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 2012

Roger Moore as Beau Maverick.All I know is what I read in VARIETY. Seems Queen Liz II pulled out her sword and dubbed Secret Agent 007 ‘Sir Roger Moore’. Shucks, that ain’t such a much. Dames have been calling me sir for years. Worked with ol’ Rog back in ‘60. He played Beau Maverick. I played my transistor radio. I was more interested in the World Series than the business at hand. When Pittsburgh Pirate Mazerowski hit the series-winning four-bagger, thrashing the Yankees, I let out a whoop so loud I woke up a grip on a catwalk. Roger chided me. I called him a limey—and ducked! He just smiled. Not so director Altman. He lambasted me for what seemed hours in front of cast and crew. I had it coming. When sweet old Bob finished venting his spleen all was silent, except for snoring on high. The grip had resumed his nap. I felt unclean. There I stood, alone in the middle of the sound stage. No one talked to me, except wonderful character actor Percy Helton. He needed a ride home.

I asked Percy how he got his squeaky voice. Here’s the story. Back in the ‘20s he played head cheerleader in a long-run Broadway play. All his ‘Sis-Boom-Bahing!’ wreaked havoc on his vocal cords, giving him the permanent bray of an Andy Devine sound-alike.

To all this I say: Here’s looking at you, Sir Roger. Guess you could call me a codger—but it’s not with spite, when I say ‘Good Knight!’ I’d much rather be a Dodger!

One time I took a train to ditch New York rain only to be greeted by Virginia rain, and sweet Cindy Peery, Robert Livingston’s number one fan. For over 15 years Cindy has opened her beautiful home to fellow worshipers of western movies. I pitched in on pitching a tent to cover the outdoor chow table—(shades of my circus daze). Good eats, you bet, courtesy of Chef Ray Smith. We all gathered in Cindy’s living room for a day and evening of westerns. My train rides took 7½ hours each way—Wow! A powerful lot of sitting. That’s okay. I’m a dead end kid. Sorta reminds me of Columbia’s Czar Harry Cohn. If he started fidgeting while he was watching rushes, that was bad news for someone—one wag observed many a career was made or crushed by Harry Cohn’s butt. Me? I was totally enrapt. The hours whizzed by. Buck Jones in “California Trail”. Whatta hero, on screen and off! Johnny Mack Brown in “Gambling Terror”.

Will Rogers Jr. was terrific in “Boy From Oklahoma”. We swiped the story and a lot of stock footage for our “Sugarfoot” pilot. I wish we’d swiped the haunting beginning: Will’s riding his horse across the plains singing, quietly to himself and horse, “I’m a Poor Lonesome Cowboy.” Cindy followed with a good “Sweet Toes” episode. Chief Glenn Strange beseeched the U.S. government for return of his tribe’s land. Did the Sioux sue? Si. Rained all day down our way. Good time to be cooped up watching westerns.

Cindy had some rip-snorter surprises for us! Two “Lucy” shows guest starring Clint Walker. Whatta revelation! We all know Clint’s a stalwart leading man. Well, he’s a fine visual comic as well. In one hilarious highlight Lucy and Clint got entwined like two mixed up wrestlers. They reared and pitched, but couldn’t make a break. Quick somebody, a bucket of cold water. Bravo, buffoons!

Then, Cindy’s piece de resistance! “Range Rider” with that daring duo Jocko Mahoney and Dick Jones. Gorgeous scenery, a well-acted, well-directed story, but mostly the genius of Jocko and Dick. Best horsemanship I’ve ever witnessed in a TV western. Their synchronized mounts have to be seen to be believed, and I still don’t believe ‘em.

Cindy and all your kindred spirits, a tip of my cowboy hat for a wondrous weekend. I hope you’ll keep me in mind someday down the trail when you have an empty chair.

Bob Hope.Bob Hope was a man of the people. He seemed to have time for everyone. Not a whole lot of time, for he had miles to go before he slept. Back in the late ‘40s my mom and I had aisle seats for the New Year’s Day Rose Bowl game. About half-way through the second quarter Bob Hope walked up the stairs toward his seat, a tad tardy. My mom and I said, “Hi, Bob!” He looked at us with his merry, crinkley Santa Claus eyes and said, “I took a short cut!” He once dubbed NBC “Nothing but cowboys.” He claimed the NBC Peacock was hatched from one of the eggs he laid.

Met a charming chap awhile back. Looked like Bob Hope. In fact, he worked for Bob Hope. Good way to get a job. He told us a story about Hope and Crosby. Back in the ‘60s the lads went out on a toot one night in Washington, D.C. The evening grew late. They hailed a cab. “Where to?” asked the driver. “Where are we staying?” Bob asked Bing. “Search me. Don’t you have the hotel key?” They didn’t have a key. They didn’t have a clue. They told the cabbie to drive them to the White House. They knocked on the front door, and President Lyndon Johnson invited them in to spend the rest of the night. How sweet, how simple, how long ago.

Once there was a Bob Hope flick fest in New York City. I tooled in to see “Son of Paleface” one more time along with a packed, howling audience. My favorite scene: Bob and Trigger in bed, side-by-side. Every time Bob tosses off the blankets, Trigger pulls them back in place with his teeth. Comics live long lives—ever notice? They give all that joy to the world. What goes ‘round comes ‘round. Bob’s just a drive and a chip shot from heaven. LOOK who’s waiting at the 19th hole. Bob, Bing, Dottie. Time to go on another road trip.   

Adios