Roundup: December 12, 2012

Join the Westerners Los Angeles Corral for the December 2012 Roundup, Wednesday, December 12, 2012, at Almansor Court, 700 South Almansor, Alhambra, California.

Social Hour will begin at 5PM, with Dinner served at 6PM.

Our speaker will be Abe Hoffman, and his topic is entitled Actor, Outlaw, Author, Lawmen: Encounters between William S. Hart, Al Jennings, James Franklin, “Bud” Ledbetter and Bill Tilghman.

For more information:

This will be a new presentation on Western films. In 1897 William S. Hart, at that time a stage actor, was in the town of Muskogee, Indian Territory, to present a play. While riding out into the countryside he encountered Al Jennings and his gang who had recently robbed a train. Hart gave the outlaws passes to see his play, which they did, knowing that Marshal Bud Ledbetter was in the audience. Hart went on to a successful career as a film actor; Jennings was captured and went to prison. While in prison he met William Sydney Porter, serving a term for embezzlement. Freed from prison, Jennings wrote an autobiography and eventually went to Hollywood to act in movies. Tilghman and Ledbetter detested the movie Jennings had made about his life and made their own movie. Jennings went on to appear in a number of other films and eventually made Lady of the Dugout. He sent Hart a pass, repaying him for his courtesy more than twenty years earlier. The interchange between these men makes for a fascinating and little-known episode in the early history of Western films.

Dr. Abe Hoffman has given several presentations on Western films and actors. He is a long-time Los Angeles Corral member and former Sheriff (1997). Abe is an author, past Branding Iron editor and professor as well as a member of several other history organizations. In preparation for tonight’s talk, related, silent movies “Lady of the Dugout” (1918) and “Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaw” (1915) will be playing as background during the dinner hour.

Joe Cavallo, Deputy Sheriff

PHOTOS from this RoundUp can be found here.