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Junior Bonner 50th Anniversary: Remembering the summer of 1971

7/7/2021

11 Comments

 
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the production of Junior Bonner , the Western Heritage Center of Prescott invites fans of the Western classic to share their memories of the film's production in Prescott and Yavapai County in the summer or 1971. The film starred Steve McQueen, was produced by Joe Wizan, directed by Sam Peckinpah and based on an original screenplay by screenwriter Jeb Rosebrook, who was raised locally at The Orme School from 1945-1953. The location manager William "Bill" Pierce worked side by with Wizan, Peckinpah, McQueen and Rosebrook all summer and was key to the movie company's successful production during the World's Oldest Rodeo and the Frontier Days Rodeo Parade. Pierce was also the JayCees Rodeo Chairman and without Pierce the film would not have had access to the rodeo grounds or ability to shoot the parade and rodeo live in June and July of 1971. Over the past 50 decades, Junior Bonner has become a favorite of critics and film historians, and was just rated one of the top 100 Westerns by Cowboys & Indians magazine. In honor of the film, and in anticipation of a 50th anniversary celebration of its release in June 2022, we invite you to share your memories of the production during the summer of 1971 and why the film is so important to the history of filmmaking in Prescott, Yavapai County and the World's Oldest Rodeo . These memories will saved for posterity and a copy donated to Sharlot Hall Museum so that your memories of Junior Bonner: The Making of a Classic in the Summer of 1971 will live on forever. 
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11 Comments
Ann Atkinson
7/9/2021 10:32:59 am

Thank you for some back story of this movie classic!

Reply
Jeff Gibbons link
8/11/2021 06:34:17 pm

Another ‘back story,’ haven’t watched the film in years but think I recall, besides the Rodeo, that new housing development was even an issue then, or just starting to emerge. The old west motif and lifestyle of “Everyone’s Hometown” was becoming citified. That transformation continues, to the joy of some but frustration for others.

Reply
Margaret Savoini link
4/9/2022 10:48:28 am

Growing up in Prescott was a glorious, peaceful all- American experience. Watching the action on Whiskey Row, the rodeo grounds and participating in the production of Junior Bonner and Bless the Beast and the Children (both had scenes filmed with Savoini horses and livestock) was the icing on the cake.

Reply
Lucille Hadden
6/11/2022 12:01:42 pm

Great movie. My brother, Robert Burris, is in this movie too, so of course, I have watched it more than once.

Reply
Joseph Lomax
6/13/2022 06:13:49 pm

I Remember when I was in the movie and my dad was a wrangler on that movie hes name was joe Lomax He won the milking a cow in the Rodeo Steve was a great man two know i Miss them all I'm 70yr old Now all the Cowboys that i grew up with are Gone But some DAY we will Rejoice God Bless old joe Lomax jr. PRESCOTT IS A GREAT TOWN THEY MADE BILLY JACK IN THAT TOWN AND MORE

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10/17/2022 07:22:57 pm

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