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

WYATT EARP, WYATT EARP, BRAVE, COURAGEOUS AND BACK WITH VAL KILMER!

(updated Monday 2/28/2011 -- see QUENTIN'S NEXT MAY BE A PASTA WESTERN)
I doubt I’ll get much of an argument if I state that Wyatt Earp is one of the most oft-portrayed historical figures of the Old West. But many are the arguments of whose portrayal of the lawman is best – Kurt Russell or Kevin Costner or Hugh O’Brien. Not to mention Errol Flynn in DODGE CITY (1939), Randolph Scott in FRONTIER MARSHALL (1939), Richard Dix in TOMBSTONE: THE TOWN TOO TOUGH TO DIE (1942), Henry Fonda in MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946), Joel McCrea in WITCHITA (1955), Burt Lancaster in GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL (1957), James Stewart in CHEYENNE AUTUMN (1964), Guy Madison in GUNMEN OF THE RIO GRANDE (1965) and James Garner in HOUR OF THE GUN (1967).

But you can never have too many Earps (don’t quote me to the Clantons), and I’ve just got word that WYATT EARP’S FIRST RIDE is being cast, and the only cast-member announced is Val Kilmer! Kilmer, who made a tremendous impression in TOMBSTONE (1993) as Doc Holliday to Kurt Russell’s Wyatt, will apparently be taking on the lead role! Oviously no stranger to the saddle, Kilmer starred as BILLY THE KID in the 1989 TNT movie written by Gore Vidal, and was in Ron Howard’s excellent THE MISSING (2003), as well as the embarrassing (not Kilmer’s fault!) miniseries COMANCHE MOON (2008). I’ll fill you in as soon as I learn more.

And that’s not the end of the Earp news! Broadway is preparing for a new musical entitled I MARRIED WYATT EARP. It’s the story of Josephine Marcus Earp, Wyatt’s third wife, but apparently no one is playing his part. This is a story about the pioneering women of Tombstone, and will have an all-female cast. The story will move back and forth between Los Angeles in 1944, and Tombstone, from 1879 to 1881. In case you’re an actress who is eighteen but can play sixteen, here’s the Equity casting notice: “Seeking Hattie Earp. Must read 16, seeking actress 18. Daughter of Bess Earp, Stubborn and impressionable. Naïve. A little boy-crazy, she can’t wait to grow up.” They’re looking for a “lighter teenage soprano,” and you need to bring your sheet music on Monday, March 1st, at ten a.m. Break a leg!

Incidentally, in 1983 Marie Osmond played Josephine to Bruce Boxleitner’s Wyatt in a TV movie also called I MARRIED WYATT EARP, based on Josephine’s memoirs.

But you say you haven’t had enough Earp news? How about this: Dreamworks has announced that director Sam Raimi, who brought you THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995), and more recently the delightfully chilling horror outing DRAG ME TO HELL, will be helming EARP: SAINTS AND SINNERS. And how’s this for a fresh idea: it’s a sci-fi Western based on a comic book. JONAH HEX took a dump, but I’ve still got my fingers crossed for COWBOYS & ALIENS -- but c’mon, another one?

And yes, I’ve got one more Wyatt Earp story, this one out of England, courtesy of reporter Paul Byrne in the Daily Mirror: FANCY DRESS PAIR GUILTY OF ASSAULT ON ‘WYATT EARP’ REVELLER. Two men dressed as Elvis Presley and Ozzy Osbourne have been found guilty of assaulting a cop wearing a Wyatt Earp costume. Stephen Cadman, 55, dressed as Ozzy, and his son Joe, 33, who was Elvis, clashed with off-duty Detective Constable Chris Lovatt as Stephen tried to hit a drunken guest who was being removed from a party.

Stafford crown court heard DC Lovatt was then kicked unconscious by an unknown person while on the floor. DC Lovatt suffered cuts and had a scan due to suspected bruising to the brain. (Stephan and) Joe Cadman, from Stone, and Morley, of Trentham Lakes, both Staffs, were each ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid community work. Judge Simon Tonking told the defendants it had been “a very ugly incident”. (Community service? Not the sentence they would have received in Tombstone.)

(Photos from top to bottom -- a gallery of Wyatts, first the real one; Kurt Russell with Val Kilmer; Kevin Costner; Hugh O'Brien; Henry Fonda; James Garner; Burt Lancaster; Randolph Scott; two very different portraits of Josephine Earp;Chief Great Bear of The Delewares; Great War Chief of the Navajos)

QUENTIN’S NEXT MAY BE A PASTA WESTERN, SAYS FRANCO NERO

Round-up regulars will remember that a couple of weeks ago, Fred Williamson told me that he was preparing to do a Spaghetti Western, probably in Morocco with Franco Nero. Today comes word from DJANGO star Nero that he will be working in the U.S. on a Spaghetti Western which might be helmed by Quentin Tarantino. Nero said the film would be shot in the U.S. because “the Italian film industry is in crisis.” The interview, given in Italian, continued, “We have already collected signatures of fifteen people who will be part of the project. Among the filmmakers involved are Quentin Tarantino, Keith Carradine and Treat Williams. In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s in Italy, there were real producers, who produced movies that they believed in. Now all films are produced by television, and when you propose a project…they say this scene is too strong, it can’t go on at 8:30 a.m. or 9:00 p.m.” He also said, “The film will be called, The Angel, The Bad and The Wise, and is a tribute to Sergio Leone. It’s a movie that contains humor, lots of action, but also a great plot.” And hopefully, a better title in English.

Tarantino has been loathe to confirm or deny the details, but the usually reliable Ain’t It Cool News says that his next film will definitely be a Western, and will star his Oscar-winning Inglourious Basterds star Christoph Waltz, and will lens later this year in Italy and Spain. And before you scoff at the idea of a German starring in a Spaghetti Western, remember that Euro-westerns started not in Italy and Spain, but in Germany, with 1963’s Apache Gold, the first of the tremendously popular Winnetou Westerns based on the writings of Karl May.

With Tarantino saying Europe, and Nero saying The United States, and Fred Williamson saying Morocco, I wonder if we’re hearing about one, two or three different movies.

ON THE TUBE

HAPPY TRAILS THEATER ON RFD-TV SATURDAY, MARCH 5TH

When Roy Rogers heard that Cole Porter had written a Broadway musical parody of B westerns, but couldn’t get it financed, he contacted Cole, and bought the theme song, which was the genesis of DON’T FENCE ME IN (1945), the story of reporter Dale Evans’ search for retired outlaw Wildcat Kelly. It also features great non-Cole Porter songs like The Last Roundup and Tumbling Tumbleweeds, and the cast includes Gabby Hayes, Robert Livingston, and one of the greatest of all screen gangsters, Marc Lawrence.

Repeating on Thursday, SUNSET IN EL DORADO (1945) I haven’t seen this one, but it sounds quirky and fun, featuring a plot revolving around Dale Evans flashing back to her grandmother’s time, and meeting someone a lot like Roy. In addition to Gabby Hayes and Trigger, and my all-time favorite Republic villain Roy Barcroft, this one features a ton of top comedy names: Margaret Dumont, the Marx Brothers' favorite foil; Dorothy Granger, Queen of the RKO comedy shorts; Jack Norton, the movie businesses greatest drunk; and the Sons of the Pioneers. TIME UPDATE -- the first showing is again being preempted by an auction. It’s at midnight western, 3:00 a.m. eastern, and repeats on Thursday.


COMING ATTRACTIONS – EVENTS IN MARCH

DOUBLE FEATURE AT THE AUTRY SATURDAY MARCH 6TH

The next free double-feature matinee at the Autry will be THE BIG SHOW (1936- Republic) starring Gene is a dual role as a stuntman named 'Gene Autry,' and the movie star he doubles for, Tom Ford. Also along for the fun are Smiley Burnette, Sons of the Pioneers (including Roy Rogers), and Max Terhune and Elmer, before they went on to star in the Three Mesquiteers series. Next is TEXANS NEVER CRY (1951 – Columbia) starring Gene, Pat Buttram,and Gail Davis, who would star in Gene's ANNIE OAKLEY series, in a story about lottery tickets. The films begin at noon.

UCLA EVENTS AT THE BILLY WILDER THEATRE

Screenings as part of their Preservation Festival include, on Saturday, March 12th, a double bill of RAINBOW OVER TEXAS (1947) starring Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and HEART OF THE RIO GRANDE (1942) starring Gene Autry and the lovely Smiley Burnette. On Monday, March 14th, it’s THE FORGOTTEN VILLAGE (1941) from a screenplay by John Steinbeck, preceded by MEXICO IN THE HEARST METRONONE NEWS COLLECTION. And on Saturday, March 19th at 2:00 p.m. they will present the program BABY PEGGY: HOLLYWOOD’S TINY TITAN. The daughter of a cowboy and stuntman, Baby Peggy, co-starring with Brownie the Wonder-Dog, was a hugely popular star of Western child action comedy films in the 1920s. Few of her films have survived, but Baby Peggy has – she’s now known as Diana Serra Carey, and she will be present for the screening of several of her short films, and existing fragments of several more. (Here’s a historical note: a Baby Peggy film was the first movie to play at the Vista Theatre in Hollywood when it was opened in the early 1920s. The theatre was built at the intersection of Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards, where the Babylon sets for D. W. Griffith’s INTOLERANCE once stood. Over the decades the theatre and neighborhood lost its luster, and the Vista became a gay porn theatre. When it was turned into a revival house in the 1980s, Baby Peggy, who had attended the original opening decades before, attended the new ceremony, where gay porn director Fred Halsted handed the theatre keys over to her.)

LOS ANGELES SPAGHETTI WESTERN FESTIVAL IN MARCH!

The historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood will play host on Saturday, March 19th to the Los Angeles Spaghetti Western Festival. This all-day event will feature live music, screenings, and some very special guest stars, leading men Robert Woods (GATLING GUN, read our review HERE -- read our interview with Woods HERE); Michael Forest (NOW THEY CALL HIM SACRAMENTO, read our review HERE); Richard Harrison ($100,000 FOR RINGO); Brett Halsey (WRATH OF GOD); Dan van Husen (LIGHT THE FUSE…SARTANA IS COMING) and Jack Betts –a.k.a. Hunt Powers (DJANGO AND SARTANA), as well as actor, stunt coordinator and Western historian Neil Summers. The movies to be screened will include the one that started it all, Sergio Leone’s A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, plus GATLING GUN (courtesy of Dorado Films – click HERE for their site) and DEAD MEN DON’T COUNT (courtesy of Wild East productions – click HERE for their site). A live musical tribute to Ennio Morricone will be presented by The Insect Surfers, playing music from the album FOR A FEW GUITARS MORE. You can save $10 if you register before February 28th, WHICH IS TOMORROW! For all the details, go to the official website HERE.

PAPERBACK COLLECTOR SHOW AND SALE SUNDAY, MARCH 27th

If you’re a reader of Westerns as well as a watcher, here is an event you should not miss! From 9:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. you can search the wares of dozens of book dealers from around the country. They run from the very rare and pricey to the battered and cheap. Serious paperback collectors go for unopened books in perfect condition, but I go for what are disparagingly called ‘reader copies,’ and have found dozens of obscure Luke Shorts and Zane Greys for a dollar or two each. Also, more than 45 authors will be signing their books, and unlike other autograph shows, THERE IS NO CHARGE! Most of the authors are sci-fi and mystery types – for a complete list and schedule, click HERE. The event is at the Valley Inn and Conference Center, 10621 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills, CA 91345. For more information, call Tom Lesser at 818-349-3844 or Black Ace Books at 232-661-5052.
http://www.la-vintage-paperback-show.com/

BREAKING INTO WESTERN PRINT (BOTH ‘E’ AND PAPER)

If you’ve ever wanted to write a western novel or story – of if you’ve written it, but don’t know how to get it published (my hand is raised), make plans to go to Out West, at 24265 Main Street in Newhall on Sunday, March 27th at 2:00 p.m. Author C. Courtney Joyner, the very talented and prolific screenwriter and western film historian, will discuss breaking into the western print market, agents, editors, networking, the changes at Leisure Books, ‘E’ publishing, university presses, contests, and publishers across the pond. Mr. Joyner knows whereof he speaks: in addition to a long string of screen credits, both as writer and director, he wrote the fascinating interview-book THE WESTERNERS (see my review HERE), and his excellent tale, The Two-bit Kill, is featured in the new western story collection, LAW OF THE GUN. The event is free. For reservations call 661-255-7087.

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 about it! I'm quitting to watch the Oscars, and rooting for TRUE GRIT, but I must say there are a lot of very fine movies that don't happen to be Westerns. But none of them will encourage Hollywood to make more Westerns -- so root for TRUE GRIT!

Adios,

Henry

Copyright February 2011 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved

KING OF THE COWBOYS RETURNS TO THE AIRWAVES!

(Updated Friday Nov. 4 th - see Dedication of Steve McQueen Square)
(Updated Wednesday Nov. 3rd - see Happy Birthday Queen of the West, Red Nation Film Festival)
Here’s delightful news for those of us who were a bit heartbroken when the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson shut down, and its contents were sold off. You’ll perhaps recall that Patrick Gottsch, President of RFD-TV, bought the taxidermied figures of Trigger and Bullet, planning to display them. There was also talk of airing Roy Rogers movies on the network. It has all come to pass! Starting this Saturday, November 6th, HAPPY TRAILS THEATER will begin airing Roy Rogers movies, hosted by Roy’s son Dusty, and grandson Dustin!

Beginning with 1939’s SOUTHWARD HO, a Civil War story directed by the great Joe Kane and co-starring Lynn Roberts and Gabby Hayes, the movies will air Saturday in 90 minute time slots, at 9 am Pacific, 10 am Mountain, 11 am Central and Noon Eastern. They’ll repeat twelve hours later, and on Thursdays, 2:30 pm Pacific, 3:30 pm Mountain, 4:30 pm Central and 5:30pm Eastern.

Here’s the schedule for the next few months: November 13 - THE ARIZONA KID (1939), November 20 - DAYS OF JESSE JAMES (1940), November 27 - WEST OF THE BADLANDS (aka BORDER LEGION 1940), December 4 - YOUNG BUFFALO BILL (1940), December 11- THE RANGER AND THE LADY (1940), December 18 -YOUNG BILL HICKOCK (1941), December 25 - THE TRAIL OF ROBIN HOOD (1950)– this one, shown on Christmas day, is about Christmas tree rustlers!, January 1, 2011 - IN OLD CHEYENNE (1941).

But wait, there’s more! RFD-TV has revived The Roy Rogers Riders Club! And Trigger and Bullet are on tour, posing for photos. They’re even scheduled to appear at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on New Years Day. For information about the tour, the club, and merchandise, CLICK HERE.

REPUBLIC PICTURES IV – THE FINAL CHAPTER

For those of you who have been following this multipart story of the 75th Anniversary of Republic Pictures, here’s the last section. If you’ve missed any or all of it, you can click to read PART ONE, PART TWO and PART THREE.

The third panel discussion ended at 2:30 pm, to be followed, after a five minute break, by a 25 minute ‘Dignitary Presentation.’ Knowing that this would be my only chance to get anything to eat and see anything else – other panels would be running until we had to clear the studio at 5:00 pm -- I gave up my front-row seat and snuck out into 107 degree heat. When I got back for WESTERN MOVIE MEMORIES WITH REPUBLIC STARS the room was hot and packed, and using a combination of boyish charm and well-aimed elbows, I slithered to a spot against the wall and near the front.

(photos, top to bottom: Dale Evans; folks having their portraits taken with Trigger and Bullet; SOUTHWARD HO poster; Dick Jones, Donna Martell, Anne Jeffreys; Adrain Booth, Michael Chapin, Peggy Stewart; Anne Jeffreys, Hugh O'Brien; A.C. Lyles, Joan Leslie, Ben Cooper, Adrian Booth, Michael Chapin; Dick Jones, Donna Martell, Anne Jeffreys, Hugh O'Brien; the monogram 'B' on the Barkely's gate; exterior of the Barkley estate; Big Valley street set under construction; Barkley dinging room; foyer; parlour)

I was afraid I was late – the tables were full of guests waiting to speak: A.C. Lyles, Joan Leslie, Ben Cooper, Adrian Booth, Michael Chapin, Peggy Stewart, Dick Jones, Donna Martel, Anne Jeffreys and Hugh O’Brien. Leonard Maltin stood at the podium, waiting to be moderator. There was a lot of talking going on at the front, not from the tables, but in front of them. A familiar western character actor caught my eye, then jerked a thumb at two men who were talking in front. “Who is that?” he asked in obvious annoyance.
“That’s A.C. Lyles,” I said. “He made a ton of westerns at Paramount – ”
“I know Lyles,” he snapped. “I worked for him. Who’s the clown that won’t shut up?”
“Tom LaBonge.”
“Who in Hell is Tom LaBonge?”
“L.A. City Council.”
“For Chrissake!” he snarled. “Politicians!”
And for another fifteen minutes, as the Republic Pictures stars waited behind them, and hundreds of impatient audience members waited in front of them, City Council Members Paul Koretz, Paul Krekorian, Thomas J. LaBonge and Assemblyman Mike Feur ignored the clock on the wall and the contemptuous catcalls from the crowd, and hogged the mike, prancing about like geldings, mugging and clowning and issuing proclamations for the press cameras. Despite their posturing, they clearly knew nothing about the movies Republic made. If they did, they’d know how close they came to somebody getting a rope – or four ropes. When the blowhards finally left, there were only a couple of minutes left for each speaker, and Leonard Maltin did a masterful job at getting the most from speakers in the least amount of time.

“Republic was the home of the peoples’ movies,” Maltin began. “Films that played small towns, kids’ Saturday matinees, and later more adult movies. We’ll try to cover as many bases as we can. Westerns and serials were the mainstay of Republic, and everyone here worked on westerns.”

Dickie Jones is at least as famous for being the voice of PINNOCHIO as he was for starring in the Autry-produced series THE RANGE RIDER with Jock Mahoney, and as the title character in BUFFALO BILL JR. Starting as a 6 year old trick-rider in Hoot Gibson’s rodeo, Hoot encouraged Jones’ parents to take him to Hollywood. Maltin asked Dick Jones, who’d worked as a kid at Republic in the thirties, to give us a kid’s eye view of the studio.

“I had the privilege of being one of the very first Republic Studio actors, back in 1935, when I did WESTWARD HO with the great John Wayne, as his younger brother. We made most of it up in Lone Pine, and if the wind wasn’t blowing strong enough, they got these huge fans, and made a sandstorm. That wasn’t my first job in motion pictures, but it was my first job at Republic. It wasn’t 20th Century Fox or M.G.M. or Warner Brothers: it was homier.”

Like Dick Jones, Michael Chapin started at Republic as a kid, in the 1946 Roy and Dale starrer, SONG OF ARIZONA. “By that time the studio had gotten sophisticated. So we weren’t just working on the westerns streets, we were actually going out on location and shooting outdoors.” He did eight movies for Republic, four in 1952, BUCKAROO SHERIFF OF TEXAS being the first of a series with Eileen Jansen, “…a lovely lady who unfortunately had to leave here early. Eileen and I were a couple who were intended to replace Roy Rogers and Dale Evans as they matured, and at the time we were hired, she was twelve and I was just going on fourteen. We liked the intimacy, the closeness and family-like atmosphere here. They gave us a lot of latitude: despite the publicity (to the contrary), we both were good riders. They gave us lessons, and we had wonderful wranglers that taught me trick riding – Dick (Jones) was a master of trick riding. He didn’t need lessons. They gave us the latitude to practice, so we didn’t always need doubles: they weren’t so fearful. My career really spanned eighteen years, from the time that I was six months old, until I was eighteen: and that was it. And it was so formative, and Republic was at the core of that whole career. It was a joy, and I was blessed to be part of this industry.”

Anne Jeffreys, best remembered as Marian Kerby on TV’s TOPPER, has had a long film career, in Westerns and gangster and war movies. Starting out at PRC as Buster Crabbe’s leading lady in BILLY THE KID TRAPPED, soon she was Lawrence Tierney’s moll in DILLINGER, Tess Trueheart to DICK TRACY, and the female lead in ZOMBIES IN BROADWAY -- and that’s just three of her five credits for 1945! She was fond of horses even before she ever got to Republic. “I used to ride up into the hills. I used to work a lot in the backlot. I didn’t do all westerns. I was cast playing the dumb chorus girl or the gangster’s moll to Jack LaRue. And I went to the head of the studio and I said, ‘Look, can’t I play a nice girl? Why do I always have to play a dumb chorus girl?’ He said, ‘The only roles like that are in Westerns.’ ‘Then give me a western to do.’ ‘You want to do a Western?’ ‘Yes I do!’ So he signed me for a series with Wild Bill Elliot and Gabby Hayes. I did eight of those. Then I was bought by R.K.O. to do the Frank Sinatra film (STEP LIVELY -1944, the musical version of ROOM SERVICE), but I loved Republic, I learned a lot of tricks, a lot of things to do. I learned wiggle my ears from the back, because they always shot the back of the girls – she was never in the scene, she never got the man -- she would just ride off. But I learned so much – it was a wonderful, wonderful time to be here. One time I played an Indian girl. I had dark make-up on, and a head-band, moccasins on my feet and buckskins with fringe. I went into the commissary and sat down with the talent, and unbeknownst to him, my agent sat down right next to me but he didn’t know me. And I said to him, ‘You pass-um salt? You pass-um pepper?’ And then I laughed, and he knew me immediately. But we fooled him. There was a trick some of the cowboys would play on each other. They’d sit in a chair and nod off, and (the other cowboys) would sneak up behind them and tie their fringe to the chair. Well, they sneaked up on me, and I had taken off my moccasins, which weren’t very comfortable. I’m sitting there, studying my script, and they sneaked in and filled my moccasins with talcum powder, they tied my fringe to the chair. So when they called, ‘Hey Anne, we’re ready for you!’ I jumped up, dragging the chair behind me, with puffs of smoke coming from my feet! But I got even with them. I took the smoked fish that were hanging in front of the tepee, and put them in a ‘hot pot’, and they were looking for (where the smell was coming from) all day, but I wouldn’t tell them. But it was a wonderful time – we enjoyed everything we did there.”

Donna Martell confirmed, “Right here at Republic Studios I made my very first movie – am I thrilled or what? It was so great – I didn’t know a script from a camera, and there I am playing the ingénue lead in APACHE ROSE (1947), with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans – my heroes! They were so darling. That was the very first film done in Trucolor (the Republic answer to Technicolor), and someone told me a little bit ago that they can’t find it in color – but we did it in Trucolor. And not only did I do a Roy and Dale, I did a Gene Autry here (TWILIGHT ON THE RIO GRANDE), and (in between) I did a film with Gilbert Roland, the Cisco Kid, in ROBIN HOOD OF MONTEREY (1947). I got to know Gene Autry real well. We all loved Gene, I loved Republic Studios. I can’t believe what they’ve done to it – I think it’s magnificent!” She paid enthusiastic tribute to all of the other stars on the dais, especially the most dapper man in Hollywood, A.C. Lyles.

In introducing Peggy Stewart, Maltin mentioned that she had more Republic credits than anyone else at the table. The lovely western and serial queen confirmed, “I did thirty-two westerns here. I did the all the RED RYDERS – well, not all of them, but I did most of the Bill Elliots, who’s the real Red Ryder as far as I’m concerned. I did about half of the Allan Lanes. Then I did three or four of the Jim Bannons. And I was married to Don Barry, who was the first Red Ryder – he did the serial. I did lots and lots of films – lots of memories here. I did a SEINFELD back here, and on a lunch hour, I thought, aw shoot, I’m going to take a walk to the back road and see what’s left of the Duchess’ ranch. Well, I start that way, but I can see there’s nothing but trees and shrubs, so I head back to the stage out here, stage nine. I’m leaning against the wall. I started hearing the ghosts of the crew, Bela the prop man and Zachary – and I started crying. Nostalgia just took over. And here comes Jerry and the crowd back from lunch, and at the door Jerry says, ‘Hi,’ and he lets the others in, then turns around and says, ‘Peggy, are you alright?’ And I say, ‘Jerry, you’re in my cave!’ ‘You’re what?’ And I said, ‘Over there used to be the big red barn, and if you opened the doors there was a track for the coal cars, and it went all the way through to the other side of the barn where your stage is! That was the cave set that they used in all the westerns and serials, and it’s gone.’”

Maltin reminded Adrian Booth, who began her career at Republic as Lorna Gray, that the studio sometimes kept her so busy with her serial duties that she’d check into a local motel rather than driving all the way home. “Yes I did. I had the pleasure of playing Vultura (the villainess of 1942’s PERILS OF NYOKA), and we didn’t shoot in the order of the script. We had fifteen episodes, and you had to know the dialogue of all fifteen, whether it was outside, or on the backlot, or in the studio, or on the New York street. And sometimes, because of the weather, you’d have five different calls. The assistant director would call you up at three o’clock in the morning to tell you which one. You had to know the dialogue for each. Not knowing if you were going to shoot at one place or the other was the best training in the world. I’d play Bette Davis one day, someone else the next day, but most of all I just played the queen, and loved every minute of it. I go back almost as far as the studio does: I’m gonna be 93 in about a minute. One of my fondest memories was making a film with John Wayne before he was a big star, one of the Three Mesquiteers. And my agent brought me over to meet everyone, and the first thing they asked me was if I could ride a horse. And I said of course I could ride a horse – I did it in Central Park in New York. But I lied – I just had to, you know. But John Wayne in that first picture, he helped me – he told me what side of the horse to get on. And he was so dear. We’re outside, and there’s this little wooden porch. And we had to walk along this porch and down three steps. And three times he stumbled on a nail. And he did it deliberately, and the reason was to save a quarter (of a day’s) check for the extras. And this was John Wayne. I’m grateful to God that I was here at this lovely studio, it was always like a family, they were always kind, they were always good. Locations would be so much fun. I never had an unhappy day in this studio.”

Leonard Maltin next turned to Joan Leslie. Most of the speakers thus far had started at Republic, but she’d already been a big star at Warner Brothers, and many would consider the move to be, in his words, ‘slumming.’ She didn’t feel that way. “It was different than Warners – Warners was so big that sometimes you got lost in the shuffle. They always treated me like a little girl – ‘Oh, we’ll get Joan to do it.’ Here I chose the scripts I wanted to do. I worked with directors like Joe Kane.” Maltin again interjected that while many on the panel had worked with Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, only Joan had worked with that great western star, Vaughn Monroe. She laughed, “He was a lovely guy, we had a grand time (on THE TOUGHEST MAN IN ARIZONA). The next one was THE WOMAN THEY ALMOST LYNCHED (1953) – I loved that title. With Brian Donlevy.”

Leonard Maltin suggested that in the 1950s, Ben Cooper was the busiest guy on the Republic lot. “I loved every minute of it. I had worked in New York for eleven years before I came out here, so it was a vacation. And the first one I did was a war picture (THUNDERBIRDS 1952), and my dressing room was on the 2nd floor. I remember walking up there and looking around – this was 1952, no smog – beautiful weather, month of May, and all I could think was, I’ve got to come back out here. So I went back (East), had pictures taken with my horse, sent them out, got to play Jesse James in THE WOMAN THEY ALMOST LYNCHED. And pretty soon after I walked on the set, Buddy Sherwood, wrangler – some of you who worked here may remember him. Always had a fresh flower in his hat, a cigar in his mouth, pot-belly and no butt. He walked up to me and he said, ‘Can you ride, kid?’ All he knew was I was that actor from New York who’s been on Broadway. I had my own horse; I’d been jumping him bareback. And I was really getting in shape to do this picture. But I knew if I said, ‘Oh yeah, I’m a good rider,’ you’re dead. You won’t live up to it. So I just said, ‘I can stay on sometimes.’ He just looked at me. So I just went over to the horse that he’d pointed out, patted him on the chest, and I saw that the cinch was a little loose. I threw up the stirrup leather, and I was about to tighten the cinch, and he was right behind me, and he said, ‘Come on, we’ll give you a good one.’
“But I loved it: I went from one to another to another. I didn’t care what they wanted me to do: I just wanted to do it. I was under contract here for four years, and I enjoyed every minute – I really did. And JOHNNY GUITAR was one that a lot of people remember. I’ll tell you about the very last shot of the picture that we did -- we were shooting all out of sequence. In the picture, Joan Crawford has me hidden under a table. And at one point my left leg’s supposed to fall out from under the (tablecloth). So, I thought it would be funny, and I had nothing else to do, so I took my shirt off, and I cut the pant-leg off pretty high. So I had on just this one blue pant-leg, boot and spur, and the top of the pants. Then I walked out and they all thought that was pretty funny. So I crawled under there, they had it all set up, ‘Okay – Action!’ I waited a moment, then my leg fell out. ‘Cut!’ Then Harry Stradling, the cameraman, said, ‘Wait a minute. That light wasn’t right – we’re gonna have to do it again. Okay, Ben, stay there, and we’ll get to it.’ ‘Okay!’ And I waited. And I waited. And I thought, not are they only very slow, they’re being very quiet. And I crawled out from under that table, and everybody had left the soundstage! The crew, the cast, the guys up in the rafters, everybody had gone to the wrap party and just left me there! And I loved them all.”

Hugh O’Brien, the last to speak, will always be remembered as WYATT EARP on his long-running series, but first he was at Republic. “I did three films here. The first one I remember very well, with Forrest Tucker, FIGHTING COAST GUARD (1951). On the first day, the studio manager came on the lot, and said to me, ‘I know it’s your first role in a film at Republic, but I know you from somewhere. How do I know you?’ And I said, ‘I used to do your windows.’ When I got out of the Marine Corps I had a card made up that said ‘Exterior Decorator’ on it. And by the time I was under contract to Universal I had thirty guys working for me. I did about 2/3rds of the lawns in the Beverly Hills area. The home I live in now, I used to landscape. I sold (the business) when I went under contract to Universal for $35,000, which would be like a million dollars today.” When Maltin asked if he found Republic a pleasant place to work, he responded, “I thought it had some of the cleanest bathrooms in town.” And when the laughs died down, he added, “Actually, it reminded me so much of where I went to high school, in Illinois.”

The final panel discussion of the day was SPECIAL EFFECTS & THE LYDECKER BROTHERS, about the work of Howard and Theodore Lydecker, whose miniatures have never been surpassed, whether in serials, war movies, crime films or westerns. An excellent website was put together to promote this event, and it’s been updated, and has very nice biographies of all the attendees. To see it, CLICK HERE.

SNEAK PEEK AT ‘BIG VALLEY’ SETS AND LOCATIONS

The accompanying photos, all courtesy of lisafemmeacadienne, show the exterior of the Barkley home, a western street under construction, and some interiors – see last week’s entry for information about where in Louisiana these places are located.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY QUEEN OF THE WEST!
Just found out that Dale Evans' birthday was on Halloween, so I added that pin-up to the top of the page!

7TH ANNUAL RED NATION LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL

From Wednesday November 3rd through Tuesday November 9th, the Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater at 8000 W. Sunset Boulevard, L.A., CA 90046, will be the home of the Red Nation Films Festival,celebrating American Indian filmmakers. For details, CLICK HERE.

AMERICAN INDIAN ARTS MARKETPLACE AT THE AUTRY
Saturday and Sunday, November 6th and 7th, the Autry will host it's annual Indian Arts Marketplace. Both days will be packed with education and entertainment for all ages. Over 180 artists representing dozens of tribes will be taking part. For details, CLICK HERE.

DEDICATION OF STEVE MCQUEEN SQUARE IN L.A. SUNDAY!
Steve McQueen, whose Westerns include the series WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, and such unforgettable movies as THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, NEVADA SMITH, THE REVIERS, JUNIOR BONNER and TOM HORN, will be honored this Sunday, Nov.7th, with the dedication of a square at the intersection of Highland and Santa Monica, the end of Route 66 in Hollywood. The event will begin at eleven a.m. on Hollywood Boulevard with a Steve McQueen Motor Parade, stop by Steve's star on the Walk Of Fame at Hollywood and Highland, and the dedication of the square will take place at around noon. For more information, go to the Jules Verne Adventures website HERE.


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.

AROUND LOS ANGELES

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. Currently they have THE ART OF NATIVE AMERICAN BASKETRY: A LIVING TRADITION, through November 7th. I've seen the show three times, and am continually astonished at the beauty and variety of the work of the various tribes. 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.

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 about it for now. Jeff Hildebrandt left me a message reminding me that the ENCORE WESTERN CHANNEL has been, and continues to regularly show Roy Rogers Westerns. I wish I still got Encore Western, but I can't without buying a whole package of stations I don't want. The particularly nice thing about RFD-TV running the shows is they're a basic cable channel, so maybe it will expose westerns to folks who aren't even looking for them -- especially kids. If you notice things running on Encore Western, or any other channel, that would be of interest to our readers, please let me know!

Adios!

Henry

All Contents Copyright November 2010 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved