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The glitter and fame of Flagstaff’s westerns By Erin Whalen

When a visitor thinks of Flagstaff, golden aspens, the It has been said that in 1913 Flagstaff was considered Other star hostility surfaced in Flagstaff. Around purifying scent of pine trees, clear, blue sky or the snow­ as a site for the undeveloped Hollywood. However, the 1946-47, Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge capped mountains may come to mind. The picture may founding group of movie producers were greeted with were filming “Johnny Guitar” in Oak Creek. Yost said extend even farther to include the Grand Canyon, the five weeks of inclement weather, disproving Flagstaffs the two stars had an argument caused by jealousy. To desert area of the Indian reservation or the Red Rocks of reputation of having the lowest rainfall, second only to dispel the bad publicity, a full-page ad was placed in The Sedona and Oak Creek. Death Valley. The company moved on, but movies still Arizona Republic, denying there ever was a quarrel, Yost Flagstaff is a place of natural beauty, a place a tourist came back. said. could stop at and appreciate nature. But ordinarily it's “We've been involved with movies for a long time, " Yost could recall only one problem ever arising when a not a place to bump elbows with famous people. said Platt Cline, long-time resident of Flagstaff and movie company came to town. Two prize horses in However, Flagstaff and its surrounding area has not former publisher of the Arizona Daily Sun. But he doesn’t “Virginia City” were killed when hit by a train while been unknown to the likes of movie stars. Perhaps not to believe Flagstaff was considered seriously as the perma­ crossing the tracks during a scene. the extent of bumping elbows, but it has been host to such nent movie capital. Even in the first part of the century, “That was one of the tragedies. Otherwise things went stars as Errol Flynn, Joan Crawford and Humphrey movie stars were making a lot of money, and Flagstaff very well,” she said. Bogart. And the beauty of the Flagstaff area has been the didn't offer a variety of ways to spend it. “Virginia City,” and “The Bronco’,’ starring Glenn drawing card. “I think that’s a little far-fetched. It seems to me it Ford and Henry Fonda, also had scenes filmed in Oak would be rather unlikely to locate permanently in a small Creek. “Leave Her to Heaven” used Oak Creek and town,” Cline said. Flagstaff as a backdrop. Hundreds of movies have been made in the area Surrounding areas such as Tuba City and Cameron around Flagstaff, particularly in Sedona. Cline estimates also are used for filming desert scenes, Yost said at least 150 westerns were filmed there. Many of Zane “Laughing Boy,” starring Carmen Miranda and Johnny Grey’s movies were made in Sedona, with the author Weismuller, and^The Outlaw,” with Jane Russell and coming 12 or 15 times. Cornel Wilde, we tt filmed in Tuba City, 75 miles nor­ In Flagstaff itself, the Monte Vista Hotel was the head­ theast of Flagstaff. quarters for films such as “Leave Her to Heaven,” starr­ But it's the Red Rock area of Oak Creek Canyon that is ing Jean Tierney and Cornel Wilde, and “Virginia City,” a moviemaker’s dream. with Errol Flynn, Miriam Hopkins and Humphrey "Oak Creek Canyon is a beautiful spot,” Yost said Bogart. And when a movie company came, the entire “It's a motion picture paradise.” p town rolled out the red carpet. “The townspeople were very nice to them. Everybody treated them like royalty,” said Billie Yost, who as women’s page editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, sometimes interviewed the visiting stars. Yost recalls several anecdotes about the movie stars who came to Flagstaff. One Sunday in 1938 Yost went to Schnebly Hill with the movie crew to watch filming of a scene from “Virginia City.” It was supposed to be a tender love scene between Flynn and Hopkins. Yost said Hopkins had been upset because Flynn, who had a somewhat unsavory ^ reputation, was cast as her co-star. “He was absolutely a no-gooder,” Yo«t said. “He was very handsome and a good actor, but he wasn’t worth shooting when it came to morals.” Randolph Scott and Arizona Highway patrolman To show her displeasure. Hopkins ate a bud of garlic S.H. Liston in the 1938 Warner Bros, production before the love scene. Despite his ability as an actor, “Virginia City,” filmed in Flagstaff. Flynn couldn’t take it. The “tender" love scene had to be Early western drama one of many filmed in the 6 PERSPECTIVE called off, Yost said. Flagstaff area. /