Paul Colt's Blog, page 19
January 15, 2022
Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson was born into ranching on an Osage Reservation in Oklahoma. An excellent horseman, he got his start in film wrangling and doing stunt work. He appeared uncredited in fifteen western films doing double and stunt work. In some ways acting was sort of a sideline. He maintained his ranching interest in breeding horses throughout his career. At one point he took a year off, joining the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, winning a World Champion buckle in Team Roping. He considered it his finest achievement. So much for Oscar.
His film career got going when John Ford noticed him on location for the filming of Fort Apache. The team drawing a wagon with three men in it, ran away. Ben, who happened to be mounted, rode to the rescue, saving the day in real life. Ford rewarded him with an acting contract.
Johnson appeared with John Wayne in Ford films She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande. Other notable roles came in One-Eyed Jacks with Marlon Brando, Hang ‘Em High with Clint Eastwood, The Wild Bunch with William Holden, The Undefeated and Chisum with John Wayne and Junior Bonner with Steve McQueen. Johnson’s western filmography includes thirty feature films among them four done with the legendary Sam Peckinpah, who valued Johnson for his authenticity. Tall, plain-spoken man of few words, Ben Johnson was the genuine article.
Johnson won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor along with a Golden Globe for his role in The Last Picture Show. Johnson initially declined the role because it required “Too much talkin’.”
Johnson credited his success to doing the things he knew how to do. He stayed close to his ranching roots, breeding, raising, and working with horses. That said he knew something about real estate where he is said to have amassed a fortune estimated at $100 million.
Next Week: Warren Oates
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
His film career got going when John Ford noticed him on location for the filming of Fort Apache. The team drawing a wagon with three men in it, ran away. Ben, who happened to be mounted, rode to the rescue, saving the day in real life. Ford rewarded him with an acting contract.
Johnson appeared with John Wayne in Ford films She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande. Other notable roles came in One-Eyed Jacks with Marlon Brando, Hang ‘Em High with Clint Eastwood, The Wild Bunch with William Holden, The Undefeated and Chisum with John Wayne and Junior Bonner with Steve McQueen. Johnson’s western filmography includes thirty feature films among them four done with the legendary Sam Peckinpah, who valued Johnson for his authenticity. Tall, plain-spoken man of few words, Ben Johnson was the genuine article.
Johnson won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor along with a Golden Globe for his role in The Last Picture Show. Johnson initially declined the role because it required “Too much talkin’.”
Johnson credited his success to doing the things he knew how to do. He stayed close to his ranching roots, breeding, raising, and working with horses. That said he knew something about real estate where he is said to have amassed a fortune estimated at $100 million.
Next Week: Warren Oates
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
January 8, 2022
Emile Meyer
One thing we learned from this series on villains, when it comes to western films, a great many were made of little note nor long remembered. They were made alright. Lots of them. Each of them producing one or more villains of little note to not remember. So, it is with Emile Meyer. He made fifteen western films in roles so non-descript they defy description here. We include him because he is another memorable face of villainy and he played at least one memorable western villain.
Emile Meyer’s most significant role as a western villain is that of ruthless cattle baron, Rufus Ryker in the classic western Shane. Ryker wages war against homesteaders and small ranchers in pursuit of his claim on open range. He employs hired guns and ruffians to do his dirty work for him. Drifter gunman, Shane (Alan Ladd), is hired as a ranch hand by local rancher Joe Starrett who finds himself in Ryker’s sights.
Shane and Starrett have threatening encounters with Ryker’s men, culminating in a saloon brawl where Shane and Starrett get the best of Ryker’s men. Ryker vows revenge. He hires notorious gunfighter Jack Wilson (Jack Palance) to take care of the upstart rancher.
Wilson guns down another rancher, leading some of the ranchers and homesteaders to thoughts of pulling up stakes and moving on. Their resolve stiffens when Ryker’s men set fire to a building in town. Ryker sees Starrett as a leader of the upstarts and an important obstacle standing in his way. He invites Starrett to a meeting to ‘negotiate a settlement’ of the dispute, intending to have Wilson kill him. Shane is tipped off as to Ryker’s intent. He and Starrett argue over who will go to town to face Wilson. Unable to talk Starrett out of setting his wife and son up for fatherless widowhood, Shane knocks him out and heads to town.
Shane gets to town to face Wilson, backed by Ryker and his brother. In the shoot-out climax Shane kills Wilson and both Ryker brothers.
Beside his film credits Emile Meyer did western guest appearances on TV’s The Restless Gun and Maverick. So, is Emile Meyer a western villain? If your bossin’ the likes of Jack Palance, you’d have to say.
Next Week: Ben Johnson
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
Emile Meyer’s most significant role as a western villain is that of ruthless cattle baron, Rufus Ryker in the classic western Shane. Ryker wages war against homesteaders and small ranchers in pursuit of his claim on open range. He employs hired guns and ruffians to do his dirty work for him. Drifter gunman, Shane (Alan Ladd), is hired as a ranch hand by local rancher Joe Starrett who finds himself in Ryker’s sights.
Shane and Starrett have threatening encounters with Ryker’s men, culminating in a saloon brawl where Shane and Starrett get the best of Ryker’s men. Ryker vows revenge. He hires notorious gunfighter Jack Wilson (Jack Palance) to take care of the upstart rancher.
Wilson guns down another rancher, leading some of the ranchers and homesteaders to thoughts of pulling up stakes and moving on. Their resolve stiffens when Ryker’s men set fire to a building in town. Ryker sees Starrett as a leader of the upstarts and an important obstacle standing in his way. He invites Starrett to a meeting to ‘negotiate a settlement’ of the dispute, intending to have Wilson kill him. Shane is tipped off as to Ryker’s intent. He and Starrett argue over who will go to town to face Wilson. Unable to talk Starrett out of setting his wife and son up for fatherless widowhood, Shane knocks him out and heads to town.
Shane gets to town to face Wilson, backed by Ryker and his brother. In the shoot-out climax Shane kills Wilson and both Ryker brothers.
Beside his film credits Emile Meyer did western guest appearances on TV’s The Restless Gun and Maverick. So, is Emile Meyer a western villain? If your bossin’ the likes of Jack Palance, you’d have to say.
Next Week: Ben Johnson
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
January 1, 2022
Neville Brand
Neville Brand had a face for villainy. All you had to do is see his character to know which side of good and bad he was on. He took his talent to plenty of westerns, sixteen films including John Wayne’s Cahill U.S. Marshal. Most of his western films were low budget oaters with little box office, critical acclaim, or historical significance to distinguish them. He made guest appearances in eight TV western series and was awarded the starring role in the Laredo series.
Most of the western villains Brand played were those of a gang member or some other minor bad guy serving as a foil for the hero to overcome. We couldn’t find much in his body of work to characterize in this post. We have had similar experience with others listed as western villains. Take John Russell for example. Certainly, acted in a good many western roles, we just couldn’t find much in the way of villain roles. He doesn’t appear in this series for that reason.
So now we come to Neville Brand. Not much to say past he had the face and voice for a black hat. He wore it well. The roles he played were ‘generic’ bad guys. Plug and play. He could be the western villain poster. We simply could not leave him out of this series.
Next Week: George Maharis
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
Most of the western villains Brand played were those of a gang member or some other minor bad guy serving as a foil for the hero to overcome. We couldn’t find much in his body of work to characterize in this post. We have had similar experience with others listed as western villains. Take John Russell for example. Certainly, acted in a good many western roles, we just couldn’t find much in the way of villain roles. He doesn’t appear in this series for that reason.
So now we come to Neville Brand. Not much to say past he had the face and voice for a black hat. He wore it well. The roles he played were ‘generic’ bad guys. Plug and play. He could be the western villain poster. We simply could not leave him out of this series.
Next Week: George Maharis
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
December 25, 2021
Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman has an impressive acting resume we profiled in our western stars of the big screen series. In this post we focus on three classic western roles all with a touch of villainy.
In Unforgiven Hackman plays Big Whiskey, Wyoming Sheriff “Little Bill” Daggett. Daggett angers local prostitutes when he orders two cowboys to turnover horses to the prostitute’s saloon owner employer as compensation for his loss, following disfigurement of one of the girls. The prostitutes put up a one-thousand-dollar reward for anyone killing the cowboys. Gunfighters bent on collecting the bounty hit town, among them Will Munny (Clint Eastwood) and long time friend Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman). “Little Bill” disarms the gunnies one by one, beats them and orders them out of town. Munny manages to kill the cowboys and collect the reward; but not before “Little Bill” beats Logan to death. Munny kills “Little Bill” in a saloon showdown shootout. Unforgiven won an Oscar for best picture, Hackman won for Best Supporting Actor.
Geronimo: An American Legend is a revisionist history aptly titled legend. Loosely based on Geronimo’s surrender it stars Wes Studi in the title role. Hackman played General George Crook with Robert Duval as Chief of Scouts, Al Sieber. Crook respects Geronimo and regrets forced relocation to a reservation. When Geronimo jumps the reservation, Crook resigns from the army rather than pursue him. He is replaced by General Nelson Miles leading to Geronimo’s eventual surrender.
The Quick and the Dead revives Hackman’s “Little Bill” sadistic streak in the role of ruthless outlaw, saloon owner town boss John Herod. Herod stages a fast draw to the death competition that attracts professional guns with known and unknown connections to Herod’s past misdeeds. Among the competitors The Lady (Sharon Stone), Cort (Russell Crowe), a former Herod henchman turned preacher and The Kid, a young gun who enters the competition to win Herod’s respect who he believes to be his father. The tournament progress with gunfight after gunfight, treachery after double cross, death after death and deception until The Lady rises from the dead to kill Herod.
Hackman’s other western work included an appearance in the Kevin Kostner film Wyatt Earp. Hackman plays Wyatt’s father.
Next Week: Neville Brand
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
In Unforgiven Hackman plays Big Whiskey, Wyoming Sheriff “Little Bill” Daggett. Daggett angers local prostitutes when he orders two cowboys to turnover horses to the prostitute’s saloon owner employer as compensation for his loss, following disfigurement of one of the girls. The prostitutes put up a one-thousand-dollar reward for anyone killing the cowboys. Gunfighters bent on collecting the bounty hit town, among them Will Munny (Clint Eastwood) and long time friend Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman). “Little Bill” disarms the gunnies one by one, beats them and orders them out of town. Munny manages to kill the cowboys and collect the reward; but not before “Little Bill” beats Logan to death. Munny kills “Little Bill” in a saloon showdown shootout. Unforgiven won an Oscar for best picture, Hackman won for Best Supporting Actor.
Geronimo: An American Legend is a revisionist history aptly titled legend. Loosely based on Geronimo’s surrender it stars Wes Studi in the title role. Hackman played General George Crook with Robert Duval as Chief of Scouts, Al Sieber. Crook respects Geronimo and regrets forced relocation to a reservation. When Geronimo jumps the reservation, Crook resigns from the army rather than pursue him. He is replaced by General Nelson Miles leading to Geronimo’s eventual surrender.
The Quick and the Dead revives Hackman’s “Little Bill” sadistic streak in the role of ruthless outlaw, saloon owner town boss John Herod. Herod stages a fast draw to the death competition that attracts professional guns with known and unknown connections to Herod’s past misdeeds. Among the competitors The Lady (Sharon Stone), Cort (Russell Crowe), a former Herod henchman turned preacher and The Kid, a young gun who enters the competition to win Herod’s respect who he believes to be his father. The tournament progress with gunfight after gunfight, treachery after double cross, death after death and deception until The Lady rises from the dead to kill Herod.
Hackman’s other western work included an appearance in the Kevin Kostner film Wyatt Earp. Hackman plays Wyatt’s father.
Next Week: Neville Brand
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
December 18, 2021
Eli Wallach
When it comes to Eli Wallach’s western villain filmography, the story is about the quality of his body of work. Hailed as one of the greatest character actors of all time, Eli Wallach brought evil to villains in three classic western films. We highlight those roles with this post. His fourth western, Aces High, was a follow-on Spaghetti Western to the classic The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
The Magnificent Seven featured one of the great casts in classic western film. Eli Wallach played the cruel Mexican bandit leader, Calvera, who along with his gang terrorize a small Mexican Village. The seven are hired to rid the towns people of Calvera and his gang. At the film’s turning point Calvera captures the seven. He releases them reasoning they now understand the peons aren’t worth dying for. We know what happened. Calvera is remembered for his dying question to Chris (Yul Brenner), “You came back… to a place like this? Why? A man like you, Why?”
Wallach appeared in classic How the West Was Won as outlaw Charlie Grant. It was a minor part, pitting him against a marshal who killed his brother. Grant dies in a shootout and spectacular train robbery wreck. Wallach’s performance won him his important next role.
Sergio Leone wanted a comedic element for Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Something like an evil Jingles Jones. Wallach got the part opposite Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef. It nearly killed him. In one scene, shot lying on a railroad track he was nearly decapitated. Best I can tell, they shot two versions of the ending with Tuco trussed up to hang. The one we saw had Wallach standing on a rock with a noose around his neck. In the scene we didn’t see, Wallach sat a horse, that bolted at a pistol shot, taking the actor on a mile ride runaway with his hands tied behind his back.
Wallach, Eastwood and Leone formed fast friendships over the making of the film. Wallach must have had a sense of humor given his near-death experiences.
Next Week: Gene Hackman
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
The Magnificent Seven featured one of the great casts in classic western film. Eli Wallach played the cruel Mexican bandit leader, Calvera, who along with his gang terrorize a small Mexican Village. The seven are hired to rid the towns people of Calvera and his gang. At the film’s turning point Calvera captures the seven. He releases them reasoning they now understand the peons aren’t worth dying for. We know what happened. Calvera is remembered for his dying question to Chris (Yul Brenner), “You came back… to a place like this? Why? A man like you, Why?”
Wallach appeared in classic How the West Was Won as outlaw Charlie Grant. It was a minor part, pitting him against a marshal who killed his brother. Grant dies in a shootout and spectacular train robbery wreck. Wallach’s performance won him his important next role.
Sergio Leone wanted a comedic element for Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Something like an evil Jingles Jones. Wallach got the part opposite Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef. It nearly killed him. In one scene, shot lying on a railroad track he was nearly decapitated. Best I can tell, they shot two versions of the ending with Tuco trussed up to hang. The one we saw had Wallach standing on a rock with a noose around his neck. In the scene we didn’t see, Wallach sat a horse, that bolted at a pistol shot, taking the actor on a mile ride runaway with his hands tied behind his back.
Wallach, Eastwood and Leone formed fast friendships over the making of the film. Wallach must have had a sense of humor given his near-death experiences.
Next Week: Gene Hackman
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
December 11, 2021
Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine’s western filmography does not constitute a substantial share in his total body of work, though it contributed significantly to establishing his early career. He appeared in Johnny Guitar as bad guy Bart Lonergan. He played cutthroat outlaw Donnegan in the Mexican revolution film Vera Cruz.
Borgnine owes an important chapter in his personal life to the Delmer Daves western film Bad Landers. In the film Borgnine plays ex-convict killer, John McBain opposite Alan Ladd. Anita, McBain’s love interest played by Katy Jurado, blossomed into Borgnine’s first wife until her death.
Borgnine’s most important western role appeared in Sam Peckinpah’s classic film, The Wild Bunch as Dutch. Other western films credited to Borgnine’s early career include Jubal, Chuka, The Trackers, The Revengers and Spaghetti western A Bullet for Sandoval with Ernie in title role of Don Pedro Sandoval.
Ernest Borgnine might be best remembered for his title role in the TV comedy series McHale’s Navy with Tim Conway. Apart from the series, Borgnine made guest appearances in TV western episodes including Frontier Justice, Laramie, Little House on the Praire, Walker Texas Ranger and Wagon Train.
Ernest Borgnine is remembered with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His contributions to western entertainment are remembered in the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Next Week: Eli Wallach
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
Borgnine owes an important chapter in his personal life to the Delmer Daves western film Bad Landers. In the film Borgnine plays ex-convict killer, John McBain opposite Alan Ladd. Anita, McBain’s love interest played by Katy Jurado, blossomed into Borgnine’s first wife until her death.
Borgnine’s most important western role appeared in Sam Peckinpah’s classic film, The Wild Bunch as Dutch. Other western films credited to Borgnine’s early career include Jubal, Chuka, The Trackers, The Revengers and Spaghetti western A Bullet for Sandoval with Ernie in title role of Don Pedro Sandoval.
Ernest Borgnine might be best remembered for his title role in the TV comedy series McHale’s Navy with Tim Conway. Apart from the series, Borgnine made guest appearances in TV western episodes including Frontier Justice, Laramie, Little House on the Praire, Walker Texas Ranger and Wagon Train.
Ernest Borgnine is remembered with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His contributions to western entertainment are remembered in the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Next Week: Eli Wallach
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
December 4, 2021
Jack Palance
Jack Palance was born to Ukrainian immigrant parents and a name no one could pronounce. He grew up in Pennsylvania coal country where he followed his father into mine work before taking up a short-lived professional boxing career. He attended the University of North Carolina for two years on a football scholarship before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII.
Palance began his acting career on Broadway before finding his way to film. His first western credit earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor as gunfighter Jack Wilson in Shane, opposite Alan Ladd. He played Toriano, the son of an Apache chief in Arrowhead and later Mexican revolutionary kidnapper, Jesus Raza in The Professionals. Other western credits include The Lonely Man, The Desperados, The McMasters, Companeros, Monty Walsh, Chato’s Land, Sting of the West, Brothers Blue, Oklahoma Crude, and God’s Gun, opposite Lee Van Cleef.
In two of his better-known western roles Palance appeared as Lawrence Murphy, head of The House, in the Young Guns interpretation of the Lincoln County War. The film featured Emilio Estevez in the best-ever portrayal of Billy the Kid along with a star-studded supporting cast.
Palance reached the pinnacle of his western filmography in the role of Curly Washburn in City Slickers with Billy Crystal. Jack received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. As it happened, the award show was emceed by Billy Crystal. In accepting the Oscar, the 6’4” Palance borrowed a line from the film for his 5’7” co-star, “Billy Crystal, I crap bigger than you.” Crystal, never one to miss an opportunity, launched one-liner after one-liner at Jack’s expense throughout the remainder of the show.
Jack Palance passed away in November 2006. He was 87. He is remembered with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a place in the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
Next Week: Ernest Borgnine
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
Palance began his acting career on Broadway before finding his way to film. His first western credit earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor as gunfighter Jack Wilson in Shane, opposite Alan Ladd. He played Toriano, the son of an Apache chief in Arrowhead and later Mexican revolutionary kidnapper, Jesus Raza in The Professionals. Other western credits include The Lonely Man, The Desperados, The McMasters, Companeros, Monty Walsh, Chato’s Land, Sting of the West, Brothers Blue, Oklahoma Crude, and God’s Gun, opposite Lee Van Cleef.
In two of his better-known western roles Palance appeared as Lawrence Murphy, head of The House, in the Young Guns interpretation of the Lincoln County War. The film featured Emilio Estevez in the best-ever portrayal of Billy the Kid along with a star-studded supporting cast.
Palance reached the pinnacle of his western filmography in the role of Curly Washburn in City Slickers with Billy Crystal. Jack received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. As it happened, the award show was emceed by Billy Crystal. In accepting the Oscar, the 6’4” Palance borrowed a line from the film for his 5’7” co-star, “Billy Crystal, I crap bigger than you.” Crystal, never one to miss an opportunity, launched one-liner after one-liner at Jack’s expense throughout the remainder of the show.
Jack Palance passed away in November 2006. He was 87. He is remembered with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a place in the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
Next Week: Ernest Borgnine
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
November 27, 2021
Henry Silva
Born of Spanish and Sicilian heritage, Henry Silva was raised in New York. He dropped out of school to pursue an acting career. His film career began playing western villains and an occasional Native American role. Early film credits include the outlaw Chink in The Tall T, outlaw murderer Lujan in The Bravados and hot-headed Rennie, gang member to Richard Widmark’s Clint Hollister in The Law and Jake Wade. He appeared as a Native American Mountain Hawk in Sergeants 3, launching an association with Frank Sinatra and his ‘Rat Pack’ pals destined to have a powerful influence on Silva’s career.
Typecast in villain roles, Silva’s western filmography includes, Viva Zapata, Ride a Crooked Trail, The Jayhawkers, The Plainsman, Five Savage Men, and Lust in the Dust. Silva’s film career broke the bad guy typecast and took off in Europe with the Spaghetti Western, The Hills Run Red. He went on to do some twenty-five European films.
Examination of some of Silva’s more notable films include Rat Pack films, Oceans 11 and The Manchurian Candidate. These films along with Sergeants 3 introduced Silva to Frank Sinatra and his pals, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Dean Martin. While not generally recognized as a member of the pack, Silva definitely ran with the crowd.
Next Week: Jack Palance
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
Typecast in villain roles, Silva’s western filmography includes, Viva Zapata, Ride a Crooked Trail, The Jayhawkers, The Plainsman, Five Savage Men, and Lust in the Dust. Silva’s film career broke the bad guy typecast and took off in Europe with the Spaghetti Western, The Hills Run Red. He went on to do some twenty-five European films.
Examination of some of Silva’s more notable films include Rat Pack films, Oceans 11 and The Manchurian Candidate. These films along with Sergeants 3 introduced Silva to Frank Sinatra and his pals, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Dean Martin. While not generally recognized as a member of the pack, Silva definitely ran with the crowd.
Next Week: Jack Palance
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
November 20, 2021
Richard Widmark
Richard Widmark got his start in film playing villains. His western filmography follows the trajectory of his career, beginning with supporting roles as a villain and evolving from there to heroic and leading roles. Typical of his villain work, we find his role in The Law and Jake Wade.
Widmark plays confederate guerilla turned outlaw Clint Hollister opposite Robert Taylor in the title role, Jake Wade. Clint and Jake are outlaw partners in a bank robbery. Clint is arrested. Jake hides twenty thousand dollars in loot. He decides to go-straight, becoming sheriff of a small town. He breaks Clint out of jail without disclosing the location of the money or the fact he has gone straight. Clint and his old gang track Jake to his new life, abducting Jake’s fiancée to force Jake to lead him to the loot. They reach the loot, survive an Apache raid, to shoot it out in a show down.
In The Last Wagon, Widmark plays Comanche Todd, a white renegade in the custody of sadistic Sheriff Bull Harper, accused of killing Harper’s three brothers. They join a wagon train. Todd kills Harper who is in the act of beating a young lad. The wagon train is attacked by Indians. All are killed save Todd and a handful of settlers. The murderer leads them to safety.
Widmark appeared in How the West Was Won, episode four The Railroad. He plays a ruthless railroad tycoon, Mike King, who lays track in violation of a treaty, igniting and Indian uprising. Richard Widmark’s western filmography evolves in heroic and leading roles in films including, Warlock, Alvarez Kelly, The Way West, Death of a Gunfighter and The Alamo in the role of Jim Bowie.
Richard Widmark has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is memorialized in the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Next Week: Henry Silva
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
Widmark plays confederate guerilla turned outlaw Clint Hollister opposite Robert Taylor in the title role, Jake Wade. Clint and Jake are outlaw partners in a bank robbery. Clint is arrested. Jake hides twenty thousand dollars in loot. He decides to go-straight, becoming sheriff of a small town. He breaks Clint out of jail without disclosing the location of the money or the fact he has gone straight. Clint and his old gang track Jake to his new life, abducting Jake’s fiancée to force Jake to lead him to the loot. They reach the loot, survive an Apache raid, to shoot it out in a show down.
In The Last Wagon, Widmark plays Comanche Todd, a white renegade in the custody of sadistic Sheriff Bull Harper, accused of killing Harper’s three brothers. They join a wagon train. Todd kills Harper who is in the act of beating a young lad. The wagon train is attacked by Indians. All are killed save Todd and a handful of settlers. The murderer leads them to safety.
Widmark appeared in How the West Was Won, episode four The Railroad. He plays a ruthless railroad tycoon, Mike King, who lays track in violation of a treaty, igniting and Indian uprising. Richard Widmark’s western filmography evolves in heroic and leading roles in films including, Warlock, Alvarez Kelly, The Way West, Death of a Gunfighter and The Alamo in the role of Jim Bowie.
Richard Widmark has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is memorialized in the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Next Week: Henry Silva
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
November 13, 2021
Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin got his start playing villains, playing tough-guy soldiers in war films. He knew the part having served as a combat decorated Marine in the Pacific Theater in WWII. His most memorable war film, The Dirty Dozen, came later in his career with a star-studded cast including Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, Jim Brown and Donald Sutherland.
He put his western villain stamp on the title role in John Ford’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, opposite John Wayne and Jimmy Stuart. Other western feature films include The Comancheros, again with John Wayne, Seminole, Gun Fury and The Stranger Wore a Gun with Randolph Scott. Though not known for his singing he also appeared in the western musical Paint Your Wagon.
In another memorable Marvin western, The Professionals, he played the leader of a ‘Magnificent Seven – ish’ band of guns for hire. The film features another all-star cast including Burt Lancaster, Jack Palance, Ralph Bellamy and, be still my heart, Claudia Cardinale. Set against the backdrop of Mexican revolution a wealthy Rancher hires Marvin’s band to rescue his kidnapped wife. Small wonder he wanted her back.
The pinnacle of Lee Marvin’s acting career success came in his roles in the 1965 comedic western, Cat Ballou. Marvin played besotted, washed-up gunfighter, Kid Shelleen and cutthroat killer of the metal nose, Tim Strawn. Marvin won Oscar and Golden Globe Best Actor awards for his performance. In one of the best sight gags in western film, Marvin’s drunken Shelleen character is seen sitting on a horse leaning against the side of a building as though both are passed out, the horse’s front legs amazingly crossed. Marvin credited the horse for his Oscar.
Lee Marvin passed away August 29, 1987 at the age of 63. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Next Week: Richard Widmark
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
He put his western villain stamp on the title role in John Ford’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, opposite John Wayne and Jimmy Stuart. Other western feature films include The Comancheros, again with John Wayne, Seminole, Gun Fury and The Stranger Wore a Gun with Randolph Scott. Though not known for his singing he also appeared in the western musical Paint Your Wagon.
In another memorable Marvin western, The Professionals, he played the leader of a ‘Magnificent Seven – ish’ band of guns for hire. The film features another all-star cast including Burt Lancaster, Jack Palance, Ralph Bellamy and, be still my heart, Claudia Cardinale. Set against the backdrop of Mexican revolution a wealthy Rancher hires Marvin’s band to rescue his kidnapped wife. Small wonder he wanted her back.
The pinnacle of Lee Marvin’s acting career success came in his roles in the 1965 comedic western, Cat Ballou. Marvin played besotted, washed-up gunfighter, Kid Shelleen and cutthroat killer of the metal nose, Tim Strawn. Marvin won Oscar and Golden Globe Best Actor awards for his performance. In one of the best sight gags in western film, Marvin’s drunken Shelleen character is seen sitting on a horse leaning against the side of a building as though both are passed out, the horse’s front legs amazingly crossed. Marvin credited the horse for his Oscar.
Lee Marvin passed away August 29, 1987 at the age of 63. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Next Week: Richard Widmark
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
