What Was The Last Western You Watched?

This morning I caught Have Gun - Will Travel's Gun Shy with Dan Blocker. There's something slightly unbelievable about my beloved Richard Boone delivering a 1-2 breadbasket punch to dear old Dan before finishing him off with a double-fist slam on his spine. It simply didn't look real. We all know that Dan Blocker was a pussycat, but still... Was Dan ever in a film with the Duke? Is there a thread? (My right wrist is in a splint and I'm lazy.)

One of the best things that happened to HGWT was when Hal Needham was hired as stunt double for RB. From then on the stunts looked real and the fighting improved astronomically.

Hi

I can't recall Dan Blocker being in a Duke film.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

The Great Sioux Massacre with Joesph Cotton Gavin McLeod and Phil Carey as Lt Col George Custer.

Regards

Arthur

Quote from Peridot

This morning I caught Have Gun - Will Travel's Gun Shy with Dan Blocker. Was Dan ever in a film with the Duke? Is there a thread? (My right wrist is in a splint and I'm lazy.)

To confirm what Arthur said, no he wasn't.
The best we have on Dan, is of course.
Classic TV Westerns- Bonanza (1959-1973)

Quote from Dooley

Hi Mark,

I have Lonesome Dove teed up to watch on Blu Ray, would you suggest watching the prequel first or just going straight into Lonesome Dove?

Peter

You can just watch Lonesome Dove. The others fill in the back story and future, but are not really necessary to be seen in the order they fall in to enjoy. Lonesome Dove is by far the best of the 4 mini series. There's Dead Man's Walk, Comanche Moon, Lonesome Dove and Streets of Laredo. There was a Return to Lonesome Dove, but it wasn't written by Larry McMurtry, so I didn't get that one. Saw it when it first came out, but that was it.

Mark

The Quick and the Dead

Quote from Peridot

This morning I caught Have Gun - Will Travel's Gun Shy with Dan Blocker. There's something slightly unbelievable about my beloved Richard Boone delivering a 1-2 breadbasket punch to dear old Dan before finishing him off with a double-fist slam on his spine. It simply didn't look real. We all know that Dan Blocker was a pussycat, but still... Was Dan ever in a film with the Duke? Is there a thread? (My right wrist is in a splint and I'm lazy.)

One of the best things that happened to HGWT was when Hal Needham was hired as stunt double for RB. From then on the stunts looked real and the fighting improved astronomically.

+

Well, dear, didn't let me know about your hand....was there nerve damage? Did they have to operate?

Dan was just coming into his own as a serious movie actor when he died. In fact, not sure, but THINK, Sterling Hayden had to replace him in a movie in which he had been cast. Anyway, he and Duke would probably have ended up doing a movie as he was a liberal Democrat, and was once in the 1971 John Wayne hosted patiriotic special Swing Out, Sweet Land. As Duke was known to use people he met and liked in later movies, (who COULDN'T like Dan?), I imagine he would have ended up possibly as part of his stock troup, if not just in a movie or two. The blood clot ended all of that, though. His death was considered to be the Death knell for Bonanza although the season tried to move on without him. Keith

Yesterday I watched Broken Arrow with James Stewart, thought it was fantastic and it was interesting to see a Western portraying Indian's sympathetically, Stewart was excellent as the man trying to keep the peace while also falling in love, he truly is one of if not the greatest actor of all time. Highly reccomended

Today I watched Shane another classic, Alan Ladd is very good in this as the mysterious gunslinger with more and more of his personality being revealed as the story goes on, I feel Duke could have played this role well, but maybe he wasn't pretty enough! The film is on a whole good rather than being outstanding in any one aspect. Sad how things ended up for Ladd, he reminds me abit of Paul Newman.

dark command

Quote from The Irish Duke

Today I watched Shane another classic, Alan Ladd is very good in this as the mysterious gunslinger with more and more of his personality being revealed as the story goes on, I feel Duke could have played this role well, but maybe he wasn't pretty enough!

Of course Duke did play this role, and it was called
Hondo

Quote from The Irish Duke

Yesterday I watched Broken Arrow with James Stewart, thought it was fantastic and it was interesting to see a Western portraying Indian's sympathetically, Stewart was excellent as the man trying to keep the peace while also falling in love, he truly is one of if not the greatest actor of all time. Highly reccomended

Today I watched Shane another classic, Alan Ladd is very good in this as the mysterious gunslinger with more and more of his personality being revealed as the story goes on, I feel Duke could have played this role well, but maybe he wasn't pretty enough! The film is on a whole good rather than being outstanding in any one aspect. Sad how things ended up for Ladd, he reminds me abit of Paul Newman.

Didn't realize how Paul had died, but he was a regular at my friend's place in the OCALA National Forest. First went there to check on some land for a boy's home that one of his partner's, my friend's cousin, told him about. He stayed the weekend and Granny and Curtis took him out on the pontoon boat fishing morning and afternoon.......caught lots. Also, they gave him a big hat and he had sunglasses,....none of Granny's friends on the water knew who he was. Had so much fun, he came back twice that I know of for sure. All I DO know is that he slept in MY BED, and I wasn't there, LOL!
Also, when his partner and friend Jim was killed, I was on the track....my date was the Safety man for the Race. He said he never had to do much but I could walk out on the track just be sure not to get in front of a pit during the race! Since Paul's car was surrounded by well wishers, and Jim's Planter's Peanut car, just like Paul's had NO ONE around it.......I went to talk to him. He took his helmet off and we talked for a few minutes about how he loved to race and was so glad that Paul was racing with him....two old guys having fun. Then, I wished him luck, he smiled and thanked me, and before you know it, they were gone. When he hit the wall, I just couldn't believe it was him..........there went my date. He was gone the rest of the race. Paul sat in his car for a while and finally quit the race. Don't think I ever want to go to one of those races again......American Sports Car Club or something. Mike, my date, met me at the party afterwards but clearly didn't feel like staying.......he had to get the body out of the car, go with it to the hospital and do all the paperwork. You can read about it here if you like
http://www.people.com/people/a…ticle/0,,20097651,00.html
Curtis still has the olive bottle that Paul used to make up his dressing for the salad the first trip to go with the fish they caught! Glad he died at home. Curtis, BJ, and Granny said he was just like anyone else, you would never have known what a star he was. Keith

Shane, Shane, don't come back Shane!!

Speaking of native Americans, last night I stayed up into the wee hours watching the four hour director's cut of "Dances With Wolves".
I know that Costner isn't popular with some people, but he made a damn fine film here. This longer edition fleshes out some minor characters, particularly the Lakota, making their actions more understandable. There's a restored scene or two showing the cavalry abandoning Dunbar's post as well as a formally deleted incident on the buffalo hunt where the tribe finds carcasses slaughtered by white hunters. The Lakota are shown having a scalp dance after they kill the hide hunters and Dunbar's reaction.
If you haven't seen this addition, which adds about a whole hour, I recommend it.

We deal in lead, friend.

Ho there Gorch,

Haven't seen the regular one in years. But Charlie Knight, one of my great buddies before he died was an reknowned authority on Native Americans. The Smithsonian used many of his things for exhibitions and the President appointed him to the National Indian Commission. He said Dancing with Wolves was an absolute MUST! Although his parents were wealthy, he actually LIVED on reservations every summer. At six foot three and about 290 pounds when I met him, it was quite amazing to see a "white" man in three piece suit, mover and shaker of Tampa, Fl, walking as an "Indian"....as a real done does..........toes down first, then heel. It is very subtle, but, with a man's Charlie's size, it is noticeable. I learned to walk that way, and I made very thin moccasins ....no heavy Dyer's for me. It is so that you can feel something under your feet before you step and make a noise. Shoot, my AMM buddies had these heavy soul mocs to spare their tender feet....I could sneak up on them in a bed of dry leaves, LOL.
Sorry, got carried away. Anyway, he thought it was tremendously authentic, but I'll bet he never got to see the version you did. Where can you get it and what is it called? Thanks, Keith Oh, how much is it also, LOL?

The Searchers..........has been a while, too long. Love seeing the Wagon Train crew together! Keith

A picture like that and yet Ward and Duke went around to Theaters collecting plaques, wheels, keys to the city, etal, to sell it, LOL!

KEITH

Quote from Hawkswill

+

Well, dear, didn't let me know about your hand....was there nerve damage? Did they have to operate?

Dan was just coming into his own as a serious movie actor when he died. In fact, not sure, but THINK, Sterling Hayden had to replace him in a movie in which he had been cast. Anyway, he and Duke would probably have ended up doing a movie as he was a liberal Democrat, and was once in the 1971 John Wayne hosted patiriotic special Swing Out, Sweet Land. As Duke was known to use people he met and liked in later movies, (who COULDN'T like Dan?), I imagine he would have ended up possibly as part of his stock troup, if not just in a movie or two. The blood clot ended all of that, though. His death was considered to be the Death knell for Bonanza although the season tried to move on without him. Keith

Yes, I'm afraid there's some damage to the ulnar nerve. Prognosis unknown at this time, I've chosen non-aggressive treatment so far.

My father adored Dan Blocker. BONANZA was one of the few television shows he watched. According to my research, DB was a sweetheart of a man, beloved by all. We watched the beginning of BONANZA together. Then I was off to bed, for I was a wee girl child.

Finally got to watch The Last Sunset with Kirk Douglas and Rock Hudson. It was not all that bad. Most westerns in that era were entertaining and so was this flick.
Big Jim

The Fighting Westerner- Randolph Scott

Quote from Big Jim

Finally got to watch The Last Sunset with Kirk Douglas and Rock Hudson. It was not all that bad. Most westerns in that era were entertaining and so was this flick.
Big Jim

Thanks Big Jim. With that small review of yours, I will put it on my List, but on down the line....no hurry, LOL. Kirk Douglas used to buy his golf clothes from my pro shop at Mission Hills CC near Palm Springs, CA. Although he was totally sure of who and how good he was, he was a nice and polite fellah, (with an extremely small waist for a man)!. I always waited on him personally, (even came in from lessons), and he actually told me once that he appreciated being waited on by "the boss", LOL. That is when I began to watch more of his movies. Found I liked most all of them, and I am still trying to see the rest. So, again I thank you for putting a bit more than just the Name of what you watched. I wish that were a requirement of the post....just put what you thought about it, what it was about a bit, etc. Sure would help a lot, Have a good one, KEITH

Oh, so you don't think I was unfair to my member who was getting the golf lesson at the time, I went back and finished it for free, (I made a percentage on sales in the shop). And sometimes, I took them on the course and caught up to Kirk and introduced them to him, LOL...........that made the lesson delay all worth while as Kirk would be really nice to them and thank them for letting me come take care of him....real showman he was! As I came to really like him, (started with a dinner where he sat next to me because our table was called before the people he was with was, and we knew them, Tony Martin and Cyd Charisse, and invited them to join us. I wasn't THAT familiar with his work but most certainly KNEW who he was. He was a complete gentleman although a few rather blue jokes were told by Tony and all laughed...must admit, I did too! Kirk Douglas, although a bit pompous, and I don't really think he realized it, was a nice man. It is kind of like Duke saying after Kirk upstaged him a few times by his horse mounting techniques, that anyone can mount a horse like that if you surround it with trampolines, LOL. Well, after I got to know him better, I just figured he thought he was supposed to act as he did. And after hearing on here about the mounting techniques, I can only figure the same....he was doing what he thought would please the audience. And, as HE was obviously doing them himself,I think it did. So, if there were trampolines as Duke said.....who cares? I couldn't see them. Why use a stunt double if you can do it yourself, LOL?
Sorry, I get wound up and forget to stop. Thanks again, KEITH

"A Fistful of Dollars"