INTERVIEW WITH PRODUCER BARRY BARNHOLTZ

Today there are quite a few working producers who have made a Western, a very few who have made two, but none have shown the commitment to the genre that Barry Barnholtz has in the past few years.  After producing TRIGGER FAST and GUNS OF HONOR back-to-back in 1994, he came back to the form with a vengeance: since 2009 he’s produced ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE, A COLD DAY IN HELL, AMERICAN BANDITS: FRANK AND JESSE JAMES, COLE YOUNGER & THE BLACK TRAIN, and just this year two more back-to-back releases, WYATT EARP’S REVENGE, and BAD BLOOD: HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS.  We talked about his start in the entertainment business, his personal feelings about Westerns, and his five-year-plan for the future.  

Barry Barnholtz at BAD BLOOD: HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS preview

H: Let me tell you first off, how much I enjoyed BAD BLOOD: HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS.  It was really solid storytelling and entertainment.  I also watched the Kevin Costner mini-series, and they did a very nice job, but I’ve got to say, I liked yours better.  I think your decision to compress the historical events into a shorter time period, rather than drawing it out, was crucial.

BARRY:  Thank you so much. I haven’t seen the other one, but I’ve been told that it had very limited action.  You know, LIONSGATE released ours, it was very well received, and I think everyone on the crew gave it 1,500%, not 100%.  I thought that the talent went over and beyond, and gave it their very very very best.  The writer-director, Fred Olen Ray, this was close to his heart, this was a passion.  He’s from that part of our nation.  He had a personal involvement in it, and really wanted to provide more than 1500%, and I think that he certainly delivered that.

H: I think his personal involvement comes through in that, and in AMERICAN BANDITS.

B: Right; exactly.  He delivered on HATFIELDS.  And the locations were outstanding; we couldn’t have shot this on the west coast.  This had to be shot showing Kentucky locations, where it happened, you know?  To be as real to the story as possible.  It was very cold when we were shooting there.  And they put up with the cold, with the rain.   This not the most pleasant thing to shoot, so you can see how over and beyond everyone went.  The director’s like the captain of the ship.  And when it’s rainy and cold outside, and the director’s willing to stand outside, in the rain, and be a part of that scenario, the talent will follow.  And Fred really proved himself to be the great director that he is.  A lot of research was done on the story.  Fred put a lot of detail into it.  The opening scene, the (Civil War) battle scenes with almost a hundred extras, really added to the production value.  And the film really delivers.

H: Let me back up a bit.  I hear a trace of a not-California accent.  Where were you born?

B: I was actually born in the Midwest, but I spent a lot of time in Europe.  Had an apartment in Cannes, France.  Spent some time in England.  I travelled a lot.

H: When did you decide you wanted to make movies?

B: I came out of the music industry.  Been there ever since I was in high school.  I knew I wanted to be involved in the entertainment industry.  I began actually, booking fraternity parties.  And then moving up to promoting occasional dance concerts, to then promoting larger concerts, like the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, Old Spanish Days up there, Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino and larger venues.  Then I went on to producing records.  I guess I was semi- responsible for three platinum and fifteen or sixteen gold records.  What I did, when disco was hot, was I located all of these African-American tracks down at Muscle Shoals (note: the legendary Alabama recording studio).  Put Japanese lyrics to them, French lyrics, Italian lyrics, distributed worldwide.  I had a nightclub on Sunset Boulevard that became world-renowned, called Rodney Bingenheimer’s English Disco.  And it was responsible for breaking MOTT THE HOOPLE and SLADE.  We were responsible for that whole glitter sensation.  David Bowie was the chairman of the board.  We made the centerfold of PEOPLE.  We were in NEWSWEEK twice in a month; about 320 different publications.  Then I went on to booking films on TV; SPOTLIGHT, HBO, SHOWTIME.  TV in greater Washington, and handling independent films.  Then I started a (video) company called VIDMARK in ‘83.  And turned it into TRIMARK in 1985, so I was co-cofounder of TRIMARK.  We took it public, and it was a real success story.  And I was there for 14 ½ years.  The company was sold to LIONSGATE, and currently I’ve had almost a sixteen year relationship with LIONSGATE, in releasing films.  They have over 200 films that I’ve been involved with.  I teamed up with a fellow named Jeff Schenck almost four years ago, and with him started a company called HYBRID.  Jeff and I have made almost twenty films in that short period of time.  Mostly things for television; LIFETIME, SYFY, HALLMARK, ABC FAMILY.

MOTT THE HOOPLE

H: As you know, my focus with the Round-up is Westerns.  Were you a western fan as a kid?

B: I think everyone is a western fan as a kid.  With the lack of Westerns in the market place, if you ask any director, or any talent, if they’d like to be involved with a western, they all jump in immediately, and are very excited about the project.  If the script is very good, it really isn’t a problem attracting talent, because it’s something they grew up with as well. 

H: I was just watching what I think is one of your first westerns, TRIGGER FAST, this afternoon.  You made that and GUNS OF HONOR in ’94.  Were they your first westerns?

B: I believe so.  They were shot in South Africa. 

H: They’re both based on ‘The Floating Outfit’ stories by English western writer J.T. Edson, and I notice they both have the same very strong cast; Martin Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Christopher Atkins.  Are they different ‘cuts’ of the same story?

B: Each one is a stand-alone.  (One is a continuation of the other) but each can stand alone. 

H: How did they come about?

B: I was at TRIMARK when I was approached by someone that I thought was very capable of producing films, in London.  And their vision was to go to South Africa, and to make these films. 

H: TRIGGER FAST is a beautiful looking picture; South Africa works very well as the west.

B: It’s amazing, because of all the horses – it was less expensive to buy the horses and then resell them than to lease the horses. 

H: For the next several years you produced a wide range of movies: thrillers, horror films, Christmas pictures, family pictures.  But it wasn’t until 2009 that you made another Western.

B: I’m always looking at opportunities; and the opportunity didn’t come about until then.  Sure, a lot of scripts are introduced to me; I read a lot of scripts every week.  But I just didn’t feel that any were well-enough written, or they could not be negotiated, or I didn’t think the idea was strong enough to turn into a film. 

H: Well, in 2009 you returned to the western with ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE, which I understand is one of the last films of David Carradine. 

B: It was his last western anyway. 

H: Was that a project someone brought to you?

B: Yes; the project was brought to us, but we were instrumental in casting.  And I thought that David Carradine was a good choice. 

H: I’ve never seen when David Carradine was not a good choice.  I notice your company’s logo features a horse’s face. 

B: Yuh; I’ve had horses in my life now for twenty-five years.  That’s actually my first horse that I had.  I’ve retired him; he lives up in Ojai.  He was a cutting horse; grandson of Peppy San, a very famous cutting horse. (Note: Peppy San is the first National Cutting Horse Association World Champion to sire an NCHA World Champion.)   Sure made me a better rider, to get such a unique, spirited horse as my first horse.  I’ve always ridden in the past, even as a teenager.  Always had a passion to ride horses, and now I have four, right in my backyard.

H: In 2010 you and Jeffrey Schenck produced AMERICAN BANDITS: FRANK AND JESSE JAMES.  Since then, among the thrillers and Christmas movies and comedies, you’ve produced two more westerns back to-back: WYATT EARP’S REVENGE and BAD BLOOD: HATFIELDS & MCCOYS.  And that’s not even counting your other two westerns of the same period, COLD DAY IN HELL and COLE YOUNGER AND THE BLACK TRAIN.  Why have you decided that this is the right time for westerns?

B: Well, I think that there is a real lack of westerns in the marketplace.  In my library of films, I have HIGH NOON; I have STAGECOACH, THE LAST DAYS OF FRANK AND JESSE JAMES with Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash.  I had an opportunity to meet the ‘Highwaymen’ when they were around.  I also have ANOTHER PAIR OF ACES with Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.  And a movie with Travis Tritt, THE LONG KILL, that we shot in Spain.  I’ve released nearly 900 films.

H: Most of your westerns of the past few years are based on historical figures: the James Brothers, Wyatt Earp, Hatfields & McCoys, Cole Younger.  Does this reflect your personal interest in Western history?

B: You know, if you make a film about an icon, people can identify it easier.  If you make a film about Billy the Kid, if you make a film about Wyatt Earp, they’re iconic, and people can relate to them.  So it’s easier to get that into the marketplace, than if you just make a western with a created character.  If you have Wyatt Earp or Billy the Kid in the title, it’s almost like having ‘A Stephen King Film,’ above the title.  It makes it a lot more desirable in the marketplace. 

H: Speaking of the marketplace, what is the worldwide market for westerns like?  What countries want to see them?

B: There’s a little bit in Canada, because of Calgary.  There’s Australia; there’s a little bit in the U.K., couple other territories.  Italy, because of the spaghetti westerns.  In Spain, somewhat.  But it’s really limited outside North America.

H: How about Germany?  I know they used to be huge,

B: It’s limited; it’s hit and miss.  And DVD has certainly changed the marketplace.  Video’s disappearing in the international marketplace.  So you have to have it in some form that people are willing and able to see. VOD and SVOD -- video on demand and subscription video on demand -- and things of that nature; it hasn’t taken off in the States yet.  It’s starting to take hold in the UK and France; slowly it’s expanding.  There’s a lot of piracy in a lot of the territories, international distribution.  Once it’s out there, it’s pretty difficult to stop it, because downloading entities are sprouting up on a daily basis.

H: I don’t think the audience has a very clear understanding of the executive producer’s role in filmmaking.  How would you explain your role?

B: I’m involved with raising or putting up the financing.   I’m involved with hiring the director, the producer, and a big part of the crew.  I make the decisions on the casting, because I have a distribution background, and that really helps in figuring out what names really mean something for all the different ancillaries, whether it be theatrical, video, VOD, television.  And of course I depend upon Jeff, who has a high degree of knowledge in the TV marketplace as well.  What we don’t know we have no shame in asking.  International sales companies, how they feel about certain talent, in order to be able to make intelligent decisions.  We’re not interested in making an art house film.  We’re not interested in making a film that has to go on a film festival circuit to find distribution.  With the contacts that we have, we’re making it with distribution in mind. 

H: How involved are you with script development?

B: Jeff has more of a handle on that than I do.  He has a better idea of what makes a good script than I do.  I’m better with the timing of the script.

H: I had an email from a woman who said she didn’t consider a movie to be a western if it didn’t have a barroom fight.  What things do you think a western must have?

B: It has to have a barroom fight.  People want to see gunshots, and they want pacing.  They don’t want to see too much before there’s a certain amount of action, to be able to keep their level of interest.  I certainly believe in starting out films with a ‘bang,’ whether it’s a western or a thriller; in most genres, except for a comedy or a romantic comedy.   It’s got to have a shootout; multiple shootouts.  They want to hear loud gunshots, they want to hear ricochets; they want to hear the guns sound real, not cap guns.  They want to see that the acting is good.  They want to see that the wardrobe is pretty authentic.  And the locations as well mean a tremendous amount.  They want to see talent that knows how to ride horses.  We had trouble with some of the people riding in a couple of the westerns, even though the actors said they were experienced riders.  We saw them bouncing on the saddle.  So we had to dress them in longer jackets so you didn’t see them bouncing.  You need people who know how to ride; audiences know the difference. 

H: It seems to me, just looking at your westerns, that there is a steady progression from AMERICAN BANDITS to WYATT EARP to THE HATFIELDS.

B: The movies have been increasing in size.  And they’re going to continue to.   And we’re stepping up, and trying to go for bigger and better talent all the time.    That’s our five-year plan.  It’s within our future, yes.

H: I had the pleasure of being on your WYATT EARP set, so I know how efficiently your sets run.  I was fascinated to see director Michael Feiffer finish a shot and, without cutting, literally pick up the camera and change the setup.  I thought, that could only be with digital; you couldn’t do that with film.  How has the move from film to digital affected your movies? 

B: Well, all the broadcasters now want HD.  And listen, it’s so much easier to shoot on HD now, where, if you made a mistake, you can see right away, instead of having to print dailies.  The future is right now, it’s here.  And the cameras are changing all the time.  You buy a new camera now, and in two years it’s outdated, because the progression of new cameras are coming out more than just yearly.

H: I know that Michael Feiffer has directed more than twenty projects for you.  What keeps you coming back to him? 

B: I started out with Michael doing the serial killer films.  And he has a long history of producing and directing.  He’s someone that I have faith with.  But we are diversifying, and at this point constantly seeking new directors to work with.  And new producers as well. 

H: Do you have a group of people in front of and behind the camera, a kind of stock company that you like to use again and again? 

B: We use some of the same crew on different projects – obviously it depends upon availability.  But having the luxury of shooting many of our films in and around Southern California, there’s a huge pool to be able to pull from.

H: Are you looking to get into theatrical releases, as opposed to home video?

B: We’ve been releasing things theatrically at BARNHOLTZ ENTERTAINMENT now for a long time.  Jeff and I, through HYBRID, we’re very secure in making TV-type of movies.   But our direction, within our five year plan, and with the type of elements that we’re bringing in, will certainly command theatrical opening and theatrical success, for the amount of money that we’re spending on them.  And the talent that we’re working with.

H: Where are you within your five year plan?

B: We just made a decision within the last year to make this five year plan.  And that’s why you see the natural progression of making bigger and bigger films. 

H: Have you chosen what your next Western project is?

B: No.  Not as yet. 

H: Have you considered doing sequels or follow-ups to any of the westerns you’ve done before?

B: I haven’t really thought about it.  We’re in negotiations on one; I can’t divulge the title yet. 

H: What are your favorite western movies?

B: I love STAGECOACH; I love HIGH NOON.  I like the movies I’ve been involved with in the past.  It was such a pleasure to be able to work with the elements on FRANK AND JESSE JAMES, and very exciting to be able to work with talented actors.  I’m noticing that there are a lot of country and western singers who would love to be given the opportunity to be in westerns as well. 

WYATT EARP’S REVENGE – a film review

WYATT EARP’S REVENGE, the new Western directed by Michael Feifer from Darren Benjamin Shepherd’s script, rewinds history to the very beginning of the Wyatt Earp legend and in addition to entertaining, to a surprising degree, it gives an accurate history lesson.  In 1878, a rich, spoiled, sociopathic thug named Spike Kenedy (Daniel Booko), angry at the Dodge City mayor, Dog Kelly, fires several shots through Kelly’s door, then rides away, thinking he’s killed the mayor.  In fact, Kelly is not home, and has let a couple of actresses sleep in his house.  One of them, Dora Hand (AMERICAN IDOL finalist Diana DeGarmo), takes a bullet meant for Dog Kelly, and dies.   

To see the cast of famous lawman characters that populate the tale, you might think screenwriter Shepherd was fantasizing – everyone but Wild Bill Hickock and Hopalong Cassidy are in the posse --  but that’s the honest truth.  When Wyatt Earp (Shawn Roberts) takes off after Spike, he’s accompanied by Bat Masterson (Matt Dallas), Charlie Bassett (Scott Whyte), and they’re soon joined by expert tracker Bill Tilghman (Levi Fiehler).  Granted, they do toss in Doc Holliday (HART OF DIXIE star Wilson Bethel), but it’s an amusing cameo that doesn’t really re-write history, and brings some much-appreciated levity to a very grim story.

Earp and his men are in a race against time to catch Spike and his brother Sam Kenedy (Steven Grayhm) before they can reach the property of their influential politico-father Mifflin Kenedy (singer Trace Adkins), at which point Spike will be all but untouchable.

Shawn Roberts as Wyatt Earp - 1878

There is a second, parallel story as well, where Wyatt Earp, in a San Francisco hotel in 1907, is being interviewed by a reporter about the events of 1878.  Here, Earp is Val Kilmer, old and dignified, and his thoughtful, introspective narration, heard at intervals throughout the story, adds a welcome gravitas to the proceedings.  Kilmer’s performance as a man haunted by his life-choices is quietly powerful. His dignity is all the more effective when faced with the arrogant questions of the callow reporter (David O’Donnell). 

Val Kilmer as Wyatt Earp - 1907

Shawn Roberts as Earp gives a sincere but understated performance, understated by necessity since Kilmer is frequently voicing his thoughts, and one can easily see the younger man growing into the older one.  Dora Hand is dead before we meet her, but in a series of flashbacks we learn that she was Earp’s woman, and on the way to being his wife, and while this is all invention, it gives important impetus to Earp’s hunt for Spike. 

Trace Adkins looks like he stepped right out of a Matthew Brady photograph, and although his role is brief, his fatherly quiet fury is moving and effective, complimented by Caia Coley as his wife, the too-indulgent mother of Spike and Sam. 

Trace Adkins as Mifflin Kenedy

While the members of Wyatt's posse are all familiar characters, the script doesn't give the actors  much chance to make an impression in their individual roles. Matt Dallas as Bat Masterson comes off the best, introduced with an elaborate fist-fight at the beginning of the story, before the chase is on, and later is effective as Wyatt’s best friend. 

Matt Dallas as Bat Masterson

Interestingly, the best role, and most memorable performance is by Daniel Booko as the villain of the piece, Spike Kenedy, whose treatment of people he meets along the way is the stuff of nightmares.  Spike may have a screw loose, or he may simply be a sadist, but Booko plays him with an smooth charm that chills, because you can easily see yourself making the mistake of trusting him. 

Daniel Booko as Spike Kenedy

There’s plenty of action, between the posse’s pursuit of Spike and company, the trigger-happy lowlifes Spike travels with, and Spike’s almost arbitrary homicidal tendencies.  An extended shootout between the posse and Spike’s gang, in a field with no cover except tall grass, is particularly exciting.

Michael Feifer’s direction is effective without distracting artifice.  Working with cinematographer Roberto Schein, the lighting and shot composition is always effective and frequently striking, as in the ‘forensic’ sequence at the crime scene.  Subtle use of a crane gives some scenes a considerable power-boost.  Christian Ramirez’s art direction gives a consistent sense of time and place, and Nikki Pelley’s costumes are correct, yet unusually varied, giving each character their own style.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO ENTER INSP’S SADDLE-UP SATURDAY SWEEPSTAKES! 

SADDLE-UP SATURDAY, featuring episodes of BONANZA, THE BIG VALLEY, DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN, and sometimes movies, now starts at 1 p.m. ET, 10 a.m. PT, and runs all day and all night! You can learn more about the line-up HERE. To celebrate the expansion, INSP is sponsoring a sweepstakes that will win some lucky viewer an all-expenses-paid four-day Dude Ranch getaway for two worth $5000! The second prize is a Weber Barbecue, Omaha Steaks and groceries worth more than $1300! Third prize – these are worth $300, and there are a dozen of them – are BIG VALLEY and BONANZA DVDs, plus a new pair of Levis and a Fisher Gold Mining Kit! To find out more, click under the banner below, and good luck! This contest started last Monday, and it’s only running for five more days, so quit putting it off – enter now! 

CLICK HERE

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RIDE LONESOME: THE FILMS OF BUDD BOETTICHER – THE CURATOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Paul Malcolm, who has been a programmer at the UCLA Archive since 2007, has a wide range of film interests, and describes himself as a ‘generalist.’  But as he proved with last year’s TRACKING THE CAT: ROBERT MITCHUM IN THE WEST, he has a taste for cinema-sagebrush.  “I think Robert Mitchum’s western films had been overlooked, overwhelmed by his noir and urban personality.  And I love his westerns because there’s so much of that noir element in them.  The Mitchum series did really well for us; the audience was really responsive.  I’m a huge fan of westerns, and I just wanted to do another western series.

“I met Budd Boetticher back in 2000 or 2001, when I was getting my masters degree at UCLA, and Professor Janet Bergstrom arranged a meeting with Budd and Mary at his home down in San Diego, for herself and three teaching assistants.  She was teaching a noir class, and she had screened THE KILLER IS LOOSE in the class.  I just found him to be the most gracious and engaging and amazing guy.  And he was just an incredible host to give us an afternoon.  He showed us his horses, and the ring where he did the bullfighting recreations.  I’d just always loved his films, so when I got the job here in 2007, it was always in the back of my mind, doing a Budd Boetticher series.  Because his films, both the crime films like THE KILLER IS LOOSE and THE RISE AND FALL OF LEGS DIAMOND, and the Ranown Westerns, I haven’t seen play around in Los Angeles, and I think they deserve to be shown.  THE TALL T, RIDE LONESOME, I think all of these films should be part of the regular classic circulating titles out there, in the way that the Howard Hawks, the John Ford films get circulated.  He’s had these peaks of attention, but he’s never really quite gotten into the regular pantheon, and I think he deserves to be there.  His films are pretty amazing.”   

The schedule, all double features, are as follows: July 21^st  Ride Lonesome (1959);
Comanche Station (1960), July 22^nd Bullfighter and the Lady (1951);
My Kingdom for... (1985), July 29^th Seminole (1953);
The Man from the Alamo (1953), August 6^th The Killer is Loose (1956);
The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond (1960), and August 12^th Escape in the Fog (1945);
Behind Locked Doors (1948).  Learn more, and order tickets, here: http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/events/2012-07-13/ride-lonesome-films-budd-boetticher

On hand for the July 22^nd screening of BULLFIGHTER AND THE LADY will be Mary Boetticher, and Robert Gitt, UCLA Preservation Officer, who did the restoration on BULLFIGHTER.

Just a side note; on Friday evening, as SEVEN MEN FROM NOW began, with applause for various credits, a man in his late teens, and his father, sitting beside me, applauded vigorously for composer Henry Vars.  After the movie, I learned that they were the grandson and great-grandson of the prolific and talented composer, far better known in his homeland of Poland, and most famous here for his music for FLIPPER.  SEVEN MEN was produced by Andrew V. McLaglen, and they told me that McLaglen used Vars frequently.  In fact, Vars composed the scores for five films that McLaglen directed: FRECKLES, THE LITTLE SHERHERD OF KINGDON COME, MAN IN THE VAULT, GUN THE MAN DOWN, and Vars’ final score, FOOL’S PARADE.  (You never know who you’ll meet at a screening in L.A.)

ANYONE KNOW THE HUDKINS BROTHERS?

This week I received a message from Kristine Sader: “I am writing a book about my uncles, the Hudkins, and also my cousin Rich Brehm, who were stuntmen, and wranglers in many westerns.  If you know anyone who knew them, I would like to talk with them.  Thanks so much.”

John ‘Bear’ Hudkins, Ace Hudkins, Clyde Hudkins, and Dick Hudkins (I think they were all brothers) were legendary stuntmen, who owned a stable and Hudkins Brothers Movie Ranch in Burbank, across the road from Warner Brothers Studios – the movie ranch is now Forest Lawn Cemetery.  They’re said to have owned both Trigger and Hi-Yo Silver when they were rental horses. 

Thanks to Boyd Mager for this image

As Neil Summers writes, “When you watch classic action filled westerns and see a ferocious wagon wreck, or turnover as they are called in the business, chances are real good you’re seeing the expertise of Bear Hudkins, one of the best wagon men ever to perform in films.”

If you have knowledge of the Hudkins, or Rich Brehm, e-mail her at SADERWWJD@AOL.COM.  And please let the Round-up know, as well.

Well, that's it for tonight.  Have a great week!

Happy trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright July 2012 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved

‘WYATT EARP’S REVENGE’ OPENS MARCH 6TH

Due to a title change, you may not have seen this one coming, but on Tuesday, March 6^th, SONY HOME VIDEO will release WYATT EARP’S REVENGE, previously called THE FIRST RIDE OF WYATT EARP.  (I was actually surprised that the original title had the ‘money-name’ as words number five and six; no wonder they switched it!) 

I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of days on the set last March, first at the Caravan West Ranch in Agua Dulce, then at Paramount Ranch in Agoura – you can read my in-depth two part report HERE and HERE.  

The film, scripted by Darren B. Shepherd from a story by Jeffrey Schenk and Peter Sullivan, is directed by Michael Feifer.   Based on a real incident – the murder of Dora Hand – the tale pulls together a great many young lawmen who would become legends.  Val Kilmer plays Wyatt Earp as an older man, and Shawn Roberts plays him in his youth.  Matt Dallas is Bat Masterson, Wilson Bethel plays Doc Holiday, Scott Whyte is Charlie Bassett, and Levi Fiehler is Bill Tilghman.  Daniel Booko and Steven Grayhm play the no-damned-good Kenedy brothers, and singer Trace Adkins plays their politically connected father.  AMERICAN IDOL favorite Diana DeGarmo plays the beloved soiled dove at the center of the story, Dora Hand. 

Shawn Roberts as Wyatt Earp

Producers Jeffrey Schenck and Barry Barnholtz clearly have a commitment to the genre: they produced last year’s AMERICAN BANDITS: FRANK AND JESSE JAMES, and just finished shooting BAD BLOOD – THE HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS.   Here is the trailer!

FOX TRIES FOR ‘HONEST ABE’ MONOPOLY!

Talk about covering your bets!  According to Deadline: Hollywood, 20th Century Fox has partnered to release both the Steven Speilberg-directed ABRAHAM LINCOLN, and the Tim Burton-produced ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER.  Apparently something of an obsession with the studio, they also made the 1939, John Ford directed, Henry Fonda starrer YOUNG MR. LINCOLN.  Lamar Trotti was nominated for an Oscar for his original screenplay.  The two new movies are both based on best-sellers, the Speilberg take on TEAM OF RIVALS by Doris Kerns, and the Burton version on the vampire-titled tome by Seth Grahame Smith. 

A Fox spokesman says they do not currently intend to release both pictures on the same day.  They were mum on rumors that they were also trying to acquire Asylum Film’s ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS. ZOMBIES.  Stay tuned. BOOK REVIEW SARAH GOLDEN HAIR – Original screenplay by Michael B. Druxman I promise to review the book shortly, but a bit of a preamble is necessary first. Before you can evaluate a published screenplay, you must decide why you are reading it in the first place.  Reading a screenplay is not the same as reading a novel.  A novel is a finished work, while a screenplay is a blueprint.  To appreciate a screenplay you cannot speed-read.  You need to pay attention to the description, not only ‘hear’ it but visualize it, to decide if it will work on the screen.  Do the words of the characters sound real to you?  Are they individual voices, or does everyone talk the same?  If you are reading to recall your feelings when you saw a movie, you probably want a screenplay that conforms to the finished film.  But if you want to know what went into making that movie, you want the same blueprint that was handed to the director and the actors and the crew.  This is especially true if you are a writer – you want to see how the words were turned into a finished film.  If you want to become a screenwriter, taking classes is a good idea – assuming they’re not based on Syd Fields’ teachings – but the most important thing you can do is to read as many scripts as you can.  You can learn from both good and bad examples; what works and what doesn’t.  I wrote my first screenplay when I was thirteen, and I actually learned the format from STAR TREK.  Gene Roddenberry used to sell copies of their scripts, and my first was Harlan Ellison’s CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER episode.  It was a great script, and because it was a first draft, I could see the differences between the original ideas and the finished product.  Some changes were good: he opened with a whole subplot of interstellar junkies that there was no time for, and that got dropped.  Some changes were bad: Spock and Kirk, in 1930s New York City, steal clothes off a line so they can blend in, and Ellison makes the point that the clothes should fit badly, since they’re stolen randomly.  Of course, in the show, the clothes are tailored, and it looks ridiculous.   I even took the pages of the script and fed them into my manual typewriter, to set all the tab-stops for DISSOLVE and CUT TO.  Michael B. Druxman is a very talented writer.  His CHEYENNE WARRIOR is the best micro-budget Western I’ve ever seen.  It’s also one of the very best Westerns of the last twenty years, regardless of budget.   What Michael has done with SARAH GOLDEN HAIR is quite audacious: he’s published a screenplay for a movie that has not been made, and is not currently slated to be.  He’d written CHEYENNE WARRIOR for Roger Corman, and it was successful enough that a sequel was considered.  But it didn’t happen, and Michael wrote the screenplay SARAH GOLDEN HAIR, not a sequel exactly, but a story in much the same world, with similar characters.   He wasn’t able to get it made.  A year later, Roger Corman hired him to write a sequel to CHEYENNE WARRIOR, but it’s currently sitting on a shelf. As Michael explains in his introduction, any screenwriter who’s been at it for a while has some scripts that never got made, and often they’re what we consider our best work.  After all, no producer has had you rewrite a part so his girlfriend could play it.  No director has decided to let his actors improvise the dialogue.  Michael considers SARAH GOLDEN HAIR among his best work.  If someone would like to option, he’d be delighted.  If not, he’d like people to have the opportunity to read it. His subject matter is the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864, and a group of people caught up in that ghastly event, when a Colorado Militia attacked a village of friendly Cheyenne and Arapaho.  There’s a great deal of tragedy, but there is also love, hope, and adventure.  His characters are mostly Indians and Cavalrymen, with a few civilians, and none are mere symbols – all are flesh-and-blood people with needs and passions.  It’s a beautifully written screenplay, a worthy successor to CHEYENNE WARRIOR, and though it is not a sequel, if you have seen CHEYENNE WARRIOR, you can easily picture Pato Hoffman and Kelly Preston in the leads as Brave Wolf and Sarah.  It’s a bigger story, planned for a bigger budget, and it should be made.  And in the meantime, it should be read.  It’s available on Kindle, and in paperback from Amazon.com.  You can read my review of CHEYENNE WARRIOR, and my interview with Michael Druxman HERE: http://henryswesternroundup.blogspot.com/2011/06/round-up-joins-tcm-for-salute-to.html  FREE GENE DOUBLE-BILL AT THE AUTRY SATURDAY At noon on Saturday, February 4th, the Autry will present HOME IN WYOMIN' (Republic 1942), a murder mystery at a rodeo, with Smiley Burnette, and TWILIGHT ON THE RIO GRANDE (Republic 1947) is anothe rmurder mystery, set in Mexico, and featuring short-time sidekick Sterling Holloway. 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. Currently they run LAWMAN, WAGON TRAIN, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, LAREDO, RAWHIDE, GUNSMOKEandMARSHALL DILLON, which is the syndication title for the original half-hour GUNSMOKE.Incidentally, I see on Facebook that a lot of watchers are mad as Hell at losing CHEYENNE and THE VIRGINIAN. RFD-TV is currently showing THE ROY ROGERS SHOW, first at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Pacific Time, then repeated several times a week.They show a Roy feature every Tuesday as well, with repeats -- check your local listings. INSP-TVshows THE BIG VALLEY Monday through Saturday, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE seven days a week, DR. QUINN: MEDICINE WOMAN on weekdays, and BONANZA on Saturdays. WHT runs DANIEL BOONE on weekdays from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., Pacific Time, and on Saturdays they run two episodes of BAT MASTERSON. They often show western films on the weekend, but the schedule is sporadic. TVLANDhas dropped GUNSMOKE after all these years, but still shows four episodes ofBONANZA every weekday. GEB 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 TVis currently running RIN TIN TIN, CIRCUS BOY, HERE COME THE BRIDES, andIRON 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,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. And for those of you on the other side of the pond, our British correspondentNilton Hargrave tells me CBS ACTION has begun showing GUNSMOKE. 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.

TCM FANATIC - WESTERN NOW ONLINE!

That's right, the segment I was interviewed for is now viewable here:

That's about it for now, pardners!  On Friday I had the pleasure of interviewing Robert Wolders, Erik Hunter of LAREDO, and that will b in the Round-up very soon!

Happr Trails,

Henry

All original contents Copyright January 2012 by Henry C. Parke - All Rights Reserved

WYATT EARP BACK AT THE (PARAMOUNT) RANCH

Paramount Ranch in Agoura has a long and illustrious history, which began in 1927, when the studio purchased 2,700 acres of the old Rancho Las Virgenes. For the next quarter of a century, Paramount used the wonderful rural setting for everything from China (for ADVETURES OF MARCO POLO) to New England (for MAID OF SALEM), but naturally it was used mostly for westerns. Many films starring Bill Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy), Buster Crabbe, Ken Maynard, Joel McCrea, Randolph Scott, Clark Gable, Buck Jones and Gary Cooper were shot there. It was a prime location for comedies as well – many of the finest works of W.C. Fields, Bob Hope and Preston Sturges were lensed there.

In 1953, Paramount, no longer needing the facility, sold the southeast portion to William Hertz, who decided to rebuild the crumbling location. At the same time Howard Hughes, who owned RKO, decided to sell off his western town, built for CIMARRON, at the intersection of Burbank and Louise in Encino. Paramount Ranch historian Marc Wannamaker explains, “Hughes dismantled it, and Hertz purchased pieces of the RKO Ranch and brought them to the Paramount Ranch. The current western town at the Paramount Ranch was the RKO western town.”

This may be the first movie about Earp to be shot at the ranch. Some sources say GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORALL was shot there, but it’s not on the official lists. Shooting days number six through nine for THE FIRST RIDE OF WYATT EARP took place in March at the Paramount Ranch. I was there the first day. It was a delightful surprise for me – the only time I’d been there before was more than twenty years ago, and there had been almost nothing left to hint that Paramount Ranch had once been an exceedingly busy Western film location. I remember a single cabin, a bridge, and crumbling foundations.

But in 1993, Paramount Ranch became the home of DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN (which I tried to like, but found to be a sappy re-tooling of the far superior PARADISE), and with the work of historian Marc Wannamaker, the Hertz/RKO version of the Western town was rebuilt, and stands today (okay, for that I’ll say I like DR. QUINN).

(Photo captions:Paramount Ranch western street; series of shots, porch-sitter spots Matt Dallas as Bat Masterson,Levi Fiehler as Bill Tilghman, Scott Whyte as Carlie Bassett, Daniel Booko as Spike Kenedy, Shawn Roberts as Wyatt Earp, riding into town; Ned Buntline presents Earp w/Buntline Special - director Mike Feifer w/ball cap; costumer Nikki Pelley distributes hats; Daniel Booko; Dave Bourne;David Booth; four Buckaroos take a break - Wes Coffee, ?, Karin McKechnie and German Peter; Biff Wiff; Eric Tolzmann; Make-up Katherina Ramirez and costumer Pelley make sure Charlie is bloodied and bandaged; Samantha Perry; Bat waits for next set-up; Katherina handcuffs Spike; Second unit, horses in tall grass; Martin Santander waiting for his cue; Martin smiling; Dir. Feifer tells Sheriff Fowler he's going down; Fowler awaits death; Shawn Roberts as Wyatt)

When I arrived Mike Feifer was directing the return of Wyatt Earp and his fellow lawmen, with their quarry, being greeted by the Mayor, and legendary writer and character Ned Buntline. It was a complicated scene, involving many characters riding in, others walking and running from all directions, and converging in the center of the street, and it was covered from several angles. Typically, the parts were shot out of sequence. First, the people stood in a knot in the street and talked. Next, Earp and the others got off their horses and the crowd of people grew about them. Next, a man sitting on a porch saw them coming into town and alerted the Mayor. Finally the men rode into town. A lot of characters were somewhat the worse for wear, especially Steven Grayhm as Sam Kenedy, and Daniel Booko as his brother, Spike Kenedy. Between takes, I asked Daniel why he wasn’t looking his best. “Well, Spike Kenedy was an outlaw in 1878; a cold-blooded killer. I get hunted down by Wyatt Earp and his posse, we do a big fight scene, and I end up getting stabbed in the eye with a horn, I get shot in the arm, I get shot in the torso, and then they bring me into town, to the sheriff, to get arrested.”

Daniel has been busy, appearing in episodes of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, MEDIUM, NUMBERS, and iCARLY. “And I just shot a feature with Tim Allen and Ray Liotta and Sigourney Weaver, called CRAZY ON THE OUTSIDE, and now I’m shooting THE FIRST RIDE OF WYATT EARP. This is my first Western, and so blessed, so grateful – not a lot of actors can say they’ve done a western, so we’re having a blast doing it.” Is it a genre he’s always enjoyed? “Absolutely, TOMBSTONE is one of my favorite movies of all time, but I love the old ones too, and UNFORGIVEN, so it’s been a great opportunity. (At that moment, director Mike Feifer and actor Steven Grayhm walk by, Grayhm calling out, “You’re a daisy if you do!” -- the endlessly reinterpreted comment by Doc Holliday during the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Daniel points out Grayhm.) That’s my brother Sam, who in this film is the only thing I care about, the love of kin.

I asked him if he felt differently about playing a real person rather than a fictional character. “Absolutely, there’s so much more research that goes into it. It was tough to find a lot of stuff on Spike Kenedy; he was not a very celebrated person in history. But I’m the kind of actor that loves preparation, loves the kind of work that goes into it. I just hope I do a service, playing a real character.” Anything else that we should know about him? “I’m originally from Michigan; I’ve lived out here for six years now: came out to act, and loving every minute of it.”

Peter Sherayko, who plays Sheriff Fowler, is also stunt coordinator and western consultant; his company, Caravan West, supplies gun and costumes and props, and The Buckaroos, the ‘atmosphere’ people who are crucial to a period film. They’re the ‘old west’ equivalent of Civil War reenacters, and usually it’s a sideline. Pianist Dave Bourne, who I spotted, incongruously, on a cell phone, is a good example. Starting playing saloon piano at Knott’s Berry Farm in 1958 (his website is www.saloonpiano.com ), he spent a lot of time in the smoky gin-mills of DEADWOOD. “For the first ten episodes I was just a bad-man for Powers Booth in the Bell Union Saloon. On the 9th episode he got a piano in the Gem Saloon, and for ten, eleven and twelve I played piano in the Gem, which was a huge thrill and a great part. It was a good cast, a good crew on that show; it was a lot of fun. They used sixty-three (of my) songs over all three seasons. And they’re still showing all over Europe, Romania, Bulgaria, and I get royalty checks from all over the world. Can you imagine what the subtitles look like? All X’s and O’s and exclamation points for all the language on that film! I had a nice scene with Powers Booth in the fourth episode; he calls me over and says, “Go guard number eight – nobody in or out!” Got a nice full face-shot when he was in three quarters, so that was a pretty nice deal.”

David Booth, similarly, plays a townsperson. “My character is one of background that gets around the main characters, and listens in intently.” He’d done a lot of theatre as a child, “Then in 1976 I started working in film, as a special effects apprentice on TWO MINUTES WARNING, doing stunts and special effects. I used to produce for ESPN Sports, channel 13 news in Los Angeles, and Channel 4 in Palm Springs.” And in 2003, he started acting again. I asked him to spell his last name, Booth, for me. “No ‘e’ like Powers, just like John Wilkes.”

Peter Menyhart, known as German Peter, makes a substantial impression as a town official. He was involved in western reenactments in Munich before he came to the United States twenty years ago. “People always wonder why so many Germans are into the old west. Wherever you go – Calico Ghost Town or those places, there’s always Germans. Because when we were boys, there was this writer, Karl May, who wrote about 110 novels about the old west, and this fictitious character name Old Shatterhand who befriends this Indian named Winnetou. And it just instilled in us the love for the old west, just like BONANZA and GUNSMOKE did for every boy my age in America. German Peter has taken his enthusiasm even further: he built his own western movie ranch, White Horse Ranch in Landers, near Palm Springs. To take a look, go HERE.
www.whitehorseranch.com.

An actor with the unlikely name of Biff Wiff plays the famous Ned Buntline, a role that is more indicated than written in the script. “I had a good time, it was fun – I know a little about this guy, but not a whole heckuvah lot. It was fun having a chance to just come in and wing it and go for it. I’ve done a couple of Westerns characters, nothing anyone would recognize. Last thing I was in was THE MENTALIST, right around Christmas time, playing Santa Claus. I’ve done DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and a bunch of them. I can’t remember my resume’, that’s why I write ‘em down. I’m getting old! (laughs)” Is he a fan of westerns? “Oh, definitely. I like all Clint Eastwood stuff. UNFORGIVEN is one of my top ten movies ever. It all starts from THE WILD BUNCH. That set the mold for what it’s all about. Brilliant movie; saw it three times in a row the first time I saw it.”

Actors weren’t the only people on the set who felt a person connection to the genre. Eric Tolzmann, best boy electric (2nd man in the electric department) explains it this way. “It’s been a great time, because no matter how old you get, how professional you get, you can’t escape the boyish fascination you have with the old west, and horses and cowboys and sheriffs and gunfights -- those sorts of things. There’s something inherent about them that’s just enjoyable.”

There was someone else present on the set, not to work behind the camera or in front of it, but to keep an eye on the horses. Samantha Perry works for the American Humane Association. “To make sure no animals are harmed during the making of this production.”
HENRY: How have they been doing so far?
SAMANTHA: Excellent.
HENRY: Have you worked on many westerns in this capacity before?
SAMANTHA: I worked a little bit on TRUE GRIT, just for one scene. There was somebody there every day on-set, but I went as a learning experience for the river-crossing scene, because it’s considered very extreme action to have a horse literally swimming across a river.
HENRY: I heard that Hailee Steinfeld actually did her own riding in that scene.
SAMANTHA: Yes, she did. For the swimming there was a stuntwoman, but she did her own riding. They did close-ups of her coming to the riverbank, but when you actually see a person riding into the river, that was her stuntwoman.
HENRY: When you’re not doing a Western, what kind of shows are you doing?
SAMANTHA: Everything: commercials, TV and film. (We protect) anything, from ants to zebras. We’re there from maggots and cockroaches to horses and elephants. Tigers, you name it, we’re there. Before this job I used to work at the Los Angeles Zoo. I was what’s called a demand keeper, which means I fill in when someone gets sick or takes vacation or jury duty, so every day was generally a different animal.

I strolled down to the end of the western street, passed the trail depot, and found the 2nd unit crew. They were shooting ride-bys, and horse-back conversation scenes. Sitting on his horse, waiting for his cue, was Martin Santander. Like the great Jack Elam, he segued into screen villainy from the mundane world of accounting. “My role is Sanchez, a Mexican killer. Menacing tough-guy, a gunman hired to work for the gang of Spike against Wyatt Earp.” This is not his first western, and he would like to do more. He has another project in mind, and in that, he would not be the villain. “I would play Joaquin Murietta, set it in north Sacramento. I’m working on the script right now; intend to get it financed.”

Lunch was called, and after everyone had eaten, some of the cast and crew moved around the corner from the main street to another section that would play another town in the middle of the picture. Daniel Booko, who had been so bloodied before, was all cleaned up. Martin Santander was checking his gun. I had a feeling that one of them would soon be shooting Peter Sherayko as Sheriff Fowler, because he was trying to find a soft place to fall.

Shawn Roberts, who plays Wyatt Earp, wasn’t in this scene, so I finally got a chance to talk to him.
SHAWN: This is my first western,
HENRY: Are you enjoying it?
SHAWN: Something I’ve wanted to do since I was eight years old, so absolutely.
HENRY: Prior to becoming him, did you have a favorite Wyatt Earp in movies or TV?
SHAWN: Nope, I can’t say that I did. This is my own take on Wyatt Earp.
HENRY: How do you feel playing a famous historical character?
SHAWN: It’s an honor; it’s nice to know that there’s a certain following out there for the character. I’m happy to be doing it.
HENRY: Did you do a lot of research on Earp?
SHAWN: Wikipedia was very helpful; the internet’s got a lot of answers. Did I travel around the countryside? No, I did not. I had all of two days to prepare for this, so here I am.
HENRY: This production was pulled together that fast?
SHAWN: Very quick, very quick and dirty.
HENRY: What have you been in recently?
SHAWN: Most recently, this past year EDGE OF DARKNESS came out, and RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE.
HENRY: The RESIDENT EVIL films are very effects-heavy. This is not. Does that make it a very different process?
SHAWN: Any of the effects on a big-budget studio movie like that happen after the fact, in a dark little studio somewhere, so this is very hands-on: anything we’re doing, we’re doing for real, on the day. It’s a little more personal, I guess, when you do it this way.
HENRY: I understand Val Kilmer will be playing you as an old man.
SHAWN: That was some of the earliest footage that was shot in this movie – Val Kilmer as Wyatt Earp in San Francisco. It’s an honor to be in a film with him.

JEFF BRIDGES SIGNS TO PLAY DEAD GUNSLINGER IN R.I.P.D.

Following in the ever-growing line of comic-book based comic-book supernatural pseudo-westerns that started with the disastrous JONAH HEX and continuing with July’s (hopefully not disastrous) COWBOYS AND ALIENS, next up is R.I.P.D., this one from Dark Horse Comics, written by Peter M. Lenkoy. It’s about the Rest In Peace Department, a ghost police force, and Ryan Reynolds stars as a recently slain cop. Jeff Bridges will play his Old West gunslinger partner, for Universal. Director Robert Schwentke has lately helmed the Bruce Willis actioner RED and Jody Foster suspenser FLIGHT PLAN. Screenwriting team of Phil Hay and Fred Manfredi have scripted CLASH OF THE TITANS and other effects-heavy actioners.




TRYING TO PICK A POSTER FOR ‘STARDUST’

Back in November I covered the production of a Western comedy pilot, shot in Old Tucson Studios, called STARDUST AND THE BANDIT. (To read the article, go HERE) The premise is that a mob accountant is placed by the witness protection program in a western theme park. It looks like a lot of fun. They’re trying to select the best poster – they have three slightly different one’s they’re considering. If you’d like to take a look, and cast your vote, please visit their Facebook page HERE.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stardust-the-Bandit-TV-Pilot/141411059236087

http://henryswesternroundup.blogspot.com/2010/11/old-tucson-gains-much-needed-stardust.html

HERITAGE AUCTIONS OFFERS EARP, CODY, HICKOK, CUSTER ITEMS






On May 21st, in Dallas, Heritage Auctions will put up for bids some fascinating items. A summons served by the lawman and signed ‘W.S. Earp, Const.’ has an estimate of $20,000-30,000. Several items that belonged to George Armstrong Custer, relics from The Little Big Horn, and his horse blanket – once his father’s – are offered. To me, the single most interesting item is an autograph book. A theatergoer who attended a production of the famous play SCOUTS OF THE PLAINS got signatures from the play’s director, various performers, and the two stars, Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody! It contains autographs of various politicians, and dated 1899 by Sidney Toler, who gained fame in the 1940s as Charlie Chan. To learn more, go HERE.
http://historical.ha.com/?ic=Tab-Home-041408

AMERICAN BANDITS UP FOR SIX ‘B-MOVIE’ AWARDS




Fred Olen Ray’s AMERICAN BANDITS: FRANK & JESSE JAMES, has received six nominations for the Indy Film Co-op’s Best in B Movies awards, in conjunction (I think) with the Annual B Movie Celebration in Franklin, Indiana. Fred is nominated for his screenplay, direction, and Hall of Fame. Jeffrey Combes is nominated for Best Leading Man. Theo Angell is nominated for cinematography, and the film is nominated for Best Picture. To read my interview with Fred, go HERE. To read my review of American Bandits, go HERE. And most importantly, to vote, go 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.

Finally, we noted last week that the Western movie lost one of it’s finest voices with the death of Kevin Jarre. To read a beautiful tribute by his friend, Lloyd Fonvielle, go HERE.

That's about it, except for a few more pictures I'll get up later. And next week I'll tell you of my adventures at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival at Melody Ranch!

Adios,

Henry

All Contents Copyright May 2011 by Henry C. Parke - All Rights Reserved