Volume 10 , Issue 26

1948 - "Tulsa" Movie Made in Oklahoma

According to The Oklahoman, dated 1948 June 27, front page, the caption under this photo read: "Home on the Range -- Susan Hayward, star of the movie "Tulsa," now being produced on the Turner Ranch, borrowed a long yellow slicker Saturday morning and used it to keep rain off Bill Gephart, 5, left and C. A. Collins, 11, Stillwater. Bill lives on the ranch. In the bottom photo, Robert Preston, male lead of the film, takes a look at some sleek Herefords used in judging contests Saturday with Ronald Wilhite, 12, Reed, left, and Jerry Ward Perryman, 11, Duke, both 4-H club members, who were at Sulphur for the ninth annual field day for young stockmen.

1948 - Rains Heckle Movie Folks Down by Ada
Sixty years ago, in southern Oklahoma a Dail Oklahoman staff writer by the name of Roy Stewart wrote about the rains that "heckled" the movie folks down by Ada.

He wrote, "The setting was just lovely for Oklahoma's latest and biggest movie production on turner Ranch in sunshine-kissed Hereford Heaven south of here. Then the rain came, and from the director, assistant director, head cameraman, grips and other assorted folk of the Eagle-Lion company came the yells -- 'Wrap it up.'"

Later down in the article Stewart also writes, "The 96 people in the location company are still determined to make a movie. They had a bad time at Tulsa, where both rain and an imminent tornado stopped production of scenes around an oil refinery. But the shots of Tulsa's skyline went on, to eventually end up as a montage fadeout for the movie about oil companies versus the lovers of space and natural grass."

Troubles A Plenty
Director Heisler, who proved he had something when he climbed out of the ranks of cutters after a score of years at paramount to make "Smash Up" and other pictures, had his troubles on the grassy location around the Turner Ranch. BUT... his assistant, howard H. Koch, had the most.

Hoch's troubles were too many. Like when he had a 6 a.m. crew call and an 8 a.m. cast call. first, the 12- ton light truck got stuck and stops traffic on the new road cut through Gov. turner's virgin grass. A ranch tractor pulled it out.

Then, on location, the camera broke, another was supplied, then the sound truck chose to be temperamental. Finally every thing was ready, including the herd of sleek Herefords which Roland Jack and some waddies were holding in the background.

Atop a hill in the vast grassland north of Turner ranch headquarters stood an oil rig, complete except for the top part and crown block. It was all new lumber except the walking beam, but after the movie painters got through with it you'd thought it was there for 30 years.

Gov. Turner got a small bit in the picture, but it consisted largely of the governor starting to smoke around an oil well.

This movie was a Walter Wanger production about Oklahoma from 1920 to 1925, and the bad man in it is the oil exploiter who would drill anywhere at any time to get another barrel.

Opposing this oil exploiter was a character played by Robert Preston, who believed in the need for oil, but wants it brought in under a conservation plan which will leave some for the future -- and some grass for cattle.

Lloyd Gough, the bad man was not just one man, he was all the men of the big companies who didn't care for cattle except as a steak on a plate. Gough is also a city builder, a guy who would use oil to build in tulsa the world's oil capital.

Pedro Amendariz was a lad up from Mexico who had done quite well with John Ford in a number of movies, in "Tulsa" he was an Indian who loves the grassland. But due to his love for the gal, he lets it be leased for drilling, but only according to his private spacing and proration plan. When the big fire comes, his is the only one that survives.

Dainty susan Hayward, in a buckskin costume, is the girl called Cherokee, a half-breed who is the daughter of Nels lansing, a rancher portrayed by Harry Shannon, all six feet two of him.

I was just a baby when this movie, Tulsa, was filmed in the summer months in Eastern and Southern Oklahoma. Does anyone out there remember this movie? This is one that I may have to rent at the movie rental place and check out for myself.
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