John Wayne in “Swing Out Sweet Land”

— Swing Out Sweet Land, NBC Special, 1970

John Wayne is “Big Jim McLain”

Other Cowboy Stars — Harry Carey in “Straight Shooting”

Before John Ford had John Wayne, he had Harry Carey.  Knowing this, and knowing that Wayne admired Harry Carey as a kid, emulated him in his early acting and paid tribute to him his later career, it’s hard to watch an early Ford/Carey film like “Straight Shooting” and not look for Wayne in the shadows.

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.

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.

Homes of the Western Stars — Dean Martin Tour #3

HOMES OF THE WESTERN STARS

DEAN MARTIN

by

SPECIAL GUEST BLOGGER 

BOB SILER

PART THREE

In this section you’ll find Dino related sites, film trivia, cars he drove, etc.

MORE HOMES, REAL ESTATE PROPERTY, FAMILY HOMES

SOLVANG RANCH – SANTA BARBARA

He sold his ranch to Jimmy Stewart

HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH – THOUSAND OAKS

His ten – room Spanish colonial mansion on 63 acres of land. In September 1986 it was on the market for $5,900,000.

THE BRADFORD PARK APARTMENT HOUSES

OLD TOPANGA CANYON ROAD AND MULHOLLAND DRIVE

A rental property that he owned.

12812 SUNSET BOULEVARD – WEST HOLLYWOOD

Dean’s first wife was living here in the 1950s until losing the house in 1955.

10634 HOLMAN – LOS ANGELES

DEAN MARTIN JR.

His son was living here until his death in 1987.

LOS ANGELES NATIONAL CEMETERY – WESTWOOD

DEAN MARTIN JR.

WHERE HE WORKED

THE RECORDING STUDIOS

1946

DIAMOND

He recorded his first two singles here.

 “Which Way Did My Heart Go?” / “All Of Me”

“I Got The Sun In The Morning” / “Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi”

1947

APOLLO

Recorded two singles here.

“Oh Marie” / “Walking My Baby Back Home”

“Hold Me” / “Santa Lucia”

EMBASSY (subsidiary label of Apollo)

And one here.

“One Foot In Heaven” / “The Night Is Young”

He then moved to Capitol Records in both New York City and Hollywood.

1948 – 1964

CAPITOL RECORDS

1750 VINE STREET – HOLLYWOOD

 1962 – 1974

REPRISE RECORDS

In 1964 Dean left Capitol and went to Reprise Records, owned by pal, Frank Sinatra.

He stayed here until 1974.

1983

WARNER BROTHERS RECORDS

FILM STUDIOS

SOME OF THE STUDIOS WHERE HE MADE HIS MOVIES

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

5555 MELROSE AVENUE – HOLLYWOOD

Dean and Jerry made all their comedy films here. He also made several movies here after they broke up.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES STUDIOS

WARNERS BROTHERS

TELEVISION STUDIOS

1965 – 1974

NBC STUDIOS – BURBANK, CALIFORNIA

THE DEAN MARTIN SHOW

Dean filmed his hit series here.

THE DEAN MARTIN WESTERNS

THE POSTERS, STUDIOS, LOCATIONS

Between 1956 and 1973 Dean made ten pretty decent westerns, and only except  a few were comedies with music, although most had some comedy in them. He starred along side some of Hollywood’s greats, such as John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Jimmy Stewart and Rock Hudson, and was able to hold his own. Here’s a look at those western movies.

(The following films are annotated with the year that they were released, the movie poster, the studio, and Dean’s role in the picture.  Whenever possible, the filming location is included)

1956

PARAMOUNT STUDIOS

AS SLIM MOSLEY JR. AND SR.

FILM LOCATIONS

IVERSON RANCH

IVERSON LANE, CHATSWORTH, CA.

MELODY RANCH

24715 OAK CREEK AVENUE  – NEWHALL, CA.

1959

WARNERS BROTHERS STUDIOS – BURBANK

AS DUDE

FILM LOCATIONS

OLD TUCSON

201 SOUTH KINNEY ROAD – TUCSON, AZ.

WARNER BROTHERS STUDIOS – BURBANK

STAGE 5

STAGE 26

1962

AS SGT. CHIP DEAL

FILM LOCATIONS

BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK – BRYCE, UTAH

KANAB, UTAH

PARIA, UTAH

1963

WARNER BROTHERS STUDIOS

AS JOE JARRETT

FILM LOCATIONS

MOJAVE DESERT, CA.

RED ROCK CANYON STATE PARK

HIGHWAY 14 – CANTIL, CA.

1965

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

AS TOM ELDER

FILM LOCATIONS

CASA BLANCA, DURANGO, MEXICO

CHUPADEROS STUDIOS, MEXICO CITY

EL SALTITO, DURANGO, MEXICO

1966

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

AS SAM HOLLIS

FILM LOCATIONS

ALABAMA HILLS, LONE PINE, CA.

Where Baldy, (Alain Delon), rescues Lonetta (Tina Aumont).

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

STAGE 28

1967

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

AS ALEX FLOOD

FILM LOCATIONS

KANAB MOVIE RANCH

5001 ANGEL CANYON ROAD, KANAB, UTAH

1968

20th CENTURY – FOX

10201 PICO BOULEVARD, CENTURY CITY

AS DEE BISHOP

FILM LOCATIONS

20th CENTURY – FOX STUDIOS

STAGE 20

ALAMO VILLAGE – HIGHWAY 674, BRACKETTVILLE, TEXAS

GLEN CANYON, UTAH

KANAB MOVIE RANCH

5001 ANGEL CANYON ROAD – KANAB, UTAH

1968

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

AS VAN MORGAN

FILM LOCATIONS

DURANGO, MEXICO

1973

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

AS BILLY MASSEY

FILM LOCATIONS

KERNVILLE, CA.

ABIGUIU, NEW MEXICO

CHAMA, NEW MEXICO

His last western film

FOOTPRINTS, STARS, CARS, ECT.

MARCH 21, 1964

GRAUMAN’S CHINESE THEATER

6925 HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, HOLLYWOOD

HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Dean has three stars on the Walk Of Fame for movies, television and recordings.

6651 HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD – HOLLYWOOD – TELEVISION

6519 HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD – MOVIES

1817 VINE STREET, HOLLYWOOD – RECORDINGS

DINO’S LODGE

SUNSET BOULEVARD – LOS ANGELES

CARS HE OWNED

1962 GHIA COUPE

Dean Martin Ghia: but this is more than just a beautiful car. Originally owned by Hollywood star Lucille Ball and husband Gary Morton, it was then bought by legendary Rat Pack member Dean Martin and customised to his personal requirements by George Barris. Rare, beautifully preserved and with that celebrity connection it’s a true Hollywood car.

STUTZ BEARCAT

Dean owned three Stutz Bearcats, one was crashed

FASEL VEGA

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.

Other Cowboy Stars — Paul Fix in “Somewhere in Sonora”

There is a lot that could be said about this 1933 oater, not the least of which is the oddity of naming the horse after the star, but I am here today to write not about that or John Wayne in one of his first Warner Bros. films.  No, I am here today to write about Paul Fix.

Fix is generally credited with helping Duke to create the John Wayne character.  He was his acting coach for years and years, invented the trademark Wayne walk (fashioned after Duke’s impression of Yakima Canutt’s authentic cowboy amble), and even appeared in later Wayne films so that he could coach him on-set regarding line-readings.

Here he is:

And here is with Duke:

Other Cowboy Stars — Harry Carey in “Wagon Trail”

I’m currently taking a pleasant drive through John Wayne’s earliest films.  I thought I’d take a detour and catch a flick by one of his greatest reported influences, Harry Carey.

1935 is pretty late in Carey’s career so there’s not a lot to learn here about what the Duke took away from his acting.

Maybe the Duke is visible in the authority that he projects.  Or certain mannerisms.

We’ll have to revisit this idea another time.  Until then, see ya round old timer…

Other Cowboy Stars — John Wayne in “The Lucky Texan”

Robert N. Bradbury directed 126 films featuring western actors like Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, Johnny Mack Brown, Bill Cody and Tom Tyler.  None would achieve anywhere near the superstar status of John Wayne, who Bradbury directed in 13 of his earliest screen appearances.  His son, Bob Steele, built a sturdy career as a cowboy star and later a character actor and noir heavy.

Behold “The Lucky Texan!”

Sadly, this film falls victim to the lame plot-devices of forged contracts, false receipts and passive frame-ups which are epidemic in Charles Starrett’s films.  The thing even ends up in a YAWN trial scene.

There is one super-cool sequence where Wayne/Canutt Inc. grabs a branch and jump into a sluice to pursue a hard-riding foe.

There’s a cool final chase and doesn’t the Duke look all Durango on his white steed?

Other Cowboy Stars — John Wayne in “The Lawless Frontier”

A sad and lonely Duke.