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Post by Allen Wiener on Feb 25, 2011 0:08:48 GMT -5
This is the 100th anniversary of the first Alamo movie, The Immortal Alamo (1911). It was produced by Gaston Melies, brother of film pioneer Georges Melies ( A Trip to the Moon, 1902, etc.). It was directed by William F. Haddock and starred Francis Ford (elder brother of the legendary John Ford) as Davy Crockett. Gaston Melies also appears in the film as a priest or "Padre." No copy of the film has been found, but a carefully reconstructed version through still photographs was released in 1993 on a VHS tape called Alamo Classics (Old Mill Books), which also included the silent films Martyrs of the Alamo (1915) and With Davy Crockett at the Fall of the Alamo (1926). This important cinematic Alamo anniversary seems to have gone entirely unnoticed, but it shouldn't have. Here is a link with more information on the film. There is, of course, a lot more detail about it in Frank Thompson's book Alamo Movies. www.imdb.com/title/tt0001693/In 1999, VHS editions of 3 remastered Alamo movies were released by Frank Thompson and the Windmill Group, including Martyrs of the Alamo (1915), Shrine of Texas Liberty (1938), and Heroes of the Alamo (1937), a sound movie that features Earle Hodgins as Stephen Austin; Hodgins was more typically cast in comic or other supporting roles in B-Westerns, including many Hopalong Cassidy films. In 2004 several early Alamo films were issued on the 3-DVD set The Alamo (Delta Entertainment Corp.), including: Martyrs of the Alamo (1915); DVD includes Alamo: Shrine of Texas Liberty, Shrine of Texas Liberty: Lost & Found, and the animated short Spirit of Independence; Heroes of the Alamo (1937); this DVD also includes the silent film With Davy Crockett at the Fall of Alamo (1926). The Alamo Documentary: A True Story of Courage (2004; 2-hour documentary). Allen
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Post by Hiram on Feb 25, 2011 1:06:00 GMT -5
Excellent post Allen, thanks for noting the 100th anniversary of the first Alamo film. As a former film student, I appreciate the cultural link between the artistic interpretation and the historical interpretation of the Alamo. The two are inextricably connected.
One additional sidebar: In the Heroesof the Alamo (1937), one of the couriers shown is none other than Hoot Gibson. It's stock footage lifted from one of his many films. Gibson was one of the biggest silent film stars and in the mid-20s was pulling down $14,500 a month in salary. Apparently Hoot was even better at spending his money than he was at earning it. A common Tinsel Town tale.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Feb 25, 2011 1:20:52 GMT -5
Good point! I remember the first TV sets that showed up in our neighborhood in the late 1940s; the old westerns were on every day and we kids got hooked on them immediately (and stayed hooked!). I recall several series with "trios" of 3 leading stars; one of which (I think) was Bob Steele, Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson! I seem to recall that Hoot started out as a stunt man or rider, but I could be mistaking him for someone else. By the way, Bob Steele also appears in "Davy Crockett at the Fall of the Alamo" as a character named 'Pinky' Smith. He was billed as Bob Bradbury Jr.; his father was the director Robert N. Bradbury and Bob's real name was Bob Bradbury.
I agree that much can be learned about the way we think of the Alamo and its major figures by reviewing how Hollywood has treated the subject over the past century. I think the same can be said of music written about the Alamo, which Bill and I tried to show in our book "Music of the Alamo."
Allen
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Post by Hiram on Feb 25, 2011 2:21:52 GMT -5
One slight correction...Hoot was pulling down $14,500 per week, not per month.
Both Gibson as well as Maynard started out as stunt men/riders, as did many other of the early cowboy film stars.
I have two very distinct yet different memories of Bob Steele. As a kid I was a loyal viewer of F Troop, and he was Trooper Duffy. As a film student, I gained a fascination for the film noir genre and I remember Steele's character in The Big Sleep. Steele plays a stone-cold killer named Lash Canino. There's a memorable scene where Canino is trying to get information from Elisha Cook, Jr. by pulling a gun on him. Elisha (I think his name is Harry in the film) hesitates for a moment and then Canino says "What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a gun before? What do you want me to do, count to three like they do in the movies?" Of course he ends up not having to plug him, he just forces him to drink poison...nice guy huh?
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Post by Chuck T on Feb 25, 2011 9:28:59 GMT -5
The last time I recall seeing these guys on the big screen was Gibson in a cameo role in "The Horse Soldiers" and Steele with a small role in "The Comancheros" (loved that book by Wellman by the way).
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Post by Allen Wiener on Feb 25, 2011 9:48:51 GMT -5
I recall seeing Steele in all those later films and TV shows, but I have to say that his performance in "The Big Sleep" is dynamite. He did that role perfectly and was the consummate cold-blooded killer. He actually should have at least been nominated for an award for that performance because it is so 100% natural and convincing, and it is so out of line with his B-movie image. He is also excellent as Curley, another dislikeable character in "Of Mice and Men." I didn't realize this before but Bob was only 5' 5" tall! An inspiration to all us short guys!
I recall his scene in "The Comancheros," which is one of my favorite Wayne "fun" movies. He appears in the scene where Wayne handcuffs Stuart Whitman to a anvil. When Whitman enters the house, Steel's wife asks Wayne what Whitman is carrying and Wayne says "That's an anvil Martha. He's carrying an anvil." When she asks "why?," Wayne says "He's become attached to it, sort of."
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Post by Kevin Young on Feb 25, 2011 13:59:12 GMT -5
...and of course, Trooper Duffy (Steele) kept reminding everyone of his Alamo wound and how he stood side by side with Davy Crockett (which of course he did do on film in DC at the Fall of the Alamo).
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Post by Hiram on Feb 25, 2011 15:09:05 GMT -5
Nice going quinceymorris! I had forgotten about that part. Ol' Duffy and his war wound...great stuff!
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Post by Kevin Young on Mar 1, 2011 15:54:05 GMT -5
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Post by Allen Wiener on Mar 1, 2011 17:10:39 GMT -5
I wish they'd put Viva Max! out on a new DVD with some extras. It was out on VHS at one time, and a European (Region 2) DVD was issued, but not a Region 1 disc. An unsung Alamo movie.
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Post by sloanrodgers on Mar 1, 2011 20:41:36 GMT -5
I think I read somewhere that actor Victor French's (Little House on the Prairie, Carter Country, etc.) grandfather played the first David Crockett in silent film.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Mar 2, 2011 6:02:34 GMT -5
I didn't know that, Rod. I loved Victor French in his Little House role. His passing was a shock to me, at the time.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Mar 2, 2011 9:49:39 GMT -5
French was a regular fixture on "Gunsmoke" prior to "Little House." He starred in and directed many episodes. Both he and Michael Landon were long-time chain smokers.
IMDB shows that French's father was an actor, but no word on his grandfather.
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Post by sloanrodgers on Mar 2, 2011 18:13:03 GMT -5
Well, I believe I read that Victor French's grandfather was the Charles K. French in the 1909 film Davy Crockett - In Hearts United, but IMDb states that Victor's grandfather's middle initial was different and Charles K. French's bio dispels the story completely. Perhaps this French connection needs to be researched further. Davy Crockett - In Hearts United, Starring: Charles K. French www.imdb.com/title/tt0277659/
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Post by Allen Wiener on Mar 2, 2011 20:39:21 GMT -5
That's what I found, IMDB doesn't have a link with his grandfather's name, but it's curious that they'd list it at all if he wasn't connected to show biz in some way. I know Victor was buddies with Roy Rogers.
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