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The Inyo Register
LPFF-2 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014
Preserve Film Festival memories with mementos Souvenirs and memorabilia on sale Register Staff
Guests Ed Hulse, LQ Jones, Leonard Maltin and Rob Word kept the audience enthralled last year with an in-depth, inclusive panel discussion on the relevance of Westerns in Hollywood today. Celebrity panels are on the 2014 menu, along with location tours, film screenings, a parade, a concert and more. Photo by Darcy Ellis
Welcome to the 25th Annual Lone Pine Film Festival Community rolls out red carpet for Silver Anniversary By Bob Sigman Director, Lone Pine Film Festival and Lone Pine Film History Museum
It might seem like yesterday, but it was 25 years ago that Kerry and Ray Powell and author/historian Dave Holland gathered a group of Lone Pine business and community leaders to pay tribute to the cinematic heritage of the Alabama Hills and to the actors, directors and producers that have been coming for years to make films in and around Lone Pine. The first Sierra Film Festival took place Oct. 6-7, 1990 and was a breath of fresh air for those familiar with the film festival circuit: organizers had put together a winning combination of screenings of films, panel discussions and autograph opportunities with stars of the silver screen and – the key ingredient – tours to locations around Lone Pine where popular Westerns and serials were actually filmed. So successful was that event in 1990 that the community of Lone Pine had little choice but to make it an annual celebration and it proved to be the right choice, attracting and entertaining thousands of film buffs and curious onlookers each October since. And here we are 25 years later! Thursday evening’s Lone Pine Film History Museum reception will bring old friends together to “toast” our anniversary and to introduce our guests to the exciting changes in the museum. After the reception we will cross the street for a concert with Bruce Forman and Cow Bop. Our Silver Anniversary brings many regulars back to Lone Pine, along with a very special group of actors: Bruce Boxleitner, Johnny Crawford, Ed Faulkner, Donna Martell and Peggy Stewart. Also attending will be Academy Award winners Ben Burtt and Craig Barron, who will be presenting a program on sound and special effects. Stuntmen Diamond Farnsworth, Dean Smith, Loren Janes and stuntwoman Sylvia Durando; authors David Rothel and Miles Swarthout; and film restorer Steve Wystrach will all be presenting programs of interest. Special guests William Wellman Jr., Jay Dee Witney, Dawn Moore, Cheryl Rogers Barnett, Wyatt McCrea and Sandra Tyler, Randolph Scott’s daughter, round out the guest list to date. And true to our heritage of being “Where the Real West Becomes the Reel West,” there will be 13 exciting location tours. Add to all of this some rodeo action on Saturday, memorabilia vendors, book signings, Wild West entertainment and a Lone Pine Film Festival tradition, the Sunday “Parade of Stars,” affectionately known as “the best small town parade in America.” Thank you for 25 years of support, and we look forward to seeing you in 2015 as we celebrate the Early Years and those early heroes of the silent screen, Tom Mix, Buck Jones, Hoot Gibson and many more.
Film Festival attendees wanting to commemorate their experiences at the event’s upcoming Silver Anniversary edition will have plenty of opportunity. Both the Lone Pine Film History Museum gift shop and The Building (aka the Lone Pine Community Center) will be fully stocked with a wide array of souvenirs and movie memorabilia, as will booths at Spainhower Park. Expect to see everything from stills from classic Westerns to posters of beloved actors to books ready for celebrity guest autographs and event T-shirts. The park booths and The Building will be open for business from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11, and from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12. The museum gift shop is open 8 a.m.- 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday and is your one-stop shop for exclusive 25th anniversary merchandise, including T-shirts, belt buckles, coffee mugs, key chains and the 2014 Lone Pine Film Festival Souvenior Program – a comprehensive guide to what’s happening at this year’s event and a look back at the past two and a half decades. The museum also carries books, DVDs, CDs, comic book themed collectibles, Alabama Hills themed merchandise, retro lunch boxes, jewelry, post cards, gift cards, fine art prints, home decor items and even kitchen accessories.
Event T-shirts come in several varieties, for her and him. Photo courtesy LP Film History Museum
The Lone Pine Film History Museum gift shop will have official 25th Anniversary merchandise for sale in addition to its regular inventory of everything movie and Western related. Photo by Bob Sigman
The Inyo Register
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014 LPFF-3
Featured attractions Nearly 20 movies to be screened at Silver Anniversary festival Lone Pine Film Festival
Organizers have put together another stellar lineup of films to be screened throughout Film Festival weekend. Here’s a look at the schedule. A separate guide to the screenings – including specific times, photos, brief film synopses and information about accompanying Q&As, panel discussions and location tours – is available at the Lone Pine Film History Museum or Ticket Office. All films will be shown in the Lone Pine High School Auditorium.
Film Festival tour-goers match stills from classic movies to the landscape where it was actually filmed in the Alabama Hills. Tours like these are a
favorite of Film Festival attendees, and a must for any newcomer. Photo courtesy Lone Pine Film Festival
See where your favorite movies were filmed Thirteen location tours offered at 2014 festival Lone Pine Film Festival
Location tours are the heart and soul of the Lone Pine Film Festival. Here’s what’s being offered in 2014: a GOOd day at Black rOck Tour guide: Jerry Condit Friday: 8:30-11 a.m. Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-Noon Screening: 7-8:30 a.m. on Friday at Museum Theater Begin at the Owens Dry Lake, used in scenes for movies such as Courageous Avenger, Army Girl and Mel Gibson’s Maverick, before heading off to two separate locations used in a Bad Day at Black Rock. CAR CARAVAN 2.5 to 3 hours anchOr ranch r Tour guide: Debbie Kielb Friday: 9-11 a.m.; 1-3 p.m. Saturday: 9-11 a.m.; 1-3 p.m. Sunday: 3-5 p.m. Explore the location for many Hopalong Cassidy and Tim Holt films, Anchor Ranch, which is currently a working ranch owned and operated by three generations of Spainhowers. WALKING 2 hours anSel adamS: in the FOOtStepS OF the maSter Tour guide: Catherine Kravitz Friday: 8:30-11 a.m. Saturday: 8:30-11 a.m. Follow Ansel Adams’ footsteps to five specific sites in which he created images that capture our beautiful landscape. CAR CARAVAN 2.5 hours audie murphy: a real/ reel herO Tour guides: Ross Schnioffsky and Warren Davey
Friday: 3-5:30 p.m. Sunday: 9:45 a.m.-Noon Screening: “Showdown,” 8 a.m. Sunday in High School Auditorium Re-trace the steps of American war hero Audie Murphy as we take you to where he made three of his most interesting movies, Hell Bent for Leather (1960), Posse from Hell (1961) and Showdown (1963). BUS 2.5 hours dynamite pa p SS: rememBerinG tim hOlt Tour guide: Don Kelsen Friday: 8-10 a.m., 12:302:30 p.m. Screening: 7-8 a.m. Friday in High School Auditorium After a bus ride to Lone Pine’s backlot, this walking tour in the Alabama Hills is centralized in Pot-sa-ga-wa Garden and its surrounding areas where Tim Holt and Richard Martin do battle with an unscrupulous toll road operator in 1950’s Dynamite Pass. BUS/WALKING 2 hours GunGa din Tour guide: Jude Greenburgh Friday: 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday: noon-2:30 p.m. Visit the site of the temple, the village of Tanta Pur, battle scene locations and see the location of the bridge crossed by the elephants in Gunga Din, filmed in the Alabama Hills in the summer and fall of 1938. hOpalOnG caSSidy – OriGinal Bar 20 ranch r Tour guide: Richard W. Bann Friday: 1:30-4 p.m. Saturday: 1:30-4 p.m. Screening: 8:30-9:30 a.m. Friday in High School Auditorium The tour begins in the Museum Theater with a video
compilation of Western excerpts shot at this pastoral venue from 1926-49. Then, travel up into the splendors of Lone Pine scenery via car caravan to tour the sacred grounds of the Lubken spread. CAR CARAVAN 2.5 hours lOne pine’S BacklOt Tour guides: Burt and Donna Yost Friday: 1:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday: 8:30-11:30 a.m. Sunday: 9 a.m.-noon Visit locations seldom seen by visitors. A must-tour for movie buffs. CAR CARAVAN 3 hours lOne ran r Ger Tour guide: Charles Morfin Friday: 8:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday: 1-4 p.m. Visit sites where this action classic shot, then move on to some of the locations for the Clayton Moore and John Hart Ranger from early television. Finally, travel out to where Disney shot scenes for the most recent incarnation. CAR CARAVAN 3 hours nOrth-SOuth Tour guide: Melody Holland-Ogburn Friday: 3:30-6 p.m. Saturday: 12:30-3 p.m. Sunday: 2:30-5 p.m. Considered one of the most scenic drives, you’ll see A LOT of the Alabama Hills. BUS 2.5 hours OwenS river 1900 w water w S war Tour guide: Page Williams and Dorothy Bonnefin Saturday: 7:30-10:30 a.m. On this four-wheel drive tour of the Owens Valley, learn about the long water war between Inyo County and Los Angeles, and the history of the L.A. Aqueduct. CAR CARAVAN 3 hours
SecretS OF the w StelandS wa Tour guide: Don Kelsen Saturday: 8-11 a.m. Screening: 7 a.m. Saturday at High School Auditorium Tour-goers will screen the film at the high school then start out on their own expedition in search of the locations where Paramount Pictures lensed this Western yarn. BUS 3 hours SunriSe phOtO Tour guide: Larry Maurice Saturday: 6-8:30 a.m. Sunday: 6-8:30 a.m. Watch the morning sun ignite the peak of Mt. Whitney and bring the Alabama Hills to life. Share good fellowship with a spectacular light show, a continental breakfast, a little music, a little poetry and a great start to your Film Festival day. CAR CARAVAN 2.5 hours
Friday, Oct. 10 Dynamite Pass (RKO, 1950) Loaded Pistols (Columbia, 1948) Yellow Sky (20th Century Fox, 1948) Comanche Station (Columbia, 1960) Gunga Din (RKO, 1939) Saturday, Oct. 11 Secrets of the Wasteland (Paramount, 1941) Under Western Stars (Republic, 1938) Beyond The Rockies (RKO Pathé, 1932) Gunsmoke Ranch (Republic, 1937) Frontier Days (Spectrum, 1934) King of the Pecos (Republic, 1936) Longe do Oeste (Far From the West) (2013) The Macahans (Warner Bros, 1976) Sunday, Oct. 12 Charge of the Light Brigade (Warner Bros, 1936) Posse From Hell (Universal, 1961) The Law and Jake Wade (20th Century Fox, 1958 From Hell to Texas (20th Century Fox, 1958) O n e Hundred M u l e s Walking the Los Angeles Aqueduct
Available at the Lone Pine Film H i s t o r y Museum or Film Festival Ticket Office. Courtesy Lone Pine Film Festival
The Inyo Register
LPFF-4 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014
Concert kicks off 25th Anniversary Film Festival Cow Bop to perform Thursday, Oct. 9 Lone Pine Film Festival
Buckle winners at the 2013 Team Roping Competition pose with their prizes and organizer Tim Jones (center): Marcus Bunn, Kyler Hanson, Jeff Balue, Jones, Corky Torix, Rod Ayers and Mike Morgan (l-r). File photo
Real cowboy action on tap Team Roping Competition returns for eighth year Register Staff
Local and visiting cowboys and cowgirls will gather for some fellowship and competition during the upcoming 2014 Lone Pine Film Festival. For the eighth consecutive year, Lone Pine resident Tim Jones is hosting a Team Roping Competition at the Rodeo Grounds behind the Lone Pine Film History Museum. The event happens Saturday, Oct. 11, with sign-ups beginning at 7:30 a.m. and roping starting at 8:30 a.m. Each year, about 50 to 75 competitors are drawn to the event, where they vie for top-notch prizes donated by local merchants and ranchers, including rifles, custom belt buckles, a brandnew saddle and more. According to Jones, the winner of the grand prize pot this year will take home a coveted saddle. Other pots feature a breast collar and bronc halter. Belt buckles are given to winners
in every pot, he said. Jones got the idea for the Team Roping Competition when he realized there were a lot of talented team ropers out there in Inyo County, but no consistent, year-to-year event in which they could compete. It was held in conjunction with the Film Festival to give visitors a taste of the real West as it survives today. A true “if you build it, they will come” success story, the competition grows in size every year. According to Jones, competitors are a mix of locals and out-of-towners, men and women, adults and children. More than 30 teams competed in last year’s event. The winner of the grand prize raffle and buckle, Shawn Howell, had a real connection to the Film Festival: he appeared in John Wayne’s The Cowboy as a boy. Other winners in 2013 included Marcus Bunn, Kyler Hanson, Jeff Balue, Corky Torix, Rod Ayers and Mike Morgan.
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For its Silver Anniversary, the Lone Pine Film Festival will be serenaded by the guys and gals of Cow Bop – a unique and fun Western fusion band that last performed here in 2012. Cow Bop is not only helping the festival celebrate 25 years, but is also helping to kick off the 2014 event in style, offering attendees of the Thursday night concert their trademark mix of swingin’ grooves, thrilling riffs, sweet/hot vocals and acoustic Western sensibilities. The band is set to take the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday at Lone Pine High School, directly following the Museum Gala Opening Night Reception across the street. Tickets are $35 and $40. If you missed Cow Bop in 2012, this is your second chance. Formed in 2003 by internationally-acclaimed guitarist Bruce Forman, the cowboy jazz and Western bebop band has toured extensively throughout the country, exciting audiences with their unique and infectious brand of Western music. The band’s collective experience crosses the spectrum of American music, from the hottest jazz and the coolest swing to the fiercest bluegrass and most down-home honky-tonk. Comfortable in such diverse settings as Carnegie Hall and roadside taverns, the band always hits the stage with an electrifying and entertaining assortment of music and frolic. Along with Forman on guitar, the band features Pinto Pammy on vocals – whose talent and experiences range from big band swing and old-time country to musical theater – and
Western bebop group Cow Bop has been brought back to Lone Pine by popular demand. They will perform Thursday night at the high school to kick off the 25th Annual Film Festival. Photo courtesy Lone Pine Film Festival
fiddlin’ Phil Salazar, who lights up the stage with his worldrenown swing, Americana, bluegrass and jazz stylings. Put that on top of a rhythm section of Alex King, bass, and Jake Reed, drums, that are as swingin and rockin’ as a rodeo bronc but as sure-footed as a prized pack mule and you get Cow Bop. In 2004, Cow Bop won the Route 66 Challenge, traveling the length of the storied road having departed with a mere $100 and no scheduled gigs. Their new CD, “Too Hick for the Room,” hit trails last June. Along with numerous
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appearances at esteemed nightclubs and festivals across the country, Cow Bop has also been featured at the Montreal Jazz Festival and the Elko, Heber City, Monterey and Santa Clarita Cowboy Gatherings. The band has performed with Riders in the Sky, Dwight Yoakam, Hot Club of Cowtown, Don Edwards and the Quebe Sisters. For an extra treat, check out Forman’s guitar work featured in Clint Eastwood’s films, including Academy Awardwinning Million Dollar Baby, Flags of our Fathers and Hereafter.
The Inyo Register
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014 LPFF-5
Rough and The man behind the mask tumble pros Remembering Clayton Moore in his centennial year tell all Lone Pine Film Festival
Stunt actors to hold panel Lone Pine Film Festival
Lone Pine’s favorite fall guys are gathering Saturday, Oct. 11 for a panel discussion on stunt acting in some of Hollywood’s most famous films. Many of those movies were made right here in Lone Pine, and attendees of the 25th annual Film Festival will be able to hear behind-the-scenes stories and insights from four of the industries top stunt actors. Diamond Farnsworth will lead the discussion featuring fellow professional daredevils Loren Janes, Dean Smith and Sylvia Durando as they talk about the art of stunt acting and field questions from the audience. The event takes place from 2-3:30 p.m. in the High School Quad. The fearless foursome’s resume is not only extensive, it’s incredibly varied and includes plenty of award-winners. During his five-decade career, Janes has performed stunts or served as stunt coordinator for 500 movies and 2,100 television episodes. He’s perhaps best known as serving as Steve McQueen’s stunt double for more than two decades. He’s also doubled for Paul Newman and Jack Nicholson. Some of the more notable films for which Jane performed stunts include The Ten Commandments (1956), Spartacus (1960), The Magnificent Seven (1960), The Dirty Dozen (1967), Planet of the Apes (1968), The Towering Inferno (1974), Blazing Saddles (1974), Escape from New York (1981), Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Back to the Future (1985), ¡Three Amigos! (1986), The Abyss (1989), In the Line of Fire (1993), Casino (1995), Wild West West (2001) and Spider Man (2002). Farnsworth has built a similar reputation and resume during his own four-decade career. On Saturday of the festival, he’ll share stories from his many years working as both a stunt actor and stunt coordinator for the movies and television. Farnsworth has been the stunt coordinator for popular TV series NCIS since its premier in 2003; he also oversaw stunts on JAG for the duration of the series, 1995-2005, and for Quantum Leap from 19891991. On the big screen, he’s been stunt coordinator for such major motion pictures as Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), The Big Easy (1986), No Way Out (1987) and The Dead Pool (1988). Smith has done stunt work on a wide array on feature films, including Pork Chop Hill (1959), How the West was Won (1962), The Birds (1963), The Great Race (1965), True Grit (1969), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Airport (1970), Big Jake (1971), Jeremiah Johnson (1972), The Sting (1973), The Towering Inferno (1974), Raw Deal (1986), Maverick (1994) and The Quick and the Dead (1995). He has also worked on numerous television projects. Some of the feature films that Durando worked in were Jailhouse Rock (1957) with Elvis Presley, The Big Circus (1959) with Victor Mature, One Eyed Jacks (1961) with Marlon Brando, Taras Bulba (1962) with Tony Curtis and Yul Brynner and Kitten with a Whip (1964) with Ann Margret and John Forsythe, among others. One of her fondest memories was working as the stunt woman and double for leading lady Nancy Gates in Randolph Scott’s Comanche Station (1960), directed by Budd Boetticher in Lone Pine. She also worked in several television productions including a full season of the immensely popular Have Gun Will Travel with Richard Boone as Paladin.
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The actor most associated for his portrayal as one of the world’s most famous heroes would have turned 100 this year. He was born Jack Carlton Moore on Sept. 14, 1914. As an actor he was known as Clayton Moore. As the Lone Ranger he became an American icon. Moore was so identified with the masked man that he is the only person on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to have his character’s name along with his own on the star. The tribute reads: “Clayton Moore – The Lone Ranger.” The Lone Pine Film Festival has planned a tribute of its own for Moore in honor of his centennial year. A “Happy Birthday Clayton Moore” panel discussion will be held at noon on Saturday, Oct. 11 in the Lone Pine High School Quad, featuring friends, family and former colleagues reminiscing about the actor – on stage and off. The panel will be led by Moore’s friend, producer/writer Rob Word, who is currently the senior vice president for Creative Affairs at Insight Film Studios. Participating will be Moore’s daughter, Dawn Moore, who has made a name for herself in Hollywood as an expert on marketing and luxury retail; as well as one-time co-star Johnny Crawford; friend and fellow actor Donna Martell; and author/Western film historian David Rothel, who wrote
Clayton Moore, best remembered as the Lone Ranger, a hero to children and adults alike. Photo courtesy Lone Pine Film Festival
“Who Was That Masked Man? The Story of The Lone Ranger.” While best known as the “Masked Rider of the Plains,” the penultimate Good Guy, Clayton’s acting career actually includes many other roles on both sides of the law. He had a small role in Zorro’s Fighting Legion, one of Republic Studios’ top serials. As his parts increased in size, he was a detective tracking down evil Nazi Bela Lugosi in Black Dragons, an archeologist aided by a jungle goddess in Perils of Nyoka, a conniving thug in another top serial, The Crimson Ghost, and a
whitewashed Jesse James in two more serials, all before donning a hero’s mask as – no, not the Lone Ranger – but as Ken Mason, the grandson of Zorro, in Ghost of Zorro. Obviously there’s much to learn about Moore, including what happened behind the scenes during the Lone Ranger years. When did he first become the Lone Ranger? How was he cast? What did the role mean to him and how did it affect his personality? Why was he replaced in the TV series? Who took his mask away and forbid him to wear it? Find out with exciting film clips and revealing conversations at the Saturday afternoon panel. Fans will also want to check out the comprehensive Lone Ranger exhibit at the Lone Pine Film History Museum, which unveiled the sprawling display in time for last year’s Film Festival. The exhibit was created in tribute to the 75th anniversary in 2013 of the Lone Ranger’s appearance on the silver screen. Situated on the eastern wall, the exhibit documents the history of the Masked Man and his role in cinematic history through more than 400 items of the period – from posters and photos to highly prized collectibles displayed against a 20-plus-foot mural of the Lone Ranger Canyon by local artist Jude Greenburgh. It was one of the busiest sections of the museum during last year’s festival.
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LPFF-6 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014
Schedule of Events THURSDAY, Oct. 9 4:30-6 p.m. – Museum Gala Opening Night Reception Lone Pine Museum of Film History. Cost: $10 for museum members; $20 for non-members. 7 p.m. – Concert: Cow Bop High School Auditorium. Ticket prices: $35/$45.
FRIDAY, Oct. 10 7-8 a.m. – Screening: Dynamite Pass High School Auditorium. One screening only. Admittance by tour ticket or Festival Button only. 7-8:30 a.m. – Screening: Bad Day at Blackrock Museum Theater. Admittance by tour ticket or Festival Button only. 8-10 a.m. – Tour: Dynamite Pass: Tim Holt Remembered (Bus) 8:30-9:30 a.m. – Screening/Discussion: Bar 20, with Dick Bann High School Auditorium. Admittance by tour ticket or Festival Button only. 8:30-11 a.m. – Tour: A Good Day at Black Rock (Car Caravan) 8:30-11 a.m. – Tour: Ansel Adams: In the Footsteps of .the Master (Car Caravan) 8:30-11:30 a.m. – Tour: Lone Ranger (Car Caravan) 9-11 a.m. – Anchor Ranch (Walking) 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. – Tour: Gunga Din (Bus) 9 a.m.-6 p.m. – Shopping/Autographs: Vendors and Celebrity Guests The Building, corner of U.S. 395 and Tim Holt Street. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. – Shopping/Entertainment: Arts & Crafts .Fair (vendors/music) Spainhower Park, north end of town. 9 a.m.-10 a.m. – Discussion: “Tim Holt,” with David Rothel Museum Theater. Admittance by Festival Button only. 10:30-11:30 a.m. – Discussion: “Remembering William Witney,” with Jay Dee Witney Museum Theater. Admittance by Festival Button only. 12:30-2:30 p.m. – Screening: Dynamite Pass High School Auditorium. One screening only. Admittance by tour ticket or Festival Button only. 1-2 p.m. – Discussion: “Grandpa Joel,” with Wyatt McCrea Museum Theater. Admittance by Festival Button only. 1-3 p.m. – Tour: Anchor Ranch (Walking) 1-3 p.m. – Discussion/Presentation/ Screening: Death Valley Days and Rio Tinto’s Restoration of Episodes, with Steve Wystrach and guest Donna Martell High School Auditorium. Admittance by Festival Button only. 1:30-4 p.m. – Tour: Hopalong Cassidy – Bar 20 Ranch Tour (Car Caravan) 1:30-4:30 p.m. – Tour: Hollywood’s Backlot Tour (Car Caravan) 3 p.m. – Screening: Comanche Station High School Auditorium. Followed by Q&A with Sandra Tyler, Randolph Scott’s daughter. Admittance by Festival Button only. 3-5:30 p.m. – Tour: Audie Murphy (Bus) 3:30-6 p.m. – Tour: North-South (Bus) 5-6 p.m. – Wild West Show: The Groat Family High School Quad. Button-Holders and/or a $15 Special Event Ticket. 7:30-10:00 p.m. – Screening: Gunga Din High School Auditorium. Panel to follow with Ben Burtt and Craig Barron. Admittance by tour ticket or Festival Button only.
SaturDAY, Oct. 11 6-8:30 a.m. – Tour: Sunrise (Car Caravan) 7-8:15 a.m. – Screening: Secrets of the Wasteland High School Auditorium. One screening only. Admittance by tour ticket or Festival Button only.
For the past four years, Ken Harrison of the I’ll Never Speed Again comedy traffic school (here with a Photoshopped companion) has hosted the Lone Pine Film Festival Karaoke Contest at the Mt.
Whitney Restaurant. This year’s contest runs from 9 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, Oct. 11.
7-10 a.m. – VFW Breakfast Post 8036, 481 S. Main St. All Visitors Welcome. 7:30-10:30 a.m. – Tour: Owens River 1900 Water Wars (Car Caravan) 8-11 a.m. – Tour: Secrets of the Wasteland (Bus) 8:30-9:30 a.m. – Screening/Discussion: Bar 20, with Dick Bann High School Auditorium. Admittance by tour ticket or Festival Button only. 8:30-10 a.m. – Discussion/Presentation: John Wayne’s The Shootist, with Miles Swarthout Museum Theater. Admittance by Festival Button only. 8:30-11 a.m. – Tour: Ansel Adams: In the Footsteps of the Master (Car Caravan) 8:30-11:30 a.m. – Tour: Lone Pine’s Backlot (Car Caravan) 9-11 a.m. – Tour: Anchor Ranch (Walking) 9:30 a.m.-Noon – Tour: A Good Day at Blackrock (Car Caravan) 9 a.m.-6 p.m. – Shopping/Autographs: Vendors and Celebrity Guests The Building, corner of U.S. 395 and Tim Holt Street. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. – Shopping/Entertainment: Arts & Crafts Fair (vendors/music) Spainhower Park, north end of town. 10-11:30 a.m. – Discussion: “Wild Bill, Hollywood Maverick,” with William Wellman Jr. Museum Theater. Admittance by Festival Button only. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Live Music: Bob Stockman Spainhower Park. Noon – Panel: “Happy Birthday, Clayton Moore,” featuring Rob Word, Dawn Moore, Johnny Crawford, Donna Martell and David Rothel High School Quad. Admittance by Festival Button only. Noon-2:30 p.m. – Tour: Gunga Din (Bus) 12:30-3 p.m. – Tour: North-South (Bus) 12:45-1:45 p.m. – Live Music: Halfway to Benton Spainhower Park. 1-3 p.m. – Tour: Anchor Ranch (Walking) 1-4 p.m. – Tour: The Lone Ranger (Car
Caravan) 1:30-2:30 p.m. – Discussion/Presentation: Cheryl Rogers-Barnett, Roy and Dale’s daughter, screens revised biographical film on Roy Museum Theater. Admittance by Festival Button only. 1:30-4 p.m. – Tour: Hopalong Cassidy Original Bar 20 Ranch (Car Caravan) 2-3:30 p.m. – Panel: Stunt Actors Diamond Farnsworth, Loren Janes, Dean Smith and Sylvia Durando High School Quad. Admittance by Festival Button only. 2-2:45 p.m. – Live Music: Jim Davis Spainhower Park. 3-3:45 p.m. – Live Music: Linda Schultz Spainhower Park. 3-4:15 p.m. – Screening: Brotherhood of the Popcorn, featuring Woody Wise and the Cliffhangers Museum Theater. Admittance by Festival Button only. 4 p.m. – Discussion: Ed Faulkner on John Wayne High School Auditorium. Admittance by Festival Button only. 4-5 p.m. – Live Music: Fiddlin’ Pete Spainhower Park. 4:30 p.m. – Discussion: “Lone Pine Film Festival’s Top Ten Western Movie Tunes,” with David Matuszak Museum Theater. Admittance by Festival Button only. 5-6 p.m. – Wild West Show: The Groat Family High School Quad. Button-Holders and/or a $15 Special Event Ticket. 7 p.m. – Special Screening: Far From the West High School Auditorium. Admittance by Festival Button only. 7:30 p.m. – Screening: The Macahans High School Auditorium. Followed by Q&A with Bruce Boxleitner. Seating limited to 300. Admittance by Festival Button only. 9:30 p.m.-Midnight – Fifth Annual Cowboy Karaoke Contest Mt. Whitney Restaurant.
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SUNDAY, Oct. 12 6-8:30 a.m. – Tour: Sunrise (Car Caravan) 7-10 a.m. – VFW Breakfast Post 8036, 481 S. Main St. All Visitors Welcome. 8 a.m. – Screening: Showdown High School Auditorium. Admittance by tour ticket or Festival Button only. 8:30-9 a.m. – Cowboy Church Spainhower Ranch. All Visitors Welcome. 9 a.m.-Noon – Tour: Lone Pine’s Backlot (Car Caravan) 9 a.m.-3 p.m. – Shopping/Autographs – Vendors and Celebrity Guests The Building, corner of U.S. 395 and Tim Holt Street. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. – Shopping/Entertainment – Arts & Crafts Fair (vendors/music) Spainhower Park, north end of town. 9:45 a.m.-Noon – Tour: Audie Murphy (Bus) 11 a.m.-1 p.m. – Meet and Great: Festival Celebrities Live KIBS remote broadcast at Lone Pine McDonald’s. 1 p.m. – Parade of Stars Main Street. 2:30-5 p.m. – Tour: North-South (Bus) 3-5 p.m. – Tour: Anchor Ranch (Walking) 5-6 p.m. – Special Screening: One Hundred Mules
The Inyo Register
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014 LPFF-7
The Singing Cowboys exhibit pays tribute to stars such as Gene Autry, Tex Ritter, Ken Maynard and Bob Steele. Photo by Bob Sigman
The William Witney exhibit includes an original clapper board used by the legendary director. One of his biggest fans, director Quentin Tarantino, was allowed to use it when he filmed Django Unchained in the Alabama Hills. Photo by Darcy Ellis
Film Museum unveils new exhibits in time for 2014 festival Memorabilia, photos and movie props tell stories of Randolph Scott, Hoppy, the Singing Cowboys and more Lone Pine Film Festival
Attendees of the 25th Anniversary Lone Pine Film Festival will find new and renovated exhibits at the Lone Pine Film History Museum. Hopalong Cassidy Among the new exhibits is the updated Hopalong Cassidy exhibit, which now has an extensive range of memorabilia that includes original film posters, comic books, plates, lunch boxes, clothes, toy guns, milk cartons, watches, games, table lights and much more. The vast majority of these items were donated by a fan who collected them for much of her life. “Our smaller and initial exhibit was through the courtesy of U.S. Television Inc., the copyrights holder to the Hoppy Library and present-day merchandising,” Museum Director Bob Sigman said. “Many of these items remain on display.” William Boyd became indelibly associated with the Hopalong Cassidy character while making 66 “Hoppy” films, 31 of which were filmed in and around Lone Pine. The series and characters were so popular that Hopalong Cassidy was featured on the cover of national magazines such as Look, Life and Time. Boyd earned millions as Hopalong ($800,000 in 1950 alone), mostly from merchandise licensing and endorsement deals. In 1950, Hopalong Cassidy was featured on the first lunchbox to bear an image, causing sales for Aladdin Industries to jump from 50,000 units to 600,000 units in just one year. In stores, more than 100 companies in 1950 manufactured $70 million of
Hopalong Cassidy products, including children’s dinnerware, pillows, roller skates, soap, wristwatches and jackknives. Among those buying the Hoppy merchandise was the Lone Pine Film Museum’s benefactor. Along with collecting William Boyd and Hopalong Cassidy memorabilia since age 12 (68 years), the benefactor has documented Boyd’s career in numerous three-ring binders. “These beautifully cared for artifacts include articles, pictures, photos, letters and so much more,” Sigman said. “Over 300 initial items now make up the Hopalong/Marshall Collection.” A mint-condition Hopalong bike is a mustsee, as is a 1948 fan letter with a beautiful picture of Hoppy and his wife, Grace Bradley Boyd. Randolph Scott Also centered around donations to the museum, this exhibit of Randolph Scott as a leading man in various Westerns. In addition to a broad range of memorabilia from his many movies, particularly those filmed here in the Eastern Sierra, the exhibit includes the original scripts for Comanche Station (1960), Ride Lonesome (1959), Seven Men From Now (1956) and The Tall T (1957), all of which were filmed in Lone Pine and written by Burt Kennedy. A Film Festival guest in 1996, ’98, ’99 and 2000, Kennedy bequeathed the scripts and other memorabilia, including lobby cards, in his will. Scott rose to stardom in the late 1940s with a series of Westerns, including Santa Fe, Fort Worth, Man in the Saddle, Man Behind the Gun, Ten Wanted Men, Ride Lonesome and Comanches Station.
The Randolph Scott exhibit includes original posters advertising some of his more famous movies. Photo by Darcy Ellis
He became one of the top box office stars of the 1950s and, in the westerns of Budd Boetticher especially, a critically important figure in the Western as an artform. Following a critically acclaimed, less-heroicthan-usual role in one of the classics of the genre, Ride the High Country (1962), Scott retired from films. In total, Scott made 13 films in the Eastern Sierra over a 27-year period, and the exhibit documents these contributions to the Western film canon. Singing Cowboys Of course, a museum chronicling the history of filmmaking in the Lone Pine area and Eastern Sierra wouldn’t be whole without an exhibit devoted to Hollywood’s “Singing
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Cowboys,” who headed for the Alabama Hills pretty much as soon as sound was introduced to film. Still under construction during last year’s festival, the museum’s existing exhibit has undergone “a complete redo,” according to Sigman, in order to appeal to a broader audience, since you don’t necessarily have to be a fan
of either cowboys or the songs they sing to appreciate the important subgenre of film. “And remember,” Sigman said, “before there were singing cowboys, there were cowboys who sang.” The most notable of the “Singing Cowboys” were, perhaps, guys like Warner Baxter, Ken Maynard, Bob Steele, Tex Ritter, Rex Allen and, of course, Gene Autry. But even John Wayne crooned his way through a movie, the 1935 Republic picture Westward Ho! William Wellman William Wellman, also known as “Wild Bill,” worked on more than 80 films, as an actor, director, producer or consultant, but most often as a director. Most notable for his work in crime, adventure and action genre films, he also directed several well-regarded satirical comedies. Wellman directed the 1927 film Wings, the first film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture, and A Star is Born (1937), the first color film nominated for an Academy Award. He directed A Star Is Born in Lone Pine, as well as The Man and His Wings (1927), The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) and Yellow Sky (1948). Through photos, posters, props and other memorabilia, the museum exhibit pays tribute to his
contributions to the Western film genre and the art of filmmaking itself. William Witney Similarly honored via a new exhibit is William Witney, best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with Jack English for Republic Pictures, such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro’s Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu, as well as Lone Ranger, Dick Tracy and Captain Marvel. He also directed hundreds of episodes of Lassie, Wagon Train, Bonanza and other television shows. Witney directed many B Westerns during the 1940s and ’50s and is credited with devising the modern system of filming movie fight sequences in a series of carefully choreographed shots, which he patterned after the musical sequences of American director Busby Berkeley. Prolific and pugnacious, Witney began directing while still in his 20s, and continued until 1982, directing hundreds of feature films and television shows during a 40-year career. Witney loved working in the Alabama Hills, shooting more than 100 films/TV episodes in the Eastern Sierra landscape. He especially loved the town of Lone Pine and typically stayed at the historic Dow Hotel.
The Inyo Register
LPFF-8 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014
Stars help Film Festival celebrate 25 years Celebrity guests include old friends and new faces Lone Pine Film Festival
The Lone Pine Film Festival is known for attracting a wide range of celebrity guests each year, from stars of the silver screen to prominent authors to noted stuntmen. The Silver Anniversary is no exception.
Bruce Boxleitner Bruce Boxleitner is noted for his television starring roles in How the West Was Won, Scarecrow and Mrs. King and Babylon 5. This will be Mr. Boxleitner’s third appearance at the Film Festival. Cheryl Rogers-Barnett Cheryl Rogers-Barnett is the adopted daughter of Roy Rogers and his first wife, Arline, who died when Cheryl was 6 years old. Cheryl has authored “Cowboy Princess” and “The All American Cowboy Grill.” She is currently on the Advisory Board of the Western Music Association. Craig Barron Craig Barron is an Academy-Award winning visual effects supervisor who is also a filmmaker, entrepreneur and film historian. Barron has been an innovator in his field for the past two decades and has contributed to the visual effects on more than 100 films. Ben Burtt Sound editor Ben Burtt has played a crucial role in creating the magical ambiance of George Lucas’ classic sci-fi fantasy adventure series Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Johnny Crawford Although remembered today primarily for his role as Mark McCain in the very popular TV series The Rifleman, Crawford has had a long and varied career as an actor, singer and popular band leader. Sylvia Durando Sylvia Durando did stunt work and doubling in movies for more than 30 years. Her resume includes Jailhouse Rock (1957) with Elvis Presley, The Big Circus (1959) with Marlon Brando, and Kitten with a Whip (1964) with Ann Margret and John Forsythe, among others. Diamond Farnsworth Diamond Farnsworth is an accomplished stuntman, serving as stunt coordinator on the show NCIS, and before that working on JAG and Quantum Leap. He is the son of Academy Award-winning actor/stuntman Richard Farnsworth. Ed Faulkner One of our favorite “bad guys” who is really a good guy, Ed Faulkner has worked with John Wayne in six films and has numerous television credits. Loren Janes Loren Janes returns to share his experiences and insights concerning stunt work as well as his experiences filming How the West Was Won in the Alabama Hills. Loren worked with Steve McQueen as his stunt double on “Nevada Smith,” also filmed locally. Donna Martell During the late 1940s to early 1950s, Donna Martell appeared in a variety of female leads. In later years,
she has done a variety of TV commercials. Larry Maurice Larry Maurice has been Lone Pine’s favorite Cowboy Poet and Master of Ceremonies for many years. His participation in the festival is underwritten by the Poets & Writers, Inc. through a grant it has received from The James Irvine Foundation. Wyatt McCrea Wyatt McCrea’s grandfather was famous cowboy star Joel McCrea and his grandmother was Frances Dee, a striking leading lady. He is an associate board member for the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Dawn Moore Dawn Moore’s personal and public personae have followed a path less traveled as she successfully navigated 35-plus years in luxury retail. Her No. 1 job is Torch Bearer for her father Clayton Moore’s legacy as the iconic western hero The Lone Ranger. David Rothel Author David Rothel has since gone from youthful observer to published authority on various aspects of popular entertainment, all of which is reflected in his 13 books on show business history. Dean Smith Dean Smith spent most of his life serving as a stunt double for actors (and occasionally actresses) to maintain the illusion that they were the ones falling from horses and leaping off buildings.
Peggy Stewart One of the major leading ladies from the heyday of the B-Western and serials, Peggy Stewart has been one of the staunchest supporters of both the Film Festival and the Lone Pine Film History Museum, where she serves as a member of the Board of Directors.
Experts offer insights into popular films Special effects wizards and screenwriter hosting presentations Lone Pine Film Festival
Industry insiders will be waiting in the wings to offer anecdotes and insight into the filming of two popular movies at the Lone Pine Film Festival this year. Before and after Friday’s 7:30 p.m. screening of Gunga Din (1939), Hollywood effects artists Ben Burtt and Craig Barron will take audience members behind the scenes of the RKO adventure film – which thrilled and surprised moviegoers with its grand spectacle and fast-paced adventure against the dramatic backdrop of Lone Pine’s Alabama Hills. Still one of Hollywood’s all-time great action movies, Gunga Din is a rollicking comedy-adventure inspired by the Rudyard Kipling poem and translated to the screen by director George Stevens. Cary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Victor McLaglen star as three “musketeers” in the Britishruled India of the 1890s, and Sam Jaffe is their loyal and touching native water carrier. While dated in some of its stereotypes and depictions of colonial rule, it remains one helluva ripping yarn and a distinguished ancestor of the Indiana Jones films. Barron, an Oscarnominated visual effects supervisor, will discuss the use of mattes and special effects to recreate 19th century India (the film was shot entirely in Lone Pine). Burtt, four-time Oscar winner for his sound design on the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films, will use period rifles to demonstrate the movie’s distinctive sounds – ones he lovingly replicated in his contributions to “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” The screening and discussion take place in the Lone Pine High School Auditorium. Guests must have a Film Festival Button to attend. Be sure to check out the Gunga Din exhibit at the Lone Pine Film History Museum. Most movie fans remember The Shootist (1976) as John Wayne’s final film, in which he starred as an aging gunfighter dying of cancer – the same disease Wayne was fighting at the time and which would eventually take his life. But, like many acclaimed movies, The Shootist began as a novel, this one written by Glendon Swarthout. It was adapted for the screen by his son, Miles Swarthout, who will be giving a presentation about the book and film from 8:30-10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11 in the Film Festival Wild West Theater. In addition to screenwriting, Miles is also a novelist and in 2004 won the Spur Award for his first Western, “The Sergeant’s Lady.” His new novel, “The Last Shootist,” is a sequel to his father’s classic 1975 novel. Miles also helped write the screenplay for The Homesman, another movie based on one of
The outfit worn by John Wayne in The Shootist, his final film, is on display at the Lone Pine Film History Museum. A presentation on The Shootist is being offered Saturday, Oct. 11. Register photo
his late father’s novels, published in 1988. The Homesman is now one of the most anticipated movies of 2014, directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Hilary Swank, Tim Blake Nelson and Meryl Streep. Miles also worked on
the original screenplay back in 1987 for its original director, Paul Newman, and can answer questions about its making. Attendees of Saturday’s presentation on The Shootist must have a Film Festival
Button for admittance. For a real kick, check out the original duster worn by John Wayne in The Shootist on display at the Lone Pine Film History Museum. A truly priceless cinematic artifact right before your eyes.
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The Inyo Register
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014 LPFF-9
Jim Rogers: a fan, a friend Museum benefactor passes at age 75 Lone Pine Film History Museum
The town of Lone Pine, and lovers of Western movies everywhere, lost a friend this past June with the passing of Jim Rogers. A serious movie buff, business owner and philanthropist who helped Lone Pine’s dream of building a film history museum come true eight years ago, Rogers died June 14, 2014 at his Las Vegas home following a lengthy battle with cancer. Rogers leaves behind his wife, Beverly, and three children, as well as a legacy that will live on through the Lone Pine Film History Museum – a brick-and-mortar reminder of his fondness for the movies as well as his dedication to their preservation. It was in the early 1990s, when the Film Festival was just growing into its own, that Rogers discovered Lone Pine and the Alabama Hills. A love affair was born, and when the community decided it needed a place to showcase its widespread collection of movie memorabilia, Rogers pledged $1 million to the project. “Jim loved the heroes and heroines of classic Hollywood,” said Museum Director Bob Sigman, “and so it was a natural thing for him to embrace the community and their efforts to celebrate Western heroes like Tom Mix, Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, The Lone Ranger, Gene Autry and John Wayne, to name a few.” Rogers placed a condition on the donation: the community had to purchase the property itself – as a show of good faith that residents would support and believe in the project enough to invest in it. Sure enough, the community leaders’ dream of a museum that would pay tribute to legends of the silver screen was not only supported by residents, but embraced on a widespread level by fans all over the country. The idea of a place to store memorabilia had grown into the concept of providing exhibits and archives that would forever tell the story of good versus bad; of white hat over black; of a creed that tells us to be good, be honest and be fair because truth alone lives on forever. Rogers was there to fund administrative and legal support and when the community delivered on its promise of acquiring land, he immediately put his resources in place to build the structure. By 2006, Lone Pine had a
film museum. Inside were many exhibits provided by Rogers himself, everything from costumes and saddles that he purchased at auction, to posters and vehicles Rogers housed in his personal collection of more than 300 automobiles. A 1956 graduate of Las Vegas High School, Rogers earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a law degree, both from the University of Arizona. He also earned a master of law degree from the University of Southern California. In addition to owning KSNVTV, Channel 3, in Las Vegas, Rogers served as the ninth chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education from 2005-09, after serving one year as interim chancellor. Movie fans will best remember Rogers as a kindred spirit. And the community of Lone Pine will forever be grateful for his generosity, inspiration and support. His legacy, Sigman said, “will remain in the memories that he has provided for countless visitors to the museum. Grandfathers sharing with their sons and grandsons memories of Saturday matinee B Westerns recognize their favorite cowboy’s poster, a watch from a cereal carton, a comic book, a bicycle, a badge or one of thousands of other collectibles marketed during their youth. It’s touching to see them reminisce. Their eyes become dreamy and old memories become clear as they tell of their long-forgotten childhood.”
Jim Rogers passed away this past June after a lengthy battle with cancer. His legacy will be the museum he helped make a reality and the memories he helps create for all its visitors. Photo courtesy Lone Pine Film Festival
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The Inyo Register
LPFF-10 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014
Protecting a precious landscape Local group dedicated to preserving access to and beauty of Alabama Hills Lone Pine Film Festival and Lone Pine Film History Museum
Up for grabs Belt buckle, quilt being raffled off Lone Pine Film History Museum
Film Festival attendees are being given the chance to win two beautiful works of art – one during this year’s event and the other during the 2015 affair. Raffle tickets are now on sale for two separate drawings. One of the items being raffled off is a 70-inch by 70-inch “Happy Trails” quilt featuring 13 separate Western-themed patterns. The winning ticket will be drawn at the 2015 event. Proceeds from ticket sales will support the Lone Pine Film History Museum. Tickets will be available for $1 each or $5 for six, at the Lone Pine Film History Museum and at the Festival Ticket Office. The other item is a Silver Anniversary belt buckle designed by local artist Leon Boyer. The buckle features a graphic representation of the monument stone dedicated at Movie Road by the festival organizers and Roy Rogers on Oct. 7, 1990. Raffle tickets are available at the Lone Pine Film History Museum for $10 each or six for $50. The winner will be drawn Sunday afternoon at the museum after the parade.
Nearly 100 years of film history (and the birth of the American Western genre) exists in the Alabama Hills from silent movies to state-ofthe-art motion pictures such as Gunga Din, How the West Was Won and more recently Ironman and Django Unchained. Promotional product and TV commercial film crews work there regularly. The Lone Pine Film History Museum, visited by thousands of people each year, contains extensive film history displays featuring the Alabama Hills. Now, efforts to permanently preserve current commercial and recreational uses of the Alabama Hills – including filmmaking and movie site location hunting – are making headway on the national level. Rep. Paul Cook (R-Apple Valley) has introduced legislation that, if approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, will establish the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area. The designation would cover 18,610 acres of the Alabama Hills west of Lone Pine and guarantee that current recreational activities would be allowed to continue. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California), meanwhile, continues to work on a proposal to present to the Senate. Both pieces of legislation come with the backing of a widespread coalition of stakeholders that includes residents, visitors, business own-
For more information on the preservation and restoration work and goals of the Alabama Hills Stewardship Group, check out its exhibit at the Lone Pine Film History Museum. Register photo
ers and local, state and federal agencies. These various interests have been brought together over the past several years by the Alabama Hills Stewardship Group, a nonprofit entity committed to preserving the unique landscape and respecting all users’ needs. The AHSG has been partnering with the Bureau of Land Management over the last eight years to help direct the management of the Alabama Hills, which are currently classified as a Special Recreation Area. The goal is to make the Alabama Hills as
accessible and activity-inclusive as possible, while still preserving the semi-primitive and scenic landscape. The AHSG, in association with the BLM, has been able to forge a strong, community-based partnership. The organization aids, advises, monitors, informs and protects the Alabama Hills by assisting the BLM in its ongoing management of the area. The AHSG was recognized in 2008 with a “Cooperative Conservation Award” from the U.S. Department of the Interior and in 2011 with a “Vision
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Award” by the Sierra Business Council. “The AHSG is committed to protecting the jaw-dropping beauty of this area with continued access for hikers, motorists, photographers and rock climbers, while allowing important economic activities like commercial filming, cattle grazing, hunting/fishing and outdoor recreation to continue,” a spokesperson said. “Balancing all these needs is what makes the Alabama Hills so special to so many people and necessitates its protection.” The organization also works to restore areas that have been overused or degraded. Unfortunately, some areas have seen significant damage to the brush and landscape tracked over by motor vehicles and irresponsible use. In these areas, you will see re-plantings of native vegetation; restoration work and boundaries installed. All visitors are asked to not camp in these areas so that a natural recovery process can begin. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on Cook’s bill in late 2014 or early 2015. More than 40 different user groups are expected to benefit from the campaign to preserve and protect the Alabama Hills with an effective and long-term management plan complemented by supporting funds for the proper ongoing management of the area. The National Scenic Area designation will bring increased protections for the landscape as well as visibility to the area, thus maintaining and growing the local economy. The AHSG invites everyone to support their mission through donations, membership, and/or participation in projects and events. Meetings of the AHSG are publically announced and open to anyone who wishes to attend. The AHSG uses a consensus building process, with all participants at the meetings encouraged to provide constructive input. In addition, field trips are conducted to acquaint everyone interested in proposed actions and field projects. For more information or to be placed on the newsletter list, contact AHSG, Inc. President Chris Langley at (760) 937-1189; by email at lonepinemovies@aol.com, or on the web: alabamahillsstewardshipgroup.org “Every film buff and movie tourist loves the Alabama Hills, and it takes all of us to responsibly manage this amazing landscape,” the spokesperson said.
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