Here’s To Packy Smith!

Packy Smith came up yesterday and I thought it was about time to pay tribute to him. He passed away in 2019.

Morton Packard “Packy” Smith was the absolute authority on B Westerns. And he was a real joy to hang around with. No matter if you ever met him or not, you owe him a debt.

Packy produced the Happy Trails Theater show with Roy Rogers on TNN. He was a founder of a lot of the stuff that goes on in Lone Pine, from the museum to the film festival. And he wrote, edited or published some of the best books on Western films. I’ve got a stack of ’em around here — you probably do, too.

Jennifer and I grabbed something to eat with Packy at a Krystal during the Western Film Festival, years ago, and I think of him every time I go there.

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Screening: Shane (1953).

Directed by George Stevens
Starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon deWilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan, Emile Meyer, Elisha Cook Jr., Douglas Spencer, John Dierkes, Ellen Corby

The Graham Cinema in Graham, NC, is running George Stevens’ Shane (1953) tonight through Thursday at 7PM.

Tuesday, November 17 thru Thursday, November 19 at 7:00 pm
Graham Cinema
119 N Main Street, Graham, NC 27253

It’s a great old theater, a real favorite of mine. Of course, Shane is terrific, too. And Loyal Griggs Oscar-winning cinematography really needs to be seen on the big screen.

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Screening: She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949).

Directed by John Ford
Starring John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., Victor McLaglen, Mildred Natwick, George O’Brien, Arthur Shields, Michael Dugan, Tom Tyler, Francis Ford

The Graham Cinema is running John Ford’s She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949) next week. Seeing John Wayne and Winton Hoch’s Oscar-winning Technicolor cinematography on the big screen is something not to be missed.

Monday & Tuesday, February 24 & 25
7:00 & 9:00 pm.

The Graham Cinema
119 N Main Street, Graham, NC

The Graham Cinema is a great old movie house. If you’re anywhere nearby, be sure to check it out.

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Screening: Stagecoach (1939).

Directed by John Ford
Starring Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Thomas Mitchell, Andy Devine, John Carradine, George Bancroft, Louise Platt, Donald Meek, Berton Churchill, Tom Tyler, Tim Holt

The Graham Cinema in Graham, North Carolina, is running John Ford’s Stagecoach (1939) next week. I don’t have to tell you what a terrific, landmark movie it is.

John Wayne and Andy Devine on location. John Ford’s back there with the pipe.

Monday & Tuesday, February 10 & 11
7:00 & 9:00 pm.

The Graham Cinema
119 N Main Street
Graham, NC

And if that wasn’t cool enough, on February 24th and 25th, they’ll be running She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949). The Graham Cinema is a great old movie house. If you’re anywhere nearby, be sure to check it out.

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Screening: True Grit (1969).

Directed by Henry Hathaway
Starring John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Kim Darby, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Strother Martin, John Doucette

To mark the 50th anniversary of True Grit (1969), TCM has put together a string of screenings in hundreds of theaters this Sunday and Wednesday, May 5 and 8. To find a theater near you, click the lobby card above.

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Screening: Gone With The Wind (1939).

Directed by Victor Fleming
Starring Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Haviland, Thomas Mitchell, Hattie McDaniel, Ward Bond, Yakima Canutt

The Graham Cinema in Graham, North Carolina is running Gone With The Wind (1939) at various times April 28 – May 2.

Sunday, April 28
2:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Monday – Thursday, April 29 – May 2
7:00 PM

They ad above was run when the Graham Cinema featured Gone With The Wind back in 1969.

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Screening: The Searchers (1956) In 35mm.

Directed by John Ford
Starring John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond, Natalie Wood, Harry Carey, Jr., Hank Worden

John Ford’s The Searchers (1956) might be the finest film ever made, it’s almost certainly the greatest Western ever made, and it’s easily John Wayne’s best performance. Of course, I’m probably preaching to the choir.

Here’s a rare change to see it on film, in a theater. Sorry for the short notice.

Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Pacific Palisades
April 9 & 10, 7 PM
Click the lobby card for details.

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Screening: Seven Men From Now (1956).

Directed by Budd Boetticher
Written by Burt Kennedy
Starring Randolph Scott, Gail Russell, Lee Marvin, Walter Reed, John Larch

Here in Raleigh, NC, we have something called The Western Film Preservation Society. They get together once a month for a couple of Western films and a chapter of a serial. Tomorrow (Thursday), it’s Budd Boetticher’s Seven Men From Now (1956). I don’t need to tell you what a cool thing that is.

Thursday, May 17, 6:45 PM
The McKimmon Center, NCSU Campus

The second feature is Phantom Of The Plains (1945) Starring Bill Elliott, Bobby Blake, Alice Fleming and Ian Keith. It was directed by the great Lesley Selander.

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Screenings: Republic At The Museum Of Modern Art.

Martin Scorsese has curated a retrospective of Republic movies, for February and August at the Museum Of Modern Art, from the restored material at Paramount.

There’s some great stuff in February’s lineup, including Trigger, Jr. (1950), Stranger At My Door (1956) and one of my all-time favorite films, Hellfire (1949). Three of my favorite directors are represented: William Witney, George Sherman and Allan Dwan.

Working with the fine folks at Kino Lorber on commentaries for some of their Republic releases, the quality of the material coming out of Paramount is incredible. (I’m in the middle of Singing Guns right now.) So glad to see these films are being treated with the respect they deserve.

Thanks to Laura for the news!

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Screening: Gold Of The Seven Saints (1961).

Directed by Gordon Douglas
Starring Clint Walker, Roger Moore, Leticia Roman, Robert Middleton, Chill Wills, Gene Evans, Nestor Paiva, Vito Scotti

Did you ever think you’d happen upon a screening of Gold Of The Seven Saints (1961) in this day and age? Well, thanks to the wonderful folks at The New Beverly Cinema, it’s part of their tribute to Roger Moore. What’s more (no pun intended), they’re running it in 35mm (black and white Warnerscope). It’s August 5 and 6 — and I’d sure love to be there.

The New Beverly Cinema
7165 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
(One block west of La Brea)

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