Alamo & Freedom?

[Dr. Bob]

Howdy folks,

Dr. Stephen Hardin is an acquaintance of mine and a living historian, as well as an author!  He is real fine people and has a wonderful sense of humor.  He thinks the period that he is writing about or re-enacting and I hold him in the highest respect!  He would fit in well around our fire.

[Delmonico]

One more note here, how many remember or even know what flag flew over the Alamo?  Why the Mexican flag, with 1824 added to it.  Why, well the original problem was that they were rebelling against the fact that a certain Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna had suspended the Mexican Constitution of 1824, the very one the folks who moved there had agreed to uphold when the became citizens of Mexico.  Can you say DICTATOR?  One thing lead to another and guess what, his brutality in trying to enforce his rule as a DICTATOR caused the Tejicans to decide they wanted to be independant.  Acually Santa Anna was a Dictator addited to drugs. (Hum, wasn't there one in the 1930's and 40's like that somewhere?)  When captured the first thing he wanted was his opium.

Well Santa Anna got his revenge in another way, he introduced chicle in the 1860's in the US, the base for chewing gum and help rot the teeth of many US and Tejas (Now spelled with a X) citizens.

[Major 2]

Again, just for the sake of discussion...
In the past couple of decades Hollywood and independent movie/documentary-makers have often turned to local, regional and national 'historical reenactor' groups to fill the ranks of extras and experts on a film, such as the most recent 'The Alamo' starring Billy Bob Thorton. Now, I Don't know for sure, but I doubt if any reenactors were used during the making of the John Wayne version or the Disney version with Fess Parker, but I do happen to know of several midwestern Buckskinners and other reenactors that were used as extras on the Brian Keith and Sam Elliot versions.
Have any of you readers/posters been involved in one of these productions or know anyone that was? The stories that I have heard from guys that went down for the Elliot version were quite enlightening, as far as the movie industry goes, and that some of the 'stars' were actually more human than others and really took an interest in what the reenactors were doing and how they got on during the filming.
One story dealt with Sam Elliot and an old Buckskinner I knew. As he related the story, one night during the filming, Elliot showed up at his military camp where the 'Skinners were all set up, it was where they stayed and was also used as a set-piece/scene for the film. Elliot, in costume, hunkered down next to his fire and had some coffee with the Boys, then said, as the story goes, "This would taste a might bit better with 'something' in it or a Beer to wash THAT down!" The 'Skinners all heartily laughed, then Elliot turned to his assistant and told him to go get a couple cases of cold Beer for the 'Troops', they did, the Boys had a grand night and Elliot made a lot of friends. They said the next day he noticed that the food wagon had closed down early for some reason and that some of the 'Skinners and their families hadn't eaten yet as they were scheduled to and were heading back to camp to burn a Hot Dog. He rounded up the Food Craft Services manager and had him open up the wagon and serve the extras a good meal, making a ton of what we would now call 'style points'. After that they said he would always ask the reenactors if it 'was real', and he would get the straight poop from them and change the script if-needed. Well, it IS a good story, true or not.
Another dealt with the rubber bayonets the armourer issued the Mexican Infantry reenactors to be used in the march into Bexar. In the Elliot movie, they said that if you looked really, really close, you could actually see the bayonets vibrate and wiggle, and that some actually did bounce up and down! One of the Boys from Minnesnowta that was portraying a Mexican Soldier told me that all the other reenactors laughed so much when the armourer gave them rubber bayonets from the supply trailer that they would 'stab' each other and fall down 'dead', this miffed the costume folks because the Soldiers were getting dirty before they were supposed to, but the reenactors said "Hey! If YOU just marched through the Mexican mountains in Winter, you'd be filthy!" The costumers never said another word, or so the story goes.
Best regards and tell your reenactor/film story if you have one!
'Ol Gabe

Well.... somethin like that.... actually one the beer parties was held in the Reenactor Horse Cavalry camp, and it was two horse watering troths full of ice and beer paid for by Sam. This one at the Wrap at Mud Creek location , Brackettville , TX. shot for San Jacento.
The other, for which many Buckskinner type were present was at Round Top final reenactor wrap party.
Much of the correctness was do to Ray Herbeck Jr. ,Kevin Young Jr, Bill Chermica , and the Late Frank Q. Dobbs writer/ Director....
without them and Mr. Dobbs insistence to listen... "Houston the Legend of Texas", might have been just as BAD a "13 Days to Glory".
"13 Day's did not use Reenactors.... it showed...
The next year, the same Group, Herbeck, Chermica & Young and a Production Designer named Roger Ragland    (from Miami Vice & a reenactor)
and a cast & crew made up with reenactors , made the IMAX " Alamo the Price of Freedom "  (see photo at left)

BTW "...the Soldiers were getting dirty before they were supposed to, but the reenactors said "Hey! If YOU just marched through the Mexican mountains in Winter, you'd be filthy!" The costumers never said another word, or so the story goes..
it was sorta like that.... faced with 200 Reenactors each morning to through wardrobe & makeup... both dept. relied heavily on the resourcefulness of the "boys"  to get the job done... wow has it been 22 years ago !

[Ol Gabe]

Major2,
Thanks for sharing your info, always nice to get another side of the story from someone who was there. What other historical films, etc. have you worked on and can share stories about?
Best regards and good shooting!
'Ol Gabe 

[Major 2]

Well , Gabe it's been a career & in between Live Thearer & Industrials

Here are some of the films....there are others....
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0999806/