‘HELL’ ROLLS IN FOR ROUND 3 SATURDAY NIGHT!

‘HELL ON WHEELS’ Season 3 – Review

Cullen and Elam meet again

           

‘HELL ON WHEELS’ returns to AMC on Saturday night, August 10^th, with a two-hour, two episode opener, entitled BIG BAD WOLF and EMINENT DOMAIN.  It promises a season three with even more of the adventure, conflict, depth of character, and accurate sense of history, that the series’ legions of loyal camp-followers have come to expect.  It is, to put it mildly, a powerful opening.

Durant connives

For anyone new to the series, it is the story of the building of the Transcontinental Railroad just after the Civil War, much of it seen from the point of view of Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) a trained engineer and former Confederate Officer.  His original enlisting with the project was a subterfuge – his wife and child were murdered by Union soldiers, and his work on the railroad provided both cover and information to track the men down and exact revenge.  But the building of the railroad has become his salvation, a mission in a life which had lost its driving force with the loss of his family.  The title of the series refers to the portable town – with offices, dormitories, saloons and brothels – that travels alongside the ever-advancing track-layers; the town of Hell On Wheels.

Cullen and book-keeper Sean

The curtain rises on Cullen awakening Rip Van Winkle-like to find himself in the snow-bound, burnt-out ruins of Hell On Wheels, which had moved with the construction of the railroad until, at the end of season two, the understandably intransigent Indians had attacked, killing all they could, and burning everything to the ground.  Finding himself in the company of dead men and live wolves, Cullen, in a sequence as audacious and self-confident as his character, sets the story and the locomotive back on its tracks, and as he sets out for the dueling railroads’ headquarters in New York City, en route we catch up with the lives of other characters.

Cullen gives reporter Louise 'the Grand Tour' of Hell on Wheels

Elam Ferguson (Common) is a former slave turned railroad security man, who shares an uneasy alliance with Cullen Bohannon.  Elam and his woman, Eva (Robin McLeavy) are anticipating the birth of their first child.  Railroad magnate Thomas ‘Doc’ Durant (Colm Meany) is, surprisingly, where he belongs: behind bars – Durant, by the way, was a real man, and every bit the snake he is portrayed as.  Sean McGinnes (Ben Esler), the young Irishman who had come to Hell on Wheels as a peep-show operator and then pimp has graduated to be Hell on Wheel’s book-keeper.  Ruth (Kasha Kropinski), the daughter of the disgraced and dead minister is again preaching in his stead.  Lily, who with her late husband had surveyed much of the route for the railroad, and had become important in the lives of Bohannon and Durant and so many others, was murdered by ‘The Swede’ last season.  Perhaps it is in her stead that we now see a new young woman, Louise Ellison (Jennifer Ferrin), a reporter covering the re-started construction of the railroad for Horace Greely’s New York Tribune.

Elam, Eva and baby

And as the story gets underway, she will have many topics to write about, not all of them pretty, particularly the issue of eminent domain, the government’s power to seize private property for the ‘greater good’, paying what is often ironically termed ‘fair market value.’  In this case, the Union Pacific Railroad has been granted the power to seize land for its right-of-way, and Cullen, as the Railroad’s point man, must contend with the settlers whose property it is.  The result is a stunning tragedy, the more so for its utter believability.  

Ruth

Eva

While the show certainly does not seek to offend, neither is it politically correct if that would badly serve the truth behind the story.  You will hear the ‘n-word’ in circumstances where it would have been naturally used at the time.  You’ll hear the prejudices that people held against the Mormons and the Irish without sugar-coating.  Much as I love TV Westerns, they have a weak history when it comes to history – an attitude that any saddle will do, that all cowboys were white and American-born, that all Indian tribes are interchangeable, that any gun but an Uzi is acceptable, and no one ever needs to re-load.  Not on HELL ON WHEELS.  Along with the layered and complex story-telling, there is a clear determination among the dramatists and directors to get it right, and they usually do.  The performances and characterizations continue to be solid.  The tech credits are commendable.  Happily, it’s been long enough since I’ve read Stephen Ambrose’s book about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE WORLD, that I don’t remember what, historically, is coming next.  I can’t wait to find out – it looks like one Helluvah season on HELL ON WHEELS. 

‘KNIGHT OF THE GUN’ IN THE CUTTING ROOM

Director John Graves Warner is still editing his new Western, KNIGHT OF THE GUN, but he’s already assembled a trailer.  Check it out!

‘CENTENNIAL’ COMING TO HOME VIDEO IN OCTOBER

Universal will be releasing ‘CENTENNIAL’ in DVD and BluRay editions this October.  Based on the historical fiction best-seller by James Michener, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, this 12 episode mini-series has rarely been seen since its original 1978-1979 airing.  Set in the fictional town of Centennial, Colorado, it traces the story of generations of characters from the start of the settlement in 1795 into the 20^th century.   

The six disk set will feature 26 hours of content (not sure if that includes special features), and a cast that boasts Raymond Burr, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Conrad, Barbara Carrera, Sally Kellerman, and dozens of others, including Western favorites like Brian Keith, Dennis Weaver, Donald Pleasance, Robert Vaughn, Anthony Zerbe, A Martinez, Michael Ansara, and Pernell Roberts.  I hope to have more details soon.

RANDOLPH SCOTT IN ‘THE NEVADAN’ COMIC STRIP FINISHES

Late in the spring I started running a panel-per-day of a comic-book version of THE NEVADAN, a 1950 Columbia film starring Randolph Scott, Dorothy Malone and Forrest Tucker.  It was featured in 1950s western movie magazine my daughter had given me.  The response was enthusiastic, so in June I ran the ‘story so far’ in the Round-up (if you missed that, go HERE ).  Having just finished running the conclusion on Facebook, I’m running the final panels here.  If I ever run into any of these comic strip Westerns, I’ll share ‘em as well.

THE WRAP-UP

I'm posting this Round-up two days early, on Friday instead of Sunday, to give Rounders a chance to read my HELL ON WHEELS review before it airs on Saturday night -- don't miss it!

Okay, this one is early, so I'll apologize in advance that next week's Round-up will probably be a day or two late.  Have a great week -- and let me know what you think of the HELL ON WHEELS season opener!

Happy trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright August 2013 by Henry C. Parke - All Rights Reserved 

‘SWEETWATER’ REVENGE WESTERN COMING SOON!

Coming soon, ‘SWEETWATER’ is a revenge western starring MAD MEN favorite January Jones as the wronged woman; Jason Isaacs, villain of HARRY POTTER films and THE PATRIOT as a doubtful prophet; and four time Oscar-nominee Ed Harris, whose most recent western is the excellent APPALOOSA, as the sheriff.  Other western vets in the cast include Eduardo Noriega of BLACKTHORN, Chad Brummett of 3:10 TO YUMA, Kathy Lamkin of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, David Manzanares of DJANGO UNCHAINED, Keith Meriweather of JONAH HEX, and Luce Rains of 3:10 TO YUMA, APPALOOSA, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, WILD BILL, and WYATT EARP!  It’s the second film from writer-director Logan Miller, who’s TOUCHING HOME also starred Ed Harris, along with Brad Dourif.     

I hope to have more information soon, but for now, here’s the first trailer –

 

TCM CLASSIC FILM FEST PART 3

Walter Mirisch and Ben Mankiewicz

On Friday, April 26^th, THE GREAT ESCAPE was shown at the opulent and beautiful Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.  Before the screening, the film’s legendary producer, Walter Mirisch, spoke with Ben Mankiewicz about his earlier experience working with director John Sturges and star Steve McQueen, on a film called THE MAGNIFICENT 7.

“(Sturges and I) became friendly, and we decided we wanted to work together.  I always had in mind to find a property that we could do together.  The availability of the SEVEN SAMAURI seemed to present that opportunity to me, because I thought it would be perfect for John.  And I’ll never forget the day that he and I sat together in a projection room and watched THE SEVEN SAMAURI and just spit-balled how it would work as a western.  We were very, very excited.” 

BEN MANKIEWICZ: Did you think then, with Steve McQueen such a big, developing TV star, this early in the process, would be good in that movie? 

WALTER MIRISCH: No, that was never a factor.  Steve was still a television star on the series called WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, prior to THE MAGNIFICENT 7.  And he was well-received in THE MAGNIFICENT 7, but he had not really achieved star status, so-called, as a result of THE MAGNIFICENT 7.  (John Sturges and I) looked around for another project to do together.  So he suggested some things, and I suggested some things.  Then the idea of THE GREAT ESCAPE came up.  The story had been put on the screen before.   The British had done a picture about that very subject. 

BEN MANKIEWICZ: (archly) If the Americans don’t make it, it doesn’t count!

WALTER MIRISCH: (laughs) Actually, no one could understand those accents, so it didn’t make a damned bit of difference.  There was some resistance, but we (he and Sturges) overcame it because he and I both got very excited at the idea of doing this movie.  Unfortunately the book we acquired, which was by a man named Paul Brickhill, who was himself a prisoner, who was a flyer in the British Air Force, is a factual book.  It’s not a novel.  All of the personal stories, we made up for our film. 

BEN MANKIEWICZ:  Who were you looking at for the two principal characters who would eventually be played by James Garner and Steve McQueen? 

WALTER MIRISCH: First of all, we had decided to tailor the script so that there would be two characters who would carry the story.  Just a few years prior to that, John had made a very, very successful movie called GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL (pause for applause), with Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.  We were tailoring these roles in THE GREAT ESCAPE for Kirk and Burt.  We talked about that until we reached the point of asking how much they were going to cost.  We were having trouble getting the budget of the picture approved.

BEN MANKIEWICZ:  I heard something like four million dollars.  Is that about right?

WALTER MIRISCH:  Somewhat more than that.  A great deal at that time, I must tell you.  Anyone who has ever made a movie has heard this famous expression, “You’re going to have to cut the budget if you want to get this made.”  So when we got ‘the speech,’ John and I talked it over.  I suggested that two relatively inexpensive actors, named Steve McQueen and James Garner, might be possible for those two parts.  And we could save about two million dollars just with that one stroke. 

BEN MANKIEWICZ:  Do you realize, when you say that, that you are a genius?  (laughter and applause)  Not for saying ‘no’ to Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.  It’s recognizing that Garner and McQueen could fill them.  It’s impossible now to envision – it would be a very different movie with Lancaster and Douglas. 

WALTER MIRISCH: I got to know Steve very well when we made THE MAGNIFICENT 7.  I was fond of him; I thought he had incredible on-screen personality.  And I liked the idea of going younger.  Prior to that I had made a film called THE CHILDREN’S HOUR, and Jim played the male lead with Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacClaine, so I was more comfortable with Steve and Jim than I would have been with Kirk and Burt. 

BEN MANKIEWICZ:  Let me ask you about Steve McQueen, because as you said he had made a big impression in THE MAGNIFICENT 7, but he was not yet a top star --

WALTER MIRISCH:  He hadn’t jumped that motorcycle over the hill yet!

BEN MANKIEWICZ:  I think one of the reasons all the people in this room cherish Steve McQueen they way we do, is because he had that fierce independence, caused by a significant chip on his shoulder.  A guy who’s filled with the self-doubt that many of us are plagued with.  And all those things made him Steve McQueen.  But they also – and I know you’re somebody who loved him dearly – made him a handful to deal with.

WALTER MIRISCH:  (laughs) Steve has that quality, the French call je nes se quois.  I don’t know why, but he’s got it.  He radiated it, and he radiates it on the screen. 

BEN MANKIEWICZ:  Now, he left the set for some time when he didn’t like the way his part was, he didn’t like James Garner’s turtle-neck.  James Garner had a great line: “He wanted to be the hero, but he didn’t want to do anything heroic.”  He thought his character was corny.  As a producer you got through that; you navigated those waters.  You worked with McQueen again, and he gave one of his best performances in THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR.  How do you deal with a fantastically talented mercurial star, and keep your picture running at the same time? 

WALTER MIRISCH:  Steve always thought there were too many words.  And I came to trust that, because I learned that he especially was able to convey a great deal by his very expression.  So I was open to cutting down the amount of speeches; there was a lot he could convey with his eyes.  John was also well aware of that. And we collaborated on that, and also Steve had a good sense of story.  There’s a very famous incident, of course, where Steve got upset in THE GREAT ESCAPE and went away for a while, but that was overcome by rewriting.  I said we’ll overcome what you’re upset about, and he said, “That sounds fine.  I’ll be back to work tomorrow.” 

BEN MANKIEWICZ: Did those new pages include things like, ‘rides motorcycle,’ ‘carries baseball glove’? 

WALTER MIRISCH:  He conveyed more about independence of spirit, and courage, just by throwing that baseball against that wall, and catching it, than you could do with long speeches. 

BEN MANKIEWICZ: I don’t think this will be giving anything away.  At one point Steve McQueen is chased on motorcycles by some Germans.  One of those Germans chasing Steve McQueen on a motorcycle is Steve McQueen.  Any opportunity to ride a motorcycle –

 WALTER MIRISCH:  (laughs) You know you’re not supposed to give away all the secrets!

Coming soon – the final TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL entry, featuring Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty and director John Boorman discussing DELIVERANCE.

CORRAL GUNFIGHT ‘O.K.’ NO MORE

 

In the twenty-five years since the Autry opened, much has changed, as exhibitions are expanded, shrunken or moved.  But the life-sized ‘Gunfight at the O.K. Corral’ diorama’s only noticeable change over the years has been the replacement of guns, as they were occasionally swiped from the hands of the Earps.  I remember once coming and finding that of all the figures, only one of the Clantons was still packing iron.  (Then again, I once went to a wax museum in Coney Island, and saw Abe Lincoln assassinated by John Wilkes Booth with a Buck Rogers Ray-Gun.) But on June 2^nd, a different kind of packing – packing away – took place.  The Gunfight is being replaced by a new show, Western Frontiers – Stories of Fact and Fiction which, starting on July 25, will tell the story of the West using firearms of great historic and artistic significance.

I’m looking forward to the new show; but I’ll miss the gunfight.  I always thought the narration was a little clunky, but I’ve never gone through that gallery and not pressed the button, to see the show.  And it was a thrill to watch it, then cross to the facing cabinet and see a gun belonging to Doc Holliday, and the sketch of the corral that Wyatt Earp himself had drawn.

Wyatt Earp's sketch of the O.K. Corral

If you’re going to miss it as well, or if you’ve never seen it, click the Youtube link below.  It’s not great – it was shot by an amateur, but it’s only thanks to ‘Ms. Lizzy Borden’ that we have a living record of it at all: http://youtu.be/V1hbHaLyrdk

 

MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL - ‘A GATHERING OF GUNS 5’ JUNE 13^TH-15^th

 

At Sam’s Town Resort in Tunica, Mississippi (30 miles South of Memphis, Tennessee), the guns will be gathering, and Boyd Magers has assembled quite a crew!  From HIGH CHAPARRAL, Henry Darrow, Don Collier and Rudy Ramos.  From WAGON TRAIN, Robert Fuller and Denny Miller.  From THE VIRGINIAN, the man himself, James Drury.  SPIN & MARTY – Tim Considine and David Stollery.  ELFEGA BACA himself, Robert Loggia (who was also the lead villain in the first movie I wrote, SPEEDTRAP).  Lisa Lu – Hey Girl from HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL.  Dan Haggerty and Don Shanks from GRIZZLY ADAMS, ZORRO star Duncan Regehr, plus Alex Cord, Gregg Palmer, Tommy Nolan, and Terry Moore.  James Best will present a one-man show, and Johnny Crawford of THE RIFLEMAN, who fronts a wonderful swing orchestra, will present a full banquet concert.  To learn more, go HERE.  http://memphisfilmfestival.com/

WGA NAMES 3 ½ WESTERNS AMONG 101 BEST-WRITTEN SERIES

Lists like this always provoke arguments – or in our case, barroom brawls – but the membership of the East and West branches of the Writers Guild of America voted on-line to determine the 101 best-written TV series in the history of television.  First recognized in the Western field was, at #32, DEADWOOD created by David Milch.  Not another sagebrush saga until #84, a tie  between the courtroom drama THE DEFENDERS, created by Reginald Rose, and GUNSMOKE, pilot written by Charles Marquis Warren and John Meston.  At #86 was JUSTIFIED, pretty-much a Western, developed for Television by Graham Yost, based on the Short Story “Fire in the Hole” by Elmore Leonard, in a tie with SGT. BILKO, by Nat Hiken.  Finally, coming in at #96 was LONESOME DOVE, teleplay by Bill Wittliff, based on the novel Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry; this was tied with SOAP, created by Susan Harris. 

To be fair, there was a lot of excellent writing covering a wide array of genres, dramatic and comedic, on the list, and only a couple of series that I personally hated.  But how a list could be compiled of the best of all TV writing, and have no mention of RAWHIDE, or WAGON TRAIN, or THE REBEL, or HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL, is beyond me.  Who do you think they left out?  To see the entire list, go HERE.  http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4925

 

‘THE NEVADAN’ COMIC STRIP!

Remember a 1950 Columbia film, THE NEVADAN, starring Randolph Scott, Dorothy Malone and Forrest Tucker? My daughter gave me an old western movie magazine, and in it was a comic-strip version of the movie. I thought my Rounders might find it amusing, so I started running it, one panel a day, on the Round-up Facebook page.  The response has been enthusiastic, and it’s now been running long enough that I thought I’d include it here, from the beginning, for people who might have missed a panel or two.  Hope you enjoy it!

 

 

More of 'THE NEVADAN' coming tomorrow!

THE WRAP-UP

On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending an Autry screening of DOUBLE INDEMNITY, hosted by Los Angeles Police Museum President Glynn Martin, novelist (L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, THE BLACK DAHLIA) James Ellroy, and Autry Curator Jeffrey Richardson.  That night I attended a screening of Selig and Fox Tom Mix films at the Egyptian Theatre, introduced by Col. Selig biographer Andrew Erish.  I'll have highlights from both talks next week.

Can't believe I forgot to wish Clint Eastwood a Happy Birthday back on May 31st.  He has without question done more to encourage, improve and preserve on-screen Western story-telling than anyone else in the last half century!  Happy Birthday!

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright June 2013 by Henry C. Parke - All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

 

TCM FEST PART 2, AND PAT BUTTRAM BIO!

TCM FILM FESTIVAL – ‘THE RIVER OF NO RETURN’

 

The 4^th Annual TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL was held in Hollywood, from Thursday, April 25^th through Sunday, April 28^th, at a variety of venues, including Grauman’s Chinese, the Chinese multiplex, Grauman’s Egyptian, and the Cinerama Dome, now the Arclight Hollywood.  With as many as six screenings happening simultaneously, it was truly an embarrassment of riches, and selecting what movie to see was often a difficult decision. 

On Thursday night, after covering the red carpet for the premiere of the remastered FUNNY GIRL at the Chinese (you can read it HERE ), I hurried to the multiplex and caught Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour in THE ROAD TO UTOPIA.  Every movie had a live introduction, and UTOPIA’S was provided by Greg Proops, a busy on-camera and voice actor best known for the improvisational comedy series WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY?  

I was up bright and early on Friday morning for an eleven A.M. screening of THE RIVER OF NO RETURN (1954) directed by Otto Preminger, and starring Marilyn Monroe, Robert Mitchum, Rory Calhoun, and Tommy Rettig.  Sadly, Preminger, screenwriter Frank Fenton, all the adult leads, and even LASSIE child star Tommy Rettig are all gone.  But remarkably, producer Stanley Rubin is alive and well at 95, and he and his wife, actress Kathleen Hughes (THE NARROW MARGIN, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE) were there for a chat with Leonard Maltin before the movie’s screening.  Maltin began by welcoming Rubin as a fellow college graduate, and asked him to explain the remark to the audience.

 

Maltin, Rubin, Hughes

STANLEY RUBIN:  I had an odd history.  I entered UCLA in 1933.  I got my degree in 2005.  I had other business to accomplish in between.  But I was very happy to go back and get my degree, because I have very dear memories of UCLA, where I was editor of The Daily Bruin.   

LEONARD MALTIN: Kathleen, what was your first date?

KATHLEEN HUGHES: Well, we were both under contract to Universal, and he kept asking me out.  But I kept turning him down.  And I turned him down for months and months and months.  But then one day he invited me to have dinner with him and to go to 20^th Century Fox to see an answer-print of RIVER OF NO RETURN.  It sounded like a picture I would enjoy, because it was with Marilyn Monroe.  So we went to dinner, and we went to see the screening, and I enjoyed it very much, and to our pleasure, we were married.

 

STANLEY:  And that relationship still exists.

LEONARD: So you can date your relationship to that movie.  So Stanley, you had already produced a couple of pictures. 

STANLEY: I’d produced THE NARROW MARGIN, but this (RIVER OF NO RETURN) was a much bigger picture. 

LEONARD:  And you had challenges.  You were off on location in Canada, with a large crew, and a rather imperious director, Otto Preminger.  And a strong-willed leading man, Robert Mitchum.  And a sometimes difficult leading lady, Marilyn Monroe.  Not intentionally difficult, but not rock-solid.  What were the biggest challenges, working with this group? 

STANLEY: Well, it turned out very well.  Otto and Marilyn didn’t hit it off right away.  So Marilyn kind of took that as an open door to establish a relationship with me.  So that helped me, and we became very good friends.  That’s Marilyn and I -- not Otto and I.

LEONARD:  So did you lock horns with Otto?

STANLEY: No, not really.  Otto was a diplomat from the word ‘go.’  He really knew how to help keep things warm and friendly.

LEONARD:  What was the most difficult sequence to film?

STANLEY:  The toughest thing was getting Marilyn safely onto the raft; because they first day we tried, she slipped on a rock and fell into the river.  Despite all of the help we had there, we had safety boats, we had safety swimmers.  But Marilyn slipped right off of the rock, into the fast-flowing river. 

Tommy Rettig and Marilyn

 

LEONARD:  Did you manage to proceed on-time, overall?

STANLEY:  I don’t want to make it rosier than it was.  We worked very hard, and at times we slipped behind schedule, but at the end we’d made it up, and we were on schedule. 

LEONARD:  When you were away from home, and had a boss like Daryl F. Zanuck, and Fox, how close an eye could they keep on you?  If you fell behind by a half a day or a day, would you hear from them right away?

Rory Calhoun and Marilyn

STANLEY: No.  There was a grace period, and we took advantage of it.  Zanuck was surprisingly friendly and good-natured, and accommodating to us. 

LEONARD:  After all these years, people are still fascinated by Marilyn Monroe.  Not just as an actress, but as an icon.  How would you describe her?

STANLEY: We became good friends.  And the reason for that was, she and Otto did not like each other, so she turned to me.  And the relationship became very warm and very friendly.  However, I should tell you – this is coming back to me now.  I had met her before; she had come in on an audition a year or two before this.  And I had turned her down on the role she had come in for.  And I remember wondering how friendly she would be, and whether she would even bring up the fact that I had turned her down.  She never did.  She was a good lady.  And from the first meeting, our new relationship went very well.

KATHLEEN:  You know, you turned her down for the part that she had auditioned for, because you thought she didn’t have enough experience to handle it. 

STANLEY:  That’s correct.

KATHLEEN:  So it was just a couple of years later that you were begging Zanuck (to use her).

LEONARD:  One last question.  Robert Mitchum liked to give the impression that he really didn’t care that much, that acting was just a job.  But that seems not to have been the case.  He seemed very dedicated, professional.

 

Mitchum and Monroe

 

STANLEY: I would go along with what you just said fully.  Because he cared a great deal; and then he hid that, because that wouldn’t keep him cool.  And I found out later that he had raised some questions about how good our operation was, how good our questions might be, how appropriate they might be.  He was totally dedicated on everything he did.  He concealed the fact that he wanted it to go well. 

LEONARD: And he and Marilyn hit it off okay? 

STANLEY: Yes.  They became very good friends.   But that was it.  It was a friendly, professional, cool relationship. 

LEONARD:  And now we get to see the results.  Are you going to stay to see the movie?

STANLEY: Oh yes, I haven’t seen it in years, and I’m very interested to see it again.

LEONARD:  Thank you both for being here today. 

I was surprised and delighted at how good a movie RIVER OF NO RETURN was. (I’d seen it as a kid in junior high, ironically just before my family spent our summer vacation going down the Colorado River on a rubber raft.  My school friends in Brooklyn were convinced that they’d never see me again; if the rapids didn’t kill me, the Indians would.)  The depth of characterization, the consistency of the characters, the intelligence of the screenplay, the assuredness of the direction were remarkable, as was the photography.  During the course of the rest of the day I would see BONNIE AND CLYDE, THE GREAT ESCAPE and HONDO in 3D, directed by John Farrow. 

 

Leonard Maltin introduced HONDO as well, saying that many consider it one of Wayne’s very best films – some people call it a perfect film.  One of the strengths of HONDO is that it is so spare; at 83 minutes, there’s not an ounce of fat on the film.  Maltin explained that in part we can thank the 3D process for keeping the story so tight.  The original 1953 3D projection process required two reels of film to be shown simultaneously, and theatres in those days had two projectors.  After a maximum of forty minutes, an intermission was necessary, to re-thread both projectors.  That kept the movies from running much over 80 minutes. 

John Wayne and Geraldine Page

It struck me that between Tommy Rettig as Mitchum’s son in RIVER OF NO RETURN, Lee Aaker as Geraldine Page’s son in HONDO, and Brandon de Wilde’s performance in the also-screened SHANE, the TCM Fest had screened what were probably the three best performances by children in Westerns, all in one day.  There would be nothing comparable until 1972, and the terrific ensemble cast of boys opposite John Wayne in THE COWBOYS, directed by Mark Rydell.

Soon I’ll have my last article on the TCM Festival, and the tremendous panel they assembled for a modern-day Western, DELIVERANCE: Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, and director John Boorman.

BOOK REVIEW - PAT BUTTRAM: ROCKING-CHAIR HUMORIST

 

President Ronald Reagan: “A recession is when your neighbor loses his job.  A depression is when you lose yours.”

Wait a second; let me make sure I’ve got this right.  President Reagan, ‘The Great Communicator,’ was helped in his communicating by Gene Autry’s scruffy sidekick?  By Mr. Haney, the rube con-man who swindled Eddie Albert every week on GREEN ACRES? 

 

That’s correct.  Pat Buttram, born in Alabama in 1915 to an impoverished itinerant Methodist minister and his wife, would become a star of radio, first on National Barn Dance; then a star in movies, replacing Smiley Burnette as the wing-man to Gene Autry; and later a star of television, as crafty ol’ Mr. Haney.  And while always maintaining his rural image, he became famous to show-biz insiders for his startling wit and sophisticated humor, making him the most in-demand emcee and toastmaster in Hollywood, and joke-writer to the president. 

Author Sandra Grabman, whose previous books include SPOTLIGHTS AND SHADOWS: THE ALBERT SALMI STORY and PLAIN BEAUTIFUL: THE PEGGY ANN GARNER STORY, writes in engaging, flowing prose, and her affection for Buttram is clear throughout.  Although she didn’t get to interview the man himself, who died in 1994, she’s spoken to a long list of family members and business associates, including people from the Gene Autry organization, and friends like music legend Johnny Western. PAT BUTTRAM: ROCKING-CHAIR HUMORIST, tells Pat’s story in a way that focuses as much on his family life as his career, which is perfectly sensible, since family was at least as important to Pat as his work.  And liberally sprinkled throughout the book are his delightful wise-cracks and observations.  “Here’s Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the Lunt and Fontanne of the fertilizer set.”

 

Buttram, whose distinctive nasal twang made him a natural for voicing animation – he did five features for Disney, plus WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (as the voice of a bullet!), and a slew of TV cartoons –  continued to work on-camera as well in film and TV.  His final on-screen role, in BACK TO THE FUTURE III, found him endlessly playing poker with Dub Taylor and Harry Carey Jr. 

Gene Autry was more than just an employer to Pat; their friendship was legendary in this town, a friendship which may have saved Pat’s life on one occasion.  Pat co-starred with Gene in THE GENE AUTRY show on television, and when a ‘prop’ cannon misfired when filming ‘way out of L.A. at Pioneertown, Pat was almost left for dead, and it took a tremendous effort by Gene to keep his sidekick alive.  For decades after, whenever people asked Pat what he learned from the movie business, he would take out a yellowed news story about his near-death experience, headlined, ‘Gene Autry Almost Hurt In Explosion!’  “Humility,” he would say softly.  “Humility.”

Let's hope Mr. Douglas isn't as mad at Mr. Haney as he looks!

Comedians often don’t get their due as actors, so audiences and critics were as surprised as they were impressed when Pat turned villain in TWILIGHT OF HONOR, holding his own with a cast of dramatic actors including Richard Chamberlin, Nick Adams, and the legendary Claude Rains.  He followed up with guest appearances on THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR, and many consider one of his episodes, THE JAR to be the finest of the series.    

BACK TO THE FUTURE 3 - Taylor, Carey & Buttram

Pat had a wonderful career, and a wonderful marriage, and not to a homely character actress, but to beautiful leading lady Sheila Ryan.  Once the wife of cowboy star Alan ‘Rocky’ Lane, she graced the screen in many Westerns, films noir, and even a pair of Laurel and Hardy comedies. 

If one finishes the book with a slight sense of wistful disappointment, it is that a man of his wit and insight didn’t receive recognition as arguably the Will Rogers of his generation.  But he had a much longer life and career than poor Will, and a very satisfying one, and I’m sure that Pat wouldn’t have traded it.   I met Pat Buttram briefly, when he was breakfasting at one of his regular haunts, the Sportmen’s Lodge Coffee Shop.  He was very friendly, and wrote, “Thanks for remembering.  Pat Buttram.”  Sandra Grabman’s book helped me to remember, and told me a hundred things I didn’t know about this very funny man who, like Jack Benny, has rarely if ever had a bad word said about him.

Iron Eyes Cody, Pat, Harey Carey Jr., Yakima Canutt

 

PAT BUTTRAM – ROCKING-CHAIR HUMORIST by Sandra Grabman, is published by Bear Manor Media for $19.95.  Go HERE to order it.

Incidentally many, maybe all, episodes of GREEN ACRES are available free online through IMDB.  Just look up Pat Buttram, and you’ll find 103 video links.

‘CALL OF JUAREZ – GUNSLINGER’

I’m not knowledgeable about video games, so it’s no shock to me that ‘CALL OF JUAREZ’ has been around since 2006, and now has its fourth edition, ‘CALL OF JUAREZ – GUNSLINGER,’  just released.  It’s written by Haris Orkin, who co-wrote the previous versions, and he’s also directed the voice talent.  When I know more, I’ll share it with you.  But for the moment, check out the trailer.

‘THE NEVADAN’ COMIC STRIP!

Remember a 1950 Columbia film, THE NEVADAN, starring Randolph Scott, Dorothy Malone and Forrest Tucker?  My daughter gave me an old western movie magazine, and in it was a comic-strip version of the movie.  I thought my Rounders might find it amusing, so I’ve decided to run it here, and on the Round-up Facebook page.  I’ll do a panel or two a day, and on Sundays I’ll run the whole week’s worth, just like they used to do with the Dick Tracy strip.  Hope it amuses!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 entrepreneur 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 permanent 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 Hollywoodwestern, 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.



WELLSFARGO 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.


WESTERNS ALL OVER THE DIAL


INSP’s SADDLE-UP SATURDAY features a block of rarely-seen classics THE VIRGINIAN and HIGH CHAPARRAL, along with BONANZA and THE BIG VALLEY. On weekdays they’re showing LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, BIG VALLEY, HIGH CHAPARRAL and DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN.


ME-TV’s Saturday line-up includes THE REBEL and WAGON TRAIN. On weekdays it’s DANIEL BOONE, GUNSMOKE, BONANZA, BIG VALLEY, WILD WILD WEST, and THE RIFLEMAN.


RFD-TV, the channel whose president bought Trigger and Bullet at auction, have a special love for Roy Rogers. They show an episode of The Roy Rogers Show on Sunday mornings, a Roy Rogers movie on Tuesday mornings, and repeat them during the week.


WHT-TV has a weekday afternoon line-up that’s perfect for kids, featuring LASSIE, THE ROY ROGERS SHOW and THE LONE RANGER.


TV-LAND angered viewers by dropping GUNSMOKE, but now it’s back every weekday, along with BONANZA.

AMC usually devotes much of Saturday to westerns, often with multi-hour blocks of THE RIFLEMAN, and just this week began running RAWHIDE as well.  Coming soon, LONESOME DOVE and RETURN TO LONESOME DOVE miniseries!

THE WRAP-UP

That's it for this week-end.  I hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend, and I hope you took time to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. Our liberty is backed by an unbroken chain of heroism and self-sacrifice that began more than two centuries ago, and continues today.

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright May 2013 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved