Field trip again. Today, after lunch, found us heading to Old Tucson Studios, home to more than 300 movies and television episodes (Little House on the Prairies, Bonanza, High Chapparal, Big Rio, Young Guns II, Three Amigos, among others), and still being used for shooting. But before we went there, we headed up to Gates Pass for a view over Old Tucson and down the valley.
Then back down to Old Tucson, which we weren’t too sure about. How many Old West towns do you need to see before they all start looking the same? But, we had a good time here. Every half hour they had some kind of show or demonstration going on. Shortly after we arrived, there was a stunt show – very entertaining and humorous. The site where they do this is actually currently being used for filming, so once the show was over, you weren’t allowed to get close to the structures. That was followed by a musical tribute, at the Grand Saloon, to some of the movies shot there. Four young women took turns singing theme songs, while clips from the movies were played on a large screen. We weren’t interested in the next show, so took a ride on the “train” that takes you around the compound (some narration from the engineer), and wandered around looking at the artificats and, in one building, all the news clippings from the movies shot there. Got a laugh out of one 1979 article about Ann Margret, starring in The Villain (with Kirk Douglas and Arnold Schwarzannager). The headline read “Ann Margret Still Sexy at 37”, and something about her not minding the label. Imagine that – not being washed up and frumpy at the ripe old age of 37.
After that we headed to our next show, the snake oil salesman. As we approached, one of the actors came up to me and asked if I wanted to trade hats. I said sure, and took his ratty old Andy Capp hat. He headed on stage and, as the assistant to the salesman, started his introduction wearing my big floppy sun hat. Then, while the salesman was doing his spiel, the assistant was wandering through the crowd. When the doctor asked for a volunteer, the assistant headed straight towards Robin. He then informed the salesman “this man paid me $10 … (long pause)… to volunteer … HER!” and he turned and pointed at me. So I got to be the ailing patient and prove how well his elixir worked. First I had to shoot a gun at a tin cup on top of a barrel. I supposedly missed, putting a hole in the barrel instead and causing water to spray out on another “volunteer”. This showed how my eyesight was failing, and he played a word game trick on me, to show how my mind was failing. Then I had to take a sip of the elixir. The elixir was sasparilla (kind of a mild root beer) and the first sip was OK. He tested me again to show that my mind was improving, then he told me to take a good slug of it. So, I took down two big mouthfuls, but when I tried to close up my throat, well the carbonated stuff just foamed up and out my mouth, down my chin, onto my hands and onto the stage. Then I had to shoot the gun again, and this time I “hit the target”. It was fun, but first stop after the show was the washroom to clean up. Shortly after that we headed back to camp.
After dinner we headed over to the rec hall for horse races (I won $1.10 and Robin won $4.25 - only down $1.15 between us) , then back to the behemouth and a bit of reading before bed.
Until next time dear followers, someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
Until next time dear followers, someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.