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

GREAT EMANCIPATOR VS. BLOODSUCKERS! REPORT FROM THE FRONT

In case you haven’t heard, the Civil War is currently raging once more, this time in Louisiana, where the much-beloved novel ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER, is being brought to the screen.

The Round-up is fortunate to have had war-correspondent Michael F. Blake reporting from the front. A well-known historian, biographer and writer on the western film, Mr. Blake was working in his capacity as a make-up artist when he filed his dispatch from the Battle of Gettysburg, portions of which follow:

“The film was okay. I was on second unit, so it was basically Rebs fighting Yanks, some explosions. According to the book and script, the Rebs are vampires, and by the time of Gettysburg the Union Army figures out to fire silver minie-balls. I guess they will do a lot of CGI when the Rebs get hit and dissolve or what have you.

“I had a great time as the re-enactors were an interesting lot and talked a lot about Civil War history. It was great to watch them march to the set, flags billowing in the wind, and hearing the drum & fife carry them along the road. I let my imagination take over and honestly felt I was back in 1862 or 1863.

“I did see pictures of Greg Cannom's makeup for Lincoln and it looks like the genuine article! You'd swear it was the man himself back to life.”

Written for both the page and celluloid by Seth Grahame-Smith, whose previous PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES was a New York Times best-seller, this tale of one of the less-remembered chapters (the vampire part, I mean) of the War Between the States is being produced by Tim Burton and directed Timur Bekmambetov, for a budget reported to be in the $70 million range. The major effects make-up is by the brilliant three-time Oscar winner (for DRACULA [1982], MRS. DOUBTFIRE [1993] and BENJAMIN BUTTON [2008]) Greg Cannom. It stars Benjamin Walker as Honest Abe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Todd Lincoln, John Rothman as Jefferson Davis, and Alan Tudyk as Stephen Douglas. I suspect it will be a tonic for those who felt there wasn’t sufficient action in the recent THE CONSPIRATOR.

But here’s what troubles me: I can certainly understand how muskets loaded with silver minie-balls could wreak havoc against an army of werewolves, but wouldn’t it have to be bullet-size wooden stakes against an army of vampires? I fear this movie may not be entirely historically accurate.

HENRY’S WESTERN ROUND-UP ON TCM!

Coming under the heading of shameless self-promotion, the newest TCM FANATIC segment started running last week. Done to go along with their July Salute to The Singing Cowboy, it’s about Westerns, and it features yours truly, Henry Parke, amongst other western-movie crazies. It’s five minutes long, and runs between movies when you least expect it! Let me know if you catch it!

OLD WEST AUCTION BRINGS BIG BUCKAROO BUCKS!

You’ve probably read here or elsewhere that the 22ND ANNUAL BRIAN LEBEL’S OLD WEST AUCTION, held in Denver on June 25th, sold the only authenticated photograph of Billy the Kid for a staggering $2,300,000. This is the photo which gave rise to the myth that the Kid was a southpaw since, being a tintype, the image is reversed, so his pistol appears to be on his left hip. But there were many other items of interest that fell under the auctioneer’s gavel.

Some were related to the Lincoln County Wars, and the Regulators. A receipt signed by Susan McSween, widow of A.A. McSween, employer of Billy, sold for $575. A letter written by Pat Garrett, the lawman who killed the Kid, says in part, “Dear Wife, Going to Santa Fe for the Governor’s inauguration. Send me my dress suit and my Prince Albert coat.” It fetched $1610.

A Colt model 1878 pistol that belonged to Walter Putney, a member of the Hole-In-The-Wall Gang, a.k.a. The Wild Bunch, sold for $8050.

A Portland Police Chief badge presented to Leo ‘Pancho’ Carrillo sold for $8,625. A Yakima Cannutt hat from John Wayne’s BATJAC productions, roped $17,250!

Many items were related to Buffalo Bill and his Wild West. A scrapbook belonging to one of his performers, Jordan Cottle, sold for $20,700. His Colt Double Action sold for $26,450. Photographs, prints, even punch-cards bearing Cody’s image were sold. There was also a note in Cody’s hand describing his killing of Yellowhand after the Battle of Little Big Horn, dated June 15th, 1907: “Dear Sir, Yellowhand a Cheyenne Chief was killed July 17th, 1876. And by my self in the battle of War bonnet creek troops 5th U.S. Cavalry commanded by General Wesley Merritt. Yellow Hand at the time of his death was carrying no saddle bag this known to be a fact as I was there. W.F. Cody” Cody famously scalped Yellowhand and waved the trophy above his head, calling to the troopers, “The first scalp for Custer!” The letter sold for $12,650. (I wish we had the letter he was responding to. I know in my heart it was the Cody equivalent of the Star Trek nerds who torture people with their inanely specific questions at Q & A’s: “Mr. Cody, my research suggests that Yellowhand was carrying a saddle bag in his left had at the time you were scalping him.”)

My favorite item of the sale related to a more private part of Cody’s life: his aborted divorce proceedings, which included allegations of attempted murder (which you can read about HERE). Press and Media person for Lebel’s, Melissa McCracken told me, “My second favorite moment of the night (Billy being the first obviously) was during the sale of the divorce papers. When the bidding stalled at $5,000, the ringman exclaimed, ‘They’re the cheapest divorce papers you’ll ever get!’” They sold for $6,325. You can learn more HERE.
http://www.denveroldwest.com/owaucthighlights.html

‘COVERED WAGON’ AT ACADEMY JULY 11TH

In L.A., the best entertainment deal of the summer has long been the film series at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This year it’s SUMMER OF SILENTS, featuring nine silent features that have won the Photoplay Magazine Medal of Honor, an award that predates the Oscars.

On Monday, July 11th James Cruze’s 1923 epic of the Oregon Trail, THE COVERED WAGON, starring J. Warren Kerrigan, Lois Wilson and Alan Hale, will screen in 35mm, and tickets are still available for $5 a piece. Live musical accompaniment will be by Bill Ryan and the Cactus County Cowboys. Also screened will be the few reels that survive from ABRAHAM LINCOLN (1924). It’s directed by Phil Rosen, who started as a cameraman for Edison in 1912, and is best known for his Charlie Chan movies. The screenplay is by Oscar-winner (for THE BIG HOUSE and THE CHAMP) Frances Marion. An actress who was a child when she appeared in the film will be present to discuss it!

To buy tickets, go to HERE or visit the box office 9 to 5 on weekdays at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.
http://www.oscars.org/events-exhibitions/venues-ticketing/index.html

ROBERT MITCHUM WESTERN FEST CONTINUES AT THE BILLY WILDER

On Wednesday, July 13th at 7:30 p.m., it’s his Aussie western, THE SUNDOWNERS (1960), directed by Fred Zinneman. On Sunday, July 17th at 7:00 p.m. it’s TRACK OF THE CAT (1954) written by A.I. Bezzerides and directed by William Wellman. To learn more, go HERE.

http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/calendar


TCM SALUTE’S TEX RITTER & JIMMY WAKELY FRIDAY 7/15

Continuing with their Salute to Singing Cowboys, TCM will be running five movies starting at 5:00 Pacific time. SONG OF THE GRINGO (1935) and at 6:15 P.m., THE OLD CHISOLM TRAIL (1942) both star Tex Ritter. At 7:30 p.m. COWBOY CANTEEN (1944), a War-Effort western musical features Tex Ritter and Jimmy Wakely. At 8:45 p.m., OKLAHOMA BLUES (1948) and at 9:45 p.m., BRAND OF FEAR (1949) both topline Jimmy Wakely.


HOLLYWOOD SHOW SAT. & SUN. JULY 16TH & 17TH

This is a fun event held several times a year, where movie and TV fans can shake hands with stars and buy their autographs. It’s also a big market for movie collectibles – posters, stills, video – you name it! But be warned – in ain’t cheap. It’s $20 admission -- $35 for both days. The stars charge $20 and up for an autograph, whether they provide the picture or you do, so know that if you go in and get a picture signed, you’re already in for $40 minimum. Of particular interest to Western fans, two of the stars of THE WILD BUNCH, Ernest Borgnine and Bo Hopkins, are scheduled to attend. So is former teen idol Leif Garrett, who co-starred in a pair of shot-in-Israel Westerns with Lee Van Cleef in 1977. It’s at the Burbank Airport Marriott, 2500 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505, Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m..

NATIONAL DAY OF THE COWBOY NEWS!

As you may know, Saturday, May 23rd, is the 7th annual National Day of the Cowboy. But while we call it national, getting it recognized has been an arduous state by state, volunteer by volunteer, campaign. Word has just come from Bethany Braley, Executive Director of the organization, that Senator Jean Fuller introduced the National Day of the Cowboy resolution in the California Senate. It passed on July 1, officially encouraging Californians to celebrate the National Day of the Cowboy. This is the first time the California Senate has heard and voted on the NDOC resolution! To date in 2011, we have official resolutions from New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, Georgia and now California. To learn more, visit the official website HERE. www.nationaldayofthecowboy.org

CELEBRATING THE DAY OF THE COWBOY AND COWGIRL AT THE AUTRY!

It’s great news that for the second year, the Autry will be taking part in the celebration – last year was an absolute blast! This year’s festivities will feature a ton of activities for kids and families, leather-craft and blacksmithing, square-dancing, lasso demonstrations, gunslinging by the lightnin’ quick JOEY DILLON, and a musical performance by the delightful and downright legendary RIDERS IN THE SKY!

But wait, there’s more! In the Wells Fargo Theatre, Gene Autry’s delightfully whacky serial, THE PHANTOM EMPIRE will screen. And coinciding with the Day of the Cowboy, the Autry will the grand reopening of THE GREG MARTIN COLT GALLERY, featuring a phenomenal new presentation of the history of the Colt Firearms Company.

READ ‘EM COWBOY BOOKFAIR AT BARNES & NOBLE, REDLANDS ON THE DAY OF THE COWBOY!

On Saturday, July 23rd, from 11 ‘til 3 at the Redlands Barnes & Noble, 27460 Lugonia Ave. Western writer J. R. Sanders says, “Come celebrate the National Day of the Cowboy, and support Western literature, at Read 'em Cowboy! A portion of sales from the event will go directly to the Western Writers of America's Homestead Foundation, which promotes the literary preservation of Western culture, history and traditions.

“Western authors will sign books and give talks, children's authors will do readings and other activities with kids, and there'll be a cowboy/cowgirl costume contest for the youngsters. Along with the authors, there'll be live cowboy music by the Coyote Creek Ramblers, historical displays, roping demonstration, raffles, cowboy vittles in the B&N cafe, and more.” But, you say you don’t live near Redlands! How can you take part? Make a purchase at any B&N from 7/23-28. Just print a copy of the voucher found HERE. (The link takes you to a Facebook page, from which you can print the flyer with the voucher attached.) Show it at checkout. Or, order online at www.bn.com/bookfairs, and enter the Bookfair ID# (10510444) at checkout. Either way, a portion of your sale goes to the Homestead Foundation.

https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=221304581236513#!/photo.php?fbid=203670429680595&set=o.221304581236513&type=1&theater

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.

RFD-TV has begun airing THE ROY ROGERS SHOW on Sundays at 9:00 a.m., with repeats the following Thursday and Saturday.

Also, AMC has started showing two episodes of THE RIFLEMAN on Saturday mornings.


EVENTS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED IF YOU DIDN’T CHECK THE ROUND-UP FACEBOOK PAGE THIS WEEK

This week we featured a link to get into the Autry Day of the Cowboy Celebration for free; COWBOYS & ALIENS director Jon Favreau’s video interview of his producers Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg and Brian Grazer; Saturday’s Autry screening of ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, featuring Paramount’s 35mm archive print. It’s updated almost every day, so check it out!

NEXT WEEK I’ll be sharing an exclusive preview of some of the fascinating items from the upcoming Autry Colt Gallery opening, I’m scheduled to visit the set of a new Western series pilot, and I’ve got some interesting casting news, once I’m given permission to share it! And starting now, you can follow us on Twitter (if that’s your idea of a good time). Have a great week!

Adios,

Henry

All contents copyright July 2011 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved

PETER MARSHALL VS. THE DUKE!

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the home of comedian and game show host Peter Marshall, in conjunction with a documentary that I’m working on. He and his wife have a beautiful home, which he built with his profits from the years he was teamed with Tommy Noonan as Noonan and Marshall, before he became a household name hosting THE HOLLYWOOD SQUARES. Peter gave us a fascinating and hilarious interview about comedian and SQUARES regular George Gobel.

As we were leaving, I had to ask Peter about a framed letter from the great John Wayne. It’s a little unusual because it appeared to be…well, a threatening letter. It came about because of a question to a contestant on THE HOLLYWOOD SQUARES. Peter had asked, “According to Rona Barrett (the gossip columnist), what do John Wayne’s children call him? And the answer was ‘sir.’ And he took umbrage to that.”

On stationery dated April 14th, 1975, John Wayne wrote:

Dear Mr. Marshall:

I take a dim view of your assumptions concerning my life and my family. My children are the dearest things in my life, and I speak to them with nothing but affection; and I God damned well resent your saying that I make them call me Sir, and I suggest that you correct it on your show or don’t ever pass me on the street.

I am available. I have an office with two secretaries. It is mighty easy to check the verity of your trivia. Please don’t misunderstand me. I mean this.

Sincerely,

John Wayne

“So I wrote him a letter, and I apologized, and said I didn’t write the question – I was the host. But it’s one of my favorite things I own.”


COWBOYS & ALIENS IS (OR ARE) ALMOST HERE!

On July 29th, the much-anticipated feature-film version of the comic book will reach the screen everywhere! Directed by Jon Favreau of IRON MAN I & II fame, the film toplines Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde and Harrison Ford, with a strong supporting cast of familiar Western faces like Sam Rockwell, Paul Dano, Keith Carradine, Adam Beach and Buck Taylor. Interestingly, while the original poster featured only Craig, the current poster features Craig and Ford side-by-side, recognition that, in Favreau’s words, “Harrison Ford is our generation’s John Wayne,” and a definite selling point for a western, with or without aliens. To see the TRAILER, click HERE. To see a FEATURETTE featuring Favreau, producers Stephen Spielberg and Ron Howard, and the writers, click HERE.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2436734233/


http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1167694873/

‘COVERED WAGON’ AT ACADEMY JULY 11TH

In L.A., the best entertainment deal of the summer has long been the film series at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This year it’s SUMMER OF SILENTS, featuring nine silent features that have won the Photoplay Magazine Medal of Honor, an award that predates the Oscars.

On Monday, July 11th James Cruze’s 1923 epic of the Oregon Trail, THE COVERED WAGON, starring J. Warren Kerrigan, Lois Wilson and Alan Hale, will screen in 35mm, and tickets are still available for $5 a piece. Live musical accompaniment will be by Bill Ryan and the Cactus County Cowboys. Also screened will be the few reels that survive from ABRAHAM LINCOLN (1924). It’s directed by Phil Rosen, who started as a cameraman for Edison in 1912, and is best known for his Charlie Chan movies. The screenplay is by Oscar-winner (for THE BIG HOUSE and THE CHAMP) Frances Marion. An actress who was a child when she appeared in the film will be present to discuss it!

To buy tickets, go to HERE or visit the box office 9 to 5 on weekdays at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.
http://www.oscars.org/events-exhibitions/venues-ticketing/index.html

BLAZING SADDLES AT BAY THEATRE

Mel Brooks’ riotous western comedy BLAZING SADDLES (1974), starring Gene Wilder, Cleavon Little, Madeline Kahn and Slim Pickens, plays today, Sunday July 3rd and Wednesday July 6th. The theatre is at 340 Main Street in Seal Beach, CA 90740. Call 562-431-9988 for details.

COURSE ON LOCATION FILMING IN L.A. TAUGHT BY KARIE BIBLE

Karie Bible, co-author of Location Filming In Los Angeles – see my review HERE, and one of the most knowledgeable people about Hollywood history who you could ever hope to meet, will teach a five-part course on Thursday nights, 7/7/2011 to 8/4/2011, from 7:30 to 9:30 pm at Vidiot’s Annex at 302 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA. The price is $129.95, but click HERE to learn how to cut that down by seventy bucks!

http://henryswesternroundup.blogspot.com/2011/02/hammer-to-meet-django-out-west.html
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=hoqdcsbab&v=00190LnairEytjv8CvtOmv-fa3rVW3CpLLCO3Ofe3P6RfH0iYkhmKOVricOflyZwnNEecMfiF-VLfld1DErK0vjtqwSZxeZ3bht6D59TB1YrrZ2EpL9gYHYHw%3D%3D

TCM’S SALUTE TO SINGING COWBOYS CONTINUES!

Every Friday in July Turner Classic Movies will be saluting the singing cowboy in the movies. The first Friday featured Roy Rogers. This coming Friday, July 8th, that star of the night is Gene Autry, who’ll be seen in OLD CORRAL, HOME ON THE PRAIRIE, BACK IN THE SADDLE, TEXANS NEVER CRY and WAGON TEAM. Also on the 8th – I don’t know at what time yet – TCM will run the short documentary I was interviewed for, about folks who are nuts for Westerns. On July 15th the night is split between Tex Ritter and Jimmy Wakely, July 22nd it’s Dick Foran and Monte Hale, and on July 29th we’ll hear from Rex Allen, Herbert Jeffrey and Ken Maynard.

ROBERT MITCHUM WESTERN FEST AT THE BILLY WILDER

Weekends in July will be packed with double-bills of that sleepy-eyed cowpoke Robert Mitchum, presented at the Billy Wilder Theatre in the Westwood Hammer Museum. It all starts Friday, July 8th at 7:30 PM with PURSUED (1947), directed by Raoul Walsh from a Niven Busch screenplay, and BLOOD ON THE MOON (1948), directed by Robert Wise from a Lillian Hayward script. Saturday July 9th it’s Nicholas Ray’s THE LUSTY MEN scripted by They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? novelist Horace McCoy. On Sunday July 10th, at 11:00 a.m., it’s THE RED PONY (1949) scripted by John Steinbeck from his own stories, and directed by Lewis Milestone. This one’s not just family-friendly, it’s free! All the screenings listed are in 35MM, and later in the month will be THE SUNDOWNERS, TRACK OF THE CAT, RIVER OF NO RETURN, THE WONDERFUL COUNTRY, WEST OF THE PECOS, RACHEL AND THE STRANGER, and EL DORADO. To learn more go HERE.

SWEDISH GUM CARDS

The pictures above are from Swedish gum cards. Their actual size is 1 ¾” by 2 ¾”, about the same as cigarette insert cards. They were very popular with kids in Europe when they started appearing around 1950, and were issued well into the 1970s. It’s hard to gather much definite history on them because they were issued and reissued over the years in many countries – Holland, Belgium and France among others. Mostly they were found singly in gum or candy, but sometimes they were sold in whole sheets. Western themes were very popular, and here is a selection of popular sidekicks.

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.

Also, AMC has started showing two episodes of THE RIFLEMAN on Saturday mornings.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Have a wonderful day, fly your flag, blow some things up if you get the chance, and don’t forget the folks who’re in uniform, letting us stay independent! I work with OPERATION GRATITUDE when I get a chance (not nearly often enough),and there are other fine organizations that help our military, and others that help our vets.
http://www.opgratitude.com/

Happy Trails!

Henry

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