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Yellowstone Kelly

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Yellowstone Kelly
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGordon Douglas
Screenplay byBurt Kennedy
Based onthe novel
byClay Fisher
Starring
CinematographyCarl E. Guthrie
Edited byWilliam H. Ziegler
Music byHoward Jackson
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Warner Bros.
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • November 11, 1959(1959-11-11)(New York City)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.7 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)[1]

Yellowstone Kellyis a 1959 AmericanWesternfilm based upon a novel byHeck Allen(using his pen name Clay Fisher, which shows in the film credits) with a screenplay byBurt KennedystarringClint WalkerasLuther Sage "Yellowstone" Kelly,and directed byGordon Douglas.The film was originally supposed to be directed byJohn FordwithJohn Waynein theClint Walkerrole but Ford and Wayne opted to makeThe Horse Soldiersinstead.

At the time the film was notable for using the leads of then popularWarner Bros. Televisionshows,Cheyenne(Walker),Lawman(John Russell),77 Sunset Strip(Edd "Kookie" Byrnes), andThe Alaskans(Ray Danton) as well as Warners contract stars such asAndra Martin,Claude Akins,Rhodes ReasonandGary Vinson.

The novel was based on the real lifeLuther Kelly.[2]

Plot

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Trapper Yellowstone Kelly and his partner Anse Harper come upon the sick Arapaho Wahleeh. Wahleeh is a captive of Sioux Chief Gall and is desired by both Gall and his nephew Sayapi. Kelly keeps Wahleeh to cure her and promises to return her to Gall when spring comes. However Sayapi vows to take Wahleeh back and kill Kelly. As winter ends Wahleeh has recovered and wishes to return to her people and not be returned to Gall or Sayapi. She finds herself falling in love with Kelly, But Sayapi attacks Kelly's cabin while he is trapping, injuring Harper and taking Wahleeh away. When Kelly returns he finds his cabin burning and Harper alive but succumbing to his wounds. But, before his death, he tells Kelly that Sayapi has taken Wahleeh. Kelly tracks down Sayapi's band engaging in a gun fight that kills Sayapi and his braves. Kelly intends to keep his word and return Wahleeh to Gall despite his feelings for Wahleeh, but they come across a Cavalry troop that has been attacked by Gall. Gall and his warriors return to attack the troop. Before the attack, Gall confronts Kelly, telling him he can leave in peace if he gives up Wahleeh; but the troops must remain to be slaughtered. Kelly will not give up Wahleeh if it means the deaths of the soldiers. Gall's warriors mount the first attack killing many of the troops. All seems lost as Gall prepares for his second attack, when Wahleeh rides out to Gall in an attempt to save Kelly. Wahleeh is injured when her horse overturns while Kelly and Gall race to her side. Kelly clearly showing his feelings for Wahleeh tells Gall to end the battle so more don't have to feel as they do. Gall agrees and leaves with his warriors. Some time later Kelly and Waleeh are seen taking Kelly's fur pelts to a riverboat for delivery.

Cast

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Production

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Warner Bros announced the project in August 1956 saying thatJohn Waynewould star.[3]It was based on a novel by Clay Fisher, not published until April 1957.[4]When the novel came out theNew York Timessaid it "rates grade A without question".[5]

D.D. Beauchamp was hired to write a script.[6]Then Eliot Asinof was reported as working on the script.[7]Jack Warner assigned Irving Shermer as producer.[8]

By early 1959 the project had become a vehicle for Clint Walker, the star ofWarner Bros' hit TV showCheyenneand the final script was done by Burt Kennedy who was under contract to Warners at the time.[9]

Walker's co-star wasEdd Byrneswho had leapt to fame playing "Kookie" on the Warner Bros detective show77 Sunset Strip.[10][11]

Filming took place in April and June 1959, partly on location South ofFlagstaff, Arizonawhich is now modern day Sedona, Arizona. "I felt miserable and lost ten pounds in one month" said Byrnes.[12]Ray Dantonwas signed to a long-term contract at Warners after the film.[13]

Reception

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TheLos Angeles Timescalled the film "fairly good" in which Byrnes was "a bit too contemporary. Let it be said that he left his comb somewhere in the Sunset Strip and played it straight from there. Burt Kennedy's script is first rate."[14]

According toKinematograph Weeklythe film performed "better than average" at the British box office in 1959.[15]

Comic book adaptation

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References

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  1. ^"1959: Probable Domestic Take",Variety,6 January 1960 p 34.
  2. ^Hager, C. Michael.Brief biography, RareWinchesters. Accessed: July 19, 2013.
  3. ^"Going forward, says new warnrer bros. head".Los Angeles Times.August 6, 1956.ProQuest167000195.
  4. ^"Books and authors".New York Times.April 29, 1957.ProQuest113999012.
  5. ^H. B. (September 1, 1957). "Roundup on the western range".New York Times.ProQuest114170286.
  6. ^THOMAS M PRYOR (August 9, 1956). "FOX SIGNS WALD FOR 18 PICTURES".New York Times.ProQuest113787433.
  7. ^"MOVIELAND EVENTS".Los Angeles Times.April 9, 1957.ProQuest167096214.
  8. ^Schallert, E. (April 16, 1957). "Cobb battles brynner as karamazov father; randall now dramatic".Los Angeles Times.ProQuest167098399.
  9. ^"Burt Kennedy: Writing Broadway in Arizona".Parallax View.November 6, 2008.
  10. ^Hopper, H. (February 5, 1959). "Gloria grahame returns to films after two years".Chicago Daily Tribune.ProQuest182263353.
  11. ^MURRY, S. (August 30, 1959). "SUCCESS STORY".New York Times.ProQuest114669001.
  12. ^Wolters, L. (August 9, 1959). "Kookie is kool, man, kool!".Chicago Daily Tribune.ProQuest182377654.
  13. ^"FILMLAND EVENTS".Los Angeles Times.June 26, 1959.ProQuest167462109.
  14. ^Warren, G. (September 18, 1959). "'Yellowstone kelly' proves solid western ".Los Angeles Times.ProQuest167558238.
  15. ^Billings, Josh (December 17, 1959). "Other better-than-average offerings".Kinematograph Weekly.p. 7.
  16. ^"Dell Four Color #1056".Grand Comics Database.
  17. ^Dell Four Color #1056at the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)
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