Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 CELEBRATED ACTOR Glenn Ford was billed as “the fastest gun in Hollywood” – able to draw and fire in 0.4 seconds – even faster than James Arness (“Gunsmoke”) and John Wayne. The son of a Canadian railroad executive and raised in Southern California, Ford regularly played well-meaning men caught in extreme circumstances. Most obituaries never bothered to mention his extraordinary patriotism or his distinguished military career. Ford rose to the rank of Captain in the United States Navy after years of dedicated service that began with World War II and continued through the Vietnam War. Ford bravely served his country in two wars (not on the sidelines, but in front lines), facing enemy fire on many occasions and never expecting to be treated like a Hollywood star but as a fellow fighting man. He was indeed a hero both on and off the screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Jones, SASS 2263 Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Several actors were said to be very fast. In the fast draw competitions in the '60s the fastest was Jerry Lewis; so some have written. Another fast draw was Sammy Davis Jr. Both used six guns and rigs in their club acts and, in any event, were quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassnetguy50 Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 He did play The Fastest Gun Alive. I remember watching it as a kid expecting it to be nonstop fast gunplay and being disappointed with it being so slow with dialogue drama. As an adult, it is worth watching even if it is not the most original plot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Ben Cooper was a bit actor but he taught a lot of the big names how "fast draw" was done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Glenn Ford was married to Eleanor Powell, which made him a lucky man in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 James Garner was handy with a sixgun and was a great gun spinner too. He wasn’t the fastest, but he knew how. Glen Ford had a trick that he displayed in one of the films he was in where he cocked the gun with his thumb coming out of the holster and fired it with the muzzle just above the open holster. Then he’d thrust the gun forward, dragging the hammer spur against his belt to cock and fire it as it went forward. He’d then fan the hammer back with the off hand and fire it again as he continued his forward motion. He never took his finger off the trigger, It required turning the grip outward to drag the hammer spur against the belt and at the end of the motion, having fired three shots, he’d end up with the weak hand resting on the wrist of his gun arm. I saw him demonstrate it, both in the movie and in an interview/publicity appearance. I doubt that it was very accurate, but it got three shots off REALLY quick. The last time that I saw Bob Munden’s show, he said again that Jerry Lewis was the fastest draw in Hollywood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 17 minutes ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said: Glenn Ford was married to Eleanor Powell, which made him a lucky man in my book. Yup. Glenn was also a notorious womanizer and bedded many, many Hollywood stars during his and their marriages. He even kept a diary of his trysts. But that’s Hollywood, and has little to do with his other accomplishments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Snorter Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 3 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said: Yup. Glenn was also a notorious womanizer and bedded many, many Hollywood stars during his and their marriages. He even kept a diary of his trysts. But that’s Hollywood, and has little to do with his other accomplishments. Obviously a multivenue fast draw. A different culture in a different era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawhorse Kid Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 The Fastest Gun in Hollywood: Glenn Ford, Jerry Lewis and Sammy Davis Jr. - All have been titled to be .... depending on your source of information. Truth is we will likely never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted September 15, 2023 Author Share Posted September 15, 2023 1 hour ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said: Yup. Glenn was also a notorious womanizer and bedded many, many Hollywood stars during his and their marriages. He even kept a diary of his trysts. But that’s Hollywood, and has little to do with his other accomplishments. Four times divorced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 I always thought it was Arvo Ojala who taught many actors the fast draw but i've also heard Sammy Davis, Glenn Ford and Jerry Lewis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 I recall Bob Munden at EOT ’97 or ‘98 saying Sammy Davis Jr was the fastest in Hollywood. He was doing a show. I was just visiting the time. I hadn’t started CAS yet. What an impressive shooter Bob was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted September 15, 2023 Author Share Posted September 15, 2023 42 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said: I always thought it was Arvo Ojala who taught many actors the fast draw but i've also heard Sammy Davis, Glenn Ford and Jerry Lewis. Arvo was quite the guy himself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvo_Ojala Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 One of my high school buddies was Thell Reed, who also taught many of the Hollywood crowd how to shoot and handle guns. He was also a fast draw ace. His daughter was the armorer who was involved in the Rust movie situation unfortunately. Used to go over to Thell's house after school and watch him practice in his garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 Glenn Ford was also an excellent horseman. Thell Reed was likely the fastest with live ammo in his prime....late 60's early 70's, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 Prolly watchin his daughter too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 1 hour ago, Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life said: One of my high school buddies was Thell Reed, who also taught many of the Hollywood crowd how to shoot and handle guns. He was also a fast draw ace. ... Used to go over to Thell's house after school and watch him practice in his garage. 17 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said: Prolly watchin his daughter too! If they were high school friends, and he used to go over to Thell's house after school to watch him practice, I'm pretty sure he didn't have a daughter to watch. Not back when he was in high school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 Alec Baldwin is by far the deadliest Hollywood gunman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 48 minutes ago, Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 said: Alec Baldwin is by far the deadliest Hollywood gunman. BOLD Sammy! Very bold!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 Far as I know, he's only murdered one person. I'm sure there are many deadlier than him out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 3 hours ago, Alpo said: If they were high school friends, and he used to go over to Thell's house after school to watch him practice, I'm pretty sure he didn't have a daughter to watch. Not back when he was in high school. Thats for sure, we were only 15 or 16 years old at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Neeley Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 Jim Martin taught gun handling to many of the movie stars. I saw a photo of him on the Colt forum (I tried to find it just no and couldn't) and in the photo were James Arness, Hugh O'brien, Steve McQueen and Clint Walker to name a few. He's pretty much a six gun legend. Another was Rodd Redwing who coached Alan Ladd in Shane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 11 minutes ago, Doc Neeley said: Another was Rodd Redwing who coached Alan Ladd in Shane. Rodd Redwing had a trick he used to perform, where he would pull a knife and throw it at a wall. He would then draw his gun, fire a shot into the wall, and the knife would stick in the bullet hole. Sammy Davis Jr. was shown to do it on an episode of "The Rifleman", but Redwing actually did it, and he did it on set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT. M. F. QUINCANNON, #32999 Posted September 16, 2023 Share Posted September 16, 2023 I’ve read (can’t remember where) that Peter Brown, from Lawman and Laredo won some celebrity fast draw competitions, back in the Golden Age of TV Westerns. Probably competing against the other Warner Bros. Western stars from Cheyenne, Maverick, Sugarfoot, Bronco and Colt .45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tell Sackett SASS 18436 Posted September 16, 2023 Share Posted September 16, 2023 21 hours ago, Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 said: Alec Baldwin is by far the deadliest Hollywood gunman. Nope! Pretty sure that would be Audie Murphy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted September 16, 2023 Share Posted September 16, 2023 19 minutes ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said: Nope! Pretty sure that would be Audie Murphy!! Well, yes, but not while he was "in" Hollywood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted September 16, 2023 Share Posted September 16, 2023 The old time Disney animators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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