Issue 128 September 2019
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Issue 128 September 1, 2019 Volume 31 No. 3 THE OFFICIAL CHRONICLE FOR THE LONE RANGER FAN CLUB MEMBERS HIGHLIGHTSHIGHLIGHTS ININ THISTHIS ISSUEISSUE HAPPY FALL! GLENN STRANGE AND HIS STRANGE ROCK By: Nolan Greer Page 2 Reporters and Contributers CHARACTER OVERVIEW OF “RUSTLER’S HIDEOUT” in this Issue By: Steve White Page 4 Nolan Greer—#652 [email protected] THE LONE RANGER CAFÉ By: Bobbi Goll Schlosser Everette Humphrey - # 385 Page 6 [email protected] HISTORICAL LONE RANGER MUSEUM DISPLAY UPDATE Bobbi Goll Schlosser # 299 [email protected] By: Everette Humphrey Page 7 Steve White—#346 MARK YOUR CALENDAR [email protected] Page 8 Annie Little—#606 BACKLASH [email protected] By: Steve White The Lone Ranger Fan Club Page 9 [email protected] HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR MEMBERS! Page 11 FROM THE EDITOR By: Annie Little Page 13 Page 1 Issue 128 September 1, 2019 Volume 31 No. 3 Glenn Strange and his “Strange Rock” By: Nolan Greer TLRFC Member # 652 We all know of the famous Lone Ranger Rock as seen at the opening of each show and NOLAN GREER know that it is still there today. Very few of us realize that there is also a Glenn Strange Rock as well. That’s right, Butch Cavendish ( Glenn Strange) has his very own rock. It is located on the Iverson Ranch where many Lone Ranger shows were filmed. We all remember the Bartender on "Gunsmoke" wasn't always such a nice guy and fans of "Gunsmoke" know Glenn Strange mainly as Sam Noonan, the mild-mannered, and occasionally shotgun-wielding, bartender in Miss Kitty's Long Branch Saloon. Glenn filmed 238 episodes in Dodge City and was one of the most prolific actors in B-Westerns and early TV Westerns and appeared in close to 600 productions regularly on the Iverson Movie Ranch. One of Strange's signature roles came in the TV series The Lone Ranger. Starting in the show's first few episodes, he played one of the most hated characters of his career - the brutal killer Butch Cavendish. Early in episode one of the TV show, Cavendish masterminded an ambush of a group of Texas Rangers that left almost all of them dead - all except one, who would recover from his injuries and would go on to become the Lone Ranger. The ambush scene was edited together from two location shoots in two different parts of L.A. - one in Bronson Canyon, near Griffith Park, and one on the Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth. Many of the shots of the bushwhackers were filmed in Bronson Canyon. The "box canyon" configuration of Bronson Canyon - a setup that a layman might call a "dead end" - makes it the ideal spot for an ambush. But shots of Cavendish himself during the ambush were filmed in front of a distinctive rock located on the Iverson Movie Ranch: the Phantom, one of the many sandstone giants found in the Garden of the Gods. Cavendish is joined by members of his gang at his ambush perch in front of “Phantom Rock”. The Phantom is readily identified by the smaller rock protruding over the edge at the top of the larger rock. The rocks seen in the "Lone Ranger" shot tend to blend into each other, but the shot includes three main rock features, as noted here - the Phantom in the background (Rock A), a rock immediately behind the bushwhackers (Rock B) and the rock in the foreground that provides cover for the bushwhackers (Rock C). Page 2 Issue 128 September 1, 2019 Volume 31 No. 3 The identification of Rocks B and C is historically significant, given the central role the site played in the "Lone Ranger" story. Rock C is Glenn Strange Rock, or just "Strange Rock," in honor of Glenn Strange. Taking a closer look at the "Lone Ranger" ambush site today, we can see that the almost 45-degree slope on the south side of Glenn Strange Rock, where Cavendish and his henchmen were positioned, would have made this a precarious shoot - even without the dried brush that now occupies much of the space. Presumably Glenn Strange and the other actors had some kind of scaffolding to stand on during filming. Rocks B and C turn up in a number of other productions as well, although they're generally not seen from the angles used in "The Lone Ranger." Both rocks are visible in the background in this screen shot from the Marlene Dietrich-Gary Cooper movie “Desire.” "Rock B" has its own claim to fame, having provided the foundation for a mountain of laundry during the famous "laundry scene" in the 1939 Laurel and Hardy movie "The Flying Deuces.” Glenn Strange Rock is still there today at Iverson Ranch. Contact the Ranch for directions and give a “thank you” for providing such insightful information, photos and details. Text and photos gleaned from: iversonmovieranch.blogspot.com 11/15/15 Page 3 Issue 128 September 1, 2019 Volume 31 No. 3 SEASON 1 EPISODE #5 “Rustler’s Hideout” This Episode aired on October 13, 1949 There is a lot of suspense in Episode 5. Rustler’s Hideout – Right there in the title it tells us there is a hideout. There is also a kidnapping and an exciting horse chase. What kind of hideout? Who was kidnapped? You will have to watch Episode #5 to find out and to also meet Fred Vance and learn of his shady past. So get a can of beans or piece of beef jerky and a canteen of cool water and check in to see if The Lone Ranger and Tonto save the day. TLRFC Character Overview of Season One/Episodes Five “Rustler’s Hideout” By: Steve White TLRFC Member # 346 Dickie Jones played Jim Patrick, son of rancher Tom Patrick. This is the first of two appearances Jones made on The Lone Ranger. He was born 2/25/1927 in Snyder, Texas. Mr. Jones had a storied career. He was an accomplished horseman and by age FOUR, was billed as the World’s Youngest Trick Rider and Roper. At age 6, he was hired to perform riding and lariat tricks in a rodeo owned by the Western star Hoot Gibson. Before serving in the Army, Jones had appeared in some of Gene Autry’s produced westerns, and following WWII, Gene Autry put him back to work. He was on The Range Rider series in 1951 and had his own show, Buffalo Bill Jr. in 1955. Perhaps his greatest role came in 1940 when he was the Dickie Jones voice for Walt Disney’s animated film Pinocchio. Jones retired in 1966 and went into the business world. He died after hitting his head in a fall on July 7, 2014. He was 87 years old. Jones and Pinocchio Harry Lauter appeared in eleven Lone Ranger episodes. In episode 5, he played Fred Vance. He was born June 19, 1914 in White Plains, NY; but was raised in Denver, Colorado. He was a character actor who usually appeared as a second lead or heavy in low budget films, serials or TV shows in the 1950s. He came close to stardom in 1955, when he appeared in the short lived TV series, Tales of the Texas Rangers. He devoted much of his energy late in life to his own painting and running an art gallery. He was quoted on playing so many bad guys: “I like playing the heavy because they pretty well leave you alone, unless you go overboard. I love the Harry Lauter Page 4 Issue 128 September 1, 2019 Volume 31 No. 3 heavies and love the reaction I get from people. “Why are you so mean on screen? You’re not a mean guy at all.” Most of the people I know that played really nasty heavies, like Bob Wilke (Robert J. Wilke) and Mickey Simpson….they are the nicest guys in the world. Lauter died of heart failure in Ojai, CA on October 30, 1990. He was 76. Harry Lauter & Kay Morley Joseph Crehan played Tom Patrick, the ranch owner and Jim’s father. He was born 7/15/1883 in Baltimore. Crehan played in 3 other Lone Ranger Episodes. During his career, he played predominantly authority figures, like police chiefs and army officers. He portrayed Ulysses S. Grant 9 times between 1939- 1958, most memorable were in Union Pacific 1939 and They Died with their Boots On Crehan in 1946 1941. Had an uncredited appearance in West Side Story. He passed on 4/15/1966 in Hollywood. Others that were in the episode were: Kay Morley who played Mary Vance, Fred’s wife. She appeared in Six-Gun Serenade in 1947 and Trails End in 1949. Fred Koher Jr. was born 7/8/1911 in Los Angeles and passed on 1/7/1983. Kohler played one of the bad guys, Nolan. He was in The Ten Commandments in 1956. Frank Fenton was the lookout outlaw. Fenton went to Georgetown University. He was only 51 when he passed in 1957. Edmund Cobb 1892-1974. Cobb played in 7 episodes and in all seven he played a sheriff. In episode 5 he was Sheriff Joe-uncredited. A great incentive to have new members join The Lone Ranger Fan Club! Effective now, anyone who signs up for new membership will become a member through December 2020! That means they’ll get the remainder of this year FREE. That’s 16 months of membership for the price of 12 entitling them to the December issue of the “Silver Bullet” at no additional cost! What a deal! Have them sign up at thelonerangerfanclub.com.