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

JANUARY 2016

Howdy! Listen, my children, and you’ll be aware of our airplane ride from here to there—The Memphest! A Gathering of Guns 2 back in 2010. Hearty Huzzahs, Ray Nielsen and Boyd Magers! You did it again. You were never better. A helluva job! Babs and I agree, ‘twas our favorite jaunt down the nostalgia trail, ever! The turnout was so immense that the neighboring hotel absorbed the overflow of guests.

At A Gathering of Gums for breakfast, we love Southern cookin’—smacka my lips—hot cornbread, black-eyed peas, baked ribs, candied yams, sugar-cured Virginia hams, berried jams, turnip greens, ham hocks, butter beans, you, me, New Orleans, and that’s what I like about the South!

In the vast wheeler dealer’s room our table stood ‘twixt Ty and Caroline Hardin’s and Clint and Susan Walker’s. The Hardins and the Hutchins schmoozed, smooched, signed, smiled for the shutterbugs. Walker and Co. was a money machine, featuring a never-ending line from hall to table, reminiscent of the procession of clowns emerging from a VW Beetle. We were in a world apart, a wonderland of Southern horsepitality, awash in a sea of love.

First time together in 48 years...Ty "Bronco" Hardin, Clint "Cheyenne" Walker and Will "Sugarfoot" Hutchins.

The extravert’s extravert Jocko Mahoney introduced us to our first Western flick festival, Memphest ‘85. We didn’t know the S.O.P. We didn’t bring 8x10 glossies. We contented ourselves by scurrying from viewing room to viewing room, catching as many serials as we could, cheering childhood idols Hoot, Hoppy, Smiley, Andy, Gabby, Tex, Roy, Gene, Johnny Mack, Don ‘Red’. Jawin’ into the wee hours.

This year we tabled our energies. Drat! Sure missed watching Dirk London in blushing colorization in “Zombies of the Stratosphere.” We managed a visit to the Bristol room and took a gander at “Duel at Judas Basin” with Cheyenne, Bronco, and Sugarfoot, the three Must-get-theirs. Next, a segment from “Good Morning, America” ‘86. ABC flew us three compadres to NYC for an interview with David Hartman. His co-host Joan Lundin (nee Blundin) failed to saunter over for howdies. Rather, she announced next day’s guests from “F Troop”, adding, “Now, this show I know.” Hmmmm… During the screening the projectionist took a header off his chair—crunch! He probably fell asleep.

Whispering Woods hotel was fraught with peril. I saw 4½ ker-plunks. First, the projectionist. Then, in the dining room, Ty, Pat Devon, and Donna Magers had to do their own stuntwork, tuckin’ and rollin’, after trippin’ on hard-to-see steps. And as we rehearsed a radio re-creation of “The Cisco Kid”, leading lady Jan Shepard almost fell off our platform. And they were all sober!

Will as Cisco. Boyd at Pancho.In the radio recreation I played the Ceesco Keed. “Babs, did I sound like Duncan Renaldo?” “More like Bela Lugosi,” said she. Ty Hardin and Darby Hinton were the bad guys. Dick Jones drew heavy mitts and huge guffaws as the weird Sheriff. Versatile Mike Nevins invoked his tenor and his baritone, etching two characterizations. Boyd Magers was a Pancho for the ages. “Pancho, where’s your badge?” “Badge! We don’ need no stinkin’ badges!” We had but one rehearsal, and I suspect some of us read the script beforehand. Amusin’ but confusin’. Sometimes, audiences get a kick out of mistakes. Their laffs spurred us on—so did Bart Curtis’ loud sound effects, especially his constant fusillade of gunshots into a garbage can. Jovial director Gary Yoggy gave us a loose rein. Always fun working on a Gary Yoggy Show.

Boyd moderated a panel with Clint, Ty and me. Much to Clint’s surprise, we heard up the aisle “Happy Birthday, dear Clint!” And a mighty tasty cake was marched down. (In May) Jo Ann,  the  lady  who  cuts  my hair, baked me a birthday cake. She molded the icing to look like Sugarfoot atop his hoss Penny. I felt like an egotistical cannibal, devouring myself.

Together for the first time in 48 years...Will, Clint, Ty on Boyd Magers' panel discussion.

On a sweeping stairway, we guns gathered for our group photo, courtesy of ace photog Steve St. John, world-renowned for his “Wisdom of Sugarfoot” in WESTERN CLIPPINGS. Big Clint led us all in a rendition of “Mississippi”, new to us all. He confessed that he sang that ditty at rodeos around the country. If he was in Alabama, the song became “Alabama!” Ditto “Montana”, “Wyoming”, “North Dakota” etc. etc.

Aye dogies, if we didn’t have the snazziest farewell banquet I ever did see. Ray Nielsen and Boyd handed us each an award, a beautiful inscribed heavy glass object d’art in an elegant gift box. Jan Shepard told us how she met Elvis, cute. Her slacks matched his jacket. Elvis said, “I’ll give you my coat, if you’ll give me your pants.” Her hubby Dirk London stirred us with his eloquent delivery of the poem “Cowboy Up!” Mitch Vogel touched Bab’s heart with his sincere acceptance speech. Jennings Barnett was Red Skelton. John Buttram was Pat Buttram. Lou Elias and I reminisced about working on Wild Bill Wellman’s “Lafayette Escadrille”. Hugh O’Brian and I reminisced about working on “Mr. Roberts” with Vince Gardenia in summer tent theatres in ‘63. Hugh recalled our biggest laff. One of our cast members made a spectacular entrance. The goat peed on stage! Hugh praised Bab’s cowgal outfit. She was all a-twitter. She kissed his hand and shook his lips. Johnny Western and Les Gilliam strummed and sang medleys of cowboy songs. Babs used to pick-out all her favorite TV Western themes on the piano with one finger. Then she took lessons and picked ‘em out with two fingers. All except the “Sugarfoot” theme. That only got a finger. Bill Smith gave us a signed copy of his book of poetry. Included are Muscle Beach pics of Bill. James Stacy and Bob Fuller drew Hi-Decibel squeals from a horde of Lancer Ladies and Laramie Lassies. My International Fan Club, The Sweet Toes Sweeties, will hold their annual meeting in September at Penn Station in a phone booth. Anthony W. Joynt bid three G’s on a Gibson gitfiddle, and won. A swooning Lancer Lady forked out $285 for a kiss from James Stacy. She got her money’s worth! I got two eighty for a hearty handclasp. Two dollars and eighty cents. The bar was dark, but the Lancer Ladies lit it up with a wingding. Jeff Connors quietly crooned soulful songs. Hugh O’Brian got a gaggle o’gals gigglin’ with close-up magic. Babs told a couple of Aussie women that I worked for three years in Australia to watch my career go down the toilet, counter-clockwise. We were all in high spirits. Or were we high on spirits? I posed for a pic with a pert miss. She patted my cheek. My right cheek. My lower right cheek. These good people sure made it tough to say adios. On a scale of 1 to 10, Babs and I rate “A Gathering of Guns 2” ELEVEN! Some of the wives formed a group. I suggested “WOWS” —Wives of Western Stars! Babs said, “Almost. We’re WOOWS —Wives of Old Western Stars!”

       —Hmmmm...Adios Y’all