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Post by alanhufffines on Nov 23, 2010 9:33:58 GMT -5
This is only distantly related to the Mo. I remember a TV movie from the 70's. It was about Houston as governor of Texas during the ACW. I remember him riding in a carriage down Congress and shaking his head while CSA recruiters barked.
Anybody?
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Post by martyb on Nov 23, 2010 10:58:16 GMT -5
I believe you are thinking about “The Honorable Sam Houston” a TV movie from 1975. It is the story about Sam Houston's campaign against the secession of Texas from the Union. It was directed by Richard T. Heffron. It starred Robert Stack as Houston.
Before that there was "Profiles in Courage - Sam Houston” a 1964 TV series episode. Houston was played by J.D. Cannon, and "The Great Adventure - The Testing of Sam Houston” another 1964 TV program. This time Houston was played by Robert Culp.
All were about the secession of Texas.
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 23, 2010 12:11:20 GMT -5
IMDmartyB. ;D
It is hard for me to believe I haven't seen any of these, but back then, Sam Houston wasn't my focus.
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Post by alanhufffines on Nov 23, 2010 19:55:14 GMT -5
Thanks former Company Commander o' mine. Now for the Amazon check...
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Post by sloanrodgers on Nov 23, 2010 21:07:08 GMT -5
I haven't seen any of those movies either. Did a beefy six foot actor ever play Sam Houston?
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Post by Kevin Young on Nov 23, 2010 21:44:47 GMT -5
Thanks former Company Commander o' mine. Now for the Amazon check... If anyone ever finds the Great Adventure on DVD let me know. That was a fantastic series and had a great theme song with wonderful opening credits....
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Post by Allen Wiener on Nov 23, 2010 21:52:55 GMT -5
Well, no CW footage, as I recall, but Joel McCrea played him in "The First Texan," Sam Elliot was Houston in the TV film "Houston: Legend of Texas" (aka "Gone to Texas"); Denver Pyle played him several times on the old "Adventures of Jim Bowie" series; Richard Boone in "The Alamo" (1960), someone named Howard Negley played him in "Man from the Alamo" and I'm betting several people played him in silent films that I can't think of right now. Seems to be there's been a load of celluloid Houstons, but few celebrate his courageous (and intelligent) effort to keep Texas from seceding.
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Post by Chuck T on Nov 23, 2010 23:21:38 GMT -5
Allen: I get most of my impression of Houston (not the history, but what the man was like) from Wellmans fictional "Magnificent Destiny. To that end I think Elliot captures him on screen better than and of the others. My view anyway.
You guys forgot Richard Dix and Stacy Keach who both played Houston. Maybe not, because both were quite forgetable.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Nov 24, 2010 9:02:27 GMT -5
I have a few Houston books still sitting in the "to be read" pile. I'm secure in the knowledge that I will NEVER reach the bottom of that pile, but I'll keep trying! I like Elliot's portrayal; Houston is often treated superficially on film; a caricature or cameo. Let's not forget aging Lorne Green in the cheap TV production "Thirteen Days to Glory." On the other hand, let's.
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 24, 2010 19:06:20 GMT -5
Sam playing Sam as Sam. (That's Elliott playing Houston as Yosemite).
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Post by sloanrodgers on Nov 25, 2010 16:58:26 GMT -5
Joel McCrea was big enough and probably great, but some of those actors seem a bit physically deficient and too folksy for Houston. I like Sam Elliot a lot, but he pretty much always plays a cool, slow-talking, lanky cowboy and everybody loves him for it. As I said before, I think Randy Quaid would have made a better Houston than his brother. James Arness would have probably been good too. A little tall, but they could have removed his knees.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Nov 25, 2010 18:17:54 GMT -5
Worth remembering that John Wayne wanted to play Houston in "The Alamo," which would have given him a small part and more time to focus on directing and producing. But, the money men insisted that he play one of the three major characters in order to make it a bigger box office draw. I doubt Wayne would have done much with the role beyond what he did as Sherman in "How the West Was Won."
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 26, 2010 0:53:12 GMT -5
John Wayne's plan for playing Houston in The Alamo was partly because he greatly admired Houston. Allegedly, this fascination began when he read Marquis James' 1929 Pulitzer winning book The Raven. Next, he tried to land the lead in Man of Conquest in 1939 but lost out to Richad Dix.
Choosing to play Houston in The Alamo as a cameo had two purposes. The obvious purpose, you explained above quite accurately. However, if the movie turned out to be a big success, he planned to do a sequel with him continuing the Houston role all the way to victory at San Jacinto. I've always thought this was a pretty good plan. Then UA turned the tables on him.
I have a sneaking suspician that James Edward Grant had a first draft already written, but there seems to be no evidence of this. I also believe that the little San Jacinto speech that Richard Boone gives in Spirit of the Alamo was from that script -- certainly wasn't anything Houston actually said, and it sounds like Grant's work.
"If there are any here who shrink from the issues, they need not march with us. Some must perish. But it will be glorious to fall in such a charge. Remember the Alamo."
Then again, since the show was taped during the actual production schedule, perhaps Grant just wrote it out for Boone before the scene.
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Post by Kevin Young on Nov 26, 2010 8:51:29 GMT -5
Allen-you forgot that classic 1952 film Lone Star in which Moroni Olsen played an older and bearded Houston set during the annexation "crises" of 1845-46. Featured a "gunfight in Austin" as the pro annexation forces kept the pro=Republic folks at bay ;D
Just showed on TMC this morning...
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Post by Allen Wiener on Nov 26, 2010 9:15:24 GMT -5
Allen-you forgot that classic 1952 film Lone Star in which Moroni Olsen played an older and bearded Houston set during the annexation "crises" of 1845-46. Featured a "gunfight in Austin" as the pro annexation forces kept the pro=Republic folks at bay ;D Just showed on TMC this morning... Dang, I should have remembered that one, Kevin! I had already set the DVR to record it this morning! Don't know when I'll get around to watching it, but thanks for the reminder.
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