Ben Johnson

[JackFavell]

Yay!

[movieman1957]

Finally got to watch Ben in the episode from "The Restless Gun." You capped it well last fall. One comment you made about the episode was that Ben disappears after awhile and indeed he does. He also doesn't really have a lot to do when he is on screen.

I've become a bigger fan of Payne recently by watching a couple of his noirs but I'd classify this series as benignly pleasant. Nothing deep going on but it's okay.

Anyway, if anyone is looking to get the episode just for Ben it won't be that big a deal if you miss it.

[pvitari]

The Restless Gun episode was one of Ben's earliest TV roles at a time when he was rebuilding his career. Television allowed him to eat and pay for his home and his ranches. He made a lot of routine appearances playing lawmen, villains (a LOT of villains) and other assorted types on TV westerns all through the late 50s, 1960s and early 70s. Occasionally he'd get a good role which afforded him more opportunity to delve into a character, especially in his three appearances on Have Gun, Will Travel. All three of those roles were plum ones. After he won his Oscar he was able to give up the episodic TV and concentrate on features and made-for-TV movies.

His semi-regular role as Sleeve on The Monroes varied from walk-ons in some episodes to large parts of other episodes, and then there was the one that was all about his character ("War Arrow"). The Monroes only lasted a year and for a long time I wondered why he didn't get onto another series -- surely he would have been sought for one -- but I recently read an interview in which he said that his experience on The Monroes made him realize he had no interest in doing a permanent character on a series again. (He didn't elaborate.) Aw heck, what interview was that? They're all beginning to run together in my mind.

I just LOOOOVVVEEEE John Payne -- have for years -- TV let him produce as well as star at a time when his career was fading like a lot of stars from the 30s and 40s who found new work on the tube. I enjoy The Restless Gun but as you say, it's middling stuff. The low-budget indie films he made in the 1950s are very underappreciated, IMHO, but the recent MOD DVD releases of some of the titles have brought them some new attention. Payne always had a way of looking at things in a off-center way, like he found the world a bit on the absurd side. It made him into something more than another bland leading man type. (Plus he had that gorgeous singing voice, inherited from his opera singer mother.) I sure wish they'd do a remaster of Slightly Scarlet, his slash of a color noir with that blazing pair of redheads, Rhonda Fleming and Arlene Dahl. (Directed by Allan Dwan.) The current DVD is pretty bad and this movie deserves a truly eye-popping transfer.

[movieman1957]

I'd seen some of Payne's westerns and liked them well enough but when I saw "Kansas City Confidential" and "99 River Street" that was a revelation.

I did see/hear him in a musical short. I'd have to look it up but I remember that he sounded really good. My first thought was he was dubbed but read later that he could sing. He could indeed.

[JackFavell]

This is my favorite Payne song:

[youtube][/youtube]

Here's another I like:
[youtube][/youtube]

[movieman1957]

Oh yeah, the famous "let me lay on the ledge where I could fall to my death" musical number.

[JackFavell]

I knew you'd like to see it again.

[pvitari]

I go batty for John singing "Hark hark the Meadowlark" to Jane Wyman in Kid Nightingale but unfortunately I can't find that clip on youtube.

As a consolation prize, here is John and Betty singing "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" from The Dolly Sisters in which they sing about a little bluebird (rather than a meadowlark). :) This song always puts a lump in my throat. *sniffle* *cough* *blows nose*

[youtube][/youtube]

Someday I will post about my long-standing love affair with Betty Grable. To this day I'm still annoyed that 20th Century Fox never put out a second box of Betty Grable musicals before they stopped releasing classic films altogether. I'm also still mad at Fox for not releasing Sentimental Journey on DVD. One of John Payne's best performances.

Movieman, was the musical short "The Royal Rodeo" in which John and Cliff Edwards play Wild West show cowboys who rescue a boy king (adorable little Scotty Beckett) from his evil uncle, the regent? I screencapped that! ;) http://paulasmoviepage.shutterfly.com/musicals/5874. Yes, that definitely was John's real singing voice. In fact, in later years he went on tour in a revival of Good News, which was recorded and released on LP but unfortunately has not appeared on CD. Fortunately a kind friend who has the LP made a CD for me.

I'm sure Ben won't mind our musical interlude. :)

[movieman1957]

That's the one I was thinking of.

[Maricatrin]

Well, here’s my first post with my new account, on the Ben Johnson thread, but it’s not about Ben! (treason, seek it out!)

I had always wondered if John Payne did his own singing, thanks for the information, Paula! Very nice voice he had (I understand his mother sang opera?) I’ve recently “discovered” Betty Grable; I like her. Besides being beautiful, she has a relaxing acting style and comedic talent. She also never seems to take herself too seriously – I think that had/has something to do with her great popularity with both male and female audiences.

(P.S.) My sincere thanks to Chris, Jon, and all the moderators for helping me create this new account, after I unintentionally (but thoroughly) destroyed my old one.

[movieman1957]

You're welcome. I'm just glad you're back. That means more interesting comments for me to read.

[JackFavell]

Hi! Long time no see! Glad to have you back.

My mom saw Good News with Payne and Alice Faye(?) I think it was, and came back all aglow afterwards. I think she must have had a crush on him years before. I had the program for a long time, but I can't find it anymore, I must have lost it in a move.

[pvitari]

I envy your mom. :)

Wrenching this back to Ben, or more specifically Tomboy and the Champ...

No DVD artwork yet. The bad news is that it's going to be full-frame. *heaves sigh of disappointment* This movie was released in 1961, nearly 10 years into the widescreen era. I suspect they're going to use the old VHS master which means a barely satisfactory picture on the DVD at best. I am hoping to get more information out of VCI and will post when I do.

I have a press book for Tomboy and the Champ, but it's HUGE -- so big it won't even fit on the office oversize scanner. I put it on my regular size home scanner last night and did three individual items... so here they are. :)

[Maricatrin]

Thank you kindly, Chris and... Wendy? (Long time, no see )

Paula, I didn't notice your first posting about Tomboy and the Champ; great news! I'm about to order. I hope to use some clips from it for my Ben Johnson tribute video (which is finally beyond the conception stage, though still a work in progress). It will be the longest I've done, at about nine minutes (and so it keeps crashing my program!)

I also just saved those most recent magazine pictures of him to be used in conjunction with a song line that goes "it's not that silver buckle, or the crisp white cowboy hat..." I couldn't find a picture of the prize buckle anywhere else. I think you've given members a head's up regarding use of your photos? You would get a screen credit, though of course it wouldn't compare with your most recent honor (BTW, congratulations ).

[pvitari]

Mary-Kate, you can use anything on my website or that I've posted here.

I can't wait to see your video and you can bet it will get a big mention at the Ben page once it's done! ;)