Flaming Star - 20th Century Fox
1960 |
By: For Elvis Fans Only
Source: EPE
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Flaming Star |
Elvis'
sixth movie was "Flaming Star." A
serious movie not only displaying the
singer Elvis and his songs. Elvis plays
under direction of Don Siegel (Dirty
Harry) the son of a Indian mother and a
white father. Originally the role was
meant to be done by Marlon Brando. The
original title of the movie was 'Black
Star', but that was changed because of
commercial goals.
Pacer (Elvis Presley) and Clint (Steve
Forrest) Burton arrives at their
parents' ranch in the early evening.
They are welcomed with a surprise party
for Clint's birthday by their parents,
Neddy (Dolores Del Rio) and Sam (John
Mclntire), and some friends. Among them
are Tom (L.Q.Jones) and Will (Douglas
Dick) Howard and their sister Dorothy
(Anne Benton). The party breaks up early
because the Howards have a ten-mile
ride. A Kiowa war party, led by Buffalo
Horn (Rudolpho Acosta), is waiting for
the Howards and everyone is killed and
their ranch burned.
A posse of white men led by Dred Pierce
(Karl Swenson) arrives at the Burtons'
ranch. They demand a declaration that
the Burtons are on their side. They
insult Neddy (who is a Kiowa), which
results in a shooting incident, after
which the posse shoots some of the
Burton cattle and scatters the rest. The
next day Sam and Clint go to catch the
remaining of the cattle, and Pacer stays
to guard his mother. Pacer feeds two
trappers, who, while he is outside,
humiliate Neddy. She hits one with a
ladle, and they fly when Pacer tells
them that Sam and Clint have returned.
Pacer beats them outside.
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Barbara Eden & Elvis Presley in
Flaming Star |
Next
morning Buffalo Horn arrives and asks
Pacer to join him. When Pacer refuses,
he is told that his ranch will be the
next to go. He and Neddy decide to go
with Buffalo Horn to the Kiowa camp to
try to stop this impending disaster for
everyone. Neddy is refused by the Kiowa
but Pacer is accepted and allowed to
return home before making his decision.
He and Neddy are escorted by his boyhood
friend, Two Moons (Perry Lopez) . Will
Howard has survived the massacre and is
wandering the countryside, obsessed with
vengeance. He kills Two Moons and badly
wounds Neddy. At the ranch Sam takes
care of his wife. But when he leaves to
water the stock, she follows some deep
instinct to go into the mountains in
search of her "flaming star" of death.
Sam sees her, and she dies in his arms.
Pacer, Clint, Roz and the doctor arrive
too late. In his grief, Pacer curses all
those who delayed the doctor and decides
to join the Kiowa.
Clint, decides to fight the Indians and
attacks them in the middle of the night.
He kills the chief, but gets badly
wounded. In order to save his brother
Pacer leaves the Kiowa again and ties
his brother on his horse and sends him
to the city. He keeps the Indians busy
until he's sure his brother is safe.
Clint wakes up in bed and wants to get
up to help his brother. He sees Pacer
arriving in the city and wants to take
care of him. But Pacer, who is still too
much Kiowa knows his time has come and
rides towards his flaming star.
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Elvis Presley .... Pacer Burton,
Steve Forrest. |
The
film almost didn't happen. It was based
on a novel written by Clair Huffaker
that was published in 1958.
Pre-publication, the publisher first
announced the title as "The Brothers of
Broken Lance." They also announced that
Fox had bought the movie rights to the
novel, going so far as to say that
Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra would
play the Burton brothers. The title
changed to "The Brothers of Flaming
Arrow" and filming was to start in June
of 1958. Negotiations with the actors
broke down and the film, by then named
"Flaming Lance," was put on hold until
June of 1960, when it was announced that
Elvis Presley would play the lead role
of Pacer Burton.
By August of 1960 another title change
took the film from "Flaming Lance" to
"Flaming Heart," which became "Black
Heart" and then "Black Star." Elvis
recorded the title song "Black
Star" before the final title change to
"Flaming Star" and then had to re-record
the title song to fit the final change.
Elvis reported for pre-production work
on August 1, 1960 and began two weeks of
riding lessons to increase his riding
skills. He was thrown once while
practicing, but wasn't hurt. Elvis would
own and enjoy riding horses for the rest
of his life. On August 4, 1960 blue-eyed
Elvis was fitted for brown contact
lenses for his role as Pacer Burton, a
character who was Caucasian, half Native
American. Ultimately, he would not the
use them in the role.
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Flaming Star DVD |
On
August 16, 1960 principle photography
began. Interior scenes were shot on the
Fox stage while exteriors were shot at
locations in the San Fernando Valley,
including the Conejo Movie Ranch near
Thousand Oaks. Elvis's friend and
entourage member Red West had a small
uncredited role as an Native American.
Red injured his arm in a fight scene.
Shooting for "Flaming Star" wrapped up
by October 4th and Elvis went into the
recording studio on the 7th to re-record
the title song, using the final title
name "Flaming Star". On November 23 and
25, 1960 polls taken at advance
screenings of the film showed that the
audiences preferred that two of the
songs originally recorded for the film
be left out of the final print. As a
result, the songs "Britches" and "Summer
Kisses, Winter Tears" were cut from the
movie.
The movie opened nationwide on December
22, 1960. It was #12 on the National Box
Office Survey for that week. The movie
which focused on the complications of a
bi-racial family was banned in South
Africa due to the strict laws of racial
separation there. Elvis was honored by a
tribal council for his positive
portrayal of a Native American.
Actor Steve Forrest played Clint Burton,
half brother to Elvis' character Pacer.
Steve Forrest was born William Forrest
Andrews and his brother is actor Dana
Andrews. In 1954, Mr. Forrest shared a
Golden Globe Award as Most Promising
Newcomer Male with actors Hugh O'Brien
and Richard Egan, (Egan co-starred with
Elvis in
"Love
Me Tender"
in 1956.) Steve Forrest worked in such
films as "The Longest Day," "The
Deerslayer," "North Dallas Forty" and "Mommie
Dearest." He also has had a number of
roles in TV series including "Dallas"
and his starring role in the TV series "S.W.A.T."
Barbara
Eden
played the role of Clint's girlfriend
Roslyn Pierce. When Ms. Eden was first
approached for the role, she was busy
with other commitments. British actress
Barbara Steele was hired instead. Ms.
Steele's heavy accent proved to be too
problematic and she was let go. By that
time, Barbara Eden was available and she
played the part. Ms. Eden was a
cheerleader and a pop singer as a
teenager. She made her film debut in the
movie "Back From Eternity" followed by
roles in "Will Success Spoil Rock
Hunter?," "Voyage To the Bottom of the
Sea," and "Harper Valley P.T.A." The
latter inspired a TV series in which she
starred. She is best known for her
long-running role as the Jeannie, the
genie in a bottle, in the "I Dream of
Jeannie" television series. That role
garnered her Golden Globe Award
nominations in 1967 and 1970. In recent
years, the one-time wife of actor
Michael Ansara who worked with Elvis in
his film "Harum
Scarum",
has had a number of roles in made-for-TV
movies.
Dolores del Rio
played Pacer's Kiowa mother Neddy
Burton. Ms. del Rio was born and raised
as an aristocrat in her native Mexico
and she became known as the "First Lady
of Mexican Cinema." She emigrated to
Hollywood in the early 1920s and, with
her exotic beauty, she was often
referred to as "the female Rudolph
Valentino." She played sultry Latin
women as well as Polynesian and French
ladies. It was her role as Longfellow's
heroine Evangeline that inspired a
statue of her likeness as Evangeline to
be made and placed beside St. Martin de
Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville,
Louisiana. It is on the spot marking the
alleged burial place of Emmeline Labiche,
who is said to have been Longfellow's
inspiration. In 1942 Ms. del Rio moved
back to Mexico and continued her career
there and was nominated for the Silver
Ariel, Mexico's version of the Academy
Award. She was nominated five times,
winning three. She only periodically
returned to Hollywood to play supporting
roles such as the one she played in
"Flaming Star."
Crusty character actor John McIntire
played Pacer's father Sam Burton.
McIntire grew up in Montana where he
learned to ride and raise horses. He
attended USC and started his long career
as a radio announcer. It was his rugged
features and deep voice that helped
propel him into his many roles in
Western films and TV series. He and his
wife of 56 years, actress Jeanette
Nolan, often acted together. He might be
best remembered for his starring role as
Christopher Hale in the TV series "Wagon
Train" and his role as Clay Grainger in
the series "The Virginian."
Rodolfo Acosta played the role of
Buffalo Horn. He, like Ms. del Rio, was
born in Mexico and had roles in a number
of Mexican films. He received a
nomination in 1950 for a Silver Ariel
Award as Best Supporting Actor. He moved
to the U. S. where he was very
successful in playing Mexicans and
Native Americans and most often the
Western villain. He had roles in such
films as "One-Eyed Jacks," "How the West
Was Won," "The Sons of Katie Elder" and
"The Greatest Story Ever Told." He had a
recurring role as Vaquero in the the TV
series "High Chaparral" as well as
making numerous guest appearances on
other TV series.
Karl Swenson played Dred Pierce. His
long career as a character actor also
included a number of TV series. Most
notable might be his long time role as
Lars Henson on the TV show "Little House
on the Prairie". He also had roles in
such films as "North To Alaska", "How
The West Was Won" and "The Sons of Katie
Elder."
Ford Rainey played Doc Phillips. A
native of Idaho, Mr. Rainey studied
acting in New York where he pursued work
on stage. He served in the U.S. Coast
Guard during World War II then moved to
California and began his film career in
1949. He has had hundreds of roles in
both film and TV. His most recent role
at the age of 94 was in the 2002 movie
"Purgatory Flats."
Virginia Christine played Mrs. Phillips.
This veteran character actress was also
a concert pianist and trained soprano.
She studied dancing and acting and spoke
several languages. She had roles in such
films as "High Noon," "Judgment At
Nuremberg" and "Guess Who's Coming To
Dinner." However, she is best known for
her twenty-one years playing Mrs. Olson
on the TV commercials for Folgers
Coffee. In her hometown of Stanton,
Iowa, the city water tower was made into
the shape of a coffee pot in her honor.
Clair Huffaker had written for the TV
series "Lawman", "Rawhide" and
"Bonanza;" however, adapting his novel
"Flaming Star" was his first attempt at
a screenplay. The studio teamed him with
seasoned veteran Nunnally Johnson to
write for this film. Mr. Huffaker went
on to write for the 1962 film "The
Commancheros", for which he received a
Western Heritage Award. He also wrote
for the films "The War Wagon" and "Flap"
among others.
Nunnally Johnson received four Academy
Award nominations for his writing skills
in the films "The Grapes of Wrath," "The
Pied Piper," "The World of Henry Orient"
and "Holy Matrimony." He also produced
and directed, with critical acclaim,
such films as "The Man in the Gray
Flannel Suit," "How To Marry a
Millionaire," and "The Three Faces of
Eve."
The producer was David Weisbart, who had
also produced Elvis's first film "Love
Me Tender." After "Flaming Star," he
produced the Elvis films "Follow That
Dream" and "Kid Galahad." Other films
Mr. Weisbart produced were "Rebel
Without a Cause," "April Love," "Goodbye
Charlie" and "Valley of the Dolls." He
also worked as a film editor on such
films as "The Glass Menagerie," "Mildred
Pierce" and "A Streetcar Named Desire."
He was nominated for an Academy Award
for his editing work in the 1949 film
"Johnny Belinda."
Mr. Weisbart brought in Don Siegel as
the director. Mr. Siegel was educated at
Cambridge and trained at the London
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art as an
actor. He didn't do well as a performer
and turned to directing in the 1930s. He
first worked on montage sequences for
Warner Brothers. He then worked on films
such as "Riot In Cell Block 11," "Baby
Face Nelson," and the original "Invasion
of the Body Snatchers." Later, he teamed
with Clint Eastwood on the films "Two
Mules For Sister Sara," "Dirty Harry,"
"The Beguiled" and "Escape From
Alcatraz."
Richard Jaeckel played Angus Pierce. He
began his career after working in the
mailroom at Fox. He would go on to have
roles in many Western films and war
films such as "3:10 To Yuma," "Come Back
Little Sheba," "Chisum," "The Dirty
Dozen," and "Sands of Iwo Jima." For his
performance in "Sometimes A Great
Notion" he received an Academy Award
nomination for Best Supporting Actor of
1972. He also had a role in the TV
series "Baywatch" as Lt. Ben Edwards. He
was honored with a star on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame in 1994.
L. Q. Jones played Tom Howard. You might
also recognize him from his roles in the
Elvis films "Love Me Tender" and "Stay
Away Joe." Mr. Jones began life in Texas
a Justus McQueen. He took on the name of
his character L.Q. Jones in his first
film, the 1955 movie "Battle Cry" and
used throughout his long career in
movies and TV. He has had roles in such
movies as "The Young Lions," "Ride The
High Country," "Major Dundee" and "The
Wild Bunch". His most recent parts were
in the films "The Patriot," "The Mask of
Zorro" and "Route 666".
Douglas Dick played Will Howard. He
began his movie and TV career in 1946.
"Flaming Star" was his last movie role.
His last TV role was in 1967 on the show
"Mannix." Mr. Dick retired from acting
and became a psychologist.
Larry Chance played an uncredited Indian
Chief and would later play Captain Herat
in the Elvis movie "Harum
Scarum".
Roy Jenson played Matt Holcom. He had a
long career in film and TV as a
character actor. He had played football
for UCLA and then played professional
ball for teams in Canada.
Native American actor Rodd Redwing
played an Indian brave. Years later, he
had a role in the Elvis film "Charro!"
Redwing was a renowned fast-draw artist
and he taught gun handling to many
actors, including Elvis. He also made
the gun holster that Elvis used in the
film "Charro!"
Charles Horvath, one of the top stunt
men in the industry, played the man who
attempted to molest Pacer's mother. Mr.
Horvath was a judo and karate instructor
for both the FBI and the U.S. Marines.
Loren Janes was another who performed
stunts in this film. Janes was an
Olympic pentathlete and co-founder of
the Stuntmen's Association. He worked
with Elvis once before in the film
"Jailhouse
Rock".
Roy Jenson was another of the stunt men.
He had been a pro football player and
winner of a Western Heritage Award.
Thomas A. Sweet was also a stuntman in
this film. He worked with Elvis again
years later in the film "Stay
Away Joe".
The cinematographer for "Flaming Star"
was the five-time Academy Award nominee
Charles G. Clarke. Mr. Clarke won a
Technical Achievement Academy Award in
1944 for the development and application
of a device that composed artificial
clouds into motion picture scenes during
production photography. In 1980 he
received a Medal of Commendation from
the Academy "in appreciation for
outstanding service and dedication in
upholding the high standards of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences."
The film editor was Hugh S. Fowler. He
received an Academy Award in 1971 for
his work in the movie "Patton," which
was a film that happened to become one
of Elvis's personal favorites to watch.
One of the set decorators was
twenty-one-time Academy Award nominee
Walter M. Scott. Mr. Scott's six Academy
Award wins were for the films "Hello
Dolly," "Fantastic Voyage," "Cleopatra",
The Diary of Anne Frank," "The King And
I" and "The Robe."
Makeup was done by Ben Nye, Sr., whose
329 movie credits also include the two
Elvis films
"Love
Me Tender" and
"Wild
In The Country".
Hair stylist Helen Turpin also worked on
"Love Me Tender" and "Wild In The
Country."
Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker,
scheduled a number of visitors to the
set of Elvis' sixth film, "Flaming
Star". Included in the visitors was
photographer Don Cravens who
photographed Elvis on the set as well as
at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel for an
article in "Life" magazine. Mr. Cravens
was also commissioned to photograph
Elvis for future record covers including
the sleeve for the single "Are You
Lonesome Tonight?" and the gospel album
"His Hand In Mine."
On September 9, 1960, after Elvis and
his rowdy entourage wore out their
welcome at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel,
Elvis then leased a home in Bel Air at
525 Perugia Way. On September 12, 1960,
Elvis and Juliet Prowse, his co-star
from the movie
"G.I.
Blues",
attended a special showing "G.I. Blues"
for theater owners. Also attending was
gossip columnist Hedda Hopper and the
film's choreographer Charlie O'Curran
and his wife, singer Patti Page. On
Septenber 27, 1960 Elvis was visited on
set by his father Vernon and Vernon's
friends from Memphis, Mr. and Mrs.
Nichols, who had been to Hollywood in
1957 with Elvis' parents and visited him
on the set of "Loving You." Also on this
trip to visit was Elvis's Memphis fan
club president Gary Pepper.
Soundtrack
-
Flaming Star
- A Cane and A High Starched Collar
Although four songs were recorded for
the soundtrack of Flaming Star (the
other two being "Summer Kisses, Winter
Tears" and "Britches"), Elvis was only
seen singing "A Cane and A High Starched
Collar" in the picture while "Flaming
Star" was played behind the title
credits.
Recorded at:
20th Century Fox Studios,
Beverley Hills, California. August 1960
Musicians:
Elvis Presley (vocals), Howard Roberts,
Tiny Timbrell (guitars), Myer Rubin
(bass), Bernie Mattinson (drums), Dudley
Brookes (piano), Jimmie Haskell (accordian),
the Jordanaires (vocals).
Directed Don Siegel
Writing Credits Clair Huffaker, Nunnally
Johnson
Cast Overview
Elvis Presley .... Pacer Burton, Steve
Forrest .... Clint Burton, Barbara Eden
.... Roslyn Pierce, Dolores del Rio ....
Neddy Burton, John McIntire .... Sam
Burton, Rodolfo Acosta .... Buffalo
Horn, Karl Swenson .... Dred Pierce,
Ford Rainey .... Doc Phillips, Richard
Jaeckel .... Angus Pierce, Anne Benton
.... Dorothy Howard, L.Q. Jones .... Tom
Howard, Douglas Dick .... Will Howard,
Tom Reese .... Jute, Marian Goldina ....
Ph'sha Knay, rest of cast listed
alphabetically, Henry Armago .... Brave.
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