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John Wayne’s Stagecoach Stunts Sparked A Battle With The Studio – My Blog

It’s rare to see John Wayne back down in a standoff, but that’s exactly what happened when shooting one of his most revered films. By 1939, Wayne was no stranger to Westerns, though he wasn’t yet a household name. Wayne had already appeared in a string of uncredited roles in films by the legendary director John Ford in the late ’20s. So, when Ford made his triumphant return to the Western genre with “Stagecoach” he tapped Wayne for the lead character, Ringo Kid.Casting Wayne was the first of a lengthy series of battles with United Artists. The studio wanted a big name for the film, but Ford had a feeling about the charismatic 32 year old and insisted on him for the role. Ford introduces viewers to Wayne in dramatic fashion, with a zoom-in on a rifle-wielding Ringo Kid in front of a gorgeous landscape of Monument Valley plateaus (where many of Ford’s Westerns were shot). When Marshall Curley says, “Hello, Kid” to Ringo, he might as well have been speaking collectively for U.S. film audiences. We called it Wayne’s best movie moment ever.The fight to secure Wayne for the role of Ringo Kid wasn’t the last for Ford or Wayne in the production of “Stagecoach.” Behind the scenes, a standoff between Wayne and the studio took place that rivaled a climax from one of his films. Only this time, The Duke didn’t come out on top.Wayne was doing nearly all of the stuntsUnited ArtistsAlthough not considered a single-location film (movies with narratives that take place entirely in one location), much of “Stagecoach” takes place inside the cramped confines of the titular horse-drawn carriage. It’s there that Ford introduces us to a collection of flawed characters traveling from Arizona to New Mexico. To get there, they must pass through what was labeled dangerous Apache country (in an unfortunate but common classical Hollywood stereotype of Native Americans as bloodthirsty savages).The stagecoach group includes a prostitute, a drunken doctor, a crooked banker, and a whiskey salesman. Along the way, they pick up Ringo Kid, who recently escaped from prison to avenge the murder of his father and brother. When they lose their cavalry escort, Ringo leads the group to their destination and exacts revenge against the men that killed his family. That’s where the typical Western shootouts and action sequences ensue.In the John Wayne biography “Shooting Star,” author Maurice Zolotow explains that a battle raged behind the scenes over Wayne’s stunt work in the film. Zolotow writes:“Ford permitted Wayne to do many of his own stunts, though he took the risk of Wayne breaking a leg and holding up production. He did it against the opposition of [United Artists producer Walter] Wanger because he knew it would give Duke a better sense of reality, though he insisted on [stuntman Yakima] Canutt doing the most hazardous stunts.”But Wanger pushed back, setting up a real-life standoff that was befitting of a dusty Old West thoroughfare.‘I’m not an actor … I’m a stuntman’United Artists“Stagecoach” could be considered as much a drama as it is a traditional Western. Even so, there was plenty of action to keep Wayne and stunt coordinator Yakima Canutt busy. But the sight of their budding star jumping onto roofs made United Artists nervous. According to Zolotow:“Visiting the set one morning, out in Monument Valley, producer [Walter] Wanger was shocked to see Duke playing a scene in which he leaped out of the stagecoach and climbed on the roof. ‘Jack,’ he said to the director, ‘I want you to get Wayne to stop stunting. He is too valuable to lose.’”Ford told Wanger that he’d have to tell Wayne himself. The veteran producer didn’t back down. “Duke, you are going to be an outstanding star. I do not want you to do any more of these stunts,” Wanger told Wayne. “My God, if you broke a leg or an arm it would hold up the picture for weeks.”The young actor, starring in his biggest film to date, boldly responded to the producer as only The Duke could. “Now, Mr. Wanger, there is no need for you to worry,” Wayne answered, as if in character. “I can handle myself. I been ridin’ horses and stuntin’ for years. I’m not an actor. I don’t act. I react. I’m just a stuntman.”Despite Wayne’s protest, Wanger persisted. Ford eventually stepped in so they wouldn’t lose production time and convinced Wayne to let his stunt double do most of the work. It was a rare defeat but ultimately a win for The Duke. The film cemented his status as a Western icon and is included on the U.S. Library of Congress National Film Registry for its cultural significance.

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Mel Gibson slammed for sharing ‘insane’ conspiracy theory about LA fires after his mansion burns down

Mel Gibson has been met with backlash from social media users after discussing a conspiracy theory on live TV regarding the Los Angeles wildfires.

The 69-year-old actor revealed over the weekend that he had lost his Malibu home in the blaze after it succumbed to the flames while he was a guest on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

Speaking on Elizabeth Vargas Reports on NewsNation, Gibson revealed he was in Austin, Texas, when he found out that his multi-million dollar mansion was “completely toasted” ,describing the loss as both “devastating” and “emotional”.

“I’ve never seen such a complete burn,” Gibson said. “It is obviously devastating, it’s emotional. You live there for a long time, and you had all your stuff. I lived there for about 14, 15 years, so it was home to me.”

Now, Gibson has appeared on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle to speak about a conspiracy theory that even he admitted was “insane”.

He told the host: “I know they were messing with the water, letting reserves go for one reason or another. They’ve been doing that a while. California has a lot of problems that sort of baffle the mind as far as why they do things.”

Gibson then asked the questions, “Is it on purpose?” and “Do they want the state empty?”

The actor then admitted he was guilty of concocting “horrible theories” about the fires in his mind, adding: “I can make all kinds of horrible theories up in my head, conspiracy theories and everything else, but it just seemed a little convenient that there was no water.”

“And that the wind conditions were right and that there are people ready and willing and able to start fires,” Gibson continued. “And are they commissioned to do so or acting on their own volition? I don’t know. But they seem pretty well equipped these people that they are catching.”

During their discussion, Ingraham said: “Well, now there’s already talk. And we played a couple of soundbites. Of re-imagining the way rebuilding occurs.

“And obviously there’s a great need for high-density housing in California and across the country. That’s a big push by the climate folks. And you’re already hearing rumblings of that. In this case, like goodbye single-family homes. Hello high-density housing!”

In response to the segment, viewers took to X to bash the actor’s baseless claims.

“Conspiracy theories are his last claims to fame,” one person wrote, with another adding: “The has been is now an expert on water reserves.”

A third tweeted: “I will never watch another movie with him in it.”

“Mel needs a rest,” one viewer responded, with another simply writing: “Shameful.”

The fires remain one of the most destructive and costly disasters in US history.

At least 16 people have lost their lives — 11 in the Eaton Fire and five in the Palisades Fire. Thirteen others remain missing, as of this writing.

As firefighters continue to contain the blazes, officials have issued critical health and safety warnings to the public:

Water Safety: Residents in and around Pacific Palisades have been advised not to drink tap water due to potential contamination from the fires. Bottled water is being distributed at Westwood Recreation Centre and Brentwood Country Club.

Air Quality: The LA County Public Health Department has urged residents to avoid using power blowers like leaf blowers to limit exposure to ash, smoke, and particulate matter worsened by the fires and windstorm conditions.

Ocean Waters: Authorities have also warned against swimming, surfing, or playing in ocean waters between Surfrider Beach and Dockweiler State Beach, covering a 20-mile stretch. “People entering these waters could become ill,” the department stated.

Meanwhile, early estimates suggest that recovery efforts in the Los Angeles area could cost upwards of $150 billion, per AccuWeather.

Our thoughts continue to go out to everybody impacted by this unfolding tragedy.

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How people view beauty in American and the world at large

The standard of beauty is changing, driven by social media, where women can proudly display their natural beauty in all shapes and sizes. A recent study in the *International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology, and Education* confirms this shift, showing that the average American woman now wears between a size 16 and 18, rather than the size 14 of previous years.

The study, which analyzed data from over 5,500 U.S. women, found that the average waist size has increased from 34.9 inches to 37.5 inches over the last two decades. Susan Dunn, a lead expert on the study, believes this information is crucial: “Just knowing where the average is can help a lot of women with their self-image.”

Dunn, along with co-author Deborah Christel, calls on the fashion industry to adapt to these changes. “These women aren’t going away, they aren’t going to disappear, and they deserve to have clothing,” Dunn emphasizes.

The message is clear: it’s time for clothing designers to update their sizing standards to reflect the reality of the modern American woman, embracing her true shape and size.

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She hasn’t cut her hairs for 20years, even though her husband begged her to. Then, one day, she finally gave up and cut her hair! Better sit down before you see what this woman looks like today

Whether it’s the boring hairstyle we’ve had for years or the clothes we got tired of, a little change always makes us feel better.

Rosa Ramirez, an American woman, saw that it was time for a change after 25 years of not getting her hair cut.

Because her hair was so long, she sometimes walked on it.

Over the years, her husband had tried to get her to change her hairstyle, but she was always proud of her 1.5-meter-long hair.

She finally had enough and went to the hairdresser with some friends after 25 years of hard work. She had her hair cut to her shoulders.

The owner of the hair salon, Eda Motchka, told WXYZ-TV Detroit, “We love seeing different things done on customers, different styles. We meet a lot, and I always see her the same way.”

But she did what she did for a reason. Locks of Love is a nonprofit that makes wigs for kids whose hair has been lost to cancer. Rosa sent 4 feet of her hair to them.

Ramirez said, “I think it would make someone’s day who is sick a little better.”

Rosa’s change over time is very interesting to watch. Watch how it works in the video below.

 

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