETAILS!

‘WESTERN RELIGION’ TO CANNES!

In October of 2013, I had the pleasure of visiting the set of WESTERN RELIGION for day 6 of their 19 day shoot in and around Peter Sherayko’s Caravan West Ranch in Agua Dulce. (Read that story HERE )  I even got to be an extra in a poker-game scene. ( Read that story HERE   )  The film is set in 1879 Arizona, and centers on a legendary high-stakes poker game played in the mining town of Western Religion, which attracts high-rollers and gunslingers from around the country.  They’re competing for the grand prize: a cross of gold. 

Sets go up as sun goes down

Director James O'Brien films me in super-8

Religious types from the town of

Western Religion

October 2013 was the time of the shut-down of National Parks, and WESTERN RELIGION’s original location, Paramount Ranch, was abruptly unavailable.  The production was switched to Caravan West, which is a wonderful location, but without buildings!  A couple of rough wooden structures within a tent city sprung up practically overnight.  It in fact looked much more like the mining towns seen in period photographs than a Hollywood western movie street ever could.  Writer-director James O’Brien recalled, “We had to build sets literally as we were shooting. The hammering would stop when I yelled action and start up again on cut. The controlled mayhem lent itself to the gritty drama we were fashioning. Every day was an incredible adventure.”

WESTERN RELIGION will have its world premiere at the famed Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, May 16^th, at 8:30 p.m., in a Marche du Film spotlight on American independent film.  More details coming soon! 

THE WESTERN MOVIE QUIZ BOOK by GRAEME ROSS – A Book Review

Although I’ve never taken on anything as massive as this book – with 1,250 questions! – I’ve concocted enough quizzes for Round-up giveaways to understand what a daunting undertaking writing this book must have been.  And author Graeme Ross, a Scottish former fireman who also writes extensively on football (soccer) and Frank Sinatra (he’s done a quiz-book just on Frankie), has done a masterful job, creating an entertaining, amusing and informative book which is fun for testing your own knowledge, and even better to match your wits against your pards at the local saloon.

For me, the hardest part of creating a quiz is determining how tough to make it.  If the reader scans the first few questions on a page, and can’t answer any of them, he’ll move on to something else.  The same is true if you make it so easy that they’re answering before they finish reading the questions.  The challenge is striking the right balance, and Graeme does it both by varying the difficulty of questions within a puzzle, and giving you a wide choice of quiz topics, so you can zero in on the ones you know best, and avoid humiliating yourself with the others. 

There are 125 different quizzes, the first being Opening Lines, and the last, Closing Lines.  In a test on cowboy horses, you have to identify not only who rode Topper, but who rode Pie.  In the first Spaghetti Western quiz, you need to identify movies from their original Italian titles: C’era una volt ail west!  There are quizzes about bad guys, singers in Westerns, remakes – “Who played Johnny Ringo in the 1966 remake Of STAGECOACH?” – even They Turned it Down: “Can you name the English-born actor who turned down the part of Cherry Valance in RED RIVER?”  Of course there are quizzes on John Wayne, but also Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Mitchum; not just John Ford, but also John Sturges, Budd Boetticher and so many more.  Toward the end of the book, there are eight ‘expert’ quizzes I’ve been too cowardly to even try!

Priced at $19.95 from Bear Manor Media (you can order it HERE  ) , the book also includes an introduction and brief history of Western movies by the author, and a very interesting Foreword by London Observer film critic and author Philip French, who has something to say both about Westerns (he’s written two books on the subject), but also about the history of BBC Radio quiz shows.   

‘BONANZA LOST EPISODES’ FOUND AT INSP! 

Starting in April (haven’t got an exact date yet), INSP will add BONANZA – THE LOST EPISODES to their line-up.  They had a 7-episode marathon preview today.   The reason they have that ‘LOST’ moniker is, when NBC first started packaging the show for syndication, they did first an ‘early’ package, then a ‘later’ package, and 171 episodes from the middle of the show’s 14 season, 430 episode run didn’t get played for decades, and haven’t been seen on non-subscription cable for ten years. 

HIGH CHAPARRAL REUNION IN OLD TUCSON – MARCH 19-22!

Manolito and the boys are heading back to Big John Cannon’s spread for a High Chaparral Reunion on the sets and sagebrush where the legendary series was filmed, at the legendary Old Tucson Movie Ranch, just outside the city of Tucson! 

On-camera talent taking part will include Henry Darrow, the brash and charming Manolito (you can read my interview with Henry, and my review of his biography, HERE )  ; Don Collier, who played ranch foreman Sam Butler, and worked with John Wayne, James Arness, and every other Western star you can name; Rudy Ramos, who played the half-Pawnee Wind, and currently does a one-man show about Geronimo; and stunt-man and Western historian Neil Summers, who’s been killed onscreen by James Arness, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen (twice!), John Wayne (five times!), and every single member of the Cannon extended family! 

The Cannon ranch house today

Behind the camera talent will include BONANZA and HIGH CHAPARRAL producer Kent McCray, who was on the show from the time it was a pilot script, and his lovely bride, BONANZA and HIGH CHAPARRAL casting director Susan McCray, whose father, composer Harry Sukman, composed the HIGH CHAPARRAL theme.  Boyd Magers, whose WESTERN CLIPPINGS publication demonstrates his encyclopedic knowledge of the Western genre, will also be taking part.  There will even be a webcast of events for those of us poor saps who can’t make it to Arizona!  To learn more about all of the events at the Reunion, and to register, go HERE!  

TCM CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD FILM FESTIVAL MARCH 26-29 -- UPDATED 3/9!

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Last night the TCM site was down, so I couldn’t include all of the new events of interest to Western fans.  Now it’s up and running, and in addition to great films, the TCM folks have wrangled the offspring of some of our favorite stars to attend.  In addition to attending screenings, guests will attend live events as well.  After the Thursday night Red Carpet at Grauman’s Chinese, for the premiere of the restoration of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in attendance, the Western fun starts at 6:30 pm, with a screening of THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE.  Keith Carradine, a major Western star in his own right, and son of VALENCE star John Carradine, will attend.   At 10 pm, the great Warner Brothers swashbuckler THE SEA HAWK, starring Errol Flynn, will screen attended by his daughter, Rory Flynn.

My Darling Clementine

Friday morning at 9:30, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE will screen, with again Keith Carradine, and another son of a star, and another Western star in his own right, Hank Fonda’s son Peter Fonda, attending.  At 10:30, Christopher Plummer will have his hands and feet memorialized in cement in the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.  At 12:15 pm, THE PROUD REBEL screens, attended by the son of star Alana Ladd, and one of the stars himself, David Ladd.  At 2:30 pm at Club TCM at the Hollywood Roosevelt, Rory Flynn will present a talk – Errol Flynn , A Daughter Remembers.  At 2:15 pm, YOUNG MR. LINCOLN screens, attended by Peter Fonda.  At 3:15 pm, the Steve McQueen starrer THE CINCINNATI KID screens, attended by star Ann-Margaret.  I didn’t know until I read the TCM write-up that director Norman Jewison made the film after producer Martin Ransohoff fired original director Sam Peckinpah.  At 5:45 pm at the El Capitan Theatre, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK will screen, with stuntman Terry Leonard attending.  At 6:15 pm at Club TCM Peter Fonda will give a talk, entitled Fonda the Actor, Fonda The Man. 

Saturday morning at 9:45 am, the classic John Ford war movie THEY WERE EXPENDABLE will screen.  At 10 am, THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING will screen, with Christopher Plummer, who stars as Rudyard Kipling attending.  Also at 10 am, at Club TCM you can catch A Conversation With Norman Lloyd, Orson Welles’ partner in the Mercury Theatre, villain of SABOTOEUR, producer of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, and still going strong as he enters his second century!   At 11 am, Rory Flynn will be signing her book about her father, Errol Flynn.  At 11:30, one of Walt Disney’s most personal films, SO DEAR TO MY HEART, will screen.  At 1 pm, author Scott Eyman will be signing his two books, John Wayne, Life and Legend, and Print The Legend, The Life and Times of John Ford.  At 4pm, Club TCM will present A Conversation With Terry Leonard.  At 6:15 pm, stuntman Terry Leonard will attend the screening of THE WIND AND THE LION.  Also at 6:15pm, VIVA ZAPATA! will screen.  Directed by Elia Kazan and written by John Steinbeck, Anthony Quinn won one of his two Best Supporting Actor Oscars for his portrayal of Zapata’s brother.  Quinn’s daughter, and President of the Anthony Quinn Foundation, Katherine Quinn, will attend. 

On Sunday morning at 10 am, a new restoration of the Western musical CALAMITY JANE, starring Doris Day, directed by David Butler, will screen.  Starting fifteen minutes earlier, and not a Western, but one of my favorite films noir, NIGHTMARE ALLEY screens.  It stars  Tyrone Power as a guy who joins a sideshow with a mind-reading act, and becomes a world-renowned clairvoyant.  From the novel by William Lindsay Gresham, it’s one of the toughest, most chilling and thrilling stories to emerge from the shadows and onto the screen. 

There are dozens of great non-Western screenings as well.  And there are all sorts of ticket packages – from $300 to $1649!  Happily, you can also attend individual screenings, if they aren’t full, for $20 apiece.  Get there early, because lots of the shows fill up.  You can learn more, and buy tickets, HERE. 

SANTA CLARITA COWBOY FESTIVAL APRIL 18 & 19 – UPDATES!

A dizzying array of events are planned at the Fest, in William S. Hart Park, and at several theatrical venues within easy walking distance.  The only tough part is that, just like at a three-ring circus, you can’t possibly do everything.  $10 a day -- $7 if you’re a kid (free if you’re under three and don’t cry!) gets you admission to the park, with fifteen bands performing on four stages, living history, food, and vendors of clothes and everything western.  Among the performers will be Band of The California Battalion, The Haunted Windchimes, Mikki Daniel, Sons & Brothers, poet Chris Isaacs, Wild Horse Dancers, and that Segovia of the Spinning Sixgun, Joey Dillon. 

Also, at the Canyon Theatre Guild, Repertory East Playhouse, and the Vu Bar and Lounge, there will be ticketed reserved-seat concerts by Don Edwards, Waddie Mitchell, Sons of the San Joaquin, Dave Stamey, Six Silver Bullets, and many others – tickets run from $10 to $30. 

Joey Dillon

Actually, the fun starts before the weekend – on Wednesday, April 15^th, at the Repertory East, you can see An Evening With Kristyn Harris and Jim Jones, the Western Music Association Female and Male performers of the year!   This is part of the OutWest Concert Series, sponsored by the OutWest Boutique, who also sponsor the all-important (yes, I’m part of it) Buckaroo Book Shop – Rendezvous With a Writer events at the Fest! 

What’ll that include, you ask?  There will be six writer-events on Saturday, and three on Sunday.  Starting Saturday at eleven it’s Wordsmiths: Poets Present their Favorites, with Almeda Bradshaw, Peter Conway, Andria Kidd, Tony Sanders and Peter Sherayko. 

At noon, at The Last Shootist, The Shootist and The Homesman, I talk with author and screenwriter Miles Swarthout. 

At one, the topic is The West In Song: Protect Your Creative Gold, and John Bergstrom will chat with President of Gene Autry Entertainment, Karla Buhlman, and songwriter Jim Jones. 

At two, it’s Unsung Heroes of Film: The Hollywood Stunt Horse.  I’ll be talking with Karen Rosa – Senior Consultant at the American Humane Association’s Film & TV Unit, Petrine Day Mitchum, Audrey Pavia, and Shirley Lucas Juaregui.

At three, the topic is Screenplay to Novel OR Novel to Screenplay? I’ll be talking to four screenwriter/novelists: Dale Jackson, C. Courtney Joyner, Stephen Lodge, and Miles Swarthout.

At four, the final event of the day will be Girls and Gunsmoke.  Joyce Fitzpatrick will talk with authors Margaret Brownley, Mikki Daniel, and Janet Squires.

On Sunday, the fun starts at eleven with Who Are Those Guys?  Little Known Lawmen and Detectives of the West.  Jim Christina will chat with Western non-fiction writers Margaret Brownley, Dale Jackson, and J.R. Sanders. 

At noon, for The West in Song, John Bergstrom chats with fellow songwriters Jim Jones and Almeda Bradshaw.

Finally, at one, it’s Name That Horse, and I’ll be chatting with Karla Buhlman, Shirley Lucas Jauregui, Petrine Mitchum, and Audrey Pavia. 

Next week I’ll have more information about special events tied to the Cowboy Fest, including tours of famous local movie locations; Don Edwards performing at ‘the Home of Ramona,’ Rancho Camulos; Miles Swarthout’s presentation about the making of John Wayne’s last movie, which he scripted, THE SHOOTIST; Peter Sherayko’s one-man-show, An Evening With Buffalo Bill, presented at the William S. Hart Mansion, and much more!  To learn more, and to purchase tickets, go HERE.  

WRITER LLOYD FONVIELLE DIES AT 64

Very sorry to read in Tom Betts’ BOOT HILL site that Lloyd Fonvielle, who scripted or co-scripted THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE, THE BRIDE, THE MUMMY, and GOOD MORNING BABYLON, has died.  He’d contacted me in 2011, having just e-published his first Western story, THE TRACKER.  I read it, liked it, and interviewed him.  Read it HERE. 

A very talented and original writer, he went on to write several collections of Western stories and Western novels.  The link to his listing on Amazon is HERE. 

THAT'S A WRAP!

More thrills, chills and suspense next week!

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Content Copyright March 2015 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved

BURT REYNOLDS’ PROPERTY UP FOR BIDS, PLUS DISNEY & TCM TEAM UP, A NEW FRENCH WESTERN, AND ‘BONANZA’ BOOK REVIEWED!

BURT REYNOLDS TO AUCTION PERSONAL PROPERTY

In order to raise cash and save his Florida home from foreclosure (according to The Hollywood Reporter), Burt Reynolds is selling over 600 lots of his personal property in Las Vegas December 11^th and 12^th.  The 78 year old star whose impressive career took off when he was cast as blacksmith Quint on GUNSMOKE, and has included numerous Westerns, DELIVERANCE, the SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT movies, and an Oscar nomination for BOOGEY NIGHTS, has had numerous health problems in recent years.  The sale, to be held at the Palms Casino Resort, will be run by Julien’s Auctions, and a look at the on-line catalog reveals that many items already have bids, some already passing the estimate’s high-end.

How'd you like the numbers 

on Burt's Rolodex?

There is a great deal of art for sale, and many items related to sports, both Burt Reynolds’ own career, and those of professionals in several sports.  There are many books personalized to Burt by authors such as Louis L’Amour, Ray Bradbury, Budd Schulberg, Ossie Davis, Robert Stack, Rudy Vallee, Roddy McDowell, and Carol Burnett.

Sculpture by George Montgomery

Among the art items of particular interest are those by other performers.  There’s a brass sculpture by Western star George Montgomery, a lithograph by Burt’s GUNSMOKE co-star Buck Taylor, a sketch by Fellini, paintings by Doug McClure, Henry Fonda, James Cagney, a poster by Red Ryder-creator Fred Harman, several by Burt’s long-time love Dinah Shore, and a striking horse-head sculpture by Reynolds himself.

This sculpture is Burt Reynolds' own work

Sketch by James Cagney

Among other collectibles are a slew of badges, real and prop guns, boots and belt buckles.  You can guess who one of Burt’s personal heroes is: included in separate lots are a leather chair, desk, and name-plate that were property of director John Ford.  There’s also a framed check signed by Zane Grey.  There are also souvenirs given to him by Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, and signed photos and letters from many stars, including Clayton Moore, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Liz Taylor, Ronald Reagan, Barbara Stanwyck, and Katherine Hepburn. 

Clayton Moore signed this pic for Burt

Zoom in to read this great letter to Burt

from Katherine Hepburn

Among the dazzling array of awards for sale, including many Peoples’ Choice and box-office trophies are a pair of Wrangler awards, his Emmy for EVENING SHADE, and his Golden Globes for EVENING SHADE and BOOGIE NIGHTS.  While few items relate directly to specific Western movies, his hat from THE MAN WHO LOVED CAT DANCING, and his sombrero from 100 RIFLES are up for bids.  To see the entire catalog on-line, and to bid, go HERE.  

Several items belonged to John Ford

You can buy the sombrero Burt is

wearing from 100 RIFLES

‘THE ROUND-UP’ – AND HENRY C. PARKE – IN THE ‘INSP’ BLOG!

It’s shameless self-promotion time!  The good folks at INSP invited me to write an article for their blog, and the result was ‘When Times Changed, So Did TV Westerns,’ examining how outside events effected long-running Western series.  To read it, go HERE . If you’d like to read ‘Henry C. Parke in the Spotlight’, INSP’s Q&A with me, go HERE . 

TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES AND DISNEY TO TEAM UP!

Audioanimatronic Duke in

The Great Movie Ride

A very promising teaming has been announced between the two great entertainment concerns, and it bodes well for Western movie and TV lovers.  At Walt Disney World in Florida, TCM will help the mouse revamp one of Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ most popular attractions, The Great Movie Ride, currently an 18-minute ride that is said to immerse you in classic Hollywood, and utilizes over fifty audioanimatronic figures.  Although details about changes are not yet available, TCM host Robert Osborne will be filming a new introduction, and “inject TCM brand authority” into the ride. 

In exchange, Disney will open ‘the vault’ so TCM can run great stuff the Disney Channel hasn’t shown in decades.  To be presented as a ‘block’ of programming four or five times a year, the first scheduled block will be just in time for Christmas.  On December 21^st, nine items from the Disney archives will air, including the 1932 cartoon SANTA’S WORKSHOP, the 1954 documentary THE DISNEYLAND STORY, the feature film version of DAVY CROCKETT, KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER, and the classic nature documentary THE VANISHING PRAIRIE. This is not the first TCM/DISNEY teaming of late: the last two TCM Classic Cruises have been aboard The Disney Magic. 

BONANZA – A VIEWER’S GUIDE TO THE TV LEGEND

If you’re a fan of Western TV, David R. Greenland’s BONANZA – A VIEWER’S GUIDE TO THE TV LEGEND will be an indispensible volume on your reference book-shelf.  I’ve previously reviewed his excellent book on RAWHIDE ( HERE’s the link ), and will soon review his book on GUNSMOKE.  And I understand he’s got a new one on Michael Landon, all from Bearmanor Media. 

It ran for fourteen seasons, more than any other drama series except GUNSMOKE.  It was the first hour-long drama to be shot in color.  It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of BONANZA in the world of popular entertainment: it was the prototype for all family TV dramas, and its echoes are heard not only in Westerns like THE BIG VALLEY and HIGH CHAPARRAL and LANCER, rurals like DR. QUINN and LITTLE HOUSE, but Depression-era series like THE WALTONS – any show where family is important. 

Usually, by the time a series is judged worthy of this sort of study, the principals are long gone, but Greenland convinced BONANZA-creator David Dortort to take part on the project, and his input elevates the telling of the history of the series from theory to indisputable fact – and a lot of those facts are quite surprising.  You’ll learn that Dortort’s original motivation to do a show about a family was to make sure he never again got stuck doing a series with one principal character – producing RESTLESS GUN with John Payne was a royal pain.  Also, he took his inspiration for the Ponderosa from Camelot, seeing the Cartwrights as knights in denim armor. 

Although they were largely unknown actors, he’d worked with Michael Landon and Dan Blocker before, and wrote the roles of Little Joe and Hoss for them – and had an awful time convincing NBC to go with actors who weren’t names.  Dortort found his ‘Pa’ when he visited the WAGON TRAIN set, and saw no-name actor Lorne Greene refuse to take abuse from series star Ward Bond.  The last to be cast was Pernell Roberts as Adam, and little did Dortort know how prescient his description of the character as ‘the spoilsport of the Ponderosa’ would be.  Roberts’ lack of professionalism when he’d tired of his role is even more appalling than I thought when it was happening back in the ‘60s.  Greenland’s research is remarkably in-depth.  I knew that Victor Sen Young, who played the Cartwrights’ cook, Hop Sing, had played Tommy Chan in the CHARLIE CHAN movie series many times, but I had no idea he was Captain in Air Force Intelligence during World War II.

Greenland examines all of the Cartwrights’ careers at length, before and after BONANZA, then analyzes the series season by season, marking high and low points, discussing guest stars, writers and directors, and their contributions.  I was particularly interested to learn how early on Michael Landon began writing and then directing episodes.  Daringly, Greenland suggests that BONANZA started off weak, story-wise, and improved with each season.  He notes where episodes were shot, and to what effect locations were used.  There are chapters on the show’s legacy, the collectibles, and then a season by season, episode by episode guide, with cast and crew, plot summary and often interesting details of the production. 

The book was first published in 1996, and this is a reprint – not an update.  Hence, its narrative is frozen in the1990s, so it makes no mention of the deaths of David Dortort or star Pernell Roberts.  You’re encouraged to visit Incline Village, home of the Ponderosa location which, regrettably, closed in 2005.  Much is said about the now defunct Family Channel, which was airing the series, but not all of the episodes, back then.  Nothing is said about INSP, ME-TV or TV-LAND, which air the series today.  The shows then available on VHS tapes are listed, but not current DVDs – I’ve been looking on Amazon, and can’t figure if the whole series is available, or not.  The book lacks an index, so you cannot look up guest stars or directors or writers, or titles.  To find an episode, you’ll need to know its year, and search through the titles.  Also, this reprint was made by photographing each page of the earlier edition.  As a result, the photographs have the grey, grainy quality of a photocopy. 

BONANZA – A VIEWER’S GUIDE TO THE TV LEGEND is a carefully researched, entertainingly written book with a wealth of information for the legions of BONANZA fans.  It’s available for $24.95 from Bearmanor Media HERE.

FRENCH WESTERN ‘BUFFALO RISING’ MAKING FEST ROUNDS

‘BUFFALO RISING’ is the story of a father and young son, Tom and Jack, moving their herd to market, hoping to raise a big enough stake to move to California, and what happens when they cross paths with bison and bad men.  With a French cast and crew, but dialogue recorded in English, much was lensed at a Randall Bisons, a huge ranch in the middle of France, on the hills of Cevennes.  It’s written by Laurent Bertin and Pierre Yves-Hampartzoumian, and directed by Pierre.  Filmed this past June, the fourteen-minute film will play on December 10^th at the Almeria Western Film Festival, and then it’s on to other festivals, even as pre-production for the feature-length version has begun. 

Here is a teaser trailer.  I’ll have more to tell you about this one soon. 

THAT’S A WRAP!

As I write, it’s been pouring rain all day – which in L.A. is a blessing!  Next week I plan to have an in-depth article on the filming of BOONVILLE REDEMPTION, which I understand is near completion!  Have a great week!

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright November 2014 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved