Amon stole a lot from Dallas, including Gary Cooper.
BY DAVE LIEBER
The Fort Worth movie 12 Mighty Orphans enjoyed its world premiere in Fort Worth. Robert Duvall, now 90, came to town!
It reminded me of another Fort Worth world premiere in 1940 some 82 years ago. Amon “Mr. Fort Worth” Carter heard that the new Gary Cooper movie – The Westerner about Judge Roy Bean – was going to hold its world premiere in … wait for it … Dallas.
Why? Amon asked. Fort Worth is more appropriate. Fort Worth is where the West begins, which means that Dallas is where the East peters out.
According to Brian Cervantez in his book Amon Carter: A Lone Star Life, Amon wouldn’t allow that. He convinced studio head Samuel Goldwyn to move the entire enterprise to Fort Worth.
Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan (who would win an Oscar for his performance as Judge Bean) came to Cowtown. The celebrities marched in a parade, and Cooper rode Will Rogers’ favorite horse, Soapsuds. Then Cooper and Bob Hope performed in front of 7,500 orphans and retirement home residents at the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum.
Cooper paid a visit to Amon’s weekend get-away, Shady Oak Farm, where Cooper made an appearance on WBAP radio.
Notice the pistol on Gary Cooper’s belt. (Photo courtesy of Star-Telegram collection at TCU Digital Libraries.)
Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Star-Telegram collection at UTA Digital Libraries.
At the movie premier, Amon introduced Cooper to his favorite newspaper vendor, Monroe Odom. (Read Monroe’s story here.)
As Amon biographer Jerry Flemmons explains in his book The Texan Who Played Cowboy for America, “At the premiere hour, Cooper could not be located, and press agents were frantic. They found him in the coffee shop talking to Monroe. “Don’t go away,” said Cooper as the movie men were pulling him out of the restaurant. ‘I’ll be right back.’”
Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Star-Telegram collection at UTA Digital Libraries.
Why would I write a play about the real Amon Carter? Because as good as this Gary Cooper story is, it didn’t make my play, AMON! The Ultimate Texan. The other stories are even better!
Visit AmonPlay.com for ticket and play and book information. AMON! The Ultimate Texan reopens at Artisan Center Theater in Hurst, TX for shows in 2022 on — Aug. 27, Sept. 3 nd 10.
Visit AmonPlay.com for ticket and play and book information..
“Theater is the oldest way we have of trying to tell the truth about who we are.” — the late playwright, Terrence McNally.
NEW! Read about Amon’s favorite paperboy
NEW! Read about the man who loved Amon Carter so he named his son after him.
