Gone With or Without fanfare

[Lzcutter]

Sorry to hear about Andrew McLaglen. I enjoyed watching many of his films with my dad.

From the Hollywood Reporter:

Andrew V. McLaglen, a specialist with the sagebrush who directed John Wayne in four films and helmed scores of episodes of the classic CBS Western series Gunsmoke, Have Gun — Will Travel and Rawhide, has died. He was 94.

McLaglen, whose father was the Oscar-winning British actor Victor McLaglen, died Saturday at his Friday Harbor home in the San Juan Islands of Washington state, the Journal of the San Juan Islands reported.

According to IMDb, McLaglen from 1956 through 1965 directed 96 episodes of the legendary series Gunsmoke and guided 116 installments that spanned the entire run of the popular Have Gun — Will Travel, which aired from 1957-63 and starred Richard Boone as a gentleman gunfighter named Paladin.

The 6-foot-7 McLaglen called the shots for Wayne in the Westerns McLintock! (1963) — which he always said was his big career break — The Undefeated (1969), Chisum (1970) and Cahill U.S. Marshal (1973) and directed the famed actor in Hellfighters (1968), an action film about oil-well firefighters.

He paired with James Stewart for the Westerns Shenandoah (1965), The Rare Breed (1966) and Bandolero! (1968) and for the comedy Fools’ Parade (1971).

McLaglen also directed such feature Westerns as The Ballad of Josie (1967), starring Doris Day and Peter Graves; The Way West (1967) with Kirk Douglas; One More Train to Rob (1971), starring George Peppard; Something Big (1971) with Dean Martin; and The Last Hard Men (1976), starring Charles Bronson.

McLaglen helmed such war films as The Devil's Brigade (1968), starring William Holden; The Sea Wolves (1980) with Gregory Peck; and Breakthrough (1979) with Richard Burton.

His film résumé also includes the Disney comedy Monkeys, Go Home! (1967); Mitchell (1975), starring Kirk Douglas; The Wild Geese (1978) with Burton; North Sea Hijack (1979) with Roger Moore; Sahara (1983) with Brooke Shields; and his final film, Eye of the Widow (1991), with F. Murray Abraham.

His father, the burly Victor McLaglen, a former professional boxer, won the best actor Oscar for his work in The Informer (1935) and also starred in such classic films as Gunga Din (1939), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Rio Grande (1950) and The Quiet Man (1952), the latter three directed by John Ford and starring Wayne. (He also earned an Oscar nom for The Quiet Man.)

Andrew McLaglen, who was born July 28, 1920, in London but grew up around Hollywood, learned the art of directing from the likes of Ford. He directed his first film, Gun the Man Down, starring Gunsmoke star James Arness, in 1956, and helmed his dad in The Abductors (1957) and in a 1959 episode of the Clint Eastwood starrer Rawhide, which aired a month before Victor McLaglen’s death in November 1959.

In a 2009 interview, McLaglen talked about spending two weeks on the set of Gunga Din shortly after he graduated from high school.

“I got to see [director] George Stevens, Cary Grant, my father and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in action, which was quite an experience!” he recalled. “I just kept out of the way, because they were working hard; they had a picture to make! I had another school buddy with me at the time, we were 18 and 19 years old, and we had a terrific time.

“We got to know Cary and Doug Jr. and Joan Fontaine; what a great group of people they were! And George Stevens — in years to come, whenever I bumped into him, we would always talk about those Gunga Din days, because I think that was one of his favorite projects.”

McLaglen also directed episodes of such series as Hotel de Paree, Perry Mason, Gunslinger, Banacek and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color and did the 1977 telefilm Murder at the World Series, starring Lynda Day George, and installments of the 1982 miniseries The Blue and the Gray.

The Journal noted that The Palace Theater on the San Juan Islands has a Wall of Fame in its foyer in McLaglen's honor featuring on-location and photographs from his career. He moved to the area in 1997.

[movieman1957]

I think "North Sea Hijack" that was mentioned was also called "ffolkes."

He must have been a genial man as that is the impression I get with aspects of most of his work. While his film catalog may not carry a really good film many of them, as well as his TV work, were quite enjoyable. He was certainly good enough to have a long and good career,

[RedRiver]

I grew up watching McLaglen's movies. And not just on TV. These were Saturday afternoon theater shows! To be honest, I knew his name before I'd heard of his father. My world was pretty small at that time. Farewell to a man who provided my generation with hours upon hours of wholesome entertainment.

[Western Guy]

Maybe Andrew McLaglen's resume does not read like John Ford's or Howard Hawks' or Henry Hathaway's, but, yes, his movies definitely were entertaining . . . and to the paying moviegoer that's what counts.

BTW: I know I'm probably in the minority but I much prefer McLaglen's THE DEVIL'S BRIGADE to THE DIRTY DOZEN.

[Western Guy]

Joan Rivers has left us. Never much of a fan but she truly was a survivor.

RIP

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/come ... inganswers

[RedRiver]

Ms. Rivers was very funny as a young comedienne. Her timing was exceptional.

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi,

Joan Rivers:
Wow, this morning, the news was reporting that she was recovering and moved to a private room.
She certainly was a vibrant and funny lady - more than a little risque, but then more accepted & acceptable than other "so-called comedians".....

My favourite line of hers was about her spectacular NYC apartment - "Marie Antoinette would live here, if she could afford it!!"....

R.I.P. Joan

Larry

[mrsl]

.
Not the greatest of fans either but, I had to admire her enormous tenacity and vitality. I will miss her popping up on various shows now and then and I do feel sad for her daughter who had finally formed a close relationship the last few years. It will be hard to go on alone.

Rest in peace Joan.
.

[Rita Hayworth]

One thing about Joan Rivers - that she was very funny on the Johnny Carson Show back in 1986

[youtube][/youtube]

I've wanted to share this video with all of you here ... it's a 12 minute long and it's entirety.

One of the funniest ladies ever lived ... A one of the kind lady ...

[Western Guy]

RIP Richard Kiel : A gentle gentleman whose heart was as big as his height:

http://www.tmz.com/2014/09/10/richard-k ... ies-at-74/

[movieman1957]

He also took a sledge hammer to the crotch from Clint Eastwood. (Pale Rider.)

[Rita Hayworth]

Richard Kiel is by far my favorite James Bond Villain of all time - he was unforgettable in Spy Who Loved Me with Roger Moore and Barbara Bach. He and Oddjob are my two favorites - bar none!

[RedRiver]

Oddjob is my favorite henchman. For Chief Bad Guy, I'd have to take Dr. No. Those hands! He doesn't even appear till halfway through the movie. He's like the REAL Jaws. He's scarier when you don't see him!

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Sadly, one of our SSO Guest Stars has passed away. Actor and author Denny Miller has died at the age of 80 in Las Vegas.

Here is a link to an article I posted about him at the Examiner.com:
http://www.examiner.com/article/actor-a ... ler-passes

Denny Miller was one of the kindest and most generous celebrities that I have ever worked with, and I feel we were very lucky to have him as a guest here at the wonderful SSO.

[RedRiver]

He was exceptionally generous and courteous on the board. I liked him as Duke Shannon on WAGON TRAIN.