Take A Tour Of Republic Pictures. No, Really.

Someone just sent me the press release on this. (Thanks, Terry!) It’s a real once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a dream come true, or the best day of your life. Depends on how you wanna look at it. 

What: Once in a lifetime chance for a private Tour of CBS Studio Center (formerly Republic Studios) & July 4th Celebration

Where: 4024 Radford Ave. Studio City, CA 91604

When: Tuesday July 4th at 5 pm (arrive early to allow time for security check and parking)

How much: $1,000 per person

Only 10 tickets available on a first come, first serve basis. Tickets will only be sold online. https://www.freshtix.com/events/4th-of-july-fireworks-festival-2-2

Get a behind the scenes tour of the historic CBS Studio Center (formerly Republic Studios) backlot given by none other than Studio Center President Michael Klausman.

In the early 1920s silent film producer and director Mack Sennett relocated his movie studio to southern California and the neighborhood around the studio became known as Studio City. The Mack Sennett Studios produced movies featuring the Keystone Kops, Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle before becoming Republic Studios. Republic launched the careers of Bette Davis, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne and many others. Today the studio is known as CBS Studio Center. Past and present shows filmed on the lot include Gilligan’s Island, Gunsmoke, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, CSI New York, Will And Grace, Seinfeld, Brooklyn Nine Nine, Hot In Cleveland, Last Man Standing and many others.

Public tours of the studio are not available, so this is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in film and television history. You will see the open air space where John Wayne showered, Seinfeld‘s Central Park, and Leave It To Beaver‘s house, among many other iconic locations.

The tour begins at 5 pm before the Fourth of July celebration and guests will be taken around the lot on studio golf carts. Preferential parking will be provided. Space is limited to ten participants. After the tour enjoy our VIP July 4th celebration on stage 15 with a meal, sampling stations of food and alcohol from various local restaurants, caricature artists, facepainters and more! Then take your seat on the roof of the parking structure for the view of the best fireworks in Los Angeles.

Tickets are available https://www.freshtix.com/events/4th-of-july-fireworks-festival-2-2. Click on VIP plus Private Lot Tour w/Studio President

Please call 818-655-5916 if you have any questions.

Boy, I’d love to take my family to this thing.

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Screening: One-Eyed Jacks (1961) At The AFI Silver Theatre.

Directed by Marlon Brando
Starring Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Katy Jurado, Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens, Timothy Carey

The AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, MD, will run the gorgeous 4K restoration of One-Eyed Jacks (1961) on June 30th and July 1st. Both showings are at 4:10 PM. A fine way to spend an afternoon.

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50s Westerns Blu-Ray News #232A: Gun Fury (1953) In 3-D.

Directed by Raoul Walsh
Starring Rock Hudson, Donna Reed, Phil Carey, Roberta Haynes, Leo Gordon, Lee Marvin, Neville Brand

UPDATE: The release date for this has been listed as September 19. Thanks for the news, Paula.

Raoul Walsh said he didn’t like CinemaScope, but was excited about 3-D. Funny, given that he only had one eye and couldn’t see depth. He’d end up using Scope a few times, but he’d go with 3-D just once, with 1953’s Gun Fury.

It’s a pretty simple chase/revenge story, as Rock Hudson goes after Phil Carey, who’s kidnapped Donna Reed. Of course, Walsh applies his typical speed and efficiency — and the picture moves like a rocket.

Twilight Time has announced a 2-D/3-D Blu-Ray release of Gun Fury for 2017. Personally, I’m more excited about the proper framing than I am 3-D. This is a really solid picture.

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Happy Birthday, Ben Johnson.

Ben “Son” Johnson, Jr.
(June 13, 1918 – April 8, 1996)

The great rodeo champion and character actor Ben Johnson was born 99 years ago today.

Rounding third on my One-Eyed Jacks book, I’ve watched the movie a number of times lately. Each time, I’m struck by how good Ben is in it, and by how his influence can be found in nearly every frame. Marlon Brando admitted that he patterned his performance after Ben, and pretty much every line of dialogue seems to have gone through the Johnson-ator.

Of course, he was always good, no matter how big or small the part.

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Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Is The End Of The Trail.

Western Film Fair & Nostalgia Convention
July 12 – 15, 2017
The Hawthorne Inn & Conference Center
Winston-Salem, NC

After 40 years, The Western Film Fair is riding into the sunset. So if you’ve ever thought about going, this is your chance. As always, there will be guests, screenings (16mm film!) and a dealers’ room.

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RIP, Maury Dexter.

L-R: Maury Dexter, Mara Corday, Jody McCrea on the set of The Hanging Judge, which was released as Naked Gun (1956).

Maury Dexter
June 12, 1929 – May 29, 2017

Maury Dexter was an extremely nice man. He didn’t know me from Adam, but after an introduction from Kit Parker, he spent hours telling me all about how Lippert, Regal and AIP operated — and how he fit into the operation. Being that I’m kinda obsessed with the Regalscope Westerns, I was in movie geek heaven.

Mr. Dexter worked as an assistant director on Little House On The Prairie for much of the show’s run (when Michael Landon died, Maury decided it was time to retire), so knowing him helped me score plenty of cool points with my daughter.

A friend and I helped Maury put together his memoirs. It’s a fun read, and I’m honored to have played a tiny part in getting it out there. He covers his childhood, stint in the military and Hollywood career — which includes everything from acting in a Three Stooges short to working for Lippert during the Regalscope years to directing The Mini-Skirt Mob to being a key member of Michael Landon’s production team.

After we got the memoirs finished, Maury’d call me up every so often just to say hello. I’d have a question about Frontier Gun or something, and we’d end up talking movies for quite a while. And you all know how much fun that is.

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