PrintThe Western Legends Roundup
Enlarge
Two performers from Dr Buck’s Wild Bunch shake hands before one of their shootouts. This will be the third year that the group participates in the Western Legends Roundup. Photography courtesy Dr. Buck Montgomery
What is the allure of Kanab, Utah? What inspired Zane Grey to move to the town and write his first successful novel, Riders of the Purple Sage? What did Grey say to his friend Tom Mix that inspired the legendary cowboy actor to film The Deadwood Coach in the same region? What has continued to draw so many western filmmakers, leading to the filming of more than 150 movies and television shows in and around this tiny rural town that now boasts a population of about 4,000?
It might be that the Kane County seat is located smack dab in the middle of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monu-ment, Bryce Canyon National Park, Lake Powell, Zion National Park, and the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Perhaps it’s the dramatic variety of natural beauty: ruggedcountry, pink cliffs, volcanic craters, and sand dunes. Or is it the outstanding weather? The sense of isolation amid so many tourism destinations? Whatever the attraction, the location has enthralled so many writers, film-makers, and movie stars that it has been dubbed “Little Hollywood” and continues to draw thousands of people every year for the Western Legends Roundup.
Look over there and you’ll see the Lone Ranger’s cabin; that way to the set of Gunsmoke; a few miles up and you’ll recognize the settings for the original Planet of the Apes. Residents never hesitate to remind visitors of their showbiz heritage. But in 1998, three Kanab residents — Robert “Tuffy” Houston, Dennis Farnsworth Judd, and Lyle Heyborne — decided a more official celebration was in order. “They were businessmen and friends in the community who wanted something that would promote our beautiful red rock area and its Western history,” says Kanab resident Steve Mower. Mower serves on the city council and works for the county water conservancy district, but once a year he dons a Stetson to serve as director of the Western Legends Roundup, the annual three-day event that emerged from the collective efforts of his predecessors.
With support from the Utah Office of Tourism and the Utah Film Commission, the Roundup has transformed into a mini-Mecca for western cinema buffs. This year’s Roundup, which takes place August 26 through 28, will include appearances by veteran western actors, like Clint Walker (Cheyenne Bodie in Cheyenne), James Drury (lead of The Virginian), Peter Brown (Johnny McKay of Lawman, Chad Cooper in Laredo), and Ted Markland (Reno in The High Chaparral), and the film festival will feature movies and television episodes that were shot in the Kanab area.
Making a New Friend
In addition to hosting the Western Legends Roundup, Kanab, Utah, is home to Best Friends Animal Society, the nation’s largest no-kill safe haven for displaced, homeless, and unwanted animals. The sanctuary, which is profiled in the National Geographic Channel series DogTown, is spread across more than 33,000 acres and is home to about 2,000 animals, from dogs and cats to horses, burros, birds, rabbits, and potbellied pigs.
Through its outreach programs the animal society works with shelters and rescue groups to promote pet adoption and take in animals from shelters throughout the United States where they face euthanasia. Once animals arrive at Best Friends, they may be adopted by permanent or foster families; if that doesn’t happen, they live out their days at the sanctuary. Following Hurricane Katrina, Best Friends cared for approximately 4,000 displaced animals.
Free guided tours are given four times daily, seven days a week. Guests spend 90 minutes visiting the animals and touring the magnificent red rock landscape of Angel Canyon. If you take the tour before or after your visit to the Western Legends Roundup, don’t be surprised if you leave with a new friend.
To schedule a tour or visit, call 435.644.2001, ext. 4537, or visit www.bestfriends.org.
Enlarge
Tom Mix in The Deadwood Coach (1924), the first of more than 150 movies that have been filmed in and around Kanab. Photography: mptvimages.com
In keeping with the town’s “Little Hollywood” nickname, Kanab has also created its own Walk of Fame, reminiscent of the stars that line the streets of Hollywood and Vine. Among those already enshrined are Ronald Reagan, producer Howard Koch, Tom Mix, Ben Johnson, Glenn Ford, Chuck Connors, Gabby Hayes, Peter Ford, and the entire cast of Gunsmoke. This year the Walk of Fame will honor The High Chaparral stars Don Collier, Bob Hoy, and Ted Markland; actor Robert Taylor; Lawman costar Peggie Castle; and William Wellman, who directed such western classics as The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), Across the Wide Missouri (1951), and Westward the Women (1951).
In addition to all things film-related, the festival includes an art show, rodeo, Mountain Man Rendezvous, cowboy poetry presentations, Dutch oven cook-off, quilt show, parade, and Native American dances. Musical entertainment will be provided by veteran cowboy singer-songwriter R.W. Hampton, Belinda Gail, and David John and the Comstock Cowboys. “Look-alikes” of Hopalong Cassidy, Gabby Hayes, and Paladin from Have Gun, Will Travel will wander the streets of Kanab, while the North Rim Regulators, a cowboy action-shooting club, will hold daily exhibitions of classic Old West shootouts.
What began as an exercise in hometown pride has now evolved into an annual gathering for cowboy stars, fans, and those who love the West. “Most of the stars keep coming back year after year,” says Mower. “For some of them, this is the only show they do. There’s something about this red rock country that just gets to you.”
For a complete schedule of events and information about local lodging options, visit www.westernlegendsroundup.com.
Issue: July 2010
