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.