Paul Colt's Blog, page 7
September 29, 2024
Kids and Clowns
They call it family entertainment for a reason. Rodeo is a sport rich in fun activities often involving the family. Let’s start with ‘Mutton Bustin’. What could be more fun than watching kids as young as four, six to ten more commonly, ride a sheep? It’s a ‘scored’ event with prizes often including that iconic rodeo winner’s belt buckle. Generally, not gold, though the winner’s folks might toast him or her with a Gold Buckle, beer that is.
The kids and their sheep bust out of a chute and head for the flock at the other end of the arena. The sheep has family too. Riders are ‘scored’ by how long/far they stay on. Scores are tallied by a murky reckoning ranging from 70 points for making it out of the chute to whopping scores in the 90’s for making it all the way to the flock. Technique? Some of the best mutton busters ride backwards. No idea why that works, but it seems to with a bit of added humor thrown in for good measure. Oh, and the winners? They get interviewed by the rodeo clown. You can’t fake five-year-old swagger.
Somewhat akin to mutton bustin’ wild pony racing is for older kids. Don’t know how common this one is, maybe exclusive to the Calgary Stampede, but it’s fun to watch. Preteen and teenage kids compete in teams of three. Two try to hold a wild pony with the aid of a lead rope while the third tries to mount for a ride. Rides are scored for duration. The ponies win if they get away.
Chuck wagon racing is another fun event. My writing mentor Dusty Richards used to ‘call’ chuck wagon races as an announcer. A typical race pits three wagons, that look to have about as much pulling weight as a balsa wood kite. Wagon and driver are drawn by a four-in-hand team. Teams race from a serpentine staggered start to a two lap spin around the arena. Winner take all.
Trick riding, roping, and animal acts are often found on rodeo programs along with the ever present rodeo clown. The rodeo clown, not to be confused with bull fighters, is all clown. They come with a patter, usually at the expense of the arena announcer intended to keep folks entertained between contestants and events. Some get the audience into the act with sing alongs, silly contests, and something called a Kiss Cam. Best know the person you are seated next to when you hit the big screen. ‘G’ rated responses only please.
Next Week: :08 Seconds
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
The kids and their sheep bust out of a chute and head for the flock at the other end of the arena. The sheep has family too. Riders are ‘scored’ by how long/far they stay on. Scores are tallied by a murky reckoning ranging from 70 points for making it out of the chute to whopping scores in the 90’s for making it all the way to the flock. Technique? Some of the best mutton busters ride backwards. No idea why that works, but it seems to with a bit of added humor thrown in for good measure. Oh, and the winners? They get interviewed by the rodeo clown. You can’t fake five-year-old swagger.
Somewhat akin to mutton bustin’ wild pony racing is for older kids. Don’t know how common this one is, maybe exclusive to the Calgary Stampede, but it’s fun to watch. Preteen and teenage kids compete in teams of three. Two try to hold a wild pony with the aid of a lead rope while the third tries to mount for a ride. Rides are scored for duration. The ponies win if they get away.
Chuck wagon racing is another fun event. My writing mentor Dusty Richards used to ‘call’ chuck wagon races as an announcer. A typical race pits three wagons, that look to have about as much pulling weight as a balsa wood kite. Wagon and driver are drawn by a four-in-hand team. Teams race from a serpentine staggered start to a two lap spin around the arena. Winner take all.
Trick riding, roping, and animal acts are often found on rodeo programs along with the ever present rodeo clown. The rodeo clown, not to be confused with bull fighters, is all clown. They come with a patter, usually at the expense of the arena announcer intended to keep folks entertained between contestants and events. Some get the audience into the act with sing alongs, silly contests, and something called a Kiss Cam. Best know the person you are seated next to when you hit the big screen. ‘G’ rated responses only please.
Next Week: :08 Seconds
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
September 22, 2024
WPRA Barrels and Breakaway
Remember that cowgirl from the ‘30’s a few weeks ago? The one who helped found The Cowboy Turtles Association? Yeah, that one. Well not to be outdone by a Professional Rodeo Cow b o y s Association, she and the sisters who followed in her boot tracks formed the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. Today WPRA sanctions women’s rodeo events in Barrel Racing and Breakaway Roping. Rodeo wouldn’t be rodeo today without ‘em.
Barrel Racing is a speed and action timed event. Horse and rider turn three barrels set in a triangular clover leaf pattern. Patterns vary in length depending on the size of the arena. Riders have their choice of beginning with the right hand barrel or the left with each turn accompanied by a flying lead change to the next. Contestants strive to make the tightest turns possible without tipping over a barrel. Knocking a barrel down draws a penalty, usually :05, sufficient to drop a competitor out of the money in an event timed in tenths of a second.
Also noteworthy in barrel racing are the horses and conditions in the arena. Barrel horses need to be both athletic, agile, and fast. A good round of turns can easily be given up on the sprint to the finish. While breeding and market conditions enter into it, a good barrel horse can go from $25,000 to as high as $100,000. In recent years events have taken to dragging the pattern midway through a large field to give equal footing to competitors running later in the event.
Newest of the rodeo events, Breakaway Roping joined the professional ranks in 2019 and is gradually making its way into major rodeo programs. Primarily a women’s event, Breakaway Roping is a timed event similar to calf roping though the calf is not thrown and tied. A calf legally roped around the neck breaks the rope away from the saddle horn when the horse sets the rope with a sliding stop. Time stops when the rope breaks away from the saddle. Also similar to calf roping the calf gets a head start with the roper behind a barrier. If the roper breaks the barrier before the calf a :10 penalty is assessed to the time. The calf must be roped around the neck. Any other ‘catch’ results in no-time.
Next Week: Just for Fun: Kids and Clowns
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Ride easy,
Paul
Barrel Racing is a speed and action timed event. Horse and rider turn three barrels set in a triangular clover leaf pattern. Patterns vary in length depending on the size of the arena. Riders have their choice of beginning with the right hand barrel or the left with each turn accompanied by a flying lead change to the next. Contestants strive to make the tightest turns possible without tipping over a barrel. Knocking a barrel down draws a penalty, usually :05, sufficient to drop a competitor out of the money in an event timed in tenths of a second.
Also noteworthy in barrel racing are the horses and conditions in the arena. Barrel horses need to be both athletic, agile, and fast. A good round of turns can easily be given up on the sprint to the finish. While breeding and market conditions enter into it, a good barrel horse can go from $25,000 to as high as $100,000. In recent years events have taken to dragging the pattern midway through a large field to give equal footing to competitors running later in the event.
Newest of the rodeo events, Breakaway Roping joined the professional ranks in 2019 and is gradually making its way into major rodeo programs. Primarily a women’s event, Breakaway Roping is a timed event similar to calf roping though the calf is not thrown and tied. A calf legally roped around the neck breaks the rope away from the saddle horn when the horse sets the rope with a sliding stop. Time stops when the rope breaks away from the saddle. Also similar to calf roping the calf gets a head start with the roper behind a barrier. If the roper breaks the barrier before the calf a :10 penalty is assessed to the time. The calf must be roped around the neck. Any other ‘catch’ results in no-time.
Next Week: Just for Fun: Kids and Clowns
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
September 15, 2024
Rope 'em an Throw 'em
Ropin’ and throwin’ events begin with the oldest timed event in rodeo, calf-roping or tie-down roping as it is more commonly known today. The event owes its origin to ranch work where calves were roped and tied for branding or to administer medical treatment. In rodeo, contestants break from their shoot in pursuit of a calf without breaking a barrier rope designed to insure the calf a fair head start. The calf is roped around the neck. Cowboy and horse do the rest of the work. The horse holds the calf, backing slowly to keep the rope taught while the cowboy dismounts, tracks the calf, throws the calf to the ground and ties three feet using a ‘piggin’ string. Time is called when the tying is complete. The cowboy remounts, while the horse holds the calf rope taught. The calf must remain tied six seconds for time to become official.
Calves get growed-up. Next thing you know, team roping takes over. Still rooted in real ranch work, team roping is the only team event in rodeo. As in calf roping, bigger calves get a head start too. Two ropers compete in this timed event, the header ropes the steer by the horns, turning the steer into the heeler’s throw, capturing two hind legs to bring the calf down. Header and heeler face each other holding the calf to complete the time. Heeler’s must rope both hind legs, one leg results in a five second penalty.
Steer roping is similar to calf roping, at least as similar as you can get with steers weighing in a 400 – 600 lbs. In this event, nowhere near as common as the other two, the cowboy ropes the steer by the horns, tosses the rope around the steer’s right hip, turning his horse left to pull the steer to the ground. With the steer down, the cowboy ties three feet as in calf roping. The tie must again hold six seconds.
What’s more fun than roping a steer? How about wrestling one to the ground without using a rope in an event some call bulldogging. Oh, and then there is that part about jumping off a galloping horse onto the horns of a running steer to engage the wrestling match. Corriente steers, a smallish Spanish breed are commonly used for the event. Bulldoggers are assisted by a hazer, riding on the opposite side of the steer to hold the animal on a line the contestant can reach. In rodeo’s tradition of sportsmanship competitors most often haze for each other.
Next Week: WPRA Barrels & Breakaway
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Ride easy,
Paul
Calves get growed-up. Next thing you know, team roping takes over. Still rooted in real ranch work, team roping is the only team event in rodeo. As in calf roping, bigger calves get a head start too. Two ropers compete in this timed event, the header ropes the steer by the horns, turning the steer into the heeler’s throw, capturing two hind legs to bring the calf down. Header and heeler face each other holding the calf to complete the time. Heeler’s must rope both hind legs, one leg results in a five second penalty.
Steer roping is similar to calf roping, at least as similar as you can get with steers weighing in a 400 – 600 lbs. In this event, nowhere near as common as the other two, the cowboy ropes the steer by the horns, tosses the rope around the steer’s right hip, turning his horse left to pull the steer to the ground. With the steer down, the cowboy ties three feet as in calf roping. The tie must again hold six seconds.
What’s more fun than roping a steer? How about wrestling one to the ground without using a rope in an event some call bulldogging. Oh, and then there is that part about jumping off a galloping horse onto the horns of a running steer to engage the wrestling match. Corriente steers, a smallish Spanish breed are commonly used for the event. Bulldoggers are assisted by a hazer, riding on the opposite side of the steer to hold the animal on a line the contestant can reach. In rodeo’s tradition of sportsmanship competitors most often haze for each other.
Next Week: WPRA Barrels & Breakaway
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
September 8, 2024
Rough Stock
PRCA and WPRA sanction standard rodeo events. Rodeos you may attend in your area will feature some or all of these events along with popular local events, some with long standing traditions. Let’s start with the sanctioned ‘rough stock’ events – broncs and bulls.
Bronc riding comes in two divisions, bareback and saddle bronc. Bareback pretty well speaks for itself. The rider sits a horse bred to buck using only a girth grip called a surcingle or “rigging,” no rein or bridal is used. In saddle bronc riders use a modified western saddle (no horn, short set stirrups) along with a single heavy lead line rein called a bronc rein. In both events riders are subject to a ‘mark out’ rule. Riders mark out with their boots above the points of the horse’s shoulders on the first jump out of the chute, beginning the spur ride from that position. To qualify for a score (qualified ride) riders are required to stay aboard for :08 seconds. Scores are judged 50% for the difficulty posed by the horse and 50% for the skill and style of the rider. Style points are given for spur action and free arm motion with the arm not permitted to touch the horse.
Usually, the first events in a competition, rodeo owes its origin to informal ‘bragging right’ saddle bronc competitions among ranch cowboys. Who could have guessed what might come of that? In rough stock we go from the first event to the last, bull riding. Arguably the most dangerous event in rodeo due to the unpredictability of the bulls, bull riding has become a particular fan favorite. The sport has taken on a life of its own, with establishment of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. You may find PBR events in your area where some of the worlds best bull riders compete exclusively in these events. Hold on to your wallet at the ticket prices.
Bull riding like broncs is an :08 second timed event. Riders take a seat using a rig called a bull rope, similar to the bareback bronc surcingle. The bull rope is just that – a rope wrapped around the riders hand without the handhold used by the bronc rider. Scores again are 50:50 bull and rider, with the rider’s free arm not permitted to touch the bull. Qualified bull rides are nowhere near as common as bronc rides. When thrown, riders are at risk of serious injury from bulls with a snout full of mean. Send in the clowns. Not those clowns. They’re bull fighters, trained to confuse the animal. An occupation along with the riders – not for the faint of heart.
Next Week: Rope ‘em an Throw ‘em
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
Bronc riding comes in two divisions, bareback and saddle bronc. Bareback pretty well speaks for itself. The rider sits a horse bred to buck using only a girth grip called a surcingle or “rigging,” no rein or bridal is used. In saddle bronc riders use a modified western saddle (no horn, short set stirrups) along with a single heavy lead line rein called a bronc rein. In both events riders are subject to a ‘mark out’ rule. Riders mark out with their boots above the points of the horse’s shoulders on the first jump out of the chute, beginning the spur ride from that position. To qualify for a score (qualified ride) riders are required to stay aboard for :08 seconds. Scores are judged 50% for the difficulty posed by the horse and 50% for the skill and style of the rider. Style points are given for spur action and free arm motion with the arm not permitted to touch the horse.
Usually, the first events in a competition, rodeo owes its origin to informal ‘bragging right’ saddle bronc competitions among ranch cowboys. Who could have guessed what might come of that? In rough stock we go from the first event to the last, bull riding. Arguably the most dangerous event in rodeo due to the unpredictability of the bulls, bull riding has become a particular fan favorite. The sport has taken on a life of its own, with establishment of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. You may find PBR events in your area where some of the worlds best bull riders compete exclusively in these events. Hold on to your wallet at the ticket prices.
Bull riding like broncs is an :08 second timed event. Riders take a seat using a rig called a bull rope, similar to the bareback bronc surcingle. The bull rope is just that – a rope wrapped around the riders hand without the handhold used by the bronc rider. Scores again are 50:50 bull and rider, with the rider’s free arm not permitted to touch the bull. Qualified bull rides are nowhere near as common as bronc rides. When thrown, riders are at risk of serious injury from bulls with a snout full of mean. Send in the clowns. Not those clowns. They’re bull fighters, trained to confuse the animal. An occupation along with the riders – not for the faint of heart.
Next Week: Rope ‘em an Throw ‘em
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
September 1, 2024
PRCA Who?
In 1936 a rodeo promoter at Boston Garden refused to add entry fees to the rodeo purse. Cowboys and one cowgirl (not all that common in the ’30s) walked out. The promoter folded. The cowboys and the cowgirl won. The ‘win’ led to organization of … wait for it … Cowboy Turtle Association. Turtle. Really? Really. Organizers admitted they’d been slow to organize but were willing to stick their necks out when called for. The Turtles became the Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1945 before becoming the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) we know today in 1975. Headquartered in Colorado Springs PRCA is home to the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy. Oh, and that cowgirl? She grew into the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA).
Today PRCA is organized in twelve regional circuits – Badlands, California, Columbia River, First Frontier, Great Lakes, Montana, Mountain States, Prairie, Southeast, Texas, Turquoise, and Wilderness. Contestants compete in regional circuit events, crowning circuit champions in sanctioned events and all around champions, top money winners in two or more events. Top money winners in each event annually qualify to compete in the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) held each December in Las Vegas
Rodeos feature a fairly standard lineup of sanctioned events with room for special ‘features’ rooted in local tradition. Rodeo owes its roots to informal cowboy competitions in saddle bronc riding. ‘Breaking’ wild horses to saddle was stock in trade work for ranch hands, before ‘Starting’ a young or wild horse became the kinder gentler preferred method of introducing a horse to saddle and rider. Back in the day, ‘bronc busting’ invited competition for ‘bragging rights.’ A number of traditional rodeo events trace their histories to everyday ranch work. Tie-down, for example, demands roping skill and a trained horse needed for branding. Team roping employs similar skills where larger animals need be restrained for care or treatment. We’ll dig into sanctioned events and ‘special’ events like ‘mutton-busting, and wild pony races.
One thing we know, with all the regional PRCA and WPRA events available, there is rodeo action within reach of all those reading these lines within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and all our Aussie friends. Saddle up. We’re in for a ride, watching those who ride – not so easy …
Next Week: Sanctioned Events
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
Today PRCA is organized in twelve regional circuits – Badlands, California, Columbia River, First Frontier, Great Lakes, Montana, Mountain States, Prairie, Southeast, Texas, Turquoise, and Wilderness. Contestants compete in regional circuit events, crowning circuit champions in sanctioned events and all around champions, top money winners in two or more events. Top money winners in each event annually qualify to compete in the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) held each December in Las Vegas
Rodeos feature a fairly standard lineup of sanctioned events with room for special ‘features’ rooted in local tradition. Rodeo owes its roots to informal cowboy competitions in saddle bronc riding. ‘Breaking’ wild horses to saddle was stock in trade work for ranch hands, before ‘Starting’ a young or wild horse became the kinder gentler preferred method of introducing a horse to saddle and rider. Back in the day, ‘bronc busting’ invited competition for ‘bragging rights.’ A number of traditional rodeo events trace their histories to everyday ranch work. Tie-down, for example, demands roping skill and a trained horse needed for branding. Team roping employs similar skills where larger animals need be restrained for care or treatment. We’ll dig into sanctioned events and ‘special’ events like ‘mutton-busting, and wild pony races.
One thing we know, with all the regional PRCA and WPRA events available, there is rodeo action within reach of all those reading these lines within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and all our Aussie friends. Saddle up. We’re in for a ride, watching those who ride – not so easy …
Next Week: Sanctioned Events
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
August 25, 2024
Best of COVID
It might be an exaggeration to suggest anything good came out of COVID, but entertainment desperation does breed inspiration. Exaggeration maybe, but not far off. If you recall entertainment in any form of mass gathering was paused, recessed, abrogated, forbidden, and cancelled for good measure. What was one to do? Solitaire holds only so much charm.
Trish read Lucia St. Claire Robson’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Ride the Wind, the Cynthia Ann Parker story, all 600+ fine print pages. Fabulous book pandemic or no. Past that we are not big TV watchers. Jeopardy and sporting events mostly. No baseball. No Brewers. For a blessing pandemic largely spared America’s team football season. No, not the imposters from Dallas. The real America’s team. The one with a game-day dedicated bar in every city, town, and most hamlets in America. Yeah, that one. The one from Green Bay. May not be Jerry Jones but I am an owner and yes, actually attended the Ice Bowl. Speaking of cold, back to COVID.
With Jeopardy gone to reruns and sports cancelled, inspiration added The Cowboy Channel to our cable package. Low and behold rodeo wasn’t cancelled. Cowboys and Cowgirls are tough. Given our love of the west we’ve long enjoyed a rodeo now and then. Doubt that qualified as a fan until COVID came along with 100 rodeos in 100 days. From the Texas Swing to Calgary’s Stampede, to The Daddy of ‘Em All in Cheyenne, to a National Finals moved out of Vegas to tolerant Texas and everything in between, we had entertainment! Still do.
Rodeos are community affairs. They come with rich histories and long standing traditions. A couple of years ago I had the privilege of judging short non-fiction for the Will Rogers Medallion Awards. Included among the articles submitted was a history of the Ellensburg Washington Rodeo. Great story gave me the idea for this series. Getting started with a little research. Just found a key resource to get us started.
Meantime if you haven’t attended a rodeo recently, they are great fun and a reminder of values that make this country what it is. Every rodeo opening ceremony starts with a prayer and the national anthem. Folks stand, remove cover, and bow their heads. Not a kneeler in sight. It’s glorious. The horses, steers, calves, and bulls are a feast for the eye. The contestants are honest, hardworking, humble stars you’d be happy to share a bite to eat or a beer with. So, buckle up. We're ready to Rodeo!
Next Week: PRCA Who?
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
Trish read Lucia St. Claire Robson’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Ride the Wind, the Cynthia Ann Parker story, all 600+ fine print pages. Fabulous book pandemic or no. Past that we are not big TV watchers. Jeopardy and sporting events mostly. No baseball. No Brewers. For a blessing pandemic largely spared America’s team football season. No, not the imposters from Dallas. The real America’s team. The one with a game-day dedicated bar in every city, town, and most hamlets in America. Yeah, that one. The one from Green Bay. May not be Jerry Jones but I am an owner and yes, actually attended the Ice Bowl. Speaking of cold, back to COVID.
With Jeopardy gone to reruns and sports cancelled, inspiration added The Cowboy Channel to our cable package. Low and behold rodeo wasn’t cancelled. Cowboys and Cowgirls are tough. Given our love of the west we’ve long enjoyed a rodeo now and then. Doubt that qualified as a fan until COVID came along with 100 rodeos in 100 days. From the Texas Swing to Calgary’s Stampede, to The Daddy of ‘Em All in Cheyenne, to a National Finals moved out of Vegas to tolerant Texas and everything in between, we had entertainment! Still do.
Rodeos are community affairs. They come with rich histories and long standing traditions. A couple of years ago I had the privilege of judging short non-fiction for the Will Rogers Medallion Awards. Included among the articles submitted was a history of the Ellensburg Washington Rodeo. Great story gave me the idea for this series. Getting started with a little research. Just found a key resource to get us started.
Meantime if you haven’t attended a rodeo recently, they are great fun and a reminder of values that make this country what it is. Every rodeo opening ceremony starts with a prayer and the national anthem. Folks stand, remove cover, and bow their heads. Not a kneeler in sight. It’s glorious. The horses, steers, calves, and bulls are a feast for the eye. The contestants are honest, hardworking, humble stars you’d be happy to share a bite to eat or a beer with. So, buckle up. We're ready to Rodeo!
Next Week: PRCA Who?
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
August 18, 2024
Zane Grey Filmography
Randolph Scott started his film acting career in 1931. His first lead role in 1932 marked several firsts. Paramount cast him in Heritage of the Desert, his first western, his first film directed by Henry Hathaway, and first film based on a novel by Zane Grey. The film would make him a western star. ‘B’ western Wild Horse Mesa followed in 1932 cementing the Scott Hathaway collaboration in Zane Grey adaptations over the next several years.
Scott’s Zane Grey adaptations feature creative casting by Hathaway along with miserly 'B' feature budgeting by Paramount Studios. Many of these films were remakes of earlier silent films. Hathaway and Paramount made use of ‘stock footage’ from earlier versions of the stories to hold down production costs. Remember those scenes when the ‘horses ran fast’ as in frames per second fast? Now we know why.
In keeping with the ‘retro’ theme, supporting actors Ray Hatton, Noah Berry, Buster Crabbe, and others were cast to reprise roles played in original versions of the films. An interesting technique where actors might appear in stock scenes years younger than they appeared in scenes for the then current version. In 1933’s Thundering Herd and Man of the Forrest, Scott had his hair colored along with sporting a mustache to allow scene doubling 'stock' of Jack Holt from the earlier films.
In 1933 Paramount loaned Scott to Monogram studios for Broken Dreams. He returned to Paramount, Hathaway, and Zane Grey for 1934’s Last Roundup. He went on to do three more Zane Grey adaptions without Hathaway, Wagon Wheels in 1934 and Home on the Range and Rocky Mountain Mystery in 1935.
Many of us who love western film got our taste for it growing up on ‘B’ Westerns. Randolph Scott surely got his start in the B’s but by the time he got to, To The Last Man, B work had taken him to the threshold of ‘A’ feature films. He got there with Hathaway’s direction, quality supporting casts, and film adaptations of Zane Grey worthy of the stories. Stories still selling today. Books, films, what is the contemporary western writer to do? Oh, well …
Next Week: The Best Thing to Come Out of Covid
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
Scott’s Zane Grey adaptations feature creative casting by Hathaway along with miserly 'B' feature budgeting by Paramount Studios. Many of these films were remakes of earlier silent films. Hathaway and Paramount made use of ‘stock footage’ from earlier versions of the stories to hold down production costs. Remember those scenes when the ‘horses ran fast’ as in frames per second fast? Now we know why.
In keeping with the ‘retro’ theme, supporting actors Ray Hatton, Noah Berry, Buster Crabbe, and others were cast to reprise roles played in original versions of the films. An interesting technique where actors might appear in stock scenes years younger than they appeared in scenes for the then current version. In 1933’s Thundering Herd and Man of the Forrest, Scott had his hair colored along with sporting a mustache to allow scene doubling 'stock' of Jack Holt from the earlier films.
In 1933 Paramount loaned Scott to Monogram studios for Broken Dreams. He returned to Paramount, Hathaway, and Zane Grey for 1934’s Last Roundup. He went on to do three more Zane Grey adaptions without Hathaway, Wagon Wheels in 1934 and Home on the Range and Rocky Mountain Mystery in 1935.
Many of us who love western film got our taste for it growing up on ‘B’ Westerns. Randolph Scott surely got his start in the B’s but by the time he got to, To The Last Man, B work had taken him to the threshold of ‘A’ feature films. He got there with Hathaway’s direction, quality supporting casts, and film adaptations of Zane Grey worthy of the stories. Stories still selling today. Books, films, what is the contemporary western writer to do? Oh, well …
Next Week: The Best Thing to Come Out of Covid
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
August 11, 2024
Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall’s directing credits didn’t go past Open Range. Good as that film is, it doesn’t make for a director profile. Add to that a week in which other priorities soaked up this keyboard and necessity leads to Duvall in a different light. Previously we recognized Duvall as a contemporary Western star whose work keeps Western film alive today.
Duvall began his acting career in the late 50’s on stage. Film and television roles followed in the 60’s and beyond. He enjoyed a prolific film career lending his talents as an actor to a wide variety of roles. Colleagues said of his portrayals, Duvall had the ability to thoroughly “inhabit” a character such that he became the character he played. One co-star said she never got to know Robert Duvall, only his character.
Robert Duvall’s contributions to Western film over the course of his career are considerable. He got his start in 1969, playing “Lucky” Ned Pepper to John Wayne’s Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. Who can forget that thrilling “Fill your hands, you . . . “, reins in their teeth, gun down gallop? Lawman (’71) came next, followed by The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid and Joe Kidd (’72).
Lonesome Dove hit our screens in ’89. OK, OK, I know this is a little screen miniseries, but some of those little screens epics are pretty big and was there ever a little screen Western as big as Lonesome Dove? I don’t think so. Duvall won a Golden Globe and a hat crush for his portrayal of retired Texas Ranger Captain Agustus “Gus” McCrae. Paired with Tommy Lee Jones as the dour Woodrow Call, Gus and Call make two of the most compelling pards to ride a Western film trail.
Duvall went back to the big screen in 1993 opposite the incomparable Wes Studi in Geronimo: An American Legend. The films that followed kept Westerns alive and relevant in a new millennium. Duvall played General Robert E. Lee in Gods and Generals (’03), a fitting role for a man whose maternal ancestors include the General himself. Open Range followed later that year as Duvall's only directing credit.
Next Week: A Bit More Scott
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Ride easy,
Paul
Duvall began his acting career in the late 50’s on stage. Film and television roles followed in the 60’s and beyond. He enjoyed a prolific film career lending his talents as an actor to a wide variety of roles. Colleagues said of his portrayals, Duvall had the ability to thoroughly “inhabit” a character such that he became the character he played. One co-star said she never got to know Robert Duvall, only his character.
Robert Duvall’s contributions to Western film over the course of his career are considerable. He got his start in 1969, playing “Lucky” Ned Pepper to John Wayne’s Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. Who can forget that thrilling “Fill your hands, you . . . “, reins in their teeth, gun down gallop? Lawman (’71) came next, followed by The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid and Joe Kidd (’72).
Lonesome Dove hit our screens in ’89. OK, OK, I know this is a little screen miniseries, but some of those little screens epics are pretty big and was there ever a little screen Western as big as Lonesome Dove? I don’t think so. Duvall won a Golden Globe and a hat crush for his portrayal of retired Texas Ranger Captain Agustus “Gus” McCrae. Paired with Tommy Lee Jones as the dour Woodrow Call, Gus and Call make two of the most compelling pards to ride a Western film trail.
Duvall went back to the big screen in 1993 opposite the incomparable Wes Studi in Geronimo: An American Legend. The films that followed kept Westerns alive and relevant in a new millennium. Duvall played General Robert E. Lee in Gods and Generals (’03), a fitting role for a man whose maternal ancestors include the General himself. Open Range followed later that year as Duvall's only directing credit.
Next Week: A Bit More Scott
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Ride easy,
Paul
August 4, 2024
Randolph Scott Filmography
Over the one hundred two weeks we’ve reviewed ‘not so classic’ western films, that’s right 102 not so classic films, we’ve reviewed more than a few starring Randolph Scott. More than a few is quite a few fewer than the Randolph Scott films we found. Why? Scott starred in fifty nine westerns from 1932 to 1962. More than half the number of films we did in this, the longest post series we have done in over ten years at this keyboard. Since Scott is a favorite of so many of you, you might ask why didn’t we do more of his films? The answer is more than a few lack so much as a lobby poster to record the fact they were made. We set those aside when we encountered them in researching this series. We set aside enough of them to suggest we should take a broader look at Scott’s filmography.
The full body of Scott’s work spans thirty four years. We confine our interest to his westerns which constitute a hefty part of his filmography but by no means all of it. If you throw in comedies, dramas, fantasies, horror, musicals, and war films the filmography goes north of one hundred. Makes you wonder if the man slept. So, what do we do with all this? Where do we go from here?
I think we take a page out of our directors sub-series. We interspersed profiles of elite western directors in the not-so-classic series. We still have a couple of those directors to do. We’ll finish those up along with doing periodic chunks of Scott’s western filmography, organized around years in which relevant groups were made. All that while researching the idea for a new series.
Some years ago, we did a series on Great American Ranches. It was very popular with the following it received. The idea for a new series is to profile the history of Great Professional Rodeos. Based on a little preliminary work, this one has the potential to be fun.
We know the big rodeos and they come with interesting histories. We bring the idea up now to give you opportunity to nominate your favorite rodeo for inclusion the series. We’ll take nominations with the caveat; they have to pass research muster. For example, is the event PRCA sanctioned? Does the event have a website? Things like that will determine if we have enough information to do your favorite or not.
Next Week: Robert Duvall
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Ride easy,
Paul
The full body of Scott’s work spans thirty four years. We confine our interest to his westerns which constitute a hefty part of his filmography but by no means all of it. If you throw in comedies, dramas, fantasies, horror, musicals, and war films the filmography goes north of one hundred. Makes you wonder if the man slept. So, what do we do with all this? Where do we go from here?
I think we take a page out of our directors sub-series. We interspersed profiles of elite western directors in the not-so-classic series. We still have a couple of those directors to do. We’ll finish those up along with doing periodic chunks of Scott’s western filmography, organized around years in which relevant groups were made. All that while researching the idea for a new series.
Some years ago, we did a series on Great American Ranches. It was very popular with the following it received. The idea for a new series is to profile the history of Great Professional Rodeos. Based on a little preliminary work, this one has the potential to be fun.
We know the big rodeos and they come with interesting histories. We bring the idea up now to give you opportunity to nominate your favorite rodeo for inclusion the series. We’ll take nominations with the caveat; they have to pass research muster. For example, is the event PRCA sanctioned? Does the event have a website? Things like that will determine if we have enough information to do your favorite or not.
Next Week: Robert Duvall
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
July 28, 2024
The Nevadan
Mix an undercover U.S. Marshal, jailed stage robber, $250,000 in unrecovered gold, with a ruthless rancher and you have the recipe for The Navadan. One thing we learned from this ‘Not so classic’ western film series; Randolph Scott left us a rich legacy in western film. We came upon it film by film over the last year or so. We’ll step back and take a wide angle look at it before we finish, but first down to business with this 1950 offering.
U.S. Marshal Andrew Barclay (Scott) is out to recover a quarter of a million dollars in stolen gold. Serious money in the nineteenth century. What better way to find it? Let the guy who stole it, a guy named Tanner (Forrest Tucker), lead you to it. All you have to do is let him break jail. We’re off and running. Well off and following to put a fine point on it. Tucker notices he’s being followed and ambushes Barclay. You need to put your Hollywood glasses on for this next part. They trade clothes and go to a bank where Tanner recovers a map leading to the gold. Really?
Map in hand Tanner and Barclay are held up. In true Randolph Scott character, Barclay bests the bandits. He then convinces Tanner he is a fugitive, and they should work together. Tanner agrees until Barclay beds down for the night. Adios partner, Tanner makes off with the map. Tanner’s trail leads Barclay to Edward Galt’s ranch and his lovely daughter, Karen (Dorthy Malone). You knew we needed a romantic interest. She trades a fresh horse for Barclay’s lame mount.
Barclay catches up with Tanner in the nearby town of Twin Forks saloon. Rancher Galt catches on to Barclay and Tanner out to find the stolen gold. Galt sends one of his men to Tanners room for the map. Tanner shoots him. Galt has him charged with murder and jails him. Barclay pulls a second ‘get out of jail free’ card for Tanner’s agreement to split the loot.
The map leads to an abandoned mine on Galt’s ranch and a shoot out with Galt and his men. In true Radolph Scott character, Galt and his men pay the price of their misdeeds. The gold is recovered. Tanner is recaptured and taken to jail, while Karen waits wistfully, knowing Barclay must return. Cue credits. The End.
Got to love a filmography the Stadtler Brothers immortalized in song … “Whatever happened to Randolph Scott … Tune in next week.
Next Week: Randolph Scott Filmography
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
U.S. Marshal Andrew Barclay (Scott) is out to recover a quarter of a million dollars in stolen gold. Serious money in the nineteenth century. What better way to find it? Let the guy who stole it, a guy named Tanner (Forrest Tucker), lead you to it. All you have to do is let him break jail. We’re off and running. Well off and following to put a fine point on it. Tucker notices he’s being followed and ambushes Barclay. You need to put your Hollywood glasses on for this next part. They trade clothes and go to a bank where Tanner recovers a map leading to the gold. Really?
Map in hand Tanner and Barclay are held up. In true Randolph Scott character, Barclay bests the bandits. He then convinces Tanner he is a fugitive, and they should work together. Tanner agrees until Barclay beds down for the night. Adios partner, Tanner makes off with the map. Tanner’s trail leads Barclay to Edward Galt’s ranch and his lovely daughter, Karen (Dorthy Malone). You knew we needed a romantic interest. She trades a fresh horse for Barclay’s lame mount.
Barclay catches up with Tanner in the nearby town of Twin Forks saloon. Rancher Galt catches on to Barclay and Tanner out to find the stolen gold. Galt sends one of his men to Tanners room for the map. Tanner shoots him. Galt has him charged with murder and jails him. Barclay pulls a second ‘get out of jail free’ card for Tanner’s agreement to split the loot.
The map leads to an abandoned mine on Galt’s ranch and a shoot out with Galt and his men. In true Radolph Scott character, Galt and his men pay the price of their misdeeds. The gold is recovered. Tanner is recaptured and taken to jail, while Karen waits wistfully, knowing Barclay must return. Cue credits. The End.
Got to love a filmography the Stadtler Brothers immortalized in song … “Whatever happened to Randolph Scott … Tune in next week.
Next Week: Randolph Scott Filmography
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
