For true movie lovers, the Cinecon Film Festival is one of the greatest highlights of the year. This film festival is aimed at the most dedicated cinephiles, and you can spend five days living a life that completely revolves around movies. These are not just any movies, but many are films that even the most die-hard movie buffs have never seen. Most of them come from the silent era through the 1940's, though some later films are included as well. For many of these films this is the only way you can see them as they aren't available on home video or streaming. Though these are mostly old films, you are experiencing them with an audience who has also never seen them and doesn't know what to expect. This makes them feel so fresh, new and exciting.
As well as being filled with movies, the festival also honors some great special guest stars. And this year has some truly incredible guest stars. Receiving the Cinecon Legacy Awards this year are Lainie Kazan, Nancy Kwan, Barbara Eden (of I Dream of Jeanie fame) and Anna Maria Alberghetti. Each will be interviewed following a showing of a lesser-known film of theirs. For Lainie Kazan they will be showing My Favorite Year (1982). For Nancy Kwan, they will show, The Main Attraction (1962). For Barbara Eden, there will be a screening of All Hands on Deck (1961). That movie features Pat Boone, who will be presenting Barbara Eden with her award. For Anna Maria Alberghetti, there will be a screening of The Starts are Singing (1953).
Other highlights of the festival include a new restoration of the silent OZ film, The Magic Cloak of OZ (1914), the John Ford directed silent, 3 Bad Men (1926), the John Wayne B-Western, The Lucky Texan (1934), the rarely seen tru-color musical That’s My Gal (1947), a tribute to the George Pal's stop motion Puppetoons and rare Paramount Technicolor shorts. As well as the cinematic treats there will be some rare early live television delights featuring comedians Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Jackie Gleason and Sid Ceaser.
The film festival will be held at the Landmark Nuart Theatre in West Los Angeles (11272 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025), It will take place Labor Day Weekend from September 3-7, 2026.
To view the full schedule and buy tickets for the festival, please go to Cinecon's website by clicking here.
Hello, my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
We start our music off with Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and their children (Linda, Dusty, Sandy, Debbie and Dodie) performing a lovely little song called Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam from Roy and Dale's 1960 album Jesus Loves Me.
This is followed by Malcom Desmond with his 1933 recording of The Last Round Up.
Afterwards The Charlie Daniels Band performs The Old Rugged Cross. The song itself dates back to 1913 and was written by evangelist, George Bennard. Actually, the first verse was written in 1912. It was written while Bennard was a part of a series of revival meetings in Albion, Michigan. He was worried about the complete disregard for the gospel around him and wrote this verse as a repose. Of writing it Bennard said, "I seemed to have a vision ... I saw the Christ and the cross inseparable." The song wouldn't be completed for several months, when he was leading meetings at a local church in Pokagan, Michigan. He played it for Rev. Leroy (the sponsoring pastor) and his wife, Ruby Bostwick, both of whom found themselves moved to tears. It was then incorporated into a service at that church on June 7, 1913. The song has the same effect today as it must have back then. This version comes from the band's 2002 album, How Sweet the Sound: 25 Favorite Hymns and Gospel Greats. Unlike the group's earlier Christian albums, which contained original songs, this album is made up of old gospel classics. In my opinion this is one of the band's best albums of the 21st century.
Next is Tompall Glaser with Lean on Jesus. This recording comes from his 2006 gospel album, Outlaw to the Cross.
Then comes Johnny Cash with Jesus Was a Carpenter. What I love about this song is that it takes about what happened back when Jesus was on Earth, but it puts it in a modern context even looking at many of today's political and social issues. This shows that the Bible is just as true today and that even after all these centuries we can still apply it to what is going on in our world today. The very idea of praising Jesus in socially conscious folk song, paints a great picture of what Johnny Cash and his music were all about. This recording comes from his 1970 album; Hello I'm Johnny Cash.
This is followed by Tammy Wynette with He. This recording comes from her 1969 gospel album, Inspiration.
Then comes The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1947 recording of The Sea Walker. This song was written by Tim Spencer, one of the group's founding members. Music was a major part of Tim's life from very early on. In fact when he was only 3 years old he was already singing at the church he grew up in. His love of things cowboy and western related also began very early as he had grown in awe of western movies and screen cowboys like Tom Mix, Hoot Gibson, William S. Hart and others were his boyhood heroes. With this it is no surprise that in 1931, he went to California to see how his talents could be used in Hollywood. Yet music always remained a major passion for him. As he worked in a warehouse, he would spend his weekends and time after working going around to all the country music radio shows, getting to know all the people he could. This is how he met fellow founding members of the Sons of the Pioneers, Bob Nolan and Leonard Slye (later Roy Rogers). The Sea Walker as well as being written by Tim also features him as the lead singer.
Today's musical selection ends with Chelsea Moon and Uncle Daddy with 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus. 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus was another hymn born out of personal tragedy. Louisa M. R. Stead was happily married and one day her, her husband and their four-year-old daughter had a day at the beach, when they heard a scream. They went to see where the scream was coming from and saw a little boy drowning in the sea. Her husband tried to pull the boy out of the water, but the boy pulled the husband down with him. Louisa and her daughter Lilly watched helplessly as the two died before their eyes. It is unknown when the song was actually written, but it is known that it was inspired by this tragedy and how God helped pull her through it as she soon went back on the mission field. The song was first published in 1882 a collection of hymns entitled Songs of Triumph.
Now for a sermon from the Reverend Billy Graham.
Today's movie is The Lucky Texan (1934) starring John Wayne.
Psalm 78
A maskil[a] of Asaph.
1 My people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth with a parable;
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3 things we have heard and known,
things our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.
8 They would not be like their ancestors—
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
whose spirits were not faithful to him.
9 The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows,
turned back on the day of battle;
10 they did not keep God’s covenant
and refused to live by his law.
11 They forgot what he had done,
the wonders he had shown them.
12 He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors
in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea and led them through;
he made the water stand up like a wall.
14 He guided them with the cloud by day
and with light from the fire all night.
15 He split the rocks in the wilderness
and gave them water as abundant as the seas;
16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag
and made water flow down like rivers.
17 But they continued to sin against him,
rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High.
18 They willfully put God to the test
by demanding the food they craved.
19 They spoke against God;
they said, “Can God really
spread a table in the wilderness?
20 True, he struck the rock,
and water gushed out,
streams flowed abundantly,
but can he also give us bread?
Can he supply meat for his people?”
21 When the Lord heard them, he was furious;
his fire broke out against Jacob,
and his wrath rose against Israel,
22 for they did not believe in God
or trust in his deliverance.
23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above
and opened the doors of the heavens;
24 he rained down manna for the people to eat,
he gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Human beings ate the bread of angels;
he sent them all the food they could eat.
26 He let loose the east wind from the heavens
and by his power made the south wind blow.
27 He rained meat down on them like dust,
birds like sand on the seashore.
28 He made them come down inside their camp,
all around their tents.
29 They ate till they were gorged—
he had given them what they craved.
30 But before they turned from what they craved,
even while the food was still in their mouths,
31 God’s anger rose against them;
he put to death the sturdiest among them,
cutting down the young men of Israel.
32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;
in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.
33 So he ended their days in futility
and their years in terror.
34 Whenever God slew them, they would seek him;
they eagerly turned to him again.
35 They remembered that God was their Rock,
that God Most High was their Redeemer.
36 But then they would flatter him with their mouths,
lying to him with their tongues;
37 their hearts were not loyal to him,
they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he was merciful;
he forgave their iniquities
and did not destroy them.
Time after time he restrained his anger
and did not stir up his full wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh,
a passing breeze that does not return.
40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
and grieved him in the wasteland!
41 Again and again they put God to the test;
they vexed the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember his power—
the day he redeemed them from the oppressor,
43 the day he displayed his signs in Egypt,
his wonders in the region of Zoan.
44 He turned their river into blood;
they could not drink from their streams.
45 He sent swarms of flies that devoured them,
and frogs that devastated them.
46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper,
their produce to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail
and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
48 He gave over their cattle to the hail,
their livestock to bolts of lightning.
49 He unleashed against them his hot anger,
his wrath, indignation and hostility—
a band of destroying angels.
50 He prepared a path for his anger;
he did not spare them from death
but gave them over to the plague.
51 He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt,
the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.
52 But he brought his people out like a flock;
he led them like sheep through the wilderness.
53 He guided them safely, so they were unafraid;
but the sea engulfed their enemies.
54 And so he brought them to the border of his holy land,
to the hill country his right hand had taken.
55 He drove out nations before them
and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance;
he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.
56 But they put God to the test
and rebelled against the Most High;
they did not keep his statutes.
57 Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless,
as unreliable as a faulty bow.
58 They angered him with their high places;
they aroused his jealousy with their idols.
59 When God heard them, he was furious;
he rejected Israel completely.
60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh,
the tent he had set up among humans.
61 He sent the ark of his might into captivity,
his splendor into the hands of the enemy.
62 He gave his people over to the sword;
he was furious with his inheritance.
63 Fire consumed their young men,
and their young women had no wedding songs;
64 their priests were put to the sword,
and their widows could not weep.
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
as a warrior wakes from the stupor of wine.
66 He beat back his enemies;
he put them to everlasting shame.
67 Then he rejected the tents of Joseph,
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he loved.
69 He built his sanctuary like the heights,
like the earth that he established forever.
70 He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheep pens;
71 from tending the sheep he brought him
to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,
of Israel his inheritance.
72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
with skillful hands he led them.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
When one thinks of great director/actor combinations in western film history, the first that comes to mind is John Ford and John Wayne. However, there are other great combinations that don't get as much attention. One of these is that of Budd Boetticher and Randolph Scott. The duo would make seven films together, of which their first would be the wonderful and too often overlooked Seven Men from Now.
In this movie ex-sheriff Ben Stride (Randolph Scott) is hunting down and killing the seven men responsible for a Wells Fargo robbery that resulted in the death of his wife. On his mission he travels with young husband and wife couple John and Annie Greer (Walter Reed, Gail Russell) and runs across a criminal he had previously put behind bars named Bill Masters (Lee Marvin).
This deceptively simple storyline hides a real emotional and moral complexity. This is not a simple western where the good guys wear white hats and the bad guys wear black. While Ban Stride is very clearly the hero, he is not that we envy or would aspire to be. His is cold and stoic, letting nobody truly in, not even the audience. Though he is on the side of right, he is doing so with a heart full of pain and revenge. Watching though we know that even if he completes his mission, it will relieve him of nothing. Randolph Scott is absolutely perfect in this role, capturing the heart and pain of this character so well in a very minimalist performance. On the contrast, Lee Marvin as the villain is fun to watch being truly dynamic and compelling. In fact, his character even gets the best comedic moments in the film. The young married is also very compelling, as their relationship is not the typical romantic western leads, especially as their relationship to each other is more complex than that. For a movie that really focuses on just these four characters each of them is extremely well defined and complex. The basic storyline serves as a catalyst for studying these four characters and it does this masterfully.
This movie also greatly benefits from some absolutely beautiful location shooting at Lone Pine California. About Lone Pine Boetticher would later state, "If you're going to make a western, you can't make a bad shot in Lone Pine. It's the greatest western location in the world. You had the mountains, the volcanic rocks, and across the road you had sand dunes and rivers. I [could] do my whole picture there.... In Seven Men from Now, I wanted one of my villains to get shot as he tries to escape through a crack in the rocks. And when he's dead, he just hangs there - he never falls to the ground. I found the crack and then I built the rest of the scene around [it] and it really worked."
This film's writer was Burt Kennedy, a screenwriter and actor, who had been working for John Wayne's production company, Batjac. Kennedy later remembered, "they just put me in a room with a title, a legal pad and a pencil, and six weeks later I had written Seven Men from Now." At first the script received little attention. However, Robert Mitchum found it and offered Kennedy $150,000. When John Wayne heard about this, he reread the script and loved it. On the last day of shooting the movie, The Killer Is Loose (1956), Budd Boetticher received a message from John Wayne. Since John had given the director a chance and produced Budd's movie Bullfighter and the Lady (1951), Budd felt he owed it to The Duke to meet him. John handed the director the script for Seven Men from Now and told Budd to read it. Budd came back in an hour and told, Wayne that he loved it. Wayne explained that Boetticher couldn't have read it in only an hour. Boetticher explained "I read 35 pages. That's all I had to read to know that it's great. I'd like to meet this Kennedy fellow." Wayne stated, "So shake hands with him," and motioned to the man standing next to him. That began a major partnership and the two would go on to work on many films in the future. The casting of Lee Marvin was Burt Kennedy's idea. Budd Boetticher later wrote, "Burt and I agreed that western heavies over the years had been portrayed as much too heavy. They rode black horses and wore black hats. You never saw anything good about any of them. Well, we set out to make our villains extremely attractive. Sure they were going to get killed - eventually - by our hero, but we wanted our audience to really love 'em while they were still kickin'."
John Wayne was hoping to play the main role but was busy filming the John Ford classic, The Searchers (1956). Boetticher remembered, "Wayne said, 'Let's use Randy Scott. He's through.' Well, the Duke's desire to throw poor Mr. Scott a crumb was the basis for five of the finest films I've ever made." Budd would add, "I thought the Scott character, before the pictures we made with him, was a pretty stuffy guy."
Boetticher and Scott's future collaborations would be The Tall T (1957), Decision at Sundown (1957), Buchanan Rides Alone (1958), Ride Lonesome (1959), Westbound (1959) and Comanche Station (1960).
-Michael J. Ruhland
Resources Used
Leonard Maltin's Best 151 Movies You've Never Seen by Leonard Maltin
Howard Hawks was one of the most versatile and gifted filmmakers of Hollywood's golden age. Whether he was directing a John Wayne western, a screwball comedy with Cary Grant, a musical with Marylin Monroe or a film noir with Humphrey Bogart, he always delivered a well-made film. Yet he is a figure that many of us do not really know outside of his movies. This is what makes film critic Joseph McBride's book of interviews with Howard Hawks so indispensable.
The book gives us a great insight into Hawks' views on filmmaking. Though he remained unpretentious about his work and didn't fully understand what intellectual French critics saw in his films, he could articulate what makes a great movie better than most critics could. I would recommend that any aspiring filmmaker read this book as his insights into the filmmaking process are very well-thought out and enlightening. This is equally important to students of his work as they can begin to see his approach to filmmaking whenever the watch his movies. At the same time, he states these insights in such an unpretentious manner that is completely approachable. You don't have to be a film scholar to understand or learn from these insights. For those of us interested in film history, learning how one of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers approached making his movies is fascinating.
As well as his insights into the art of filmmaking, Hawks also tells some great behind the scenes stories from his movies. Many of these stories are quite interesting and a few are quite funny. These stories also give us a good look at such movie luminaires as John Wayne, Marylin Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Becall, Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan and more. To say these stories are invaluable is an understatement.
Run Time: 30 minutes. Studio: Joe Rock Comedies. Director: Joe Rock. Titles: Tay Garnett. Producer: Joe Rock. Main Cast: Stan Laurel, Julie Leonard, Lew Meehan. Cinematographer: Edgar Lyons. Assistant Director: Edgar Lyons.
The early silent solo shorts of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy before they teamed up hold a special place in my heart. That is because they were my introduction to silent movies. As a kid (I am in my early 30's now), my grandpa figured since I was a fan of classic cartoons like Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry and Popeye that I would also enjoy the classics of movie comedy. So, he got me cheap public domain DVDs (DVDs made of low-quality prints of the films that were in public domain) of Abbott and Costello, Three Stooges (luckily some of the best Stooges shorts are in public domain) and Laurel and Hardy. The Laurel and Hardy DVDs consisted of the Laurel and Hardy feature films Utopia (or Atoll K.) (1951) and The Flying Deuces (1939), the short film Tree in a Test Tube (1942) and a plethora of early silent solo comedy shorts of either Stan Laurel or Oliver Hardy. In hindsight these low-quality prints with random (and often ill-fitting) ragtime music for scores probably wasn't the greatest introduction to silent films. However, having just been introduced to them, I didn't know the difference. Though it would be a while until I became a true silent film enthusiast, I loved these films as a kid. They definitely firmly planted the seeds for a tree that would blossom later in my life. For this I will forever be grateful to those DVDs and these short films. One of my favorites of these shorts was the Stan Laurel short, West of Hot Dog (1924).
In this delightful western spoof, Stan inherits The Last Chance Saloon. However outlaw Bad Mike will inherit it if something were to happen to Stan. Naturally Bad Mike and his cronies try to kill Stan in order to get the saloon. Like many of the short films Stan Laurel made around this time, this was a parody of a popular movie. In this case that movie was West of the Pecos (1922) starring and directed by screen cowboy Neal Hart (who had worked at a wild west show before his movie career).
This is a fast paced and very entertaining short. While it may not be filled wall to wall laughs like an actual Laurel and Hardy short, there are some legitimately funny moments. One of my favorite bits is Stan's reaction to the stagecoach robbery. Stan's obliviousness to what is actually going on and his playfulness comes off as precursor to the character (though it is far from fully formed here) and comedy style that Stan would later become known for. This short also has some delightful little slapstick gags. One involving him ducking out the window always puts a smile on my face. Even when the gags don't inspire big laughs, they still help give this film a great comedic momentum. This is an unashamedly silly and cartoon-like comedy and there is something just incredibly fun and charming about that. The story is very basic, but it works as a perfect setup for all the comedic set pieces.
Moving Picture World, 1925
This director of this film was Scott Pembroke. Pembroke directed quite a few of the Stan's solo films both for the Joe Rock and Hal Roach studios. His work with Stan Laurel includes such shorts as Kill or Cure (1923), Short Orders (1923), Rupert of Hee Haw (1924), Mandarin Mix-Up (1924), Monsieur Don't Care (1924), Pie-Eyed (1925), The Snow Hawk (1925) and probably the best Stan solo short Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde (1925). Pembroke also directed some few silent movie serials including Winners of the West (1921), The Adventures of Tarzan (1921), The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1922) and The Social Buccaneer (1923) as well as some silent westerns starring cowboy star Bob Custer. His talkie work would include the early Jack Benny movie, The Medicine Man (1930) and the John Wayne B-Westerns The Lawless Nineties (1936) and The Oregon Trail (1936).
This film's producer was Joe Rock. Born in New York in 1891, Rock had begun his movie career as a stunt double for Mary Pickford. In 1916 he worked at Vitagraph as part of a comedy team with Earl Montgomery. Though these short comedies proved quite popular, they only lasted about four years when Vitagraph started to have the two comics appear in separate films. When Vitagraph let him go, Joe Rock started his own production company and started to produce comedies in which he would star. It wasn't long before Rock he was producing comedies starring other comedians including Jimmy Aubery and in 1924 Stan Laurel. As well as producing comedies with Stan and Jimmy, Joe Rock also produced a series of comedies called A Ton of Fun, which starred a trio of heavy-set comics ("Fat" Karr, "Tiny" Alexander and "Kewpie" Ross. The series of Joe Rock produced Stan Laurel shorts ended when Stan Laurel returned to the Hal Roach Studio. Rock was willing to let Stan go if Stan would not take any leading roles on screen. When Stan eventually appeared in starring roles in Roach shorts, this was brought to court. This caused Joe Rock's studio to become inactive as his assets were put into suspension. Luckily for Rock, Stan Laurel eventually asked for the case to be dismissed. Rock would later win an Academy Award for the short documentary film Krakatoa (1933). The documentary was about the island of Krakatoa both before and after the volcano eruption in 1883. He wouldn't pick up the award for 40 some years after winning it. Rock passed away on December 5, 1984, in Sherman Oak, California.
According to historian Robert Stone, this comedy was filmed in October 1924 at Universal Studios.
The following are some exhibitor's reviews from Exhibitors Herald. "WEST OF HOT DOG: Stan Laurel— The film on this was good out of Milwaukee Exchange. Judging from the way the crowd laughed this must have been a good comedy. We didn't think much of it. Two Reels. - W.T. Davis & Son. Rialto theatre, Sharon, Wis. - General Patronage." " WEST OF HOT DOG: Stan Laurel— This was not so good. Didn’t have much appeal. Copyright 1924. Films good. Rating 60. Two Reels. - J.W. Ryder, Jewel theatre, Verdale, Minn, Small Town Patronage." "WEST OF HOT DOG: Stan Laurel - Fair comedy. Two Reels. - Nicolaides Brothers, Amercian theatre, Scofield, Utah. General Patronage."
For anyone interested in seeing this film, you can watch it below on YouTube. It can also be found on numerous public domain DVDs.
Probably no child actress has ever been better known than Shirley Temple. Like Marlyin Monroe, John Wayne or Charlie Chaplin, even those who have never seen one of her movies know of her. They can immediately bring to mind the image of a little girl with curls dancing and singing. Those who do watch her movies can easily understand why her popularity was so great during the heyday of her career. She is simply charming and cute without ever coming across as cloying, the way so many child actors can. Most of her films may not be great masterpieces of cinema but they are still quite entertaining and fun. If you get a chance to watch one of her classic films with an audience, you will discover how much they still delight audiences today. Her career actually lasted beyond her being the little girl who sang about The Good Ship Lollypop and Animal Crackers. She appeared in some truly delightful films as a teenager, which showed her blossoming into a good actress. These later teenage films include The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), I'll Be Seeing You (1944) and the classic John Ford-John Wayne western Fort Apache (1948).
The following is an article from a 1942 issue of Modern Screen magazine. If you can't read the pages below click on the pages and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you don't have a touch screen, click here.
After having talked about the later part of Shirley Temple's career, we turn our attention to an early film of Her's. I really enjoy the Andy Clyde short, Dora's Dunking Doughnuts (1933), which feature Shirley Temple in a prominent role. This film may not be one of Andy Clyde's funniest shorts. However, it is a really cute, sweet and charming little film that is still delightful today.
The following are some exhibitors' reviews of Dora's Dunking Doughnuts from the Motion Picture Herald. "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts: Andy Clyde - The kids and their orchestra saved this for Andy. Whoever told that guy he was funny? - Mayme P. Mussleman, Princess Theatre, Lincoln, Kan. Small Town Patronage." "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts: Andy Clyde - A little odd and very good comedy. That got a few laughs. Running time, two reels. - J.A. Verchot, Opera House, Abbeville, S.C. Small Town Patronage." "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts: Andy Clyde - A funny comedy and the audience laughed. Running time 20 minutes. - A.H. Edwards Orpheum Theatre, Orwigsburg, PA, Small town and rural patronage."
The following is from an issue of The Film Daily dated June 6, 1933. "Alfonse Corelli, musical director, wrote 'Dora's Dunking Doughnuts' for Andy Clyde's comedy, and the number has already shown signs of being in the hit class. Although the song has not been published and the picture is not ready for general release, requests have been received from several radio stations for permission to broadcast; a well-known stage producing organization has bid it for a new production, and an offer for electrical transcriptions and phonograph records has been made."
The following is from an issue of The Film Daily dated June 3, 1933. "Andy Clyde ate so many doughnuts and drank so much coffee during the making of 'Dora's Dunking Doughnuts' that he is going to emulate Ghandi and go on a hunger strike. In one scene the Scotch comic had to eat four doughnuts. This does not sound like much but when it is figured the scene was shot from four angles - and then the retakes - figure it out for yourself."
Though many of you have probably never heard the name Mimi Gibson, if you are a fan of movies and/or TV shows of the 1950's and 60's, you have seen her. As a child actress she has appeared in such films as The Wings of Eagles (1957), Houseboat (1958), The Ten Commandments (1956), The Three Faces of Eve (1957), The Children's Hour (1961) and much more. She even provided the voice of Lucky in Disney's One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961). She was just as prolific in TV appearing in episodes of shows like Climax!, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Jimmy Durante Show, Leave it to Beaver, My Three Sons, The Red Skeleton Show and The Jack Benny Program.
Looking back at her time as child star in this memoir, she does not wear rose colored glasses. Throughout this book she is often brutally honest and never afraid to speak her mind. Not only does she admit that this isn't the job she would have chosen, but she writes frankly about some of the abuse of child actors she had seen firsthand (if you are a fan of Lorretta Young or Miriam Hopkins, you might quickly become disillusioned reading this book). Her words about casting directors are especially biting. She heavily advocates for better treatment of child actors on and off set. This is something she has truly taken to heart and over her adult life, she has done much to make sure child actors see the money they rightfully earned. Due to her writing, it becomes easy to understand why many child actors had their lives turn out so bleak (though thankfully that was not the case with Mimi).
Yet this book does have its lighter parts as well. She doesn't paint her childhood as without it joys. She speaks very kindly of those who treated her well, including Sophia Loren, John Wayne, Red Skelton, Ben Cooper, Fred MacMurray, Anothony Quinn and interestingly enough John Ford. And she tells some great stories of the fun she was able to have during her childhood and her love of the costumes.
For me the highlight of the book was the last two chapters where she wrote about nearly every movie and TV show she worked on. This gives us a wonderful first-hand look at the good, the bad and the ugly in the life of a child actor. It is equally honest in talking about the moments of joy as it is about some of the hardships.
Though this is a brief book, it does still provide great personal insight into a part of the movie and TV business that is often overlooked.
This past weekend was one of the highlights of any movie fans year, the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, CA.
While unfortunately it is impossible to see every film at this festival (as many of them play at the same time at different theaters), I am very satisfied with the great selection (and great variety) of films I saw this year.
I started this festival on the right foot, watching one of the greatest crime movies ever made, White Heat (1949). This film (featuring one of James Cagney's best performances) looked simply incredible on the big screen at the historic Egyptian Theater. Speaking of looking incredible on the big screen, a new restoration of the great John Ford and John Wayne western, The Searchers (1956) on 70mm film was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen projected on a screen. As the film started my jaw dropped at how beautiful it looked. Having an introduction by one of the great modern-day directors, Alexander Payne made this only better, especially as he mentioned that members of the Wayne family were in the audience. That was not the only great western I saw there as I also saw the very underrated and unjustly obscure pre code western, Law and Order (1932) starring Walter Houston and Harry Carey. I had not seen this movie before and to say I was impressed, would be an understatement. If you stretch the definition of a western, I also saw a great 35mm nitrate print of the really fun musical Annie Get Your Gun (1950). I also saw a great 35mm nitrate print of the underrated film noir (starring Edward G. Robinson), The Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948). Being a huge Hitchcock fan I had to see the two Hitchcock screenings. They were of two of his greatest classics, Rear Window (1954) and North by Northwest (1959). I was also pleased to see a classic foreign picture, Fredrico Fellini's La Strada (1954), one of my favorite movies of all time.
Naturally for someone like me the highlights of the festival were the animation and silent film screenings. On the animation side there was Disney's 101 Dalmatians (1961) and a screening of various newly restored theatrical cartoon shorts. 101 Dalmatians was made more impressive by having an interview with the great classic Disney animator Floyd Norman. In my mind he is one of the coolest guys living today. His insights into the Walt Disney animation studio at this time period where simply fascinating to listen to. The classic cartoon shorts (mostly from the Fleischer studio) were introduced by Family Guy creator, Seth MacFarlane (who does sound just like Brian Griffin), whose passion for these classic cartoons (and film history in general) could be felt throughout. He also helped fund the restorations of these films. Speaking of the restorations they looked simply incredible.
The first of the two silent film screenings began included the Edward Evert Horton short film, Dad's Choice (1928) and the Raymond Griffith feature Paths to Paradise (1925). To see such little-known silent gems on the big screen felt like heaven to me. The laughter of the audience during the climax of the feature showed why these films should be seen with a full audience. Great accompaniment by Ben Model didn't hurt either. The other silent film screening ended the festival on a high note for me. It had two classic Buster Keaton films, the short The Goat (1921) and the feature Sherlock Jr. (1924). These films had the whole audience in hysterics. Even though I have seen these films countless times, seeing it with such an appreciative audience made me laugh myself silly too. The live accompaniment by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra was simply beautiful and helped make these 100-year-old and 103-year-old films feel completely new and fresh.
Also adding to the fun was a wonderful panel by Arthur Marx, grandson of Groucho Marx (on his dad's side) and songwriter Gus Kahn (on his mother's side). He not only talked about both of his great grandfathers but performed many of Gus Kahn's songs asking the audience to sing along with him. It is also wonderful to talk to many of the others at the festival. There is something about old movie fans when they meet. They have a true kinship with each other that shows just why these movies are so important.
If you have not been to the TCM Film Festival yet, it is a must for every classic movie fan.
An offbeat, but incredibly charming Christmas movie.
When one thinks of Christmas movies, the names John Wayne and John Ford do not immediately jump to mind. Yet together, the infamous director and star duo, made a true Christmas classic. This film is essentially an old west retelling of the biblical tale of the wise men. Not that it is a straight retelling of the biblical story, but it is obviously inspired by it. Our three main characters (John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz, Harry Carey, Jr.) begin the story as old west outlaws, simply wanting to rob banks. As the film begins, you begin to wonder if you are actually watching a Christmas movie or just a really good western. However, this all changes. The outlaws find a covered wagon in the middle of the desert and meet a woman about to give birth. They help her deliver the baby, but when the mother dies, they agree to bring the baby to safety. They take the baby to the town of New Jerusalem using a star to guide their way (now you see how this is clearly a Christmas movie).
Though this may not be a traditional Christmas movie, it captures the true spirit and meaning of Christmas more than many much more traditional Christmas films. This is especially true of the first scene in New Jerusalem. Though that scene is very brief, it perfectly captures the spirit of Christmas. Not only is the place decorated for Christmas and there is a beautiful (again if brief) piano version of Silent Night (the piano player on screen is none other than the film's composer, Richard Hageman), but it also shows beautifully the themes of redemption and putting others above yourself, two themes that have become synonymous with Christmas movies and Christmas itself. This is also when the biblical allegory reaches its climax, and the result is something truly beautiful. This scene always brings a little tear to my eye (especially as a Christian myself). Speaking of the biblical allegory, it works near perfectly in this film. It may not be subtle but it is incredibly effective. This is especially true because of how our main characters have to rely strictly on faith. There is no proof that they will end up in New Jerusalem and if they do end up there, they don't know what will happen next. This actually causes one to look at the story of the Magi in a way that they wouldn't before. Knowing what happens next in the Bible, we forget that the Wise Men acted on faith and not their own knowledge. This allegory makes what would have been a really good western into a truly great one.
This is not to say that this film relies only on its biblical allegory. The movie has a lot more going for it. One thing is the incredible cast. I feel this one of the most underrated performances in John Wayne's career. His character undergoes a major arc and this is shown wonderfully throughout John Wayne's performance as we can feel the change in the character. This is why I can never buy it when anyone calls John Wayne a one-note actor or says he could only play himself. Harry Carey Jr. is also truly wonderful in one of his earliest film roles, showing an incredible depth in his scenes with the baby. Pedro Armendariz is not outshined by these two and offers both some really funny and moving moments. Ward Bond is a delight as the Marshall, never becoming the simple antagonist he could have been in lesser hands. Jane Darwell (who had been in John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath (1940)) is a scene stealer and brings some good old-fashioned comedy to this story. It is a delight to see the wonderful character actor, Guy Kibbee in his last film role (he plays the judge). John Ford's direction here is as wonderful as always and he proves why he is one of the greatest movie directors to ever live. He balances perfectly the darker aspects of this movie with scenes of pure joy (as well as some really good comedic scenes). Yet he does this in a way that makes you not take notice of the filmmaker behind the scenes. Also typical of John Ford movies, this film uses music to its best advantage. I can't imagine this movie without the aforementioned silent night or having Ward Bond's character sing the old cowboy song, Streets of Laredo to the baby and the hymn Shall We Gather at the River as they bury the mother of the child. These little musical moments add so much to the emotion of the story. Much attention also needs to be called to Winton Hoch's beautiful color cinematography. It truly looks beautiful and adds so much to the movie. Winton Hoch would return to work with John Ford and John Wayne for the brilliant, The Searchers (1956).
This movie was based off a 1913 story by Peter B. Kyne. This story had been made into four other movies before this one. One of these films was Marked Men (1919). That movie was directed by John Ford and stared Harry Carey Sr., whose son played a major role in this film. Ford considered this the best of his silent films, but unfortunately the movie is considered lost. The opening credits for 3 Godfathers sate, "to the Memory of Harry Carey, Bright star of the early western sky." This is not long before the credit "Introducing Harry Carey Jr." Despite the connection between Harry Carey Jr. and Ford, Ford did not make this an easy shot for his friend. Ford is known for having been rough with actors on the set, and he didn't let himself show favoritism or go easy on someone due to a friendship. Shooting one scene* in this film is what the young actor would later refer to as "the toughest day of my motion picture life." Yet there is no denying that Carey not only pulled through this but came out with an incredible performance.
This movie is often overlooked when it comes to the collaborations between John Ford and John Wayne. This may be because it came between Fort Apache (1948) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), which are both considered classics. However this film is simply wonderful on its own terms.
This may not be one of the first Christmas movies, one thinks of, but in my opinion it is a true holiday classic.
Resources Used
Christmas in the Movies by Jeremy Arnold
*Spoilers: referring to the scene where his character dies.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with the medley Remember Whose Birthday It Is/Happy Birthday, Gentle Saviour. There is no problem at all enjoying all of the presents, decorations and movies that come with Christmas (and no one loves them more than me), but we must always remember that Christmas is all about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and it is important every Christmas to remember what Jesus gave up by coming down from heaven to be a human here on Earth. Most importantly it is important to remember why he did it. He did it because of his love for us and his desire for us to be able to spend eternity in heaven with him. This wonderful recording comes from Roy and Dale's 1967 Christmas album, Christmas is Always.
Next comes The Louvin Brothers with their 1961 recording of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. The song was written by Edmund H. Sears. This hymn first appeared in Boston's Christian Register, on December 29, 1849 (yes after Christmas). That version has a verse that does not appear in this version, "But with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered long; Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not the love-song, which they bring: O hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing!" This verse reflects the state if America at the time this song was written. The Civil War was approaching, and Sears found himself concerned with the division in our country. Unlike many Christmas songs, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear is not a song about peace on Earth but rather a plea for it. With the division and anger that is so prevalent today, this is a perfect Christmas song for our time. This song has been put to different tunes over the years and the two most prevalent are Carol (by Richard Storis Willis in 1850) and Noel (by Sir Arthur Sullivan in 1878). Carol is the preferred version of this song in the U.S. and is the Louvin Brothers perform here. The tune had been used for other lyrics dating back to when it was written in 1850, and was first used to accompany, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear in 1878.
This is followed by The Stanley Brothers with Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. This is one of my favorite versions of this classic hymn. The boy's harmony here is simply perfect and the bluegrass stylings of this version seem to fit the lyrics and the singing perfectly.
Afterwards comes Gene Autry with O Little Town of Bethlehem. This lovely rendition comes from an episode of Gene Autry's Melody Ranch radio show that aired on December 22, 1946. The lyrics to this hymn were written by Phillips Brooks in 1865. He wrote the words this hymn after taking a group of Sunday school children on a pilgrimage to Bethlehem. The music was written by Louis H. Redner, the church organist. There was originally another verse to this hymn, "Where children pure and happy pray to the blessed Child. Where misery cries out to thee, son of the undefiled; where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door, the dark night wakes, the glory breaks, and Christmas comes once more." However, Redner objected to the words "son of the undefiled." Brooks briefly changed the line to "son of mother mild" before dropping the verse all together. This hymn appeared on a small leaflet in 1868 and in The Sunday School Hymnal in 1871.
Now for Martha Mears and The Sons of the Pioneers with a 1944 recording of Jingle Bells. James Lord Pierpont wrote this song in 1857. Despite being known as a Christmas song today, it was originally written with a different holiday in mind. Under its original title, One Horse Open Sleigh this song was written to be used in a Thanksgiving service at a Church where Pierpont was the organist. The song was so well received that it played again at the Church on Christmas day. For a song written to be performed at a Church, the original lyrics were racier than one would think and would be changed so that children's church choirs can perform the song. This version comes from a 1944 episode of the radio show 10-2-4 Ranch.
Nest is Anne Wilson with I Still Believe In Christmas. This original song written by Anne herself comes from her 2022 Christmas EP, The Manger. I hope that none of us ever stop believing in Christmas.
Now for The Carter Family with their 1930 recording of On My Way To Canaan's Land.
After this is Third Day with Christmas Like a Child. Christmas is a time of childlike wonder, where even those who are well past childhood can feel like children once again. This makes it the perfect time to come to Jesus, because as Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." So if you have walked away from Jesus and turned your back on him, this time of the year in many ways is perfectly designed for you to come back to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ and if you choose to humble yourself and come as a child, the blessings you will receive are plentiful.
Today's musical selection ends with The Charlie Daniels Band with Christmastime Down South. This is the title song for the band's 1990 Christmas album. This song talks about some of the simple joys that make Christmas extra special. I hope this Christmas we can all take some time out of the hustle and bustle to reflect on all the little blessings God has given us that make life extra special.
This week's movie trailer is for Andrew V. McLaglen's McLintock (1963). This film was made after John Wayne had lost a lot of money and box-office capital with The Almo (1960). John needed a movie that would help him make up for both loses and that came with this film. This movie was a fun comedy that placed Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew in the old west. Since The Quiet Man (1952), John Wayne had been wanting to work with Maureen O'Hara again and this film gave him that chance.
Now for a sermon from S.M. Lockridge about John 3:16.
Pslam 27
1
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour[a] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
4 One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, Lord;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Thank you for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today’s musical selection begins with Roy Rogers singing What a Friend we Have in Jesus. One of the most wonderful things about being a Christian is that we can have a personal friendship with our lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We can always talk to him personally about anything that is happening in our lives, whether that is something that is making us happy or something that we are struggling with.
This is followed by Hank Snow singing Lord It’s Me Again.
Next comes Anne Wilson with That's What We Need. Mark 8:36 states "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Nothing this world (even the most wonderful things) can offer can compare to what God offers us every single day. There is no problem with enjoying the creation, but the creation is not what we need in this life. What we need is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This recording comes from Anne's 2022 debut album, My Jesus.
Next comes The Carter Family's classic 1927 recording of Can The Circle Be Unbroken. This song was based off of the 1907 Christian hymn (written by Charles H. Gabriel and Ada R. Habershon), Will the Circle Be Unbroken. Uncle A.P. Carter reworked this song changing the lyrics to be about the death of a mother. Though this version would be covered by an incredible amount of artists, many of them would change the title back to Will the Circle Be Unbroken as well as changing that one word in the chorus. However these cover versions would use A.P.'s lyrics for the rest of the song. This is one of my all-time favorite songs, because it is a sad song, but one which also finds hope within its darkness. This is a song about trusting in God in times when it is very difficult to, which is something many gospel songs don't cover but which many Christians struggle with.
Now for Randy Travis with Which Way Will You Choose. This recording comes from Randy's 2000 album, Inspirational Journey. This was his first, but certainly not his last, gospel album.
Afterwards is Johnny Cash with The Old Rugged Cross. This version of the song comes from John's 1975 album, Johnny Cash Sing Precious Memories. This album (which entirely consists of traditional gospel songs) abandons John's traditional sound for a more lush and orchestrated sound. Much of this was due to arrangements by Bill Walker, who had been the musical director for John's TV show. This album was dedicated to John's late brother Jack, who had died at the age of 15 in a sawmill accident. His death took its toll on John and affected him for the rest of his life. This is written on the back of the album, "Dear Jack, We lost you one sad day in May 1944. I was twelve years old. Some of these songs were the songs we sang at your funeral. As you were dying you gave us a description of heaven and singing angels. Could these be some of the songs the angels were singing? See you later. Your little brother J.R."
Then comes The Sons of the Pioneers with How Will I Know Him. This song was written by one of the group's founding members, Bob Nolan. Roy Rogers (who was another founding member of the group) once stated about Bob Nolan, " I just don’t think he liked show business to start with. He was just that type of guy. He was his own man and he didn’t particularly enjoy it like the rest of us did. Bob was kind of a private man. I’ve known him since 1932 and he was a very quiet man. He didn’t like groups, crowds, or anything. I’ve seen him sit out and gaze off into the sunset and he was writing a song all the time but you didn’t know it. When you go over some of the lyrics he that wrote, he really did a lot of deep thinking about it."
Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the San Joaquin with It is Well with My Soul. Though this is a hymn of hope and peace it was written in a time of great sadness. The song was written by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873. He had planned a European trip for himself, his wife and four daughters, however because of his work he was unable to go, and he let his family go without him and after he finished his work, he would meet them there. However, the ship was hit and quickly sank. Though his wife was saved all four of his daughters had gone down with the ship. Amazingly he wrote this hymn when approaching an area near where his daughters had sunk.
This week's movie trailer is for a true classic John Ford's Stagecoach (1939). Today this is often remembered as the film that rocketed John Wayne from starring in B movies to major A pictures and that established him as one of the most iconic movie cowboys. This was also the first western director John Ford had made in 12 years and helped establish him as one of the finest directors the genre ever had. This was also his first movie to be shot in Monument Valley (located on the border between Airzonia and Utah), where he would shot many of his best films. In fact the area is now sometimes called John Ford Country. Coming out in what was considered Hollywood's greatest year, it would have been easy for this film to completely get lost among the score of great movies realesed in 1939. However with incredible perfromances, an intellgent script and great direction this movie rised above much of its competion to be considered a truly great film. At this time westerns were known as B movies and not something Hollywood took seriously. This film did a lot to change that. In fact this movie was even nominated for Best Picture (it lost to Gone With the Wind (1939)). This was not its only Oscar nomination. Joh Ford was nominated for Best Director, Bert Glennon for his cinematography, Alexander Toluboff for his art direction, Otho Lovering and Dorothy Spencer for their editing and Richard Hageman, W. Franke Harling, John Leipold and Leo Shuken for their music. Thomas Mitchell won for Best Supporting Actor. This was a great year for him as he also starred in the year's Best Picture, Gone with the Wind. This was a huge step towards Western films being taken seriously as an art.
The following is an article from a 1968 issue of Hollywood Studio Magazine. If you have any trouble reading the pages click on them an use your touch to zoom in.
Next is C.S. Lewis' essay, The Horrid Red Things.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 1 Peter 1:13
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:8
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:5
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. Isaiah 9:3
The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. Proverbs 10:28
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:17
So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22
A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! Proverbs 15:23
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Thank you for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Thank You God. This is the A-side of a 1956 Little Golden Record. The B-side was Let There Be Peace on Earth.
This is followed by Roy Clark with What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Despite being Joseph Medlicott Scriven's most famous composition, when he made a collection of his writings entitled Hymns and Other Verses it did not appear. It has been assumed that the reason for this is that he probably wrote it for his mother when she was sick and not for the public. It is believed that it is through his mother that the hymn reached the public. It first appeared in 1865's Social Hymns, Original and Selected credited as anonymous.
Next comes The Carter Family's 1938 recording of Walking in the King's Highway.
This followed by The Sons of the San Joaquin with their cover of The Sons of the Pioneers song, Read the Bible. This song was written by Tim Spencer, one of the Pioneer's founding members. The Sons of San Joaquin' version comes from their 1997 gospel album, Gospel Trails.
Up next is Lorretta Lynn with Gethsemane. This song comes from her 1970 gospel album, The Gospel Spirit. This song speaks about how perfectly Jesus' death and resurrection fulfilled the words the prophets had written long before it came to be.
Afterwards is Marty Robbins with There's Power in the Blood. No matter how much we may love something this world has to offer us, none of it can ever compare to the power in Jesus' blood. For nothing else has the power to give us salvation or peace in times when we feel peace is impossible.
Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of What You Gonna Say To Peter. I don't know about you but it always amazes me knowing that one day, when I go to heaven, I am going to see so many of the men and women I have read about in the Bible. It is a humbling and wonderful thought. Of course, nothing though will compare to seeing my lord and savior Jesus Christ. This song was written by the Pioneers' own Bob Nolan, who also sings lead on this song.
Today's movie trailer is for the wonderful Howard Hawks western, Red River (1948), starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift. As film lovers know, Howard Hawks and John Wayne were a match made in heaven and the films they made together show the talents of both men to perfect advantage. They made five movies together were Red River (1948), Rio Bravo (1959), Hatari (1962), El Dorado (1966) and Rio Lobo (1970). Though John Ford is the director most often associated with John Wayne, Howard Hawks is often the second most thought of director for John Wayne movies.
If you have trouble reading the pages below click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in.
Motion Picture Herald, 1948
Now for sermon from S.M. Lockridge.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6–7
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2
For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory. Deuteronomy 20:4
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Psalms 119:28
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:6
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
