Search the Western Clippings Site

An Interview With…
        - Archives

Will "Sugarfoot" Hutchins
    - July 2023
    - April 2023
    - January 2023
    - October 2021
    - January 2021
    - November 2020
    - June 2020
    - April 2020
    - December 2019
    - November 2019
    - September 2019
    - August 2019
    - July 2019
    - May 2019
    - March 2019
    - September 2018
    - August 2018
    - March 2018
    - February 2018
    - January 2018
    - September 2017
    - August 2017
    - July 2017
    - May 2017
    - April 2017
    - January 2017
    - December 2016
    - October 2016
    - September 2016
    - August 2016
    - July 2016
    - May 2016
    - March 2016
    - February 2016
    - January 2016
    - December 2015
    - November 2015
    - September 2015
    - August 2015
    - July 2015
    - May 2015
    - April 2015
    - March 2015
    - February 2015
    - January 2015
    - December 2014
    - November 2014
    - October 2014
    - September 2014
    - August 2014
    - July 2014
    - May 2014
    - April 2014
    - March 2014
    - February 2014
    - January 2014
    - December 2013
    - November 2013
    - October 2013
    - September 2013
    - August 2013
    - July 2013
    - June 2013
    - May 2013
    - April 2013
    - March 2013
    - February 2013
    - January 2013
    - December 2012
    - November 2012
    - October 2012
    - September 2012
    - August 2012
    - July 2012
    - June 2012
    - May 2012
    - April 2012
    - March 2012
    - February 2012
    - January 2012
    - December 2011
    - November 2011
    - October 2011
    - August 2011
    - July 2011
    - June 2011
    - May 2011
    - April 2011
    - March 2011
    - February 2011
    - January 2011
    - December 2010
    - November 2010
    - October 2010
    - September 2010
    - August 2010
    - July 2010
    - June 2010
    - May 2010
    - April 2010
    - March 2010
    - February 2010
    - January 2010
    - November 2009
    - October 2009
    - September 2009
    - August 2009
    - July 2009
    - June 2009
    - May 2009
    - April 2009
    - March 2009
    - February 2009
    - January 2009
    - December 2008
    - November 2008
    - September 2008
    - August 2008
    - June 2008
    - April 2008
    - March 2008
    - February 2008

Do You Remember?
    - Archives

Comic Book Cowboys
    - Archives

Westerns of...
    - Archives

Heavies and Characters
      - Archives

The Stuntmen - Neil Summers
    - Archives

Western Treasures
    - Archives

Circus Cowboys
    - Archives

Radio Range Riders
    - Archives

Rangeland Elegance
    - Archives

Western Artifacts
    - Archives

Film Festival Fotos
    - Archives

Silent Western Reviews
    - Archives

Serial Report
    - Archives

Subscribe to Western Clippings

COLLECTIBLES FOR SALE:

Western Clippings Back Issues

Daily Comic Strips
    - Page 1 (1910-1949)
    - Page 2 (1950-1979)

Sunday Comic Strips
    - 1907-1990

Books

Miscellaneous Collectibles

Autographs

Lobby Cards

Movie Posters

Home

JUNE 2011

In 1964 I complimented Robert Preston on his 1939 performance in “Beau Geste”. We were on competing teams in the Thursday late-night Broadway Show Bowling League. I told him when we kids saw his Foreign Legion flick at a Saturday matinee, we figured if the sniper’s bullet hadn’t killed him, then his long roll down the sand dune into eternity would have done him in for sure. He smiled. He said the original villain was French, but they were on our side, so Brian Donlevy played him as a Russian. We didn’t know whose side they were on.

Well, folks, our show “Never Too Late” won the tournament. Confidentially, we stunk. But I was captain. I ran a tight ship. Oh, we had fun, but it was serious fun. We’d huddle, and I‘d command, “Win, Win! Win for the love of winning!” And, whaddaya know! Every week we took turns opening up to mystic inspiration, sort of bolts from the blue. By some miracle one of us would roll the ball as never before—and never since. We were drug free, and so was the booze. Every week Sammy Davis Jr. would announce to all, “My shout! Drinks on me!” Yes, Virginia, there is a free lunch. At the season’s end party we marched to the dais to gather our trophies. No heavy mitts nor huge huzzahs. No, you could hear a bowling pin drop. I didn’t give a rat’s rear. I was proud of my little mounted statuette of a bowler in the throes of a 200 game. I kept it in my front room, illuminated. Not too blatant—just a baby spot. As time passed it gradually fell apart. Years later I received a letter from one of my ol’ team mates. On the envelope he wrote, “To the world’s most competitive 135 average bowler.”

Recently, Boyd Magers sent me an 8x10" glossy of Captain Ozie Waters, “The Singing Marshal of Central City, Colorado” (the richest square mile on earth!) In the photo Ozie is handing me a deputy marshal badge. The date: 8/9/63. Ah, yes! We were performing “Never Too Late” at the town’s opera house. (We broke the box office record.) Ozie was a grand fellow, but he was frustrated. No crime. So he made me his deputy. He needed someone to play gin rummy with. Boyd asks, “Where is that badge now?” Durned if I know. While I was out of the country for three years my ex-gal pal must have headed up one nifty garage sale. You know, when you’re in show biz the happy lettuce may not roll in, but you sure collect a wide range of doodads, geegaws, and gimcrackery. It goes with the territory. Part of the job description. So, ex-gal pal, you may have cleaned me outta house and medals, plates, scrolls, certificates, plaques, statuettes, 8x10s, steer skulls, cowboy hats, scrapbooks, but you sure can’t erase all those wonderful memories of journeys ‘round the globe, party times, jobs o’ work, and pals, pardners, and paesanos. You can’t stop me from listenin’ to all those beautiful echoes.

   —Adios!