Hi
Getting back,my wife wanted to buy a new laptop and I needed a new printer, but now back to Up The River.
'Up The River gor under way on August 1st, the company working nonstop to close with Tracy as scheduled' (p 140)
Then finally- Tracy made his last shot on Sunday August 17th, at around five in the afternoon and was on a train bound for New York by eight that same evening' p 141
Nowhere in the chapter is John Wayne mentioned.
Regards
Arthur
hi
After letting this lie dormant for some time I have just bought Spencer Tracy - A Biography by James Curtis. The book is a weighty tome of 1001 page published in 2011 by Arrow Books
WRT Up The River Curtis writes that Tracy was signed to the Leo Morrison Agency on a six week contract commencing June 16th 1930 for $600 a week with a six months option on his services and the stipulation that he would be back in New York by August 21st as the show must open in Chicago September 1st.
(p 137)
Later:- 'Tracy was set to leave the Last Mile on May 26 when actor Lawrence Leslie, his replacement, fell ill with grippe. ... he was able to step away on Saturday June 7th, and left immediately for the West Coast. Despite the rush to get him to Los Angeles wher he arrived late Monday evening, Tracy found there was absolutely nothing to do'
More Later
regards
Arthur
Hi
Carolyn Mcgivern wrote a very interesting book about Duke with far less material than I imagine Elly has gathered and took on Michael Wayne and Wayne Enterprises to boot, at least that obstacle has been removed, Go to it Elly and more powere to you elbow.
Regards
Arthur
Hi All
That timescale fits in just nicely Tag Gallagher in John Ford the Man and his Films quotes that Up The River was shot in the Summer of 1930.
I think possibly that just about ties it up. One thing is sure after reading the lasts posts we certainly know more about that period of Dukes career than previously and for that reason I think this exercise has been well worth while.
Regards
Arthur
Hi
I was obviously right about Wikipedia Apparently Tracy made three films for vidophone his first was the Strong Arm a 7 min short released in May 1930,
Regards
Arthur
Hi
At this point the trail goes very cold
Taxi Talks 14 mins Released 14th June 1930
The Hard Guy 6 mins Released 6th September 1930
Not quite sure where to go now.
Regards
Arthur
Hi
The Broadway data base is very sketchy about 'The Last Mile' stating that the play opened 0n Feb 13th 1930 and ran until October 1930.
Spencer tracy's biography on Wikipedia (and I am aware of that medias reputation) states the following:-
' In 1930 Broadway was being heavily scouted for actors to work in the new film medium of talkies and Tracy was drawn into the process. Within a month of the opening of 'The Last Mile' he masde his screen debut in a Vitaphone short called'Taxi Talks'. This was followed by a second short The Hard Guy'. One of the scouts who saw Tracy in The Last Mile was director John Ford. Ford's next picture was set to be in a prison movies and he wanted Tracy for the lead role.'
If that is true then Tracy's screen debut would be around March in New York. This shortens the time spell I will continue to dig around.
Regards
Arthur
Hi
I think the point here is that Ford completely blanked Duke not once but twice as he approached him almost as if he wasn't welcome on the lot never mind the set.
When Tracy arrived along with Humphrey Bogart Ford immediately took to Tracy they became great drinking buddies and spent all their time together.
Bogart made the mistake of calling Ford Jack without being invited to and during the shooting of his scenes Ford referred to him as 'was that scene ok for you Mr Bogart'.
I think that as was the case with George O'Brien at that time Ford had time for one friend at a time it wasn't until much later with his 'stock company'that he gathered a fraternity around him.
During his early career he was considered a loner and a man who kept himself and his thoughts to himself.
Regards
Arthur
Hi Jim'
With the numbers of people around during the late twenties and early thirties dropping even more rapidly than ever more due to Tempus Fugit I would think that meeting any of the criteria you have set would be unlikely in the extreme.
Thinking seriously though, I feel that what we can or have to do is follow the route started so well by Elly and although I share her distrust of hacks trying to make easy money by going down the same route of repeating tired out stories, if enough of us research the more respectable authors and books and, and there are some out there, which will enable us to discuss among ourselfs bits and pieces picked up by this means. We might go someway towards completing a reasonably good history.
For example although the actual date that Up The River began shooting is unknown, what is known is that shooting lasted seventeen days and that Spencer Tracy was appearing on the New York stage in the play 'The Last Mile' and was given two weeks leave of absence to appear in Ford's picture.
With operating delays in scripting etc Tracy shook Ford by refusing to extend that leave of absence.
As I said yesterday it might make a good detective story or even a massive jigsaw puzzle but I believe we have the sufficiently motivated and able people to undertake this after all this motivation is what makes this board so superior.
Regards
Arthur
Hi
Thinking about the age Duke born 26th May 1907 by May 1930 he would be celebrating his 23rd birthday. With the Big Trail being shot between April and July it is concievable that Duke turned up on the Ford lot just after his birthday.
It makes a good detective puzzle.
Regards
Arthur
Hi Elly and Kieth
I agree with you about release dates but Men Without Women with a release date of Jan 31st 1930 and Born Reckless of May 11th 1930 would appear to easily pre date the Big Trail which according to Fred Landesman, was shot between April and July 1930 with a release date of October 24th 1939.
As the Big Trail was shot during that three month period in the Fox Studios at Culver City, Yuma, Arizona, Sequoia National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Tetons Park; Jackson Hole, Wyoming: and Moiese, Montana I would think that Wayne was busy travelling around the United States at the time
Regards
Arthur
Hi
I am currently reading Print The Legend - The Life and Times of John Ford by Scott Eyman.
When discussing 'Up the River' Eyman says that Ford brought Spencer Tracy from New York to star in the film and treated him like royalty.
Eyman also quotes that during the making of the film
'During production, John Wayne came back on the lot from long weeks spent filming The Big Trail. The starring part in a Western epic was a big break for a twenty-three year old kid, but Ford wasn't happy for him. As a matter of fact, when Wayne went over to say hello, Ford cut him dead. Then he did it again. A confused Wayne retreated.'
In view of the above I think I am on solid ground by saying that there is no way that Wayne appeared as an extra in Up The River
Regards
Arthur
