The Park Theatre Presents Bill 'Hopalong Cassidy' Boyd, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Jimmy Ellison, and Joan Woodbury in "The Eagle's Brood"
Don't miss The Park Theatre's FREE 'Wild West Double Feature' on Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 7:00 P.M. in the Jaffrey Woman's Club Cutler Memorial Building, 33 Main Street, Jaffrey. In addition to the classic "Don't Fence Me In" with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the 1935 film, "The Eagle's Brood," starring Bill 'Hopalong Cassidy' Boyd, Jimmy Ellison, and Joan Woodbury is one of two Western favorites you'll enjoy.
(L-R): Hopalong Cassidy,Jimmy Ellison
The Park Theatre's Saturday at the Cinema thanks these sponsors for 'Wild West Double Feature'-- Harold and Dorothy Davis and Peter and Barbara Davis. Popcorn, candy and drinks are available at all the Theatre showings.
According to Park Theatre Film Historian Mike King of Dublin, this 1935 production -- unlike most Western series -- the 'Hoppy' films used different locales for each picture, including the Sierra Mountains, Lone Pine, the Alabama Hills, and Joshua Tree at the Mojave Desert, all in California and beautifully photographed by expert lensmen. The films endure because they did not depict their own time and thus become dated.
In "The Eagle's Brood," after the bandit "El Toro" saves Hoppy's life, he repays the favor by rescuing the outlaw's orphaned grandson. who was being held hostage by a rival gang.
William Boyd, a former romantic lead in Cecil B. DeMille's silent films, was at a low point in his acting career when Producer Harry 'Pop' Sherman selected him to play the lead in "Hopalong Cassidy." The film's success launched a series of films based on the Clarence E. Mulford stories of the Old West. Boyd adapted quickly to the character and became an excellent horseman on his white mount called 'Topper.' Boyd's prematurely gray hair and black costume made him an imposing figure on the Western landscape. He took the character of Cassidy seriously and more than once credited the film series for turning his life around. He is so totally linked with the character that his widow, actress Grace Bradley, still refers to him as 'Hoppy.'
For further information about The Park Theatre's FREE Saturdays at the Cinema, call Caroline Hollister at 603. 532-7711 or Don Nelson 603. 532-4576.
