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James Stoness & Old Tucson Studios
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James Stoness & Old Tucson Studios
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James Stoness & Old Tucson Studios
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James Stoness & Old Tucson Studios
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James Stoness & Old Tucson Studios
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James Stoness & Old Tucson Studios
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James Stoness & Old Tucson Studios
Story & photos by James Stoness, additional photos courtesy Old Tucson
We all know that the dangerous things we see in the movies are stunts, usually played by stuntmen. It’s not so often we actually get a chance to see the stunts played out in front of us.
You can do this, and enjoy the history and nostalgia of the early west by spending a day at the Old Tucson. The movie lot in the Arizona Sonora Desert is snuggled up against the Tucson Mountains west of the city. Its location was selected in an isolated area of the desert, and that was important when shooting films. Who wants a shiny car top, or a house as background material in a Western movie?
Even today, it’s still possible to get Wild West shots of scenery without modern things if the photographer is careful. Part of the attraction of the site is the abundance of cacti, especially the giant saguaro, which helps create the western atmosphere.
The studio grew rapidly with the construction of buildings to be used in the various film shots. That means there had to be a saloon, a hotel, a horse stable, a blacksmith shop, and countless other buildings.
Some of the movies that came from there are legendary. You will walk in the very places where John Wayne strutted his way, removing bad men left and right. The boys from Bonanza paraded along these streets led by our own Canadian, Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright. Hear the echoes of Death Valley Days, El Dorado, The Bells of St. Mary’s, Rio Bravo, and the Magnificent Seven. With over 300 films shot for movie theatres and television, there is naturally going to be a lot of history in these old streets. Yes, Bing was here, and Dean Martin, and Jimmy Stewart, and Gene Autry. The spirits of the stars of our youth haunt these dusty avenues and swirl through the air.
Mixed with the nostalgia is a good helping of fun and entertainment, but beware, some comes with an extra charge. You might like to climb onto the old stagecoach that leaves from the OK Corral. Although there is only a single team of horses you will be sure to enjoy the leisurely trip through the town.
A few lucky ones will opt for a little more action and book a trail-ride. Your higher perch on the saddle ensures maximum enjoyment of the distant views across the vast desert and the strange and beautiful giant saguaro cacti.
If you are looking for something a little more profitable, put yourself into the role of the gold prospector; grab a pan of pay dirt and learn how to rinse away the sand to see the gold shining in the bottom of the pan (or not – that’s why it’s called prospecting).
The shooting gallery gives you a chance to take a real Colt-45 revolver and show the world that you are the best shot in the old west. They even have a collection of creature targets.
Riding a steam train has ever been popular and this train looks like the real thing. The C.P.Huntington is a 61cm (24in) narrow gauge train that gives you a great view of the town as you listen to the narrator tell about the places and buildings that you pass. You move through the Rio Lobo set heading for the High Chaparral set, and then out of town into the wild Arizona Sonora Desert before returning to the depot. When you are walking you might recognize an old star. Mounted on a short track is the ‘Reno’, the old engine with a huge smoke stack that appeared in many films including ‘Union Pacific’.
Gunfights are scheduled at various time of the day and are very realistic but the stunt scenes are bizarre. They are well done, and even amusing. The ladder falling over backwards with the bad guy on top is great, but then so is the massive explosion and flame that sends the actors flying. The narrated walking tour of the town shows you how various scenes were shot in some John Wayne movies, and shows how simple background changes made it possible to use the very same spots in another movie, and yet make it look all different.
If you are hungry you will be well looked after. The ice cream parlour will tide you over at mid-morning but for dinner, stop at one of the restaurants for a variety of good foods. Maybe you’d like to shop at the Toltec Mine for a few mineral samples or go over to the Corner Store and try on a nice big Stetson and other western duds.
It doesn’t matter if you are an old fan of the westerns, or know about many of the old actors, the Old Tucson is educational, and entertaining for the whole family. I know we enjoyed it!
For your information:
- Website - http://oldtucson.com/
- Visiting hours - http://oldtucson.com/visit-ots/
- Videos - http://oldtucson.com/videos/