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A "Rancho Deluxe" party poster hangs by the registration desk at the Murray Hotel. At left is actor Sam Waterston, at right Jeff Bridges. |
STARS SHINE BRIGHTLY FOUR DECADES LATER; LIVINGSTON PLANS A PARTY TO CELEBRATE
STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERSPHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER
LONG AGO, when I was a young reporter, a movie parody of a western made a name for itself.
Although "Rancho Deluxe" was not greeted by critics as a great film, its made-in-Montana stamp, Jimmy Buffet score, engaging story and talented cast created a lasting appeal. Today, "Rancho Deluxe" is beloved by many.
A roster of Montana-loving folks created the 1975 film:
Thomas McGuane crafted the screenplay. The gifted novelist and short-story writer lives on a ranch near McLeod and writes for The New Yorker. His evocative characters and landscapes are drawn from the Montana he has known for decades.
ACTOR JEFF BRIDGES, who lives a good portion of the year on his Paradise Valley place, donates time and money to worthy Montana causes, including a fight against child hunger.
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Jeff Bridges skips around with kids, whose health and well being he champions when he is in Montana, enjoying his home in Paradise Valley. |
WATERSTON HAS enjoyed success in film, TV and on Broadway, winning a Tony for "Abe Lincoln in Illinois." His career includes a lauded Lincoln mini-series, Golden Globe nominations and fame for his "Law and Order" role.
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The Murray Hotel will be full of movie lovers later this week, when an outdoor screening is held across the street for "Rancho Deluxe." |
Local Livingston residents remember the movie premier and the filming, which took place largely in Montana, supplying me with some of my first "star" interviews as a young reporter.
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Elizabeth Ashley has appeared on Broadway and is known for her portrayal of sultry Tennessee Williams women. |
Elizabeth Ashley, known for her moving interpretations of Tennessee Williams' southern belles, played the part of Cora Brown, married to a wealthy ranch owner. Actor Clifton James, who played the wealthy rancher married to Ashley, is still alive at 94 and living in Spokane.
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Here is Elizabeth Ashley during the filming of "Rancho Deluxe" in 1975. |

UP NEXT: We revisit "Rancho Deluxe" and watch the movie again -- after decades -- and tell why it holds up as an enjoyable parody of western life and mores. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Wednesdays and weekends at: www.whereiscookie.com
This is too much fun. Just bought tickets and will drive up Thursday from Big Timber. Yahoo! I was an extra in the movie and can't wait to relive those thrilling days of (semi-drunken) yesteryear.
ReplyDeleteHappened across this fun story which brought back memories of the filming. I, too, was and extra and still get small royalty checks.
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