Remember the old westerns?

[BB_TX]

I grew up in the time of the saturday serial westerns at the movie theaters. No way the hero could have survived going over the cliff in the stagecoach in last Saturday's episode. OH! He jumped out the other side just before it went over! Whew! That was close.
Watched every TV western and western movie I could, even as I grew into adulthood. Miss those today.
But I had forgotten just how many there were. I can remember many of these, but a few I just cannot remember. Some obviously before my time (as long ago as that was).
I am betting many of you can remember them also.
For you young whippersnappers, see what you missed.
The westerns

[Wild Horse]

I still watch some of them when they are on my western channel !

[Pete Hanson]

I grew up with the Lone Ranger and others. I can remember watching them on TV on Saturdays. I always wondered how he got out of that stagecoach. :-)

[Wild Horse]

I always thought it was thru the sunroof !

[radioattic]

I remember my favorite Gene Autry serial was "The Phantom Empire." I'd forgotten the name for years, but thanks to Google, I "rediscovered" it and rented the DVD.

It was sooooo cheesy! I laughed most all the way through all twelve episodes, remembering how impressed I was with it when I was a kid.

But I enjoyed every single minute. Those were the days!

[NCFischers]

Bill,
Thanks for the memories!

[Art-n-Marge]

What happened to "Branded"? It didn't make the cut. I still try and watch these Westerns, but the others in the room won't keep quiet with their complaining. Maybe I should lose the cowboy hat and the stick horse. I might have to wander over to Wild Horse's house and he'll have to have his own horsie. I'll bring the Ovaltine, but I use some Bailey's in mine, now.

Has everyone noticed that many of the current prime Western roles are going to English or Aussie actors? What's up with that?

[Waynem]

That sure did bring back some good memories.

I really enjoyed, as a kid, playing "cowboys and indians." Just about any ol' stick would do for a gun. And a longer stick for a horse.

Thanks.

[Ozz]

Silverado was a great western, some politics and PC, but overall a great movie. One of the few I saw that Kevin Cosner actually was good in.

[Phyllen]

Len still watches his westerns all the time. (Drives me crazy sometimes) He has a huge collection of old movies and DVD's of old TV series. Have Gun will Travel, ROy Rogers, Annie Oakley, Gene Autry, Rifleman, Bonanza, Cisco Kid, etc etc etc. My favorite Western is Open Range with Robert Duvall and Kevin Cosner. Silverado is good but Open Range is even better, in my opinion.

[herewegotogether]

That really brings back the memories. I use to ride horses on Dan Blockers ranch in the San Fernando Valley. Its all houses, condos and apartments now (last time I was in the area), it was a sad day when they tore down the barns and house.
Thanks for sharing!!

[sreigle]

Bill, thanks for reminding me.... Quite awhile back I picked up several dvd's of those old westerns from the bargain bin at a Walmart. And they're sitting here somewhere, still waiting for me to watch them. I will make a point now to do that. Thanks for reminding me. I have several of those Phyllen mentioned. And I liked Open Range, too. Robert Duvall is one of my favorite actors, especially in Lonesome Dove and Second Hand Lion.

[Phyllen]

Steve - you probably picked up the same DVDs at WalMart as we did. However, some of them appear to be copies of copies. A few so bad we tossed them.

[Wild Horse]

quote:Originally posted by Art-n-Marge

What happened to "Branded"? It didn't make the cut. I still try and watch these Westerns, but the others in the room won't keep quiet with their complaining. Maybe I should lose the cowboy hat and the stick horse. I might have to wander over to Wild Horse's house and he'll have to have his own horsie. I'll bring the Ovaltine, but I use some Bailey's in mine, now.

Has everyone noticed that many of the current prime Western roles are going to English or Aussie actors? What's up with that?

ovaltine and baileys ???? OK, now that's just wrong....maybe kahlua ? Don't have horses anymore, but sure got a collection of cowhats.

So, who made the best/most realistic cowboy ? My votes...Sam Elliot, George Montgomery and Tom Selleck. I wish they had made more movies based on the author Louis L'Amour.

[pbahlin]

What's really striking to me about all those old movies is how they were all so clear about good and evil. I too grew up on them and there's no way they don't shape your personality about such things.

Today's entertainment is all shades of gray. The good guys are bad boys and the bad guys are made to be endearing in spite of themselves. I think our culture has gone the same way. It's all squishy and PC. It's like we're afraid of ourselves or something.

[Bill-N-Donna]

Those were the days; as a matter of fact I’m watching an old episode of Bonanza right now.

Have you ever come across an old episode of something that you don’t remember seeing before?

[sreigle]

Bill, the older I get... the more that happens...

[Rondo]

I'll never forget going to the AKARBEN (Nebraska spelled backwards)rodeo and Gene Autry was the guest star of the rodeo. This was in his wayward years and he came riding into the arena and as he got to the middle of the arena with all the spotlights on him, he fell off his horse! What it Champion? Anyway, he was totally snockered and couldn't stay in the saddle and couldn't even stand up when they came out and got him! Really took all the excitement out of the rodeo that year and all the kids could not figure out what was going on. The parents in the audience just shook their heads! I frankly don't remember what they did to replace him for the intermission show that night but they must have done something or brought someone else in that night! It was never easy for the old cowboys to "ride into the sunset" but many did and they did it in style too! Long live the westerns!

[Art-n-Marge]

Gene Autry was a class act. All of Southern Cal was real bummed when he passed away just a few years ago. THEN the Angels finally become World Champs. That was even sadder cuz he wasn't around. He loved that team.

I like Clint Eastwood's "spaghetti" Westerns. I'm surprised "the Duke" wasn't mentioned much here and I think his last western, "The Shootist" was his best. I also think Kevin Costner was decent in Silverado because he didn't speak much. That's why he won the Oscars for "Dances with Wolves", because he either narrated from a script or spoke Sioux and didn't act and SPEAK too much. But if it weren't for the classic cowboys none of this would matter.

I also agree with Steve that "Second Hand Lions" is a great flick but calling that a Western is a stretch . However, since Michael Caine was in it, and he's English and a lot of recent Westerns are done with Englishmen, then.....

Okay Wild Horse, no Baileys, Kahlua it is. and you've got the hats.

[Trailer Trash 2]

Ok Ok ! how about lash laro probably spelled wrong, and a couple of in the 60's Have gun will travel with Palliden. and the Riffleman, and the one with Steve McQueen Icant rember the name but ha had a sawed off winchester in his holster. memories great stuff all of them,