Messenger-Inquirer from Owensboro, Kentucky • 35

JlksscncjcrZiltlNQUiRER Entertainment, page 2 Business briefs, 5 National news, 3, 4, 10 Classified, 6-9 SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 1975 SECTION 5AQCT PAnnnMMl 11 II After three years future of Marshall Windy Holhw' still in the air By KEITH Messenger A was a lawsuit filed in April 1973 by Hal Miller and Carson against Cates, alleging that he was preventing distribution of the movie. The case dragged out in the courts for more than a year and finally in May of 1974, Circuit Judge Henry M. Griffin dismissed the $725,000 lawsuit on the grounds that both sides had "made substantial steps toward resolving their differences." Earlier the judge had dismissed Carson's portion of the suit when the actor failed to appear in court within a specified period of time. Cates says the last time he heard, the -foot-6 Texan thought he was out of the picture completely. But he's not, Cates added.

If Carson can be located and other details worked out, the movie could be finished during the spring or summer, Cates said. Since leaves were on the trees during the filming three years ago, the movie company will have to wait for leaves to reappear before finishing the necessary shots. "We could shoot it all in one Saturday if we can ever get ready," Cates explained. Marilyn Maynard, daughter of the late Ken Maynard, who starred in some 300 early westerns and introduced Gene Autry to the silver screen, also is anxious to get the Daviess County film out of the can. Letters she has written to Cody indicate that a Hollywood company is putting together a movie of film clips from her father's films under the title, "The Best of Ken Maynard." "Marshal of Windy Hollow" was the late actor's last cinematic venture and is needed to end the film, Cody said.

It also was the late Tex Ritter's last movie (both of the legendary cowboy actors appeared in cameo roles in the film) and may someday be valuable in that respect too. The film as it exists today is 74 minutes of full-color action, Cates says, just the right length for television (where commercials would expand it to 90 minutes). But Cates says he hopes to see the movie released to theaters first. A lot of theater owners are film collectors interested in the nostalgia boom that has swept the nation in 'RRIWG LAWRENCE Inquirer Staff launches One of the wagons that carried the gold shipment "stolen" in the summer cf 1972 lies rotting in a pool of water beneath a cliff. Tex Ritter and Ken Maynard are dead.

Tex Barr (the outlaw) has had four heart attacks and Wild Bill Cody has survived two. Even one of the original partners in making the film, Tom Miller, is dead. But what ever happened to "Marshal of Windy Hollow," that super-G-rated action thriller filmed in western Daviess County three years ago that was supposed to signal a comeback of the sagebrush sagas of the 1940s? Hal Miller, one of the original partners, is in Our Lady of Mercy Hospital. Contacted there, he said, "I don't know where it (the movie) stands. Jack Cates has control of it.

Why don't you call him?" Cates, associate producer and assistant director of the wild-'n'-wooly western, says there has been no progress in releasing the film a rip-roaring revival of rugged ranger riders lately. Cates said he and Miller have not been able to get together to do the final work on the movie. One of the "finishing touches" to the movie will be the reshooting of about five minutes of film, Cates says, but Cates says he can't locate Carson anywhere. "We have to have Carson and I can't find him. I told Hal to see if he could find him since he was Hal's friend." The "special guest star" and public relations director of the film, Wild Bill Cody, who portrays Chief Laughing Bear, is living in a mobile home at Windy Hollow Recreation Area waiting for the movie's release.

He says Carson is working for a "little ol' circus somewhere." Cody says he doesn't know when or if the star, producer and director of the six-gun show will return to Daviess County for the final filming. The five minutes of film to be reshot exists in three gaps in the movie, Cody said, and could easily be filmed if the necessary people can get together. All of the persons appearing in those scenes still are available, except maybe Carson, he said. One of the problems of the ill-fated film Bruce Embry, the 6-foot-6 basketball coach at Owensboro Catholic High, tried out for the role of "villain" but lost to a strapping Owensboro boy named Charles Armstrong who listed his credentials as 6-foot-10 and 300 pounds. Embry became a Texas Ranger by default.

Kathy Patton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hal Miller, was 14 that summer when Carson discovered her at a horse show and made her his leading lady. They were the local people with the biggest roles but there were others cub scouts, housewives, farmers and tourists who made a try for stardom in the low-budget film that summer. Cody still hears from many of them seeking some proof for their friends that they actually were in a cowboy movie.

At first they said the "Marshal" would have its "world premiere" here in January 1973. Then they said by late spring of that year. Then it went to court and then they said by the fall of 1974. This week Cates made no prediction. He even says he isn't sure anymore that it will come out.

"I'm tired of fooling around with this thing," he said. "If I can't get together with these people (Miller and Carson) before long, I'm going to write the whole thing off as a tax loss." Meanwhile the movie sits in a can. Carson is working in a circus and Cody has "finished another film." This one, he says, is already out a television commercial for Panasonic. But though it's been three years since the "Marshal" was filmed in the strip pits of western Daviess County, the die-hard fans of 1940s sagebrush cinemas can't have lost hope. If the white-hat heroes don't come through in this super-G saga of brawls, shoot-outs and horses and wagons falling off cliffs, why you might as well expect the bar-keep to serve you watered-down root beer.

recent years, he said. Cates says he still gets calls from persons interested in showing the movie and won-' dering when it will be released. He hopes that will be before the nostalgia boom wanes. Cody hopes it will be soon for a different reason. He wants to be around to do the publicity work.

"And I'm not getting any younger," he admits, talking of the two heart attacks he has suffered since 1972. Part of Cody's contract called for him to go with the movie and give whip-cracking, sharpshooting wild-west action demonstrations in person. "That's why I'm still hanging around here," he said. He makes leather goods in the meantime and sells them from his Windy Hollow trailer and Cody still corresponds with former President Richard Nixon to whom he sent some of his leather craft when Nixon was in the White House. "It's a nice movie," he says.

"I wish you could see it. But if it doesn't get released soon, it's just going to be about a lot of dead people." When the "Marshal" was filmed in July 1972 some 700 people thronged out to Windy Hollow in one weekend to see the action, meet the stars and get before the cameras. The only prerequiste to a walk-on part was a costume of the 1880s. Cody says he still gets calls from people who "sat up all night making their costumes" or drove many miles to get into the movies. He says he is getting embarrassed "to even go into town" because one man stopped him in the grocery store and asked, "Was there really any film in those cameras?" There was, he says, because he's seen the finished product.

Hal Riddle, a Hollywood actor whose parents live here, was on vacation that summer and stayed to take part in the filming as a Texas Ranger. Stars of the (un) western THREE YEARS HAVE PASSED since this publicity photograph was taken of the stars of "Marshal of Windy Hollow," the Super-G- rated action thriller filmed in western Daviess County in the summer of 1972. A check this week of those associated with the film reveals it may be no nearer release now than in the summer of '72. Posing for photographers are, from left, Sunset "Kit" Carson (producer, director and star), Kathy Patton of Daviess County (the female lead) and Col. Wild Bill Cody (publicity director and special guest star).

(Staff photo) campaign, says what made the news brought economic disaster' TO years ago today Brace Beemer, radio's "Lone Ranger" beginning in 1932, died at age 62. The U. S. Supreme Court removed most of the powers of movie censors at the state and local level. Waymond Morris was selected as Daviess County High's new football coach.

Owensboro Municipal Utilities and Southeast Daviess County Water District signed a 40-year contract. 25 years ago today Carroll FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Gov. Julian Carroll formally launched his campaign for a full term Saturday night by lambasting the federal Republican administration, which he said has brought the country to "economic disaster." Carroll said the country's economic difficulties were brought about by the Republicans' second President and second Vice President in the current administration, which was begun by former President Richard Nixon. Carroll spoke before an enthusiastic crowd at the first fund-raising rally of his campaign for a full four-year term as governor.

The Capital Plaza Sports and Convention Center, capacity 7,000, was jammed. Singer Glen Campbell entertained the crowd after the speeches. GOP Among those at the head tables were former senator and Kentucky Gov. Earle Clements, former Gov. Lawrence Weather-by, former Gov.

Edward Breathitt Jr. and U.S. Sen. Walter "Dee" Huddleston. Also, congressmen Carroll Hubbard of Mayfield and Carl Perkins of Hindman, former congressman William Curlin Jr.

of Frankfort and former Lt Gov. Wilson Wyatt of Louisville. Mrs. Bert T. Combs spoke briefly in place of her husband, the former governor, whom she said had been delayed.

Carroll pledged that his administration would be the most open in Kentucky's history. He said he would televise some of his cabinet meetings so the public could watch the executive branch of government in Carroll said he already has appointed a special working committee to study farm credit needs, to determine whether there is a need for additional sources of money at reasonable interest rates to bring more young people in Kentucky back to the farm. "If that need does exist and I personally believe it does I will propose legislation to accomplish that goal," Carroll said. Carroll also said he wanted the burley price support increased enough "to ensure that every tobacco farmer in Kentucky will live free from fear of undue recessionary hardships." Carroll said one of his highest priorities as governor would be the economy, because of what he called the "shambles" brought about in that area by the Republican administration in Washington. "If the federal government had been as open as this one intends to be, there never would have been a Watergate," Carroll declared.

He also said his campaign "will be as open and aboveboard as any that's ever been conducted we have an entirely separate staff to run our campaign." Carroll said his administration would be especially interested in agriculture. "Agriculture is home owned and operated," he said. "Our farm dollar is circulated four times within our state." He said he intended to concentrate on new foreign and domestic markets for Kentucky producers and processors. He also noted that recent times of high prices have been experienced by everyone except the farmers selling their goods. President Truman said he would never go to Moscow "as long as I am President." The United Nations pushed for a treaty outlawing genocide.

Daviess County High downed Whitesville 45-32 and Calhoun edged Livermore 42-36 in basketball district tournament play. 50 years ago today A "severe" earthquake rocked New York City. Allen Harl and Thomas Barron were top riflemen of the Owensboro ROTC team. The municipal court docket fell to two cases a day. Postmen received $300 annual raises to $2,100..