TV and Movies

[Kachina624]

@Cakers3   I come from a long line of cowboys.  My great grandfather, originally from Vermont, cowboyed in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico on his way back from the California gold rush.  He eventually married and settled in SW Kansas and ranched there.  My dad was raised on a sheep ranch in SW Colorado.  He went to college and eventually became a corporate executive.

[Oznell]

Thank you, @Kachina624 , and @Cakers3 ,  for that interesting background on the use of the whip in driving herds of cattle.  That had been my thought as well--  that a whip would be used for producing that distinctive 'CRACK' sound that it makes that would guide the animal and move it along.

I've always loved all the lore of the great herds moving across the continent in the 19th century....

[Kachina624]

@Oznell    My heroes have always been cowboys....as per Willie Nelson.

[drizzellla]

I watched my first "Rawhide" episode yesterday. I was impressed with how well written the episode was.

The episode was titled "Incident of the White Eyes". The only regular castmember appearing in this episode was Eric Fleming, "Gil Favor". 

But one of the guest stars was Nita Talbot. She was in a number of Hogan's Heros shows. I honestly thought she would speak with a German accent in this show. She did not. I looked her up and she was born in New York City.


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I will have to set he timer for more of the shows.Was impressed with what I saw.

[Oznell]

Agreed, @Kachina624 --  cowboys are the best!

One of my favorite books that I found second hand in a local antique store, is one of the "Time-Life" series on the Old West, and this particular volume is just titled "The Cowboys".   I've pored and pored over that book;  just the illustrations and the vintage photographs alone are priceless.

@drizzellla, thanks for your review,  I'm so glad you liked "Rawhide".   Do report on any future episodes if you feel like it.  

And Nita Talbot really got around-- remember her playing Mickey Rooney's treacherous old girlfriend in "The Fugitive"?   He was a comedian now running a laundromat (?) in NYC, and was trying to start up again with Nita, who only had betrayal on her mind...

[drizzellla]

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@Oznell wrote:

Agreed, @Kachina624 --  cowboys are the best!

One of my favorite books that I found second hand in a local antique store, is one of the "Time-Life" series on the Old West, and this particular volume is just titled "The Cowboys".   I've pored and pored over that book;  just the illustrations and the vintage photographs alone are priceless.

@drizzellla, thanks for your review,  I'm so glad you liked "Rawhide".   Do report on any future episodes if you feel like it.  

And Nita Talbot really got around-- remember her playing Mickey Rooney's treacherous old girlfriend in "The Fugitive"?   He was a comedian now running a laundromat (?) in NYC, and was trying to start up again with Nita, who only had betrayal on her mind...

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@Oznell - I do not remember the episode with Mickey Rooney. I guess watching late at night I don't retain much of the episode.

Since "The Fugitive" is starting over again I can catch up on the episodes again.

Not sure you can answer this BUT How come Mr. Favor is the only one wearing chaps? AND why are the chaps are only in the front? To deflect road debris?

[Oznell]

Oh, by all means, @drizzellla ,  I hope you catch the Mickey Rooney one eventually-- although, warning, it is one of the more deeply sad and haunting ones.  Loved seeing two pros like Mickey and DJ interact...

You are so observant--  I hadn't noticed much about Gil Favor's chaps!  According to my Time-Life "The Cowboys" book, drovers and other cowboys wore them especially for when they would have to ride into heavy brush while retrieving an errant cow, so they wouldn't get scratched, etc.  And to avoid rope burns and even horse bites. 

I don't know why Gil's chaps were only in the front.  I think I've seen other pictures as well where they were more open in the back--  maybe so it would be more comfortable for the cowboy in the saddle, less bulky?   It seems like the need for protection would be more in the front, at any rate.  

[drizzellla]

Thanks, @Oznell That makes sense. And Mr. Favor's wore rather large chaps. I am guessing that it helped in a way to protect some of the horse too.

I know it isn't the "Rawhide" set but can't help but think it is a similar situation.

[Oznell]

Whoa, @drizzellla ,  those are great "that was then, this is now" pictures!   I bet when they were filming "Gunsmoke" they didn't think that dusty "cow town" road would ever look the way it does today....

[drizzellla]

One thing that made me laugh during one of the episodes that I watched. They kept referring to Clint Eastwood as "the kid".

Clint Eastwood is going to be 91 at the end of May.  "Rawhide" was produced at least 56 years ago.