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Movie hats

Bigger Don

Practically Family
Along with much of America, we're on our xth repetition of A Christmas Story.
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17,579
I had no idea. Very interesting, Jack. I'd love to visit that.
Blackthorn, the dugout is located in the rolling Sni-A Bar Hills on what was the Morgan Walker Farm where lots of Quantrill history was made leading up to the war. In the historical novel the movie is based on, the Walker name was changed to the fictional character of Orton Brown.
 

Bigger Don

Practically Family
Great movie. The house where it was filmed in Cleveland is open to the public, and has a little museum with it. I hope to get up there some day for a pilgrimage.:D
From June 14 (an infamous day) to December of 1994 I had a client across the street from where they stood in front of Higbee's during the Christmas parade. Unfortunately, what was once Higbee's is now a casino, or so I've read.

There are some shots of the building with my office in the movie as well as the war memorial across the street from where they stood. Odd for a movie, they seemed to keep everything in proper alignment with reality. In the other direction (screen right), but not in the movie, is the entrance to Terminal Tower, at one time the tallest building between NYC and Chicago...and may still be.

If you make the pilgrimage to Cleveland, my suggestion is take the train downtown from some point. Do this in December, when it's snowing if possible. When you get to Terminal Tower, take the escalator to street level. Walk out the main doors, veering right.. Keep your eyes down...just high enough to see the sidewalk and people in front of you. About the time you see the corner of Higbees (the casino), stop. Close your eyes. Turn 90 degrees to the left, facing away from "Higbee's". Lift your head. Smile. Open your eyes.


One more thing: In about 1987 I was fortunate to attend a luncheon where Jean Shepherd spoke. Delightful man!
 

T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,613
Location
Central Ohio
A lazy day at home and I broke out the dvd set and we are watching these movies now..............
Your post reminded me we had them. They have great hats too!!!!!
Cheers,
M
I also got to rewatch "Manhattan Melodrama" with William Powell, Myrna Loy, and Clark Gable. Great movie. It was the movie that John Dillinger finished watching the night he was shot to death by the FBI outside of the theater where it was playing.
 
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15,238
Location
Somewhere south of crazy
From June 14 (an infamous day) to December of 1994 I had a client across the street from where they stood in front of Higbee's during the Christmas parade. Unfortunately, what was once Higbee's is now a casino, or so I've read.

There are some shots of the building with my office in the movie as well as the war memorial across the street from where they stood. Odd for a movie, they seemed to keep everything in proper alignment with reality. In the other direction (screen right), but not in the movie, is the entrance to Terminal Tower, at one time the tallest building between NYC and Chicago...and may still be.

If you make the pilgrimage to Cleveland, my suggestion is take the train downtown from some point. Do this in December, when it's snowing if possible. When you get to Terminal Tower, take the escalator to street level. Walk out the main doors, veering right.. Keep your eyes down...just high enough to see the sidewalk and people in front of you. About the time you see the corner of Higbees (the casino), stop. Close your eyes. Turn 90 degrees to the left, facing away from "Higbee's". Lift your head. Smile. Open your eyes.


One more thing: In about 1987 I was fortunate to attend a luncheon where Jean Shepherd spoke. Delightful man!
Ha, thanks for the tips Don. Are you in Cleveland? I'm in Canton.
 
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17,579
Thanks Jack. I see that I'll never be able to visit it in person, but I can enjoy the history in the movie at least.
Blackthorn the movie is very enjoyable when you know the true history it parallels. The fictional character Pitt Mackeson in the movie is based on Archie J "Little Archie" Clements who was one of several men who refused to surrender at the end of the war knowing he was likely to be killed just returning home. Towards the end of the movie when Mackeson says he believes he'll ride into "Newport" & have himself a drink that is a direct reference to Clements. Clements was shot & killed in a Saloon soon after returning home but it took three men to do it.

For yrs it was unknown where Clements lay buried because his family dug him up & moved him in the middle of the night at least once because they feared he would be dug up & decapitated, his head placed on a pole & paraded around by his enemies just like was done to Bloody Bill Anderson; a common practice among enemies in those days. Where ever he ended up his final resting place went unmarked. Even his current day descendent's wanted to know. Once the research was done & his grave was located it was finally marked for the first time.

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Blackthorn

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,512
Location
Oroville
Fascinating, Jack, thanks. My ancestors were Confederate soldiers and that whole era never ceases to hold my interest. The story is told that guerrillas came through the area stealing horses, while my great grandfather was away fighting the war. My great grandmother had already had much stolen, but she saved the horse by leading it down into a hollow where the spring was, and lots of brush. She held her hand over the horses nose so it couldn't make noise when the other horses came by, until the guerrillas left. Hard times. When her husband came home, he would never speak of the things he saw and endured.
 

RJR

Messages
10,620
Location
Iowa
Blackthorn the movie is very enjoyable when you know the true history it parallels. The fictional character Pitt Mackeson in the movie is based on Archie J "Little Archie" Clements who was one of several men who refused to surrender at the end of the war knowing he was likely to be killed just returning home. Towards the end of the movie when Mackeson says he believes he'll ride into "Newport" & have himself a drink that is a direct reference to Clements. Clements was shot & killed in a Saloon soon after returning home but it took three men to do it.

For yrs it was unknown where Clements lay buried because his family dug him up & moved him in the middle of the night at least once because they feared he would be dug up & decapitated, his head placed on a pole & paraded around by his enemies just like was done to Bloody Bill Anderson; a common practice among enemies in those days. Where ever he ended up his final resting place went unmarked. Even his current day descendent's wanted to know. Once the research was done & his grave was located it was finally marked for the first time.

flyovn.jpg
Interesting.
 
Messages
17,579
Fascinating, Jack, thanks. My ancestors were Confederate soldiers and that whole era never ceases to hold my interest. The story is told that guerrillas came through the area stealing horses, while my great grandfather was away fighting the war. My great grandmother had already had much stolen, but she saved the horse by leading it down into a hollow where the spring was, and lots of brush. She held her hand over the horses nose so it couldn't make noise when the other horses came by, until the guerrillas left. Hard times. When her husband came home, he would never speak of the things he saw and endured.
Blackthorn,

My great-great paternal grandfather & his older brother joined up & fought in the war together. He survived & endured to come home alive but his brother didn't. This spring will mark the 100th anniversary of his death in 1917. I have been planning a memorial service in his honor with re-enactors etc, & recently received permission to hold it in a small country church built in 1879 not far from the cemetery where the two are buried.

As word spread of my plans I was contacted by an ordained minister whose ancestor was a minister during the war. His ancestor frequently ministered to & harbored some of Quantrill's men. He even conducted secret weddings for some of them. It is unknown if his & my ancestors would have known each other however since mine did not ride for Quantrill. He has agreed to conduct the memorial service for me.

There's a lot more that goes into the "why" for doing all this but I'll leave that unsaid.
 

RJR

Messages
10,620
Location
Iowa
Blackthorn,

My great-great paternal grandfather & his older brother joined up & fought in the war together. He survived & endured to come home alive but his brother didn't. This spring will mark the 100th anniversary of his death in 1917. I have been planning a memorial service in his honor with re-enactors etc, & recently received permission to hold it in a small country church built in 1879 not far from the cemetery where the two are buried.

As word spread of my plans I was contacted by an ordained minister whose ancestor was a minister during the war. His ancestor frequently ministered to & harbored some of Quantrill's men. He even conducted secret weddings for some of them. It is unknown if his & my ancestors would have known each other however since mine did not ride for Quantrill. He has agreed to conduct the memorial service for me.

There's a lot more that goes into the "why" for doing all this but I'll leave that unsaid.
Fascjnating,Jack.The maternal side of my family came from east Tennessee and served for the south while my dad's side were union.My paternal grand
father died at 100 years old in 1968.Several of his brothers and other relations fought for the union and he remembered hearing their stories after the war.
Putting tales together from both sides at some point relatives serving both sides were in battle just south of you at Pea Ridge,AR.I have been by the battlefield any number of times but haven't ever taken time to study and visit.I need to do that.
 

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