I was shot by the Duke

My uncle, Ted Haworth, was the production designer on ‘Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid’. Ted and Sam Peckinpah were colleagues since ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ in which Sam acted and also was dialogue director. Ted was the art director on ‘Body Snatchers’ which included designing those infamous pods.

Ted was my mother’s brother. They came from a theatrical family. In the late 19th century American theater, my grandfather was a playwright and an actor, and my great-uncle was a matinee idol and a star. In 1972, I was twenty-four years old and had already started following the family tradition. I was a professional actor who had played leading roles at the Guthrie Theatre and Trinity Repertory Theatre. I had also played supporting roles in Othello with James Earl Jones and in Richard II with Richard Chamberlain.

Ted was very proud and supportive of me. He wanted to help me get some experience in front of the camera. He proposed that I visit him in Durango during filming of ‘Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid’. He said that there were always roles still uncast when a picture goes on location. He also mentioned that John Wayne was making a picture in Durango at the same time, and that I might be able to get something in that film as well.

Once in Durango, I walked into the trailer that served as Batjac’s production office, and introduced myself to Bill Davidson, ‘Cahill’s’ production manager. I gave him my photo and resume, and asked if there might be something I could do in the film. Mr. Davidson immediately said ‘yes’, and hired me. Sam subsequently agreed that he would give me some lines in ‘Pat Garrett’.

My role in ‘Cahill’ was shot the first three days of the film’s shooting schedule. I’ve covered a lot of my experiences in earlier posts. Mike Wayne was ‘Cahill’s’ producer and his word was his bond. Dan Kemp played ‘Joe Meehan’ and he was a really supportive, cool guy. Dan took home movies the whole time on the set. Dan told me two things: that the crew thought it was lucky to have a newbie actor the first day of shooting, and that he heard John Wayne say of me: ‘I was like him when I was his age.’

Back in LA, I had a great evening in Malibu Canyon watching Dan Kemp’s movies. When Dan called me up to invite me, he said: ‘There are some great shots of you…you look so happy to be on that set!’ Duke flicks a cigar at Dan’s face in ‘Cahill’. Dan gave me the cigar as a souvenir. I kept it for years until it finally just disintegrated. Duke smoked cigars as ‘Cahill’ and Mike Wayne personally expressed his concern to me that his dad was inhaling them.

In ‘Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid’, Sam used me in the Lincoln, New Mexico scenes. I had a couple lines to James Coburn. They were lines Sam just threw me on the set and they didn’t stay in the film. But I was called on the film for at least three weeks. I spent great days hanging out with Slim Pickens, Katy Jurado, Barry Sullivan, Jason Robards, Richard Jaeckel, and R. G. Armstrong. When Jack Elam was there, he had everyone playing liars poker. I also spent time with Bob Dylan. I was in a small group that had dinner one night with James Coburn, and I went out riding a number of times with Kris and Whitey Hughes.

I guess there was a friendly rivalry between ‘Cahill’ and ‘Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid’. The two sets were a study in contrasts. ‘Cahill’ was disciplined and structured. Duke had all crew members get trim haircuts. (Actors playing cowboys were exceptions, of course.) Peckinpah’s set embodied the counter-culture, and there was an attitude that ‘Cahill’ was old fashioned while ‘Garrett’ was breaking new ground.

Both crews were highly professional. I heard stories that there were nights with Sam when the drinking got out of hand but I never saw it personally. Certainly, both James Coburn and Kris were prepared and focused each and every day they worked. Sam, however, began arriving habitually late each morning. Cinematographer John Coquillon would have his crew set up for the first shot by 7 AM, and then would often wait three hours for Sam’s station wagon to arrive. The film quickly fell behind schedule.

I heard that there were conflicts between Sam and MGM. I knew nothing first hand, with one exception. They were shipping the raw footage to Hollywood for processing, and the first ‘dailies’ weren’t seen by Sam and the crew until one week into the shoot. Coquillon had noticed that the lens used for master shots looked out of alignment. MGM sent a Panavision technician up from Mexico City who examined the lens and gave it an OK.

When the first rushes arrived from Hollywood, all of the master shots were out of focus. Sam was justifiably furious and responded by pissing on the projection room screen. I know for a fact this happened because Sam personally told me about it the next day. Sam was still upset about all the out-of-focus footage, but he was proud of his gesture. They had already shot Jason Robards’ scene and couldn’t get him back for retakes because he’d been hospitalized as the result of a serious car accident.

Sam was a sensitive, gifted man who obviously had major demons. He produced two all-time great films ‘Ride the High Country’ and ‘The Wild Bunch’. I think ‘Junior Bonner’ and ‘The Getaway’ are also masterpieces. All of his films had strokes of genius in them. I’m sorry Sam didn’t live to conquer those demons and make many more great films.

I hung out with Richard Jaeckel the whole time he was on 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid'. We kept each other company between takes and we sat together at lunch each day, including one meal where the meat dish was mule! Richard stood in contrast to just about every one else on the set. He was not at all actor-ish. He wasn't at all cynical. He was like a guy from an earlier era.

My brother had gone to Loyola High School with one of Richard's sons. I mentioned that when I introduced myself. After that he behaved like a easy-going young dad to me.

If you ever had a young high school athletics coach who was conservative, friendly, and accepting of everybody, that would be Richard Jaeckel.

I never read the entire script for 'Cahill'. I was only involved for those first three days. I don't know if anything was filmed that was subsequently cut.

I remember the working title for the film was 'Wednesday Morning'.

Well, a big part of my stunt was the shotgun going off under my poncho as I was hit. As I mentioned, the wax discharge from the blank blew a hole right through the poncho as I kicked back. We went through three ponchos in three takes. You don't really see that in the finished film.

But I think the sequence is well edited. Duke arrests the entire outlaw band on his own. He does this by picking off two of us quickly and in rapid succession.

Robbie: I don't have any stills from my time on the set of 'Cahill'. I have the scene itself as a memento. But I've never felt comfortable bringing a personal camera on to a movie set. Joe

I didn't cross paths with Harry Carey, Jr during my 'Cahill' experience. His role came a little later in the shoot. My brother Patrick drove up and visited him a couple years ago. Patrick brought me back a signed copy of 'Company of Heroes' which I really enjoyed. I emailed Dobe my appreciation of the book and got a really nice response.

Back in '72, I had a great afternoon strolling around Durango with Jackie Coogan, Neville Brand and Neville's beautiful young girlfriend. I remember Coogan was looking for a certain kind of East German scissors that you couldn't get in the States at the time. Coogan was great, enjoyable company. And Neville was going through a period of sobriety where he really felt like a new man.

Duke seemed in great shape on the set of 'Cahill'. I was told that his routine was to get back to his hotel at the end of the shooting day and receive a three hour massage. He'd then have dinner at about 9:30 PM. Following this he'd open a bottle and play cards with friends until the wee small hours. He'd then be up and on the set first thing the next day.

Mike:

I don't really know too much about the conflicts on the set of 'True Grit'. I can't really remember how the subject came up, but Duke did express displeasure with Kim Darby's work and conduct. I remember he said she was 'disrespectful'. I asked if she was disrespectful of Henry Hathaway, and Duke fixed me with his eyes and said: 'She was disrespectful of everybody'.

I actually think Kim Darby gives quite an effective performance in 'True Grit'. She seems natural and convincing, and provides a good foil for Duke's 'Rooster'. I've never thought of Liza Minnelli in rustic or rural roles. But of course, 'True Grit' was probably being cast right around the time she was making a big impression in 'The Sterile Cuckoo'.

Joe