Comments on: Broncho Billy: Son of a Jewish Gun

By: robertavrech

robertavrech — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:01:55 +0000

Right. Thanks so much for the correction.

By: robertavrech

robertavrech — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:01:21 +0000

Have to get back to you.

By: robertavrech

robertavrech — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:59:42 +0000

We just lay in the appropriate sounds. SOP.

By: ProphetJoe

ProphetJoe — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:26:47 +0000

One last point, Robert. I see in the captions above, that the film company is often misspelled — it was Essanay Film Manufacturing Co. The name was pronouned "S and A" for its founding partners' initials [Spoor and Anderson]. Originally, it was named Peerless Film Manufacturing Company.

By: ProphetJoe

ProphetJoe — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:47:02 +0000

You mean he didn't actually make that smiley face with 9mm lead? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!!

By: ProphetJoe

ProphetJoe — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:42:23 +0000

So did I. I particularly liked Bruce Willis' character. he played Tom Mix as a Hollywood giant who was familiar with some of the seamier sides of Hollywood, but who still had a sense of right and wrong. Garner play Earp very well (I thought). I particularly liked the tag line "It all true, 'cept for a lie or two" — sounds sooo Hollywood

I was surprised, when I read some of your resources, that Broncho Billy owned Essenay Films and that it was centered (originally) in Chicago. I knew Chicago had a vibrant movie industry in the early days, but I had no idea how quickly they put products out!

Can you recommend any other movies/documentaries about Broncho Billy and the early westerns? I will definitely look up Nickelodeon, but I am really interested in the westerns! I

By: robertavrech

robertavrech — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:09:45 +0000

Sunset was not released on DVD because it was a box office bomb. I guess they figure that now they can make a few bucks. I actually sort of liked the film.

By: ProphetJoe

ProphetJoe — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:56:54 +0000

Another GREAT piece, Robert. I love all of the stories you tell (well, if not the story, your method of telling the story), but you hit the nail on the head when you go to westerns. I too was raised on John Wayne westerns, with the occasional epic World War II film thrown in the mix, and you're right — without The Duke, there'd be no Eastwood. Heck, without Bronco Billy, there would have been no Tom Mix, etc.

Speaking of Tom Mix… back in late 80's, there was a Blake Edwards film starring Bruce Willis as Tom Mix and James Garner as Wyatt Earp which painted Charlie Chaplin in a very poor light. The movie was called Sunset and for the longest time, I couldn't find it at Blockbuster. Now, I see it is available at Amazon, but I always wondered if one of the stars didn't want it released to video or if someone who admired Chaplin prevented it from reaching the mass market… any insights?

By: Bill_Brandt

Bill_Brandt — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:12:32 +0000

I was watching "Lethal Weapon" and during their segment when they are practicing on the range, Mel's pistol – a 9mm Beretta, was doing a strange thing.

The slide wouldn't move efven though he was firing repeatedly.

So do special effects put these shots in after?

By: Jimmy Arone

Jimmy Arone — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:43:00 +0000

Long day, I'm sure…Andrew.