Angel And The Badman

[William T Brooks]

After you people got me all charged up on the Duke again I got a new copy of "The Angel and the Badman", and after looking at it a few time I saw that "The Duke" as [Quirt Evans] had a White or Light colored Hat on ,then as the film goes on and he "The Duke" goes after Laredo Stevens [Bruce Cabot] suddenly he is using a Black Hat when he is going to be a bad guy again. Then to a White hat as a good guy again. Then back to the black hat at the end of the film to go after Laredo again. I think this was a left over from the old B-Westerns, Good Guy, Bad Guy! At the first part of the film he I using a 5 and 1/2" barreled Colt Pistol and is in Monument Valley with many people after him, and I am one of them. In the next scene he is at Bell Rock in Sedona 175 miles from Monument Valley as the Bird Flys with a run out horse and a Colt pistol with a 4 and 3/4 " barrel ? I know a little about this film as I had a few small non-speaking parts in it back in the late 1940s but I had never seen this before. Good film and love story! I think this was the first film produced by "THE DUKE". Chilibill

[chester7777]

Originally posted by William T Brooks@Mar 12 2004, 07:48 AM
In the next scene he is at Bell Rock in Sedona 175 miles from Monument Valley as the bird flies, with a run out horse . . . .

I guess a horse would be "run out" after 175 miles!

Speaking of Angel and the Badman, I had my copy out recently and was wondering if we can see you in different parts of the movie? Can you tell us how to spot you? Since you had mentioned in one of your earlier posts that you were in the bar, near the end of the movie, we went through that scene in slow motion (frame by frame) looking for anyone young enough to have been you. There was one guy, at one of the tables on the left, and another at the far end of the bar who looked pretty young. If you feel that you are visible enough, let us know where to watch for you.

Chester

[William T Brooks]

Chester; At the first of the film at Monument Valley as one of the men on horse back after Quirt Evans. One of the men on horse back with Laredo Stevens with the cattle herd. One of Quaker men with a fake beard at the Sunday get together when they give the Bible to Quirt Evans. One of young bad guys at the bar at the end of the film. One of the men that come out of the bar to look at Laredo and his right hand man on the ground after Marshal Wisful McClintock [Harry Carey] shoots them. Chilibill

[itdo]

That's great, Chilibill!
I'll watch out for you the next time I see ANGEL. I have a real old release copy on 35mm, but in good condition though, which I really am proud of (these things are hard to get!), so I can't freeze-frame, but I'll definitely have a big clear picture of you! A little late, 60 years after, but CONGRATULATIONS of helping make that film!

Can you tell us more how the title sequence came about, shot in Monument Valley? Did they just put all the extras they hired in Sedona and drove them out to the Monument? How was the catering? Was Wayne present for the title sequence (he's seen mostly in long shots) or did the use a double?

Done only a year after Ford's MY DARLING CLEMENTINE, did you have a chance to see the complete set of the town Tombstone which Ford presented to the reservation (I think they erased that only a couple of years later - for firewood!)

Since this was Wayne's first shot at producing, I also wonder if the employees got good treatment - got wages, good food? Were the extras housed in tents? Any memories you could share about that?

Lots of question, I know - I'll certainly appreciate the answers!

Your many parts in this film goes to show how they used the extras in multiple scenes. I once was an extra in a Jane Birkin thriller, was there just for one day and they put me in three different roles! So if you see the finished sequence and if you watch the background, you'll see the same guy pass along in different costumes three times. Come to think of it, if you concentrate on the background you'll just see the same happening in many movies. But then, who cares about the background after all?

[arthurarnell]

Hi Chillibilly

As you know I am collating a list of everyone who played in a John Wayne movie if you e mail your details to me with a short pen picture I'll include it.


Regards

Arthur

[William T Brooks]

Itdo ; Remember this was over 55 years ago , but here I go! If you have a 35mm copy of this film hang on to it , it is worth money! If I remember right, that is what the film was shot on.

The main players were put up at the Sedona Lodge on Oak Creek in what is now down town Sedona. It was a group of log buildings that are now gone. After the three of us got hired on we were told to drive to Monument Valley . All three of us had been brought up on ranches so we were good on horse back.

The Duke was in the close up shots and Yakima Canutt did the long shots. Yakima was also the second unit Director. I did not see the old set at M.V., but the crew was put up at were the old Goulding Lodge is now. When we got back to Sedona they were already shooting the main part of the film. The extras were put up in a old log building like a barrack building at the Sedona lodge, that also had a large Mess hall to eat at. On location they had a food truck for lunch.

All the extras were treated very well and we got paid $20.00 a day, big money for kids in those days. The Main Players were very nice to us kids after all this is how they got started. For the next two years in the Summer months I worked in many films at Sedona , Monument Valley and Durango. Some of them were not very good films. Some of better ones were "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" with the Duke, "Broken Arrow" with Jimmy Stewart and "Drum Beat" with Allan Ladd. Some of the scenes in "Drum Beat" mostly the Indian attacks were taken from "Broken Arrow" that was done about two years before. They had the same Director Delmer Daves. This was a great time for a young kid.



Little did I know that some 35 years later it would set me up to Produce and to be the Director of a T.V. Series of 7 one hour shows for Bill Hearst jr. and Hearst A.B.C. called "The Gunfighters". But to save money on Stunt Men, every time you see someone get killed and take a fall that was "Gabby Hayes jr." or "Me" !! Chilibill

[chester7777]

Chilibill,

Do you have copies of the movies you were an extra in? Are you able to be seen in She Wore A Yellow Ribbon? Or any of the other movies, for that matter? Do you have videos of the TV show you did for the Hearsts? Are they available for sale anywhere?

I am just full of questions this evening !

Chester and the Mrs.

[William T Brooks]

Chester and Mrs.; I sent you a goodies box to the Box number you E-mailed me last week that has 4 Chilibill's Kitchen T.V. shows, a copy of one of "The Gunfighters" show , a Chilibills Cook Book and 3 CDs and some other things that you said that you might want to see. The post office said that you should have it by last Monday. In "Yellow Ribbon" I am one of the horse soldiers. The best shot is at the end when they are lined up to send him on his way and give him a pocket watch. I think that I am the third or forth soldier in the line of horse soldiers. Ford would always put the younger kids close to the camera and the the older and fat guys in the back of the line. This was a much larger cast of players than "The Angel and The Badman". This was the way Ford did his films. I think I was about 18 years old at this time. You ask about any of the other films that I worked in at this time , in "Broken Arrow" with Jimmy Stewart I got killed 7 times, so every time you see some one with a Arrow in him or falling off a rock dead thats Me. If you you did a good fall you got $200 dollars for it, so being a dumb kid I was first in line for that job! If I remember right the Pro. Stuntmen got $500 for a good fall so this saved them a little money. If you do not get the box of goodies in the next day or two let me know and I will send you another. I have not sold any of the books or tapes in over 15 years but I still have a few copys left and can cut more off of the masters. My Webpage Chilibill

[chester7777]

Chilibill,

Well, I must confess that I haven't been to the ol' PO box in about a week (sometimes there's just not enough time - it's somewhat near my work but not near my home), so I'll be running right down there after work today. I guess I know what we will be watching tonight :D.

Thanks! I'll give you a call to let you know it's arrived.

Chester

[chester7777]

Chilibill,

There was a package indeed waiting at the Post Office! Thanks!

"The Gunfighters" was an interesting history of Ben Thompson. I'm assuming the other shows in the series tell about other gunfighters of the Old West.

The Chili Cook Book certainly has my wife's interest, as she is an avid (and good!)cook and also collects cook books.

We appreciate all the neat stuff, it will take us a few days to get through it all.

We'll be looking for you in She Wore A Yellow Ribbon.

Chester

[William T Brooks]

Chester; The other Gunfighters are more well known, but Ben Thompson was the number One, killing over 40 men! But the all time Gunfighter or Killer was "PORTER ROCKWELL" he was a L.D.S. or Mormon enforcer that killed over 100 men. He Invented the first bullet proof vest. A plate of steel under his coat. So he Cheated. He lived from 1813 to 1878 and died at 65. It took two years to do the series and a lot of research in the history books on these gunfighters of the old West. They were nothing like our Hero the DUKE in "The Shootist"! Today we would call them Mass Killers! Chilibill

[William T Brooks]

Those of you that liked "The Angel and the Badman" film that was shot in Sedona in about 1947, I found some old pictures that were shot at the old movie set at Coffee Pot Rock and Bell Rock and was given to everyone that worked on the film by "The Duke" to keep, as this was his first film as a Producer.

In the last picture, in the group of people looking at Laredo and his right hand man on the ground after "Marshal Wisful McClintock" shoots them, If you look close you can see a skinny kid Third from the left that Me, I was about 16 or 17 years old! Go to My Webpage Chilibill

[chester7777]

Originally posted by William T Brooks@Mar 19 2004, 11:11 AM
If you look close you can see a skinny kid Third from the left that's Me

Bill,

Are you the kind of short guy in light colored clothing and white hat, or are you in darker clothing?

When the telegraph guy comes into the bar before JW meets Laredo Stevens for the last time outside, do you remember where you are? Actually sitting at the bar? Or at one of the tables on the left side (that's left as we're looking at the scene )?

Chester

[William T Brooks]

Chester; The one in the dark clothing. The telegraph man is on the right and just to the left of the man in the lite colored coat with his back to the Duke. The one closest to the front door of the bar and the heads for the back door after Laredo's man spots a tall man in a black hat at the end of the street. One of the two men that runs across the road infront of the Duke as every one trys to get out of town and he walks down the road to meet Laredo. In a low cost film with a small cast of players you play many parts. My Webpage Chilibill

[B5Erik]

I watched Angel and the Badman for the first time last night and I was very impressed. Well written, well directed with a good sense of pacing and some beautiful scenery, and some fine performances - especially John Wayne's - this was a fantastic movie.

I expected an above average movie, but what I got was better than that. It's always nice to watch a movie that's better than you're expecting, and that's what I got with this one.

I loved seeing Bruce Cabot - I was very familiar with him from King Kong, but I didn't know until recently that he was in several of The Duke's movies - hell, I didn't even realize that his last movie was Diamonds Are Forever, and I've seen that one 5 times (I checked out his career on IMDB.com, and saw the credit). I went back and scanned through DAF and caught his part as Burt Saxby - his voice was a little weaker and raspier, and he was 40 years older than in King Kong, but you can easily tell he's the same guy. Bruce Cabot was a GREAT actor to have in supporting roles, and John Wayne obviously recognized that.

The DVD that I watched for Angel and the Badman from Goodtimes was almost good enough to make up for their infamously horrible McLintock DVD. Almost - nothing can make up for that movie atrocity, but the print that they used for Angel and the Badman was as good as anything Republic/Artisan has used for their "official" DVD relases (and even better than some of them). This DVD even had the theatrical trailer. It's a great buy at $4.95 on Amazon.

My wife liked Angel and the Badman as well. That makes 2 John Wayne movies that she has really enjoyed - Angel and the Badman and True Grit.