Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas -- George Montgomery


George Montgomery (1916 - 2000) was an American painter, sculptor, furniture craftsman, and stuntman who is best known as an actor and B-Western cowboy star.

He was born in Montana where grew up on a cattle ranch.  After high school he studied at the University of Montana, but left after a year to go to Hollywood.  In 1935 (at the age of 18) his cowboy skills won him a small acting part in a Republic movie.  He signed with 20th Century Fox in 1940 and played bit parts until he won a starring role in Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950) at United Artists.

Throughout the 1950s he appeared in several good quality Westerns for Columbia, United Artists and Warner Brothers.

As a boy, George Montgomery had developed an interest in woodworking and as an adult pastime he began building furniture.  His skill was such that his hobby became a full-fledged cabinet-making business, employing as many as 20 craftsmen.

He was also a self-taught artist who painted and sculpted.  He created more than 50 bronze sculptures including ones of John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Gene Autry, Randolph Scott, and future U.S. president Ronald Reagan.

George Montgomery's Santa Susana locations filmography:


Badman's Country (1958) starring George Montgomery, Neville Brand and Buster Crabbe (Iverson Ranch) Warner Bros.

Battle of Rogue River (1954) starring George Montgomery, Richard Denning and Martha Hyer - Columbia

Belle Starr's Daughter (1948) starring George Montgomery, Rod Cameron and Ruth Roman (Iverson Ranch) 20th Century-Fox


Cripple Creek (1952) starring George Montgomery, Karin Booth and Jerome Courtland (Iverson Ranch) Columbia


Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950) starring George Montgomery, Ellen Drew and Phillip Reed (Iverson Ranch) United Artists


Fort Ti (1953) starring George Montgomery, Joan Vohs and Irving Bacon (Corriganville) Columbia
Gun Belt (1953) starring George Montgomery, Tab Hunter and Helen Westcott (Iverson Ranch) United Artists


Gun Duel in Durango (1957) starring George Montgomery, Ann Robinson and Steve Brodie (Corriganville) United Artists
Indian Uprising (1952) starring George Montgomery, Audrey Long and Carl Benton Reid (Iverson Ranch) Columbia
Jack McCall Desperado (1953) starring George Montgomery, Angela Stevens and Douglas Kennedy - Columbia


Last of the Badmen (1957) starring George Montgomery, Keith Larsen and James Best (Iverson Ranch) Allied Artists
The Lone Gun (1954) starring George Montgomery, Dorothy Malone and Frank Faylen- United Artists
Man from God's Country (1958) starring George Montgomery, Randy Stuart and Gregg Barton (Iverson Ranch) Allied Artists
Masterson of Kansas (1954) starring George Montgomery, Nancy Gates and James Griffith (Corriganville) Columbia


Seminole Uprising (1955) starring George Montgomery, Karin Booth and William Fawcett (Corriganville) Columbia
The Texas Rangers (1951) starring George Montgomery, Gale Storm and Jerome Courtland (Corriganville)(Iverson Ranch) Columbia


Toughest Gun in Tombstone (1958) starring George Montgomery, Jim Davis and Beverly Tyler - United Artists

'Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas' is a continuing series about "six-gun heroes that performed on movie location ranches in Chatsworth, California.  For more information about Chatsworth filming locations see http://www.cowboyup.com/ to find information about my books: Rendezvous at Boulder Pass: Hollywood's Fantasyland - 2010 and Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas - 2008.

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