(updated Thursday, November 11 -- SEE WESTERN BOOK SIGNING,SCREENINGS)
WESTERN BOOK SIGNING FEATURES ERNEST BORGNINE
At 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 13th, DARK DELICACIES, a bookstore located at 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505, will host a signing. Ernest Borgnine, who won his Oscar for MARTY, and is beloved for THE WILD BUNCH, will be siging ERNIE, his autobiography. Western novelist William Blinn, who wrote episodes of RAWHIDE, GUNSMOKE and HERE COME THE BRIDES, and won Emmys for BRIAN'S SONG and ROOTS, will be signing his newest, A COLD PLACE IN HELL. Andrew J. Fenady, writer and producer, who produced CHISUM and created the TV series HONDO, BRANDED and THE REBEL, will be signing his story in the new western anthology LAW OF THE GUN. C. Courtney Joyner, a director and screenwriter whose more than two dozen screen credits include PRISON and several entries in the TRANCERS franchise, will be signing his story in LAW OF THE GUN as well, a collection which also features stories by Elmer Kelton and John Jakes. To read a review of the book in Western Fiction Review, CLICK HERE. To learn more sbout the signing, CLICK HERE.
SCREENINGS
Mel Brooks fans, on Friday, Nov. 12th, at the Downtown Independent, at 251 S. Main Street, L.A. (213-617-1003) you can take part in the 'BLAZING SADDLES, SPACEBALLS Drink-Along and Beer Pong.' BLAZING SADDLES is at 8 p.m., SPACE BALLS is at 10 p.m., with beer pong on the roof until 2 a.m.. I've never even heard of this venue before, so if you attend, please let us know how it went. CLICK HERE for more info.
THE BLACK STALLION (1979)screens for free on Sunday, November 14th, at the BILLY WILDER THEATRE, in the Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd. in Westwood, Los Angeles, CA 90024. Okay, it's not a Western, but it's about a boy and s horse, directed by Carroll Ballard, and anybody who hasn't seen it -- especially any kid, needs to. Starring Mickey Rooney, Kelly Reno (whatever happened to him?) and Clarence Muse.
ROY ROGERS MOVIES PREMIERE SATURDAY ON RFD-TV
Starting this Saturday, November 6th, HAPPY TRAILS THEATER will begin airing Roy Rogers movies, hosted by Roy’s son Dusty, and grandson Dustin!
Beginning with 1939’s SOUTHWARD HO, a Civil War story directed by the great Joe Kane and co-starring Lynn Roberts and Gabby Hayes, the movies will air Saturday in 90 minute time slots, at 9 am Pacific, 10 am Mountain, 11 am Central and Noon Eastern. They’ll repeat twelve hours later, and on Thursdays, 2:30 pm Pacific, 3:30 pm Mountain, 4:30 pm Central and 5:30pm Eastern. For details on upcoming movies, you can CLICK HERE.
Saturday, Nov. 13th it's THE ARIZONA KID (1939), again directed by Joe Kane, and starring Roy, Gabby, lovely Sally March and, in uncredited bits, future stars Spade Cooley, George Montgomery and Dave O'Brien.
RADIO RECREATION EVENT SATURDAY NOV. 6TH
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., SPERDVAC, the Society for the Preservation of Radio Drama, Variety and Comedy, will present a program of panel discussions and classic radio show recreations at Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn, 4222 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91602, 818-980-8000. The $50-a-head banquet is sold out, but you can attend everything else for $20. From 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., a panel of old-time radio actors and actresses will discuss their careers and answer questions. Included on this panel will be century-old writer Norman Corwin, the poet laureate of American dramatic radio. A reenactment of an episode of MY FRIEND IRMA, starring Shirley Mitchell and Janet Waldo, will be presented from 1:15 to1:45p.m. Waldo, before she became the undisputed queen of teen girl voices, from Corliss Archer to Judy Jetson, starred on-screen with Don 'Red' Barry in ONE MAN'S LAW, with Dave Sharp in SILVER STALLION, and with Tim Holt in THE BANDIT TRAIL and LAND OF THE OPEN RANGE. From 2 to 3 p.m., Chuck McCann and Tommy ‘Little Beaver’ Cook will perform an episode of NERO WOLFE. At 3:15 p.m., Janet Waldo and Larry Albert will perform THE LOST LETTERS OF ROBERT E. LEE. The play is written by the general’s namesake, playwright Robert E. Lee, who also co-wrote, with Jerome Lawrence, AUNTIE MAME and INHERIT THE WIND. Janet Waldo is his widow. For more information, visit the SPERDVAC website HERE.
7TH ANNUAL RED NATION LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL
From Wednesday November 3rd through Tuesday November 9th, the Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater at 8000 W. Sunset Boulevard, L.A., CA 90046, will be the home of the Red Nation Films Festival,celebrating American Indian filmmakers. For details, CLICK HERE.
AMERICAN INDIAN ARTS MARKETPLACE AT THE AUTRY
Saturday and Sunday, November 6th and 7th, the Autry will host it's annual Indian Arts Marketplace. Both days will be packed with education and entertainment for all ages. Over 180 artists representing dozens of tribes will be taking part. For details, CLICK HERE.
DEDICATION OF STEVE MCQUEEN SQUARE IN L.A. SUNDAY!
Steve McQueen, whose Westerns include the series WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, and such unforgettable movies as THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, NEVADA SMITH, THE REVIERS, JUNIOR BONNER and TOM HORN, will be honored this Sunday, Nov.7th, with the dedication of a square at the intersection of Highland and Santa Monica, the end of Route 66 in Hollywood. The event will begin at eleven a.m. on Hollywood Boulevard with a Steve McQueen Motor Parade, stop by Steve's star on the Walk Of Fame at Hollywood and Highland, and the dedication of the square will take place at around noon. For more information, go to the Jules Verne Adventures website HERE.
FREE WESTERNS ON YOUR COMPUTER AT HULU
A staggering number of western TV episodes and movies are available, entirely free, for viewing on your computer at HULU. You do have to sit through the commercials, but that seems like a small price to pay. The series available -- often several entire seasons to choose from -- include THE RIFLEMAN, THE CISCO KID, THE LONE RANGER, BAT MASTERSON, THE BIG VALLEY, ALIAS SMITH AND JONES, and one I missed from 2003 called PEACEMAKERS starring Tom Berenger. Because they are linked up with the TV LAND website, you can also see BONANZA and GUNSMOKE episodes, but only the ones that are running on the network that week.
The features include a dozen Zane Grey adaptations, and many or most of the others are public domain features. To visit HULU on their western page, CLICK HERE.
AROUND LOS ANGELES
THE AUTRY NATIONAL CENTER
Built by cowboy actor, singer, baseball and TV entrepeneur Gene Autry, and designed by the Disney Imagineering team, the Autry is a world-class museum housing a fascinating collection of items related to the fact, fiction, film, history and art of the American West. In addition to their permenant galleries (to which new items are frequently added), they have temporary shows. Currently they have THE ART OF NATIVE AMERICAN BASKETRY: A LIVING TRADITION, through November 7th. I've seen the show three times, and am continually astonished at the beauty and variety of the work of the various tribes. The Autry has many special programs every week -- sometimes several in a day. To check their daily calendar, CLICK HERE. And they always have gold panning for kids every weekend. For directions, hours, admission prices, and all other information, CLICK HERE.
HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE MUSEUM
Across the street from the Hollywood Bowl, this building, once the headquarters of Lasky-Famous Players (later Paramount Pictures) was the original DeMille Barn, where Cecil B. DeMille made the first Hollywood western, The Squaw Man. They have a permanent display of movie props, documents and other items related to early, especially silent, film production. They also have occasional special programs. 2100 Highland Ave., L.A. CA 323-874-2276. Thursday – Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. $5 for adults, $3 for senior, $1 for children.
WELLS FARGO HISTORY MUSEUM
This small but entertaining museum gives a detailed history of Wells Fargo when the name suggested stage-coaches rather than ATMS. There’s a historically accurate reproduction of an agent’s office, an original Concord Coach, and other historical displays. Open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Admission is free. 213-253-7166. 333 S. Grand Street, L.A. CA.
TV LAND - BONANZA and GUNSMOKE
Every weekday, TV LAND airs a three-hour block of BONANZA episodes from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. They run a GUNSMOKE Monday through Thursday at 10:00 a.m., and on Friday they show two, from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m.. They're not currently running either series on weekends, but that could change at any time.
NEED YOUR BLACK & WHITE TV FIX?
Check out your cable system for WHT, which stands for World Harvest Television. It's a religious network that runs a lot of good western programming. Your times may vary, depending on where you live, but weekdays in Los Angeles they run DANIEL BOONE at 1:00 p.m., and two episodes of THE RIFLEMAN from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.. On Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. it's THE RIFLEMAN again, followed at 2:30 by BAT MASTERSON. And unlike many stations in the re-run business, they run the shows in the original airing order. There's an afternoon movie on weekdays at noon, often a western, and they show western films on the weekend, but the schedule is sporadic.
That's about it for this weekend. Have a great one!
Adios, amigos!
Henry
All contents Copyright November 2010 by Henry C. Parke - All Rights Reserved