CowboySpirit.TV - This week for our Movie Review Monday, we have a review on "Cat Ballous" starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin. User Billie on IMDB.com writes:
Cat Ballou is a movie spoof unlike any other, and a great parody of the Western film genre. Jane Fonda appears in one of her most playful film roles ("Barbarella" is another light and funny Fonda classic), and Lee Marvin gives one of his finest film performances (he won his Oscar for his dual roles). Add to this mix a wondrous soundtrack, with Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye as minstrels of sorts who stroll and sing throughout, making the film almost seem like a musical; an outstanding supporting cast including Michael Callan (who later appeared on TV's "One Life to Live"), and Dwayne Hickman (TV's Dobie Gillis), and the result is this hilarious, thoroughly entertaining film that was nominated for five Academy Awards (Marvin was the sole winner).
Catherine Ballou (Fonda)is a recently graduated-from-school schoolteacher returning home to live with her father on his ranch, but he is gunned down upon her arrival. She enlists the help of a loyal ranch-hand, a couple of outlaws, and most notably, a has-been gunman by the name of Kid Sheleen (Marvin) to help her get revenge. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable film that still stands up today, and Lee Marvin stealing the entire film in his amazing dual role performance as both Tim Strong and Kid Sheleen. Lee Marvin alone makes the film well worth seeing.
Finish reading this review and other user reviews here.
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CowboySpirit.TV- This week's edition of Friday Friends is an article written from AmericanCowboy.com, "The History of Catch Ropes" written by Chelsea Toy.
Today’s modern ropes have roots in ancient times half a world away.
13th Century B.C.–5th Century B.C.
Egyptians likely originated rope technology for handling cattle. Egyptian hieroglyphs depict pharaohs roping bulls with some form of grass-based ropes (likely hemp) and sacrificing them at temple ceremonies. Classical Greek philosopher Plato later mentioned the use of ropes to handle sacrificial bulls in Greek temples. Greek and Roman mosaics also show ropes around the necks or horns of bulls being dragged to sacrifice. Egyptians and Greeks did not use horses to assist in these tasks. To keep them moving, bulls were prodded from behind with bats.
1200s
During the heyday of the Mongolian Empire, horseback warriors used uurgas (wooden poles with rope loops on the ends) to snag European knights and drag them from their horses. Armor protected the mounted knights from arrows and swords, but they were much more vulnerable on the ground. The Mongolians also used their uurgas to capture wild horses and herd stock. As the Mongolian Empire conquered territories further west, this technology spread to Europe—mainly to the Spanish, who brought ropes and cattle to the Americas. Modern Mongolians still use uurgas much like working cowboys use ropes.
[Read the rest of the article at http://www.americancowboy.com/gear/history-catch-ropes]
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CowboySpirit.TV – Some of the Old West sayings on this list reminded us of something that President Theodore Roosevelt once said: “Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.” President Roosevelt was a great conservationist; in fact, he created more federally protected wilderness areas than any president before him or after him until President Bill Clinton. We have President Roosevelt to thank that we can still see areas of the West much as they were when cowboys rode the range.
1. "Don’t go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path. . . and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
2. When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else.
3. "I was happy in the midst of dangers and inconveniences." - Daniel Boone
You could make the argument that Daniel Boone was one of the first cowboys, settling in present-day Missouri five years before it became the Louisiana Territory. He didn’t ride herd, but he did live off the land.
4. Grab what you can and let the loose ends drag.
5. Taking things personal is opening the gate and letting the devil come in.
6. "I love it. It is wild with adventure." – Henry Starr
A distant relative of the infamous Belle Starr, Henry Starr was a thorough outlaw – but he is mostly remembered for this quote.
7. It’s so dusty the rabbits are digging holes six feet in the air.
8. "It was a hard land, and it bred hard men to hard ways." Louis L'Amour, author-adventurer
9. If things get any better, I may have to hire someone to help me enjoy it.
10. "The Old West is not a certain place in a certain time, it's a state of mind. It's whatever you want it to be." – Tom Mix, early Western star
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CowboySpirit.TV - Prior to the turn of the 20th century, a young man’s family lost their fortune. He was well educated and led a privileged life. But following the downturn of Lady Fortune’s wheel, he took his passion for horses and cowboys, his appreciation for the written word, and set his sights out West, becoming a well-known cowboy - and cowboy poet.
That man was N. Howard Thorp - commonly known as “Jack”. He wrote the iconic lyrics titled, “Little Joe the Wrangler” back in 1898 and they were published ten years later. It has been a beloved Western ballad ever since.
In this three part series, we will take a look at what has kept Little Joe in the spotlight all these many years. His character is significant in the genre of the Old West and to The Spirit of the Great American Cowboy.
Little Joe’s story has been recited and told over crackling campfires on an unimaginable number of real cattle drives, and has warmed the hearts of well dressed men and women at highfalutin dinners advertising Cowboy Poetry as entertainment. The song has even been used as a mournful lullaby for children throughout America.
A litany of famous Country Western and American folk singers such as Marty Robbins, Roy Rogers & Emmylou Harris, and Red Steagall have all covered versions of, “Little Joe The Wrangler”. Even country and western star, and champion rodeo cowboy, Chris LeDoux has paid homage to the traditional ballad. So what is it about Little Joe that keeps him tugging at the heartstrings of cowboys and Old West aficionados?
Modern day Cowboy Poet Baxter Black is a long time fan of Little Joe’s ballad. In an interview on NPR’s Weekend Edition, Black reminisced about his own father singing “Little Joe the Wrangler” to him and his siblings before bedtime. The ballad stuck in his heart and he performs it regularly now that he is in the Cowboy Poet and ballad singing spotlight. He observed, “Americans have a wonderful soft spot - and a reverence - for the downtrodden.” Little Joe’s character is a pictorial definition of the word "downtrodden."
He was an orphan boy who persevered through the death of his mother, and the almost daily abuse of his step-mother. He escaped his miserable life on a faithful brown pony, “Chow” and arrived a “lonely Texas stray and all alone.”
That lone figure captures America’s image of “The Cowboy,” and commenced a fascination with the underdog.
Stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon...
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CowboySpirit.TV - We've got a great selection of Old West History tidbits this week, ranging from a member of Billy the Kid's gang who went straight, to the creation of one of the most iconic fashions of cowboy culture.
May 14
1934: A minor member of Billy the Kid's gang, named Tom Picket, died on this day. While he didn't contribute too much to the gang, Picket was present when the Kid was arrested at Stinking Springs. What's interesting is that Picket is a rare old west outlaw who reformed himself. After the breakup of the gang he went straight, and eventually ended up serving as a deputy US marshal!
May 15
1882: On this day, Doc Holliday of Tombstone fame was arrested in Denver for his part in the killing of Frank Stilwell, the probable killer of Morgan Earp. He was due to be extradited to Arizona, but a last-minute intervention by the governor of Colorado blocked the extradition, and Holliday was freed shortly after.
May 16
1843: Today, the “Great Migration of 1843” began, with a wagon train carrying somewhere between 700 and 1,000 emigrants set out from Elm Grove, Missouri, along the Oregon Trail. Unlike many such undertakings in the old west, this was a success. Despite great adversity and nearly 2,000 miles of land to travel, nearly all the settlers made it.
May 17
1876: On this day, General George Custer departed Fort Lincoln with the 7th Calvary on the ill-fated expedition that would end with the Battle of Little Bighorn. Custer's last words are reported to be: "Hurrah boys, we've got them! We'll finish them up and then go home to our station."
May 18
1871: The “Salt Creek Massacre” occurred in Texas on this day. A group of Kiowa descended upon a ten-wagon supply convoy, stealing valuables and killing 7 men. The leaders who led the raid were found and arrested, leading to the first Indian trials.
May 19
1848: On this day, Mexico ratified the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, officially ending the Mexican-American war. Among other things, it ceded California, Nevada, and Utah to the United States, as well as officially designating the Rio Grande River as the southern border of Texas.
May 20
1874: An icon of old west fashion officially began today. On this day, Levi Strauss received a patent for using copper rivets to reinforce denim work pants. Levi Jeans are born.
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CowboySpirit.TV - This week for our Movie Review Monday, we have a wonderful review on "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly," starring Clint Eastwood. User A_Southern_Knight on IMDB.com writes:
This is the third, and arguably the best, of the so-called "spaghetti western" trilogy. It is ironic that, at the time the three Sergio Leone westerns were released, they were largely panned by critics as being poor and even laughable imitations of American-made westerns. The fact that they were filmed in Italy and Spain resulted in them receiving their amusing nickname which was intended to degrade them at the time.
Somehow, over the quarter century or so since their release, the critics have tended to change their opinions, and now these movies are generally regarded as classics. Perhaps this is because Clint Eastwood was principally known only as the second banana, Rowdy Yates, in the television series "Rawhide" when the films were produced but since then has achieved superstardom. But I also think it goes beyond that. I believe the critics decided to take another look at these films and realized that they had been premature in writing them off. Actually, I believe the three films were considerably better than most of what Hollywood produced. In fact, I think that TGTBATU ranks among the best westerns ever produced bringing to mind the magnificent films of John Ford, the undisputed master of that genre, and his protege, the incomparable John Wayne.
I have nothing but praise for this film. In fact, I rank it as one of my favorite films of all time. I could write volumes of what is good about this film. But since its qualities have been oft repeated in other viewer reviews, I will focus on what others didn't like about it. Most of the IMDb reviews had only one major complaint: the film is too long. I disagree. In fact, in spite of its nearly three hour length, I was disappointed that it ended. I was so absorbed in the film that I was disheartened to have to return to reality. The combination of story, cinematography, acting and musical score left nothing to be desired other than more of the same! The sequences that seemed to drag on in the opinion of other reviewers were necessary to fully create moods and to drive home important points. For example, the opening sequence might be regarded as needlessly long as Angel Eyes taunts a hapless man over a leisurely meal. But to me, scenes like that are what makes the movie great! The time allows the viewer to fully appreciate the amazing replication of the primitive home and the pitiful life of its dirt-poor inhabitants. I felt as though I was sitting there at the table; I was half tempted to reach for a bowl and spoon to partake of the meal. And all the while the suspense was building towards the inevitable climax. You know it's coming but not when and the length of the scene drives you crazy but makes it all the more satisfying when it does happen.
Finish reading this review and other user reviews here.
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CowboySpirit.TV - Cowboy Spirit TV wants to help you and your horse stay safe in your journeys. So we’ve teamed with Trisha Killion and the folks at Transwest Trailers to put together a series of trailering safety videos.
Trisha grew up in New Mexico where she showed & judged horses in 4-H and was also an active member of FFA showing replacement heifers. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics at Eastern New Mexico University in 2004 and then lunged at the chance to work for Transwest when the opportunity became available. She has been taking care of the horse trailer department at the Kansas City location for over 2 years. It is her goal to help educate customers about safety, structure & general trailer maintenance. She is a self defined “Trailer Snob”; only carrying the best of the best brands within the trailer industry. She resides in Liberty MO with her 2 little boys Roy & Kade who are 3 ½ & 1 ½. Trisha owns 2 quarter horses that are currently earning their keep at a feedlot in Granada, CO.
Trailer Tips with Trisha Killion #3: Icy Ramps
Hi. It's Trisha Killion of Transwest Trailers bringing you another trailer tip to keep you rolling safely down the road, for all of our friends out there at Cowboy Spirit TV.
Today I'm going to bring you a word of caution. Traveling during the winter months and if you've got a ramp on your trailer, always, always, always check that ramp before you unload your horse. If you've been travelling, and there's ice and sleet and snow, moisture and condensation can build up on this ramp. And it can be like a skating rink.
So always check it, just like I know you always do when you're unloading your horse. Make sure that when that horse is backing out that it's not going to be a skating rink for him, and he goes flying off of there-- or you. Remember safety first.
I hope this tip has helped. Remember, if the tip isn't enough, give me a call. Thanks. Trisha Killion with Transwest.
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CowboySpirit.TV- This week's edition of Friday Friends features "'Two-Gun' Hart: The Prohibition Cowboy" written by R.K. DeArment of Historynet.com.
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He was a throwback to another age, a walking, talking anachronism. From his high-heeled boots to his low-slung six-shooter, fancy vest and wide-brimmed Stetson, he was the popular depiction of the 19th-century Wild West gunfighter. But the year was 1919, and his type normally only made appearances in the hugely popular cowboy silent films of the day. When in the spring of that year he dropped off a freight train in Homer, Nebraska, a small community set back 16 miles from the wide Missouri opposite Sioux City, Iowa, he was neither packing a gun (at least not holstered in plain sight) nor sporting a sombrero. Local townsfolk, if they noticed him at all, would have taken him for just another rail-riding hobo.
For some reason the newcomer, who gave his name as Richard J. Hart, took an immediate liking to the little community of 500 souls and stayed on, taking work wherever he could find it. Obviously intelligent and ambitious, he was not afraid of hard work and over the next few months held jobs as a railroad timekeeper, housepainter and paperhanger.
Short in stature but powerfully built, he had black hair, dark eyes, a dark complexion and a prominent nose, indications, many believed, that he carried Indian or Mexican blood, a notion he did not dispute. Somehow he appeared older than his 27 years. Outgoing and talkative, especially about his own experiences, he told acquaintances he was originally from Oklahoma, where he had punched cattle, broken broncos and chased badmen. He said he had traveled the country with a circus, during which time he had honed his natural shooting ability. This skill came in handy, he claimed, when in 1917 the nation went to war and he enlisted and went to France with the American Expeditionary Forces.
In Homer he joined the local chapter of the American Legion and regaled veterans with accounts of his exploits against the Germans, how he had been promoted from private to lieutenant and been decorated by General John "Black Jack" Pershing himself for his bravery and sharpshooting feats. He also claimed to be a champion wrestler and challenged anyone to a match. No one chose to face him on the mats, however, after witnessing demonstrations of his expert marksmanship blasting tin cans and bottles with a six-shooter behind the legion post.
And any who might have doubted his bravery joined the ranks of his admirers when on May 19, 1919, a flash flood struck neighboring Emerson, Neb., and Hart risked his life to rescue a little girl named Margaret O'Connor from drowning, then re-entered the raging torrent to bring the entire family of a popular local grocer named Winch to safety. Winch's 19-year-old daughter, Kathleen, was so smitten with her savior that she married him that fall.
Most everyone in Homer was greatly impressed by this new addition to the community. The town council appointed him marshal. The county sheriff issued him deputy papers. The American Legion honored him by electing him commander of their post and the Boy Scouts of America by appointing him district commissioner of their organization. Richard J. Hart seemed well on his way to becoming a big fish in a very small pond, but it soon became apparent he had greater ambitions. He would go on to become a "Prohibition cowboy," one who wasn't afraid to use his guns against bootleggers. And he pursued his lawman career while keeping quiet about his family connection to a man near the top of the crime world.
[Read the rest of the article at http://www.historynet.com/two-gun-hart-the-prohibition-cowboy.htm]
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CowboySpirit.TV – Cowboys spent a lot of time together on the trail, and developed a system of thinly veiled insults and backhanded complements that kept the peace while allowing them to release a little bit of the frustration of routine. A few of these Old West sayings worth remembering might be worth throwing out now and again today, too.
1. The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you shave his face in the mirror every morning.
2. There never was a horse that couldn't be rode; never was a cowboy who couldn't be throwed.
An example of a saying that works two ways. The underlying meaning of this saying is that any horse can be ridden, as long as you’re willing to deal with the consequences.
3. Trying to get him to understand is like trying to nail jelly to a tree.
4. A true cowboy doesn’t let his horse drink water he wouldn’t.
5. Conflict follows wrongdoing as surely as flies follow the herd. - Doc Holiday
6. It doesn't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
This is a classic cowboy’s thinly veiled insult!
7. You can’t tell who burned your pastures just by lookin’ at the ashes.
In other words, if you want to solve the problem, you need to do something about it.
8. He’s as yellow as mustard, but without the bite.
9. It will be a dark night at the well before she gets a drink.
This is one of few Old West sayings that take a less than kindly view of women; a cowboy who said this meant that a woman was so unattractive she’d only be able to draw water from a well when no one could see her face.
10. “Baby sister, I was born game and I intend to go out that way.” John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn, “True Grit”
How are we doing with these Old West quotes? Let us know in the comments below!
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CowboySpirit.TV - This week's dose of Old West History has the birth of two silver screen cowboy legends, as well as the completion of the transcontinental railroad and the final battle of the Civil War!
May 7
Two great old west film stars were born on this date: Gary Cooper in 1901, and George “Gabby” Hayes in 1885. Cooper, of course, was one of the silver screen's finest actors and starred in the immortal “High Noon.” Hayes was in dozens of classic western pictures, usually playing a colorful frontier local figure.
May 8
On this day in 1887, Fort Leavenworth was established in Kansas. It's the oldest active military post west of Washington DC and a common stopover for anyone headed for the old west. Today, it is mostly used for training and doctrinal development.
May 9
In 1887, Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show went international, opening in London on this day. His show was attended Queen Victoria after being recommended by the Prince of Wales. The Queen was so impressed that she asked to meet the cast, then decreed a command performance which was attended by royalty from across Europe.
May 10
The Transcontinental Railroad was officially completed in Promontory, Utah on this day. This event was also the first live mass media event in US history: the rail was wired so that each strike to the famous gold spike would send a tap throughout the telegraph system.
May 11
On this day in 1941, Jane McCormick -aged 61- officially claimed she was the legal daughter of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok. This briefly gave credence to her mother's disregarded claims of having married Hickok, however discrepancies in her story and a lack of a birth certificate meant few believed her.
May 12
On this day, the final land battle in the Civil War began at Palmito Ranch in Texas. The reasons for its start are unclear, as it involved a Union Colonel named Theodore Barrett breaking an informal truce and attacking a Confederate outpost. In the resulting battle, the Confederates won, with 300 men holding off a Union force of 500.
May 13
In 1889, a member of the Wild Bunch, Joe Walker, was killed by a posse seeking cattle rustlers, along with another outlaw. The posse mistakenly believed they had surrounded Butch and Sundance, and so they shot first rather than giving them a chance to shoot back.
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