Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website Message Boards

Just wondering:

How much input did Audie have concerning who would be in his movies? Charles Drake, James Best, Jack Kelly and Denver Pyle were cast in quite a few and I wondered if it was just because they were contract players or whether he could request them.
Also, were there ever any interviews done with Drake, Best and Kelly regarding working with Audie?

I don't know if Audie had any say so as to who was in his movies, but I also know that several of the "B western" stars appeared in some of his movies. I remember Bob Steele(Column South)(Drums Across the River)(Hell Bent For Leather)(Six Black Horses), Allan "Rocky" Lane(Hell Bent For Leather), Buster Crabb(Arizona Raiders)and Roy Barcroft(Six Black Horses(Gunpoint). Roy wasn't ever a B western "hero", but he and Charles King were considered the two top "bad guys" of the old B westerns. I have often wondered if Audie knew these old stars needed the work, and perhaps asked that they be given some work.

I remember several who later were TV western stars who appeared with Audie. James Arness and Hugh O'Brien are two that come to mind, and there may have been others that I can't think of right now.

Stanford Jolley(Sierra)(Tumbleweed)is another B western bad guy that appeared in hundreds of B westerns. Andy Devine(The Red Badge of Courage)was in a lot of B westerns. Noah Berry(The Cimarron Kid)had a long resume. Walter Brennan(Drums Across the River), Chill Wills(Tumbleweed), Alan Hale, Jr.(Destry)(Bullet For A Badman),Jay Silverheels(Walk the Proud Land)who was of course "Tonto" in the Lone Ranger movies and TV shows, Jack Elam(Silent Passage)(Ride Clear of Diablo), and Jan Merlin(Hell Bent For Leather)(Gunfight At Comanche Creek).

I'm sure I missed some, but thanks to Sue Gossett's book, 'The Films And Career Of Audie Murphy' I think I got most of them. Of course there were many others who had good film and TV careers who appeared with Audie over the years.

_________________
"You lead from the front." Audie Murphy, WWII's Most Decorated Soldier

If there ever was an interview with Charles Drake or Jack Kelly, I've not heard of it. James Best is, of course, still alive so there very well could be one right now if someone was to talk with him. Sue Gossett (author of 2 Audie books) has talked with Mr. Best at some Western Film Festivals, but don't know if she's done an "official" interview about Audie. I believe that Sue has tried several times to enlist James Best to speak at Audie Days, but for one reason or another, he's never been able to be with us. I think there's mention, probably in one of Sue's books, that Charles Drake and Audie became good friends. I believe I'm right on that.

Teri

Dennis Weaver was in Column South. While I was working on A Myth in Action I found his website and emailed him, asking if he remembered working with Murphy. His secretary emailed my back saying Mr. Weaver had said, "I remember he was shorter than me."

Ann

_________________
"He endured the shame of being sent home a living trophy to the blood and death of too many friends"
A Myth in Action: The Heroic Life of Audie Murphy
http://www.annjoiner.com

Ann:

In other words, Dennis Weaver didn't remember or didn't want to say much about Audie, right?

I don't know if Dennis Weaver felt like that, but I suspect that there was some resentment of Audie from a few of his fellow actors over the years, believing that he was got where he was in the movies simply because of who he was, and what he had done in the war. Of course it is true, that he wouldn't have made it in the movies if it had not been for the war, and we would never have heard of him. And Audie evidently didn't hang around with the movie people, and I''m sure that irked some of them. I'd be willing to bet that most of his cohorts in the movies respected him for his exploits in the war, how could they not have, and some of them I've read thought he became a pretty darn good actor. The bottom line is, Audie was a very good actor, and one heck of a horseman. Most movie cowboys were not particularly good riders. from what I've read.

_________________
"You lead from the front." Audie Murphy, WWII's Most Decorated Soldier

The reply was certainly cryptic. I had been very complimentary to Weaver in the email, telling him how much I had enjoyed both Gunsmoke and McCloud. The phrasing of his answer sounds like Bob is probably right.

Ann

_________________
"He endured the shame of being sent home a living trophy to the blood and death of too many friends"
A Myth in Action: The Heroic Life of Audie Murphy
http://www.annjoiner.com

As I understand it having talked with a lot of 50's era actors, it was quite common to work in several releases together, mostly because they were on contract usually to one studio, therefore they established friendships, bonds, etc and knew one another from previous work, so often they would appear in several movies together, similier to what we call "networking" these days.

_________________
"I believe in all the men who stood up against the enemy, taking their beatings without whimper and their triumphs without boasting. The men who went and would go again to hell and back to preserve what our country thinks right and decent."

AT LEAST ON TO HELL & BACK HE HAD SAY SO. PAUL PICERNI TOLD US A FEW TIMES AT AUDIE MURPHY DAYS THAT AUDIE WAS IN THE ROOM WHEN HE TESTED AND AUDIE SAID ''HE'LL DO FOR VALENTINO'' OR SOMETHING CLOSE TO THAT. THATS ALL IT TOOK AND HE WAS HIRED.

Audie could certainly suggest he wanted an actor to star with him. Ben Cooper and Jan Merlin both did several films, and I believe Audie preferred especially to work with some people. He did request his own hairstylist, Ida Mills, and frequently consulted Willard Willingham on many issues.

I know that in particular with "THB" Audie had almost complete run on that film. In addition to casting, he was virtually immersed in every facet of that project.
As a major star of that era, he was given wide latitude with respect to that particular film project.

_________________
"I believe in all the men who stood up against the enemy, taking their beatings without whimper and their triumphs without boasting. The men who went and would go again to hell and back to preserve what our country thinks right and decent."

Sue Gosset has told me several time that the reason we can't get James Best for Audie Days is because he want $5000 per apperance. The actors who have come in the past have come under the following guidelines. Airfare and motel reservations, that's all. We are trying to get Greg Palmer back for next year. Remember if you are not a member of the Audie Murphy/ American Cotton Museum you need to join, only $15.00 per year for seniors. You receive a great monthy newsletter and you are helping keep AM Days alive.

SUE ALSO TOLD ME THAT FEE IS PER DAY.

Hi Folks, With What we found out about the Veteran's Hospital in SA and Audie's memorabilia there,
I am all for keeping the AM Cotton Museum alive and well. I like to go see Audie Stuff, it is showing
respect for a great man and our children need to learn that. Those of us who forget History, are
bound to Repeat it. Besides that all the folks at the Greenville Museum are sooo Darn nice. The
rest of the nation could take lessons. Just my Thoughts. Shirley Jean.