Movie Extras Discussion

[William T Brooks]

HAWKSWILL, YAKIMA CANUTT WAS A VERY SKILLED BLACKSMITH AND FARRIER AND WOULD TEACH ANY OF THE ACTORS THAT WAS TO BE A BLACKSMITH IN A FILM HOW TO USE THE TOOLS !
HE WAS ALSO THE MAN THAT MADE THE LARGE COCKING LEVER ON THE RIFLE THAT DUKE USED IN THE GREAT FILM "STAGECOACH" WHILE ON LOCATION IN MONUMENT VALLEY WITH BASIC TOOLS, BECAUSE DUKE'S HAND WAS TO LARGE TO SPIN A NORMAL WINCHESTER RIFLE, AND YES IT WAS YAKIMA AND DUKE THAT DEVELOPED THE KNOCK-OUT PUNCH FOR FILMS !!!

CHILIBILL

"JOHN WAYNE AMERICAN"

[Paula]

Bill, thanks so much for confirming that. I was pretty sure that wasn't Ben but from what I've read, he did double for Wayne in that movie so I wanted to make sure.

This might be Ben, though... what do you think?

[William T Brooks]

PAULA, THAT WAS YAKIMA RIDDING IN MONUMENT VALLEY ALSO, DUKE AND AND THE REST OF THE CREW HAD GONE BACK DOWN TO SEDONA TO START SHOOTING THE REST OF THE FILM THERE !!!

BILL

[Paula]

Bill, thanks. Can you tell me then where Ben doubled for John Wayne in Angel and the Badman? I thought he doubled for Wayne in that movie but so far everything is Yakima Canutt. :)

[ethanedwards]

Paula,
Yak was also Second Unit Director and the movie lists the stuntmen as follows,

Richard Farnsworth .... stunts (uncredited)
Fred Graham .... stunt double: John Wayne (uncredited)
John Hudkins .... stunts (uncredited)
Ben Johnson .... stunt double (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson .... stunts (uncredited)
Jack Stoney .... stunts (uncredited)
Henry Wills .... stunts (uncredited)

[arthurarnell]

Hi Paula

If you are really interested in the various stuntmen who worked on Duke's films a good reference source is the Tim Lilley series of books Campfire Conversations. They are probably very rare now and scarce and I don't think many come up for sale but in the series the stuntmen and John Wayne's co-workers tell Tim all about their careers and the films they were in with Duke.

RegARDS

Arthur

[Hawkswill]

Hi Paula, I had watched this about a month ago for the first time as was surprised to find that I really liked it. Anyway, I was hoping to find Ben for you....as you know he has a unique riding style. However, this old computer of mine is about to crash, (laptop returning Monday afternoon, thank goodness), and I was watching it streamlined on Netflix.....will get the DVD and try again...have better control of frame by frame with that.
Anyway, the only part I could think he would be in if on horseback was the cattle herd scenes, I perused them a good bit. I was quite sure I found him once, but he did a horse fall and went backwards, darn, so I couldn't see him....just the horse. I imagine he did a good bit of separate falls, rides, etc.in that part. As far as doubling for Duke, I looked as close as I could with my "pitiful" equipment, and never saw anything that even looked like him. Thought he might have been driving the wagon, but didn't find him there. Checked out the fight scene, and didnt' see him there. But, I tried and will again when the DVD and my laptop gets here so I can watch it on my big screen TV. I have put it in my QueQue. I see that you are a big fan of his. Ward is my love. Sometimes it is frustrating when not so much is written about your favorites. I saw Ben....must have been his first acting try. His performance seemed so "wooden" to me that I never looked for anything with him in it again. BOY, did he ever change!
I LOVE to watch him now and hope to think that Ward may have helped him some.....who knows. I know that folks really liked him and he got coaching and help from many well knowns.
Well, good luck, and, as I said, I will try again when I get the DVD.
Ride hard and don't put him up wet, KPKEITH

Bill, thanks. Can you tell me then where Ben doubled for John Wayne in Angel and the Badman? I thought he doubled for Wayne in that movie but so far everything is Yakima Canutt. :)

[Paula]

Yep, it looks like Yakima Canutt did the doubling for John Wayne, so I'm crossing that one off my list as "Ben doubling for John Wayne :). I'm sure I read in various places that he had doubled for Wayne. I will consult my library tonight and see if I can find where I read that. Hawkswill, I'm sure you have a sharper eye than I do!

Arthur -- the first Campfire Conversations book is completely out of print. Even Tim Lilley doesn't have any extras. I've scoured the second hand places on the web for it and it is not to be found. However, Tim very kindly sent me a PDF of his interview with Ben Johnson in that first book and it's on my webpage, along with some photos Tim sent me, here: http://benjohnsonscreencaps.shutterfly.com/books/159

I'll get in one more plug for my website -- if you go to the front page, you'll find some great stories from Clyde Lucas, Harry Carey Jr.'s friend and business partner, and then a little farther down, from the great singer and musician and radio personality Johnny Western, as well as an article Johnny wrote about Ben for the January 1958 issue of Western Horseman magazine. Both gentlemen very kindly answered my e-mails! http://benjohnsonscreencaps.shutterfly.com. Also, here is the link to a wonderful video Clyde recently made for Ben and Harry Carey, Jr.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHfqiyGiMrA

Sorry, I know I wandered off-topic but once upon a time, Ben Johnson was not only a stuntman, but also an extra! Here are the movies where you can see him as an extra:

Bordertown Gun Fighters (delivers a telegram to Harry Woods)
The Naughty Nineties (carriage driver for Abbott and Costello)
Nevada (Robert Mitchum RKO oater; prominently placed behind the croupier in a saloon scene -- also doubled for Mitchum, although Mitchum could ride)
The Pinto Bandit (clearly seen as a horse race contestant)
Oklahoma! (on the left in the "Kansas City" number and also shows up in the scene where Curley and Jud shoot off their guns)
Tall in the Saddle (plays a townsman and gets a teensy bit of business where he stops and looks at one of the actresses who passes him by in a doorway)
Wyoming (a Wild Bill Elliott pic; stands around with an extra who looks like Hank Bell but I don't think it's him, and has a bit of business with star John Carroll)

Naughty Nineties


Oklahoma!

[BatjacAuburn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHfqiyGiMrA[/URL]

I love the video