'REDEMPTION' IS HERE!

Movie Review – REDEMPTION: FOR ROBBING THE DEAD

Those who say there are only six or seven Western plots had better hold their tongues until they’ve seen REDEMPTION: FOR ROBBING THE DEAD.  They haven’t seen this one yet. Although not a traditional Western, it is a legitimate one, focusing on a lawman, an outlaw of a sort, and their relationship.  Most remarkable of all, it’s a largely true story.

In 1862, Salt Lake City lawman Henry Heath (John Freeman) follows up a complaint by a dead outlaw’s brother who, in exhuming his grave to bring the body home, finds that his brother has been buried face down and naked.  Heath, having gone to the personal expense of providing a suit for the bandit, now goes to question the grave-digger, French immigrant Jean Baptiste (David Stevens), and at his home finds the man’s brain-addled wife, and evidence suggesting that the man has robbed hundreds of graves for their clothes. 

Baptiste was involved in the recent burial of Heath’s daughter, a loss that has crushed Heath and his wife (Robyn Adamson), and Baptiste barely saves his own life by convincing Heath that his daughter was not among his victims.  Despised by a horrified community, there is no shortage of people who would gladly kill Baptiste, but his grotesque crimes are not a hanging offense, and to punish him without actually killing him, the ghoul is exiled to Antelope Island, in the center of the Great Salt Lake. 

When someone must occasionally bring provisions to the exile, the job falls upon Heath, and the simple decency he shows in his treatment of Baptiste is all that keeps the banished man alive.  It also soon makes Heath nearly as despised as his prisoner. 

REDEMPTION is a haunting and thought-provoking study of one of the strangest crimes in the history of the American West.  Writer-director Thomas Russell, a Slamdance Award-Winning screenwriter, has told the often queasy-making story with a subtle but eerie tone.  While the only truly humorous moments happen early in the film, later scenes like Baptiste’s oblique evaluation of the clothing of a group of mourners are wonderfully sinister.  And Russell has learned, as Val Lewton and John Carpenter did before him, that the unseen but alluded to crimes are much more troubling in the imagination than if they were directly shown.

The leads, though largely unfamiliar, are up to their challenges, and John Freeman is impressive as the lawman who blames his past sins for his daughter’s death.  David Stevens as Baptiste manages to bring pathos and humanity to a character that is inherently revolting.  And there are very familiar faces giving strong performances in supporting roles.   Edward Herrmann appears briefly as the Governor, and Rance Howard plays the physician who can do nothing to save the lawman’s child.  Jon Gries, creepy Uncle Rico from NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, plays a hired gun.  Margot Kidder, Lois Lane to Christopher Reeves’ Superman, is Baptiste’s ‘tetched’ but endearing wife.  The best supporting role, and performance, is by Barry Corbin, as the judge who explains why Heath must protect Baptiste, in a heartbreaking monologue.

I hesitate to say that this could be classified as a faith-based production, as I don’t mean to suggest that you should lower your expectations.  It is not a preachy movie; it’s just that some of the characters are influenced by their faith. 

The art direction and costuming by Melanie Gardner and Bree Evans bring the Utah frontier to life.  Derek Pueblo’s photography is effective whether showing gloomy interiors or startling action, like Baptiste being dragged by the collar through a cemetery to identify each grave he defiled.  But Pueblo especially excels in some of the startlingly beautiful vistas of the sky over the Salt Lake.  You can certainly understand why Brigham Young saw the Salt Lake Valley and concluded this was the place to build his city. 

REDEMPTION: FOR ROBBING THE DEAD is available now from Monterey Media.

NATIONAL DAY OF THE COWBOY A RIP-SNORTING SUCCESS!

Last Saturday, July 28^th, marked the 8^th National Day of the Cowboy, and the celebrations are getting bigger and better with every year.  Last year, Western writer J. R. Sanders convinced the Barnes & Noble in Redlands, California to sponsor READ ‘EM COWBOY, to encourage kids to read about the West.  This year there were several READ ‘EM events in California, five in Texas, and others in Wyoming, Colorado, and South Dakota!

When I went to the READ ‘EM COWBOY event at the Santa Clarita Barnes & Noble, parked in front there was Western wardrobe-designer par excellence Nudie’s customized Cadillac, pulling a wagon he’d designed for Roy Rogers: a sure sign that Julie Ann Ream, who was in charge of the store’s event, was in the building. 

Peter Ford

 

Just beyond the cash registers was a table where Peter Ford, son of stars Glenn Ford and Eleanor Powell, sat signing copies of his book, GLENN FORD, A LIFE (reviewed recently in the Round-up).  I opined that Glenn Ford was one of the screen’s great cowboy icons.  “Thank you.  A lady just came by and bought a book, and said, ‘Your father was one of the three greatest horsemen,’ in her opinion, the others being Ben Johnson and Joel McCrea.  So Dad is in very good company with those two.  He was a quick-draw with his handgun.  Born in Quebec, Canada, it’s about as far away from cowboys and horses and gunplay as you can get, but he became quite proficient.” 

Kid Reno

Farther into the store, a performance area had been set up for a succession of western music-makers.

Ralph and Geri

Ben Costello

 

On the other side of the store, just outside the speaker’s room, author Ben Costello was signing copies of GUNSMOKE: AN AMERICAN INSTITUTION, the product of five years of research and interviews (soon to be reviewed in the Round-up).  Opposite Ben, DEADWOOD regulars Ralph Richeson and Geri Jewell were sitting, Geri signing her autobiography. 

Authors Mark Bedor and Jim Christina

Peter Sherayko

The speaker’s room was filled with a number of western writers signing their books, including Mark Bedor, Jim Christina, and Peter Sherayko, whose excellent TOMBSTONE: THE GUNS AND THE GEAR and THE FRINGE OF HOLLYWOOD were recently reviewed in the Round-up.  As Julie Ann Ream emceed, a succession of Western-related folks took the microphone.  Among them were THE SEARCHERS star Lana Wood; Republic western and serial star Peggy Stewart; Julie Rogers, who talked about grandparents Roy and Dale, and modeled a Nudie skirt; and Ken Berry, who starred in F-TROOP, a delightful comedic take on the cavalry western.  “I’ve been to a couple of these evenings.  As a matter of fact, Bob Steele (Trooper Duffy) was a dear friend.  I loved Bob.  And I went to an evening that was especially fun; Gene Autry was there.  And I’ve met Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.  They meant a lot to me, too.” 

Lana Wood

Peggy Stewart

Julie Rogers

Ken Berry

The very busy Martin Kove, a popular villain and hero, made a splash in CAGNEY & LACEY, and the RAMBO and KARATE KID films.  But his earliest credits include GUNSMOKE and THE WHITE BUFFALO, with Charles Bronson, and westerns have a special place in his heart.  “I was all the way in Beverly Hills, actually.  I said, do I want to show up?  But my commitment is to the rejuvenation  of the west, and trying to do as many westerns (as I can), trying to get our heritage back on track, so kids can remember what it was like when they saw a western, and the values of the western.  So I said, I’ve got to show up; the same reason you beat yourself to death trying to get a western financed; it’s a great uphill battle.  I think from 1920 to 1967, one of every three movies made in Hollywood was a western.  So it’s kind of an over-exposed genre.  I really care about the genre, and the future of it, and I don’t want it to disappear.  This is an indelible part, this National Day of the Cowboy, to keep it alive.”  I asked him about his most recent western project.  “I’m doing an internet series called SIXGUN SAVIOR, (a supernatural western).  I’m going to do a 1950s oil story, called THE FALCON’S SONG.  I leave in about two weeks to go to Montana.”  

Martin Kove

While a group was heading to the local Baja Fresh for lunch – Baja, like the local Ben & Jerry’s, were contributing a portion of the day’s sales to the NDOC – I drove over to the Autry to see how their celebration was going.  There was continuous entertainment in the courtyard, with square-dancing, music by bands like Triple Chicken Foot, and Miss Devon & The Outlaw.  Famed champion gunslinger Joey Dillon was back with his flashing .45 Colt single-actions, and nearby some kids were hammering designs in leather, while others were learning to toss a lariat.  The Wells Fargo Theatre was packed with Saturday matinee fans watching episodes of THE GENE AUTRY SHOW. 

Joey Dillon and a volunteer

Hurry up, kid!   There's a line for that horse!

Curator Jeffrey Richardson

Rarely seen quarter horse!

The gold-panning operators were doing a land-office business, and throughout the museum, docents were giving history demonstrations.  I ran into Jeffrey Richardson outside of the wonderful Colt Gallery, which he curated.  He told me the life-sized Gunfight at the O.K. Corral diorama would soon be closed to make way for an expansion of the gun collection.  I asked him about the importance of the National Day of the Cowboy at the Autry.  “One of the things we like to do here at the Autry, on the Day of the Cowboy and everyday, is let people know that, despite depictions in popular entertainment, cowboys were a really diverse group. It’s a day when people can come and explore the rich history of the American west, specifically seen through the eyes of one of the truly iconic figures of (our) history the American cowboy.”

Meanwhile, J.R. Sanders’ READ ‘EM COWBOY event at the Redlands Barnes & Noble and Starbucks, brought thirteen western authors, had plenty of entertainment for young and old, and featured a Young Writers Cowboy Fiction Contest.

Authors Chris Enss, Nicholas Cataldo and Paige Peyton

Young Writers Cowboy Fiction contest winners, with Jim Meals and J. R. Sanders

One of the very interesting out-of-California events was CRAZY DAYS, at Belle Fourche, South Dakota, the setting for the end of the classic John Wayne western THE COWBOYS (they actually shot it in New Mexico and L.A., but Belle Fourche is where the story is set).  Marking the 40^th anniversary of the film’s release, Belle Fourche welcomed five of the original COWBOYS from the cast: Nicolas Beauvy (Dan), Al Barker Jr. (Fats), Steven Hudis (Charlie Schwartz), Sean Kelly (Stuttering Bob), and Steve Benedict (Steve).  Last week’s Round-up featured an interview with Nic Beauvy about the making of THE COWBOYS, and I called him this afternoon to find out how Belle Fourche worked out. 

“Bell Fouche was wonderful!  It was a treat to see the other COWBOYS, and everybody had a good time: we were treated like movie stars.  It was the first time in forty years I’d seen (them).  Everyone was eager to sign autographs and feel important and to know that you were in a movie that people loved.  It’s so revered over there: it’s like GONE WITH THE WIND in the Midwest.  The people who are fifty, sixty years old now, who were kids when the movie came out, they loved the movie so much that they’ve turned their children on to it.  So I met kids who were 8 years old, 12 years old, 15 years old who have seen the movie many, many times, and know it inside and out.  Because their parents love it.   

“It was just a great experience for me in that I met real Midwestern American people.  You know, coming from Los Angeles you don’t meet too many people like that.  They leave the keys of the car in the ignition.  They don’t lock their doors at night.  It’s a different way of life, not such a complicated life.  In some ways they enjoy life a lot more.  It’s beautiful to be around people like that.”  Like cowboys.

RUSSELL CROWE TO REPLACE JAVIER BARDEM IN ‘DARK TOWER’

"Take that, Javier!"

Work comes from Deadline: Hollywood that Akiva Goldsman has delivered to Warner Brothers a draft of the script for the first part of Stephen King’s THE DARK TOWER, a sci-fi Western.  Based on eight books by King, the project is planned as three theatrical features and two TV miniseries.  Dropped by Universal when it got too expensive, Warners currently has the option, and should decide whether or not to proceed within the next two weeks.     

Imagine Films director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer, the team that won Oscars for A BEAUTIFUL MIND, are at the helm, and Howard is no stranger to the Western form, having starred in THE SHOOTIST before directing FAR AND AWAY and THE MISSING.  Javier Bardem, long attached to the project, is no longer, and the talk is that GLADIATOR Oscar winner and A BEAUTIFUL MIND star Russell Crowe will portray gunslinger Roland Deschain.  Crowe has previously ridden the range in THE QUICK AND THE DEAD and 3:10 TO YUMA. 

SPAGHETTI WESTERNS UNCHAINED CONTINUES AT EGYPTIAN

On Wednesday, August 8^th it’s TEPEPA with Tomas Milian and Orson Welles and YANKEE.  On Thursday THE RUTHLESS FOUR, with Van Heflin, Gilbert Roland and Klaus Kinski, with REQUIESCANT.  On Friday, Sergio Corbucci’s COMPANEROS, with Franco Nero and Tomas Milian, with THE PRICE OF POWER, with Fernando Rey and Van Johnson.  Then Saturday, The Main Event: Corbucci’s DJANGO!  Starring Franco Nero, and Lee Van Cleef in THE GRANND DUEL.  Sunday it’s DJANGO KILL…IF YOU LIVE, SHOOT, and Corbucci’s HELLBENDERS, starring Joseph Cotten. 

That's it for this week!  Sorry I'm posting on Monday morning rather than Sunday night, but I lost the internet at midnight.  On the plus side, I got more sleep than I usually do on a Sunday night.

Have a great week!

Happy Trails,

Henry

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

HELL ON WHEELS Season 2 Is Almost Here!

On Sunday, August 12^th, HELL ON WHEELS, AMC’s blockbuster Western series will return for a second ten episode season.  The series continues to revolve around a group of  people engaged in building the transcontinental railroad, and ‘Hell On Wheels’ refers to the portable town that follows along the tracks, servicing the workers.  The central figure from season one was former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), and the ‘cover’ of his railroad job as a means to track down and kill the Union soldiers who murdered his wife and son, a story that was concluded with the end of the season.

While I have promised AMC not to reveal too much (not wanting to have Colm Meany send Common to ‘handle’ the situation), I can safely say that everyone who didn’t die in season one is back for season two, although there have been changes.  Cullen Bohannon is back, but no longer works for the railroad, and Mr. Durant (Colm Meany).  The Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl), last seen being tarred and feathered, has returned, and is again with the railroad, but working in a far different capacity. 

Elam Ferguson (Common) is working his way up in the railroad, but his romance with Eva (Robin McLeavy) has derailed.  Lily Bell (Dominique McElligot), beautiful widow of the railroad’s original surveyor, is determined to keep in the game.  Reverend Cole’s (Tom Noonan) daughter Ruth (Kasha Kropinski – allowed to look much more attractive this season) continues to be drawn to Cheyenne Christian convert Joseph Black Moon (Eddie Spears).   And the increasingly cocky Irish McGinnes brothers (Phil Burke and Ben Esler) are determined to subvert railroad construction to their own goals. 

In addition to their frequent nemesises, the Indians trying to discourage the relentless progress of the iron horse, the railroaders are faced with a new enemy: train robbers!  The first episode of the new season, ‘Viva La Mexico,’ written by the series creators, Tony and Joe Gayton, is a particularly strong entry to return with, well-directed by David Von Ancken.  Gustavo Santaolalla’s theme music has deservedly been nominated for an Emmy.  Marvin Rush continues as cinematographer on the most strikingly filmed series on television, and it’s completely inexplicable to me that his work last season wasn’t Emmy-nominated, ditto the Laytons’ writing.       

Here’s a teaser trailer to get you in the mood.

AN INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF JOHN WAYNE’S ‘COWBOYS’ – NICOLAS BEAUVY

Actor/director/writer and general wunderkind Mark Rydell had gone from directing GUNSMOKE to the D.H. Lawrence story THE FOX, to the good-naturedly nutty Steve McQueen period starrer THE REIVERS, and would soon go on to do the wonderful CINDERELLA LIBERTY and later the triple Oscar winner ON GOLDEN POND.  But in 1972 he had optioned – with the approval of his mother – a not-yet-published novel, THE COWBOYS, by William Dale Jennings. 

Rydell did not want John Wayne in the lead, but eventually the powers at Warner Brothers, and Duke himself, convinced the left-leaning director.  Although overshadowed by TRUE GRIT, Wayne’s Oscar winner, and THE SHOOTIST, his last, THE COWBOYS is certainly the equal of those fine films, and Wayne told director Rydell that it was his own favorite performance.  

John Wayne plays a cattleman who loses his crew to a local gold strike, and must hire schoolboys to move his herd.  As he tells the boys, drawing a rough map on the classroom blackboard, “Here’s the Double O.  This is Belle Fourche.  In between is four hundred miles of the meanest country in the west.”  The cast includes Roscoe Lee Brown, Bruce Dern, Colleen Dewhurst, Slim Pickens, and eleven boys from about twelve to sixteen, about half of them professional actors, and the other half professional rodeo riders. 

One of the professional actors was Nicolas Beauvy.  Nicolas had played King Arthur as a boy in CAMELOT, Trampas (Doug McClure) as a boy in a VIRGINIAN episode, and appeared with Gregory Peck in the Western SHOOT OUT, and an episode of BONANZA.  In THE COWBOYS, Nicolas plays Dan, the cowboy with glasses.  (In some of the promotional material his character is called ‘Four Eyes,’ but no one in the movie ever calls him that.)

All the young actors have plenty to do, and acquit themselves well, but Nicolas’ role is one of the most demanding.  In addition to all of the riding and roping, (SPOILER ALERT!) Dan is the boy kidnapped from the others by Bruce Dern, terrorized and damned near drowned.  He keeps the secret from Wayne and the others that they’re being followed.  And he has the trauma and guilt of losing a friend when the other boy tries to retrieve Dan’s dropped glasses, and ends up killed in a stampede.

As part of the National Day of The Cowboy festivities, Belle Fourche, South Dakota is celebrating with their CRAZY DAYS, Friday the 27^th and Saturday the 28^th.  And since it’s also the 40^th anniversary of the release of THE COWBOYS, it was announced that there would be a screening, attended by several of the boys from the cast.  I caught up with Nicolas, now a successful real estate agent in Pacific Palisades (“I got out of acting when I was 21 years old,”), before he headed to South Dakota.  I asked him who else was attending.

NICOLAS BEAUVY: Al Barker Jr. (Fats), Steven Hudis (Charlie Schwartz), and Sean Kelly (Stuttering Bob); I know they’ll definitely be there.  They’re picking up on the name Belle Feurche because that’s the name we used in the movie, but we did not shoot in South Dakota.  My understanding is that some of the kids – like Al Barker Jr. – have been back there six or seven times.  They’ve asked me to go in the past but it just hadn’t worked out with my schedule; but this year it did, and I’m excited to go back! 

HENRY PARKE: Where did you actually shoot?

N: We shot two months in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  And one month in Durango, Colorado.  And one month on the sound stages of Warner Brothers. 

H: How did you get the part of Dan?

N: Well, as a working actor – I was an actor from age six – you went out for the interview, and we had seven or eight callbacks.  And they probably interviewed a thousand kids.  Then they narrow it down to five hundred, to one hundred, to fifty -  that’s how they typically do these things.  And I was the one they chose, so I got very lucky. 

H: How old were you?

N: Thirteen. 

H: Then you were very well aware who John Wayne was at that time. 

N: Absolutely. Oh, it was wonderful!  He was a father-figure on the set.  Very nice.  A little bit reserved, but I had some nice scenes with him.  We had a good time. 

H: What memories do you have of other actor in the show?

N: Bruce Dern!  Bruce Dern was the gentleman that I did a lot of scenes with; he played the bad guy, and he and I had a real good rapport.  In fact, I was a real big sports fan and so was he, so even after the movie was finished, he’d invite me to a few Lakers games – we saw a few basketball games in Los Angeles.  He was a great guy.

H: How about Robert Carradine?

N: All the kids get along with everyone.  Robert Carradine was a little older than me, so he wasn’t hangin’ with me or anything.  He was 18, 19 when he did that movie – maybe twenty.  But he got along with everybody.  A Martinez the same way.  Good guy.

H: And Colleen Dewhurst? 

N: You know I really didn’t have any scenes with Colleen Dewhurst.  I got along with her very nicely, and we did talk a lot off the set.  And she’s the one who happened to recommend me, along with Mark Rydell, to George C. Scott; she was married, of course, to Scott.  Because the film I did right after THE COWBOYS was RAGE (directed by and starring Scott). 

H: What did you think of director Mark Rydell?

N: Wonderful director; worked beautifully with all the kids.  A pleasure to work with.  Just was a class, class man. 

H: You had a wonderful script by Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank Jr., who also wrote HUD, HOMBRE and NORMA RAE..

N: Yes – great people worked on that movie.  John Williams did the music.  And Robert Surtees did the cinematography; two heavyweights there.

H: In 1972, now it’s clear in hind-sight that this was getting to be the end of the Western cycle for a while, but I don’t think that anyone sensed it then.  Were Westerns something special to you, or was it just another acting job?

N: Oh no; it’s very special, because you’re twelve or thirteen years old.  Other roles you’re just playing a normal kid in everyday life.  But here we are playing cowboys, and we get to wear cowboy outfits, and ride horses, and have guns in our holster.  It was a dream: it was living a dream. 

H: How much preparation time was there?

N: I want to say, if my memory’s correct, about four to six weeks.  We would go to a little stable in Burbank, and we would practice three hours every day after school; on the weekends about six, seven hours. 

H: And what did they have you practicing?

N: Just riding; riding a horse, holding a rope while you’re riding, just riding.  Just making us look as comfortable and natural and experienced as we could look. 

Nicolas Beauvy today

We’ll have more about Nicolas’ acting career in the near future.

LOS ENCINOS MARKS SALVATION WITH LIVING HISTORY CELEBRATION

On Sunday, July 15^th, the Docents of Los Encinos Park in Encino celebrated their one-year reprieve with a living history day.  On the list of seventy parks slated for closure due to lack of funds, they were saved when an anonymous donor gave the park $150,000, their annual operating budget.  They celebrated with cake and punch, and a day of old-fashioned games, tours of the Rancho buildings, demonstrations of blacksmithing, music and other activities. 

With the attraction of its natural spring, which brings many breeds of ducks, geese and other birds on their migrations, it has seen human settlement for thousands of years, first with the Tongva people; it was taken over by the San Fernando Mission in 1797, and has passed through many hands since then – you can read about it’s rich history here: http://historicparks.org/data/park-history

Howard Harrelson, a docent who made a PSA for the park, was shooting interview ‘sound-bites’ at the event.  He told me, “I’m working on a ‘school tour’ video.  As you know, an anonymous donor donated enough money to keep the park open for this year.   But we want to get school groups and field trips here to the park, to keep it alive, and open, and green.”   Los Encinos has a Living History Day on the third Sunday of every month.     

R.G. ARMSTRONG DIES AT 95

Birmingham, Alabama-born character actor Robert Golden Armstrong has died at his home in Studio City, California.  An imposing figure, he played frequently in crime and horror stories, but is best remembered for his Western characters, especially preachers with feet of clay.  He was long associated with director Sam Peckinpah, who cast him in THE SHARPSHOOTER (1956), an episode of ZANE GREY THEATRE which would be a pilot for THE RIFLEMAN.  Peckinpah subsequently directed R.G. in two RIFLEMAN episodes, a WESTERNER episode, then RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, MAJOR DUNDEE, THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE and PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID.  He also starred with John Wayne in Howard Hawks’ EL DORADO.  With nearly 200 screen credits, his last Western and second-to-last screen performance was in the TV movie PURGATORY (1999).  Services are pending.    

Well pardners, that's a wrap for tonight!  Have a great week!

Happy trails,

Henry

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

NATIONAL DAY OF THE COWBOY -- NATIONWIDE EVENTS PLANNED

Next Saturday, July 28^th is the 8^th National Day Of the Cowboy, and Wyoming and California are the first two states to recognize the day in perpetuity.  Other states celebrating this year include Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota and Texas.  A visit to the official NDOC calendar page HERE will give you a community by community listing.  There are parades, rodeos, historical demonstrations and displays, shooting competitions, musical performances, arts and crafts for kids, and much more. Some of these are one day events, and others are for several days, so check your local area, and don’t miss out!  Events are planned in Spearfish, South Dakota; Cumberland, Virginia; Dubois, Wyoming; Sedona, Arizona; Redlands, California; The Cowboy Hall of Fame in Medora, North Dakota; Sullivan, Missouri; Slipoff Hollow, Alabama; Flagstaff, Arizona; Dalton, New Hampshire; Sacramento, California; Vernon, Texas; Altus, Oklahoma; Jefferson, Texas; Amarillo, Texas; The Autry Museum in Los Angeles, California; Kissimmee, Florida; Madera & Porterville, California; Santa Clarita, California; El Paso, Texas; Norco, California; Malta, Illinois; Mesquite, Texas; Grapevine, Texas; and Crockett, Texas.

Of particular interest, Belle Fourche, South Dakota is celebrating with their CRAZY DAYS, Friday the 27^th and Saturday the 28^th.  In addition to the NDOC, the 28^th also marks the 40^th Anniversary of the 1972 film THE COWBOYS, directed by Mark Rydell and written by Irving Ravetch, Harriet Frank Jr. and William Dale Jennings, from Jennings’ novel.  In it, (as many of you recall) John Wayne hires a string of school-boys to drive his herd to Belle Fourche – and it’s the only major Western that mentions Belle Fourche, for years one of the nation’s largest livestock shipping points.  There’ll be a screening, and several cast members will attend, including Nicolas Beauvy, who played Dan; Al Barker Jr., who played Fats; Stephen Hudis, who played Charlie Schwartz; and Sean Kelly, who played Stuttering Bob.  Incidentally, my interview with Nicolas Beauvy about the making of THE COWBOYS will be coming soon to the Round-up. 

The Autry’s full day of events will feature live music, square-dancing, roping and gun-spinning demonstrations, arts and crafts, an Olde Time photo-studio, a scavenger hunt, a chance to rope a cow, and screenings of episodes of THE GENE AUTRY SHOW.

Western writer J.R. Sanders, of Redlands, California, working with the Barnes & Noble is Redlands, last year started READ ‘EM, COWBOY, a program to introduce youngins to Western writing, and it’s spread like a prairie-fire!  There are several Read ‘Em Cowboy events in California, five in Texas, and one each in South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado, most or all featuring readings and book-signings by Western authors of fiction and non-fiction.  And no matter where you are, you can take part by printing out and using the voucher below, at a Barnes & Noble store or at their on-line site.  A part of each purchase will go to your local school or worthy organization. 

The Will James Society, named for the Western author of such beloved novels as SMOKEY and SAND and LONE COWBOY, will present four sets of his books to Read ‘Em Cowboy ramrods J.R. Sanders, Francie Ganje,  Liz Lawless, and Julie Ream, who will present them to their local libraries.  Julie Ream’s Read ‘Em Cowboy event at the Barnes & Noble in Santa Clarita will feature authors Peter Sherayko (TOMBSTONE: THE GUNS AND GEAR) and Peter Ford (GLENN FORD: A LIFE) as well as displays of a Nudie-customized car and a trailer he made for Roy Rogers, and a baby-animal petting zoo from the Iverson Ranch.

Incidentally, J.R. has a full week of events planned, starting today with the 50^th Anniversary screening of THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE at the beautiful Fox Theatre in Redlands.  And he asked me to highlight the Under the Cowboy Moon: An evening with Belinda Gail and Dave Stamey.  “It's a fundraiser for Redlands High School's historical mural project.  The school was built in 1891; the mural will feature the original buildings, sadly long gone.”  It’s on Friday, July 27th: at Clock Auditorium, Redlands High School - 840 E. Citrus Ave.

JULYAMSH POWWOW IN POST FALLS IDAHO

From Friday, July 20^th, through Sunday, July 22^nd, the Coeur d' Alene hosted one of the largest Powwows in the area, which is a short drive from Spokane.  There was music, drumming, dancing, food, venders, and a wide range of artwork.  There was even a live radio broadcast on Saturday night, from 4 to 8 pm on KYRS.  A great time was had by all, and many commented on what fine hosts the Coeur d' Alene were.

ANDRES PICO ADOBE CELEBRATES ‘SAN FERNANDO VALLEY’

On Thursday night, June 28^th, The San Fernando Valley Historical Society had a special Adobe Under The Stars evening featuring a tour of the Andres Pico Adobe, displays of several personal collections, and a screening of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans in one of their charming Republics musical actioners, SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. 

The Adobe is in the Andres Pico Adobe Park at 10940 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills.  It was my first visit to the Adobe, the 2^nd oldest standing building in Los Angeles.  Built in 1845, it was the home of Andres Pico, who needed more space for his cattle, and had taken a nine-year lease on the entire San Fernando Valley – it probably helped that his brother, Pio Pico, was the Governor, in fact the last Mexican Governor of California.  The adobe contains a beautifully furnished living room, dining room and, upstairs a bedroom and research library and exhibit hall.

Metal mitts to keep toddlers from thumb-sucking!

Pennant from L.A. Aqueduct opening ("Forget it, Jake.  It's Chinatown.")

Just outside the adobe is the Lankershim Reading Room, an octagonal building built from a kit in 1904.  The Lankershims were one of the early ‘land’ families of Southern California, and this structure is perhaps the only one left from their once-vast holdings.  Back in 2001 it was about to be demolished when SFVHS veep James Gulbranson drove by, saw what was about to happen, and crammed his truck between the structure and the bulldozer.  The SFVHS bought it, moved it and restored it.

Not nearly so grand, but interesting, is the 5’ X 8’ Southern Pacific Railroad flagman’s shanty, once a common sight, and now one of the last known.  The SFVHS also is preserving the Pioneer Memorial Cemetery, the burial place of over 600 between 1889 and 1939, which had fallen into disrepair, and was the victim of disgraceful vandalism over the past few decades.

Among the interesting displays that night were John Brooks’ percussion pistol collection; grandfather Peter Fontanili and grandson Shawn Garrison’s collection of Civil War weapons and tintypes; Pat Coscia’s collection of toy horses; and Mrs. Fontanili’s collection of quilts.  There were also several classic cars.  Fresh popcorn was provided for the SAN FERNANDO VALLEY screening, which was particularly enjoyable because the event attracted an older crowd, which meant that no one talked, no one texted, and no one’s cell phone went off during the movie.

The Adobe is open on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the third Sunday of every month from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and if you want to see it, do it in the next couple of weeks or you’ll have to wait for a year.  The park is slated to close on August 20^th, and reopen August 19^th of 2013 as the Park undergoes extensive renovations.  The dates are subject to change.  You can call at 818-365-7810, or visit their website: http://sfvhs.com/

TREMENDOUS SPAGHETTI WESTERN FEST MOVES FROM N.Y.’S FILM FORUM TO HOLLYWOOD’S CINEMATEQUE!

The hugely successful East Coast festival from earlier this summer has moved west, and will screen from Thursday, July 26^th through Sunday, August 12^th, mostly at the Egyptian in Hollywood, but with some programs at the Aero in Santa Monica.  Included are 

THE HILLS RUN RED, DJANGO, DJANGO KILL… IF YOU LIVE SHOOT!, THE MERCENARY, THE PRICE OF POWER, DEATH RIDES A HORSE, SABATA, IF YOU MEET SARTANA PRAY FOR YOUR DEATH, THE BIG GUNDOWN, THE BIG SHOWDOWN, HELLBENDERS, A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL, THE RUTHLESS FOUR, KILL AND PRAY, COMPAÑEROS, TEPEPA, CHINA 9 LIBERTY 37, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE and THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.  Thursday it’s THE BIG GUNDOWN and THE HILLS RUN RED.  Friday, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.  Saturday, THE MERCENARY and DEATH RIDES A HORSE.  Sunday it’s SABATA and IF YOU MEET SARTANA PRAY FOR YOUR DEATH.  The fest then takes a hiatus of a few days, returning on Thursday, August 2^nd with CHINA 9 LIBERTY 37 and THE SHOOTING (actually a Utah western), with the director of both, Monte Hellman, in attendance.  I’ll have more details next week.

SCANDALS SHAKE CAL. DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION

In a state famous for world-class fiscal incompetence, it was upsetting to see a list of seventy public parks scheduled for closure due to lack of money, among them parks of great Western historical importance like Los Encinos, Fort Tejon, and Will Rogers.  Upsetting, but not surprising in a state that plays ‘chicken’ with its citizens year after year.  Last month it was announced that most of those parks would not be closed after all!  Big sigh of relief! 

Then last week, the story broke that one Manuel Thomas Lopez, a high-ranking deputy director in Parks and Rec., had without authorization started a vacation buy-back program, where employees would be paid for unused vacation time, with fraudulent work-hours entered on the books.  Not surprisingly, he got over $20,000 for himself.  He’s been allowed to resign.  Then, on Friday, July 20^th, Ruth Coleman, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, resigned, and chief deputy Michael Harris was fired, when it was learned that, while their department was crying poor, they had $54 million dollars in surplus money (what the Hell is surplus money?) that they’ve been hiding for a dozen years!  Resignings and firings are nice, but when do the prosecutions start?

That's going to be it for tonight, partners!  It's about ten o'clock, and ever since I spoke to Nicolas Beauvy this afternoon I've been dyin' to stop, and watch him and the Duke in THE COWBOYS!  I'm doin' it now!  Have a great week!

Happy trails,

Henry

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