Category: Rawhide

Tyrone Power / Jesse James / Part 2


1972 / Glendale Train / New Riders of the Purple Sage

Jesse James (1939)


Jesse James was a smash hit and the fourth largest-grossing film of 1939, behind Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and in front of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
That’s a hell of a year for Movies – those are 4 Classics.

A sequel, The Return of Frank James, directed by Fritz Lang and with Henry Fonda reprising his role as Frank James along with a variety of other actors playing the same characters as they had in Jesse James,
was released in 1940.

It seems almost daily that somebody finds another photo
of Jesse James or Billy the Kid.
A lot are fakes or false of course, but even some that
are authentic are so bizarre that you have shake your head.
Like this one with Robert Ford (Jesse assassin)
and Jesse himself seated together.
It’s rather amazing.

And is that a top knot on Jesse’s head?
Seem so.

I wanted to post an authentic Jesse James “Wanted Poster” here,
but I couldn’t identify even one that I can confidence in.

 

Henry Hathaway Director of Westerns / RAWHIDE (1951) / Tyrone Power / Jesse James


Kingston Trio

Jesse James (1939)

Jesse Woodson James (1847 – 1882) American outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla, leader of the James–Younger Gang, member of infamous Quantrill raiders.

I woulda put my money on The Kid.

Tyrone Power as Jesse James / Jesse James as himself (age 17) / Billy the Kid (age?)

Between 1921 and 2007 we count 28 movies about Jesse James
or where Jesse James was a prominent character.
Between 1911 and 2011 we count 23 movies about Billy the Kid
or where Billy the Kid was a prominent character.
If this was a football game, The Kid needs a touchdown.

But it’s not a football game.
It’s the stories of two killers. Two men driven to violence and killing …
who have become Western folk heroes.
Until they were assassinated by their friends.

Jesse James / 1939
Tyrone Power

When Jesse James is played by a Matinee Idol you know he ain’t gonna be a Badguy.

The movie was criticized for Historical inaccuracies.
Not that I care. It is not a documentary.

Jesse James (1939) was the 4th movie about Jesse James.

The Epic Story of the most Colourful Outlaw who ever lived

Motion Pictures’ Supreme Epic !
The world branded him . . . an OUTLAW . . . a KILLER . . . a WOLF . . . but to the simple folk who knew him he was a victim of injustice – and to the girl who loved him he was brave and a gentle lover ! !
The Tremendous Dramatic Thrills Of the Midwest’s Lawless Era will burst from our screen…

Young Tyrone Power (age 25) as Jesse James

1939 – Tyrone was voted the #1 male box-office draw in Hollywood by exhibitors.

Henry Fonda (age 34) as Frank James

Henry’s second Western toward becoming one of the Greatest Western Stars of all time.

Randolph Scott (aged 41) as Will Wright

Westerns personified.

Nancy Kelly as Zerelda “Zee” James

A successful child actress, radio star, then a leading lady in 27 movies in the 1930s and ’40s, Her younger brother was actor Jack Kelly (Maverick).

John Carradine (age 33) was backshooter Bob Ford

In 1939 Carradine also Starred in John Ford’s great Western Classic Stagecoach with John Wayne. 

Reviews:

The whole film can be watched in 720 resolution and glorious Technicolor on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/LZTSwk8P6I

Upcoming … More Tyrone Power and Jesse James 

Henry Hathaway Director of Westerns / RAWHIDE (1951) / Tyrone Power / Part 2

From The Eddie Duchin Story / 1956

Tyrone Power

Tyrone Power USMC

Power was an excellent pilot and as a
US Marine Corps pilot in World War II,
he flew supplies into wounded troops out of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
and the World War II Victory Medal.


1939 / Stardust / Eddie Duchin and his Orchestra

Up Next:
Tyrone Power Western Posters 

Henry Hathaway Director of Westerns / RAWHIDE (1951) / Tyrone Power / Part 1 Updated


Nat

Tyrone Power

Roots that Run Deep

Tyrone Power I

Tyrone was the third Tyrone Power in the Acting profession.
– going all the way back to William Grattan Tyrone Power:
Irish stage Actor, Comedian, Author and theatrical manager.
Sometimes called Tyrone Power I.

Through his paternal great-grandmother, Anne Gilbert, Power was related to the actor Laurence Olivier; through his paternal grandmother, stage actress Ethel Lavenu, he was related by marriage to author Evelyn Waugh; and through his father’s first cousin, Norah Emily Gorman Power, he was related to the theatrical director Sir (William) Tyrone Guthrie, founder of the Stratford Festival (now the Stratford Shakespeare Festival) in Canada and the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We’re talking about an amazing heritage, linage and kinship in the Entertainment and and Acting fraternity/profession.

That’s a hell of a legacy.

Tyrone Power I was lost at sea in March 1841,
when the SS President disappeared without trace in the North Atlantic.
He was 46.

Tyrone Power II

Between 1886 and 1931 appeared worked in 47 Stage productions
– several Shakespearean.

Between 1914 to 1931 me appeared in 40 silent films
and one “Talkie“.
But that Talkie was interesting and notable. It was one of John Wayne’s
first Westerns, The Big Trail.

 Tyrone Sr. seemed to play a lot of badguys.

About as bad as you can get.

At home one night after shooting on the film ‘The Miracle Man‘ in 1931, he suffered a massive heart attack and died literally in the arms of his
17-year-old son, Tyrone Power.
He was 64 years old.

The Death of Tyrone Power

Madrid, Spain / November 1958. While filming the climactic swordfight scene with George Sanders for Solomon and Sheba, Power is suddenly stricken by a heart attack. He dies within an hour. 
Tyrone Power was 45 years old.

The son he had always wanted, Tyrone Power IV, was born 2 months after his death.
Young Tyrone active Actor with 21 acting credits.

UPCOMING:
Henry Hathaway Director of Westerns / RAWHIDE (1951) /
Tyrone Power / Part 2
and possibly a bit of Swashbuckling!

Henry Hathaway Director of Westerns / RAWHIDE (1951) / Susan Hayward 2


you’ll never walk alone / doris day

Rawhide / 1951

Tyrone Power and Susan Hayward / Rawhide 1951

“You aim at all the things you have been told that stardom means — the rich life, the applause, the parties cluttered with celebrities. Then you find that you have it all. And it is nothing, really nothing. It is like a drug that lasts just a few hours, a sleeping pill. When it wears off, you have to live without its help.”
– Susan Hayward

Susan with Gary Cooper

Susan Haywood

The Child

The Starlet

The Star

Oscar Winner (1958) for ‘I Want to Live!‘ Susan was nominated 4 times.
1953 with John Wayne received the Henrietta World Film Favorite Actor and Actress Awards at the Golden Globes.

The Mother

Susan with her twin sons Gregory and Timothy

“When you’re dead, you’re dead. No one is going to remember me when I’m dead. Oh, maybe a few friends will remember me affectionately. Being remembered isn’t the most important thing, anyhow. It’s what you do when you are here that’s important.”


I remember you Susan.

Henry Hathaway Director of Westerns / RAWHIDE (1951) / Susan Hayward Westerns


me & my uncle / katy moffatt

Rawhide / 1951

The Westerns of Susan Hayward

Susan Hayward appeared in about 6 Westerns. She was Star – and a beauty.
They weren’t all Classics, but she shared the stage with Top Actors of the day.
Let’s have a look.

With Cooper and Widmark!
Two of the greatest Western Stars. Yikes!

Coming: Susan Hayward / Rawhide continued …

Henry Hathaway Director of Westerns / RAWHIDE (1951) Part 2


me & my uncle / michael j. thoma

Rawhide / 1951

International Posters are often interesting
… and amusing.

Spanish Poster:

Spanish interpretation: The Mail of Hell

Croatian (?) poster: 

Croatian interpretation: Postal Station/Post Office

French posters:

French translation: The Attack of the Mail-Coach

I had to laugh at this poster below – it’s hilarious!

Look what they did to poor Tyrone Power!
A peeping Tyrone!

German poster: 

German translation: Two in the Trap

Evidently the word Rawhide doesn’t translate well to other languages.

Henry Hathaway Director of Westerns / RAWHIDE (1951) Part 1


they call the wind maria / harve presnell

Henry Hathaway Directed about 27 Westerns. Four during the 50’s.
In 1951, Hathaway entered the Golden Age of Westerns riding high,
Directing top projects Starring the top players of the day.
Such was Rawhide, Starring Susan Hayward and Tyrone Power.

Rawhide / 1951

A story told with a blazing .44 !

Power and Hayward, share Top Bill.

Famous Lone Pine (location) never looked so good.

Whew !… it’s steamy out here in the desert.

These steamy posters (and some Preview Trailers) were typical of a lot of Movie advertising in the 40’s and 50’s which often advertised Movies in completely misleading, sensationalized, exaggerated – or even non-existent – ways. It seemed that the Marketing people had free reign to sell the product any way they wanted or could. Inferred sexual shenanigans was a popular ploy. In other words, your likelihood of actually seeing Tyrone Power groping Susan Hayward was highly unlikely (if that’s what you were going to the movie for?) And didn’t happen.

The only real groper in the Movie is the backshooting, kid shooting, lecherous, leering JACK ELAM! (Did I mention that he plays a badguy?)
Although Jack had appeared in 13 previous movies, he says Rawhide was his breakthrough role – and he has a sizable part with plenty of dialogue.He had made his mark and in Rawhide, he really chews the scenery and steals almost every scene he’s in.

It’s interesting that some Support/Character Actors appeared
in more Classic Movies that Top Billed Stars.

Jack would be one of those.

Part 2 coming …