Hello 2012!

“Two-fisted Stranger”>

Farewell 2011

Other Cowboy Stars — John Wayne in “The Man From Utah”

Meet John Wayne, Singing Cowboy.

Two minutes (and one formless melody) into this 1934 film, Wayne puts away the guitar and draws his gun in the coolest way I’ve ever seen.

He saves the sheriff.  Gabby (here George) Hayes has a proposition for him.  Go undercover at a crooked rodeo and find out riders keep ending up dead.  This is not Utah – Lone Pine, maybe?

This is one of those weird westerns where you suddenly realize it’s not set in the old west.  Those telephone poles are not mistakes.  There are cars but most people travel by horseback.  Stagecoaches?  Shoot-outs on mainstreet?  This is 1934?  If you’re looking around the edges, there’s all sorts of clues – an airfield in the background of a rodeo scene, loudspeakers in another…

John Wayne looks very young.  I’m not sure if Gabby Hayes was ever young.

Rare is the B-Western whose title fits the action of the film.  This is one of those lucky few.  Most of this film is set at a rodeo (pronounced row-day-o) and John Wayne is announced as “The Man From Utah.”

There’s also some pretty cool action in this one.

Other Cowboy Stars — Bob Steele in “Pork Chop Hill”

I humbly submit for your perusal a study in contrasts.  The year?  1959.  The actor?  Bob Steele.  The films?  “Atomic Submarine” and “Pork Chop Hill.”

The Gorham Production of “Atomic Submarine” starred one Arthur Franz.  “Pork Chop Hill” featured a fellow by the name of Gregory Peck.  Spencer Gordon Bennett (“Killer Ape”) directed the sub flick.  Academy Award winner Lewis Milestone (“All Quiet on the Western Front”) directed this film about the final days of the Korean war.

See-saw.

“Pork Chop Hill” is a good old-fashioned WW2 film.  Watching this film, I kept hoping that Steele’s character would have a corny back-story like Gavin MacCleod who’s eager to rotate home because he just won a Caddie in a raffle. Or the soldier who’s having a lousy birthday.  Or maybe he would perform some awesome heroics like injured Robert Blake who takes a machine-gun nest single-handed, is ordered off the battlefield yet returns to fights some more.

No.  BS has one scene.  It lasts about 30 seconds.  He has 2 lines, 3 sentences.  Here they are:

“Lieutenant, prepare to counterattack Pork Chop Hill if necessary.  You got that?”

“You understand this is only an alert?”

And yet, he has 7th billing.  Gregory Peck is on the first card, this is the second.

Bob Steele!

Other Cowboy Stars — Tim Holt in “The Yesterday Machine”

Lately, I’ve been watching some of the final films of my favorite b-western stars.  “The Yesterday Machine” is one of Tim Holt’s penultimate roles.  1963.  After this, there would only be a guest spot on “The Virginian” and a Herschell Gordon Lewis flick!!!

Holt plays Louisiana police detective Lt. Partane, a by-the-book public servant like the Naval Investigator that Holt plays in his previous film, “The Monster That Challenged The World.” But this hard-ass is folksier, and he has a big imagination.  With very little evidence to go on, he makes the connection between the disappearance of a local girl with the detritus of a strange-looking machine his patrol found in a German concentration camp.  These remaining elements of an evil Nazi plot lead him to decide that the whole thing involves time travel.  He relates the details of this bizarre moment of his military career in his drab office as if he were telling it for the thousandeth time, but without the baggage of one thousand incredulous reactions.  Perhaps he incites this incident during every investigation he oversees and just gets lucky this time.

Tim is heavy with Jackie Gleason eyes.  He affects a remarkably under-stated Louisianan accent for a boy born in Beverly Hills and raised, in part, near Fresno.

I’d be very interested to discover how Tim Holt found himself in “The Yesterday Machine” because this film has EVERYTHING!

A haunted house!

Confederate soldiers!

A skanky lounge singer!

A sexy time travel machine!

An evil Nazi Scientist!

An ancient Egyptian servant girl!

A physics lesson!

This goes on for nearly 10 minutes!

A leaf-camouflaged entrance to an underground Nazi lair!  Hey Scooby!

Yes, this film has everything AND a 44-year-old Tim Holt who goes pretty much ape-shit at the end of the film.

I’m gonna track down Tim Holt‘s final two appearances, so check back here soon, okay?

Other Cowboy Stars – Bob Steele in “Great Bank Robbery”

This one was a real chore to watch.  It’s a lame comedy starring Zero Mostel and written by Mr. Funny himself, William Peter Blatty, the creator of “The Exorcist”.

But anything for you, dear reader.  I would walk barefoot over broken glass that was ON FIRE to chronicle one of Bob Steele’s final roles.  For you!

This turns out to be an audition for his role as Bank Guard in “Charley Varrick.”  Here, he’s credited as First Bank Guard, though he isn’t the first guard we see.  But that’s him, just over Claude Akins’ shoulder.

Despite this inauspicious introduction, he does have a name.  It’s Duffy.  Duffy spends most of his time in this flick playing cards and acting crabby.

If you were watching “The Great Bank Robbery” from Duffy’s perspective (and who would do that?!) here’s what you’d see.  He works at an impenetrable bank so he doesn’t sweat his job too much.  He’s grown to resent the grunt work, like bringing a subordinate coffee.  He’s mostly invested in the poker games with his fellow guards where he cheats.  He actually has some good instincts and could be a better guard and a better man, were he challenged by his job.  Possible salvation comes when he detects a flaw in the bank robber’s plan – a slight delay in the timing of an explosion in the vault matching the ceremonial cannon fire outside the bank.  He squanders this information as a ploy to get a peek at another guard’s cards.

We never see Duffy again and the robbery is a success.

Once again, a sad end to the narrative of the bit player.

Other Cowboy Stars — Bob Steele in “Charley Varrick”

Six minutes into this 1973 film, the camera follows a bank guard across the lobby of the small town bank that Walter Matthau and his gang are about the rob.  He’s an older gray-haired man.  There’s nothing much about him to catch your eye.  Unless you happen to notice the pearl handled six-shooter in his belt.

Matthau pulls a gun on the bank manager, a masked accomplice bonks the guard on the head and he goes down.  Moments later, the guard takes advantage of a commotion outside to grab his gun and shoot a robber, before he’s cut down in a hail of bullets.

And thus ends the second-to-last role of Bob Steele’s long career.  The former B-Western star would play another uncredited role in the cheapo horror “Nightmare Honeymoon” before hanging up his six-guns for good.

“Charley Varrick” is directed by Don Siegel, who directed Audie Murphy in “Duel At Silver Creek” early in his career.  Was his casting of Steele here, and the anti-poetry of his death, an homage to the dying breed of cowboy stars?  Or was he giving an old guy a day’s work?

For me, Bob Steele’s final role will always be his touching performance in a 1970 episode of TV’s “Family Affair.”  We miss you, Chaps Callahan.

Homes of the Western Stars — The GUNSMOKE Tour

HOMES OF THE WESTERN STARS

THE GUNSMOKE TOUR

by

SPECIAL GUEST BLOGGER 

BOB SILER

On June 3, 2011 America lost one the greatest western heroes in television history -  James Arness, who for played Matt Dillon, the marshall of Dodge City, on ‘Gunsmoke’, which ran for twenty years, making it the longest running tv series of all time, until recently, when ‘Law And Order’, replaced it.

How Arness won the role of Matt Dillion is well known, but is worth repeating. When the producers decided to bring the famous radio show to television they wanted a bigger than life actor to play the lead role of Marshall Matt Dillon. William Conrad had starred in the role on radio but he didn’t look the part. So, it was offered to John Wayne. The Duke wasn’t ready to give up his screen career for the boob tube, but he knew someone who would be perfect for the role and told the producers to check out James Arness, which they did, and the rest is history. Another television show that was popular during the 1960s and 1970s was ‘Mission Impossible’ starring Peter Graves, the kid brother of James Arness. Graves died on March 14, 2010.

This tour is both a tribute to James Arness and ‘Gunsmoke’, the radio and television series. I’ve been unable to find where some of the stars used to live at, or where they are buried, but they are listed just the same for being apart of history.

This is your tour guide – Shug Fisher.

The tour guide stagecoach that will take us to where some of these great radio and tv stars once lived is getting ready to leave. Keep your arms inside and don’t feed any Hagin’s that you might see wondering about. Once you’ve given anything to a Haggen’s they never go away.

 Here we go. First stop – the radio series history.

 

 That way to Dodge City….

PART ONE

THE RADIO SERIES

APRIL 26, 1952 – JUNE 18, 1961 – 413 EPISODES

In the late 1940s one of radio’s most popular shows was ‘The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe’, and one of its biggest fans was CBS bigwig, William S. Paley.

Paley told chief of programming, Hubell Robinson, to put together a hardboiled western series with the main character an old west Philip Marlowe type. Robinson handed the job over to the West Coast Vice President of CBS, Harry Ackerman, who had developed the Marlowe series.

Ackerman auditioned two of the stars of radio shows already being aired on CBS, Michael Rye, star of ‘Michael Shayne’, and Howard Culver, star of ‘Straight Arrow’.

Culver was just what the producers were looking for, but, since he was busy on his series and unable to star on another show, the series was shelved for the next three years, until 1952. It aired on April 26.

Howard McNear (Doc), William Conrad (Matt), Georgia Ellis (Kitty) and Parley Baer (Chester)

WILLIAM CONRAD AS MARSHALL MATT DILLON

4031 LONGRIDGE ROAD – SHERMAN OAKS

John Wayne lived here and when he decided to move to Newport Beach he sold the house to Conrad, who lived here until his death.

FOREST LAWN, HOLLYWOOD HILLS

PARLEY BAER AS CHESTER PROUDFOOT

4967 BILMOOR AVENUE – TARZANA

FOREST LAWN, HOLLYWOOD HILLS

 HOWARD MCNEAR AS DOC ADAMS

 

LOS ANGELES NATIONAL CEMETERY – WESTWOOD, CA.

 

 GEORGIA ELLIS AS KITTY RUSSELL

 JAMES NUSSER AS LOUIE PHEETERS

More in Part Two.

This is the end of the line for the first part of our tour. Your new tour guide is  Gabby Yakalotz. Inside you’ll find drinks and hot grub.

Your next tour coach will be ready to board soon.

Listen up tourists. On the menu is steak and eggs. The only drinks we have is beer, whiskey and water.

 So sit down and you’ll be served shortly.

 We’ll hit the road as soon as I finish doin’ the dishes.

 PART TWO

THE TELEVISION SERIES

SEPTEMBER 10, 1955 – MARCH 31, 1975 – 635 EPISODES

The first episode was introduced by John Wayne.

JAMES ARNESS AS MATT DILLON

45 NORTH BEVERLY GLEN BOULEVARD

176 GRANVILLE AVENUE – LOS ANGELES

790 RANCH LANE – LOS ANGELES

830 BROOKTREE ROAD – PACIFIC PALISADES

FOREST LAWN, GLENDALE

JENNY LEE AURNESS

In 1975, the twenty – five year old daughter of James Arness, committed suicide.

FOREST LAW, GLENDALE – THE GREAT MAUSOLEUM

AMANDA BLAKE AS KITTY RUSSELL

24962 EL DORADO MEADOW ROAD – HIDDEN HILLS, LOS ANGELES

5105 EAST EXETER ROAD – PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Cremated and scattered

MILBURN STONE AS DOC ADAMS

11100 MT. CASTLE DRIVE – NORTH HOLLYWOOD

EL CAMINO MEMORIAL PARK – SAN DIEGO

DENNIS WEAVER AS CHESTER

SAM MC CLOUD

12217 EMELITA STREET – STUDIO CITY – 1958

16055 ROYAL OAK ROAD – ENCINO – 1966

23840 PARK BELMONTE – CALABASAS – 1980s

25006 PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY – MALIBU

He sold it in 2005

RIDGWAY, COLORADO

HIS EARTHSHIP HOUSE

Outside his home

He was living here at the time of his death. He was cremated and scattered.

KEN CURTIS AS FESTUS

BENT COUNTY JAIL – LAS ANIMAS, COLORADO

Ken’s father was the sheriff in Bent County and the family lived here, above the jail.

He spent his boyhood years here.

CLOVIS, CALIFORNIA

KEN CURTIS / FESTUS STATUE

Ken and his wife, Torrie, retired to his ranch here, where they lived until his death.

He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the flatlands of Colorado. This statue of Ken as Festus is located in downtown Clovis.

GLENN STRANGE – SAM THE BARTENDER

FOREST LAWN, HOLLYWOOD HILLS

BURT REYNOLDS – QUINT ASPER

1960s

LAUREL CRESCENT DRIVE – LOS ANGELES

With wife, actress Judy Carne

1980s

245 NORTH CAROLWOOD DRIVE – BEL AIR

1991 – 1995

3355 CLEREDON ROAD – BEVERLY HILLS

(Gated community of Mulholland Estates)

With wife, actress Loni Anderson

1990s

22336 PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY – MALIBU

His beach house

2004 – 2005

12078 SUMMIT CIRCLE – BEVERLY HILLS

ROGER EWING – THADDEUS ‘THAD’ GREENWOOD 

7733 HAMPTON AVENUE #4 – LOS ANGELES

BUCK TAYLOR – NEWLY O’BRIEN

 

ROUTE 2, BOX 150 – ENNIS, MONTANA

JAMES NUSSER – LOUIE PHEETERS

 

VALHALLA MEMORIAL PARK – NORTH HOLLYWOOD

ROY ROBERTS – MR. BODKIN

512 NORTH ROSSMORE AVENUE – LOS ANGELES

Longtime home.

GREENWOOD MEMORIAL PARK – FORT WORTH, TEXAS

DABBS GREER – MR. JONUS

284 SOUTH MADISON AVENUE, PASADENA

TED JORDAN – NATHAN BURKE

 

HANK PATTERSON – HANK

 

Before he became the father of a pig named Arnold Ziffel on ‘Green Acres’, he

played Hank on ‘Gunsmoke.

19545 ROSCOE BOULEVARD – NORTHRIDGE

13255 READLEY AVENUE, SHERMAN OAKS 

FOREST LAWN, HOLLYWOOD HILLS

BERT RUMSEY – BARTENDER SAM NOONAN – 1956 – 1959

CHEROKEE MEMORIAL PARK,  LODI, CALIFORNIA

FRAN RYAN – MISS HANNAH COBB

She appeared in the twentieth and last season. She took over The Long Branch after

Kitty left Dodge.

She reprised the role in the

1987 TV movie – ‘Gunsmoke – Return To Dodge’.

HOLY SEPULCHRE CEMETERY – HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA

GEORGE SELK – MOSS GRIMMICK

SARAH SELBY – MA SMALLEY

GEORGE SEER – BARNEY, THE TELEGRAPH OPERATOR

GUNSMOKE FILMING LOCATIONS

Bell Ranch, Santa Susana, California, USA

Big Sky Ranch – 4927 Bennett Road, Simi Valley, California, USA

Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park – 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

CBS Studio Center – 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

California Studios – 5530 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

(interiors)

Coronado National Forest, Arizona, USA

Corriganville, Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA

Hill City, South Dakota, USA

(episodes16.6 and16.7)

Hollywood Center Studios/KTLA Sunset Lot – 5800 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

(studio)

Iverson Ranch – 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Johnson Canyon, Kanab, Utah, USA

Kanab Movie Ranch – 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, Utah, USA

Kanab, Utah, USA

Melody Ranch – 24715 Oak Creek Avenue, Newhall, California, USA

Old Tucson – 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Paramount Ranch – 2813 Cornell Road, Agoura, California, USA

Sierra Railroad, Jamestown, California, USA

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park – 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA

Bob Siler grew up in Burbank, not far from Universal Studios and Warner Brothers where they made his favorite monster movies.  A long-time fan of Westerns, he still has a hard time believing that the great John Wayne could die.  Bob has created many lists detailing where the famous and infamous lived, are buried, and the cars they drove.  He has recently completed this list of Western Stars homes after many years.  Burbank Bob now resides in Portland, Oregon.

Bob Steele in “Hang ‘em High”

The reluctant lyncher.

The repentant lyncher.

The unjustly imprisoned and dying lyncher.

A variety of opinions on Smiley Burnette

As regular readers of this site well know, I have a very low opinion of the fat man in the battered hat and the antics he calls ‘comedy.’  Over the years, folks have chimed in with their own opinions.  I am sharing some of them here in the spirit of reasonableness and openness to others’ opinions.  (But he still sucks.)

Ed: I just received a set of DVDs containing 46 Durango movies. The couple I’ve seen so far confirms your opinion that Smiley Burnette was spectacularly unfunny.

Joe, Sr. :  R. SMILEY BURNETT I HAVE NEVER LAUGHT SO MUCH, AS WHEN I SEEN YOU DO YOUR MAGIC ON THE WESTERNS, I DO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT 300-SONGS. SO MUCH TALENT YOU HAVE. GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS. YOUR PAL DRANGO KID WILL SHOOT ME! I DID NOT GET HIS NAME RIGHT!

Luciano: I think that in terms of songs by Smiley Burnette, this film, Cyclone Fury, has some of the best. His song “I’ll be getting some sleep” by the coffin is great, so is “Hear the Wind”, a song that he sings by the chuckwagon in order to earn a bite to eat.

Mun Mun: I agree that Starrett always does a great job of feigning amusement at Smiley’s comedy routines.

Steve:  I think you’re being a bit hard on ol’ Smiley. I always liked the guy, even though he could be a bit too annoying in some films. Of course, it was in the script that he act that way.

Bruce: SMILEY BURNETTE: agree with you on your blog, he is the single most negative factor in every DK movie, thank God for remotes & fast forward. He’s even annoying on many one sheets where frequently he dominates them more than Charley. Autry never gave him the seemingly free licence he had with Charley.

Mike: Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion and while Smiley’s buffoonish comedy may not appeal to you, he was definitely popular with Western movie audiences of the Forties and Fifties. Even after leaving movies, he took his act on the road to state fairs where people still remembered him and then of course to Petticoat Junction. He wrote countless songs, was able to play a number of instruments and his bug-eyed look and gravelly voice always found an audience.