Ben Johnson

[Maricatrin]

Thanks, I just wanted to make sure there wasn't something there "right at my finger tips", as it were.

Yes, there do appear to be a lot of Ben movies/tv shows on youtube... I've looked up the Monroe episodes that you supplied the titles of, two Laramies (Widow in White doesn't seem to be there), an episode of Have Gun Will Travel, the Bonanza's, and the Gunsmokes... he appears on Gunsmoke three times, and every time as a villain; I was so mad! There was an episode of the radio show that they could have adapted for Ben. I forget the title, but it was about a man-with-a-past who had left that life behind him, and was going to get married and settle down - a familiar enough plot, but there was a little more to it than that (and my brother thought the radio actor's voice even sounded like Johnson's.)

[pvitari]

"WIdow in White" (the second of two episodes Ben did during Laramie's second season) is now available on DVD.

In fact, I'm working on screencaps right now from the first episode that season, "A Sound of Bells."* It's a small role for Ben, but one of my favorites among his TV work. "Widow in White" is another villain role, unfortunately.

*I'm getting those Fort Defiance screencaps up tomorrow if it kills me. :)

[Maricatrin]

"Widow in White" is another villain role, unfortunately.

What was the matter with everyone?

Yes, "A Sound of Bells" = finally a heroic role!

By the by, I was happy to learn the other day that my Tomboy and the Champ DVD has shipped! I'm glad I took your advice and canceled on amazon; no telling how long they'd have taken.

I'm getting those Fort Defiance screencaps up tomorrow if it kills me.

No new Fort Defiance screen-caps up so far, but it's too early in the day to start worrying yet...

[pvitari]

The Fort Defiance screencaps are posted in the movie section along with a draft of something I'm writing about the movie but it's not finished so please don't go there until I say it's ready. ;)

[Maricatrin]

I won't; cross my heart and hope to never see Wagon Master again.

[knitwit45]

I won't; cross my heart and hope to never see Wagon Master again.

wow. she MEANS it!!!!!!

[JackFavell]

Isn't that blasphemy?

[knitwit45]

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon is on Retroplex tonight at 9 CST. There will be tears.....

[pvitari]

Mary-Kate, I rather you did read the unfinished draft rather than make such a horrendous vow! :)

Anyway, it's STILL unfinished because my plans for today went splat. Well half-splat as I still did get to the movies to see The Secret World of Arietty. (Lovely.) But then a phone conversation with my HMO nurse convinced me to head off to the emergency room because I was having this weird pain and pressure on the left side of my face, jaw and neck. I thought I was going to have an anyrseum (sp?) or something equally horrible! Turns out I have tonsillitis (first time for everything, I guess). Doctor: "I can see the pus on your tonsil and your lymph nodes are swollen." So... Fort Defiance will be finished tomorrow instead. :)

[JackFavell]

Oh you poor thing! I've had it before and it's not comfortable. You take care of yourself, and make sure you do everything they say, or you'll be talking like Kermit the Frog and sipping liquids through a straw for a couple of weeks.

Hope you feel better soon!

[Maricatrin]

Oh Paula, that sounds painful. Maybe some ice-cream or frozen yogurt would soothe it? (yes, I'm one of those people who depend too much on the frozen confections.)

Take care of yourself, get plenty of rest, and be assured that I shall not peek at your draft or blaspheme any further until your return.

You take care of yourself, and make sure you do everything they say, or you'll be talking like Kermit the Frog ...

Or like Darren McGavin in Gunsmoke: [youtube][/youtube]

[JackFavell]

That's hilarious!

Well, I mean, not for you, Paula.... I mean Darren McGavin... I've never seen him like that before.

[pvitari]

Heh heh, Darren McGavin. Actually, I do not have a sore throat or laryngitis, the symptoms are mostly pressure and a bit of soreness in the jaw and throat. Hopefully the antibiotics will clear it up in a few days.

I finally finished up Fort Defiance, so head on over to the webpage (Movies section) if you want to see the five thousand-plus screencaps. :)

I'm just about done with the Laramie episode "The Sound of Bells" so I'm hoping to have that up this week too. A lot fewer screencaps, only 480. :)

[pvitari]

Today's wepage post is a book -- Johnny Ortiz' My Life Among the Icons. Johnny Ortiz is a legendary boxing promoter and authority and showbiz character and while working as a driver on The Swarm, drove both Olivia de Havilland and Ben to and from the sets. His encounter with them is a memorable one indeed, and there is also a wonderful story in there about two of Ben's good friends, Richard Farnsworth and Walt LaRue (Walt was another amazing person, a cowboy and stuntman who was also a world class Western artist). Seems that Ben was a boxing fan! He and Johnny had a enjoyable conversation about the sport and Ben told him about the time he met Jack Dempsey. The entire chapter is up at the webpage (in the Books section) but I recommend buying the book and enjoying all of Ortiz' stories. ;)

[pvitari]

Fort Apache looks great in Blu-ray. If you've got a Blu-ray player, I think you want this for your collection!

And since I was mentioning The Swarm in yesterday's post... today's post is a publicity pic from the movie.