Craig Barron and Greg Gilbert with award winning actor Robert Duvall. Duvall played Jessie James in the 1970 Great Northfield Minnesota Raid movie filmed in Jacksonville. Cliff Robertson played Cole Younger. Robert Selden Duvall (born January 5, 1931) is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards.
This 20 minute video, shot on location, is about Jacksonville's successful grass-roots effort to preserve 320 acres of surrounding woodlands. The video introduces viewers to the natural and human history of the town and its historic wooded backdrop. The narrator of the story is the character of an ancient Giant Sequoia that lives right in the heart of the Woodlands. Planted in 1862 by famous photographer Peter Britt, the Sequoia overlooks the town and the beautiful Rogue Valley. Life is good up there on his hillside and the old Sequoia is earger to share Jacksonville's historical tale with us. The DVD, plus 15 other stories, can be ordered from the JWA, P.O. Box 1210, JV. $15 1995
From Dr. Frank Haines’ book: Jacksonville – the Biography of a Gold Camp Written in 1967 Last of the Wild Horses - filmed in Jacksonville in 1948 News came to Jacksonville from Hollywood that a movie company intended to use the town for a number of scenes in a western movie. The company intended to arrive in the latter part of August and wanted to restore the old look to some parts of the community. The company was Crestwood Pictures. The company planned to film some town scenes in Jacksonville and shoot a number of outdoor scenes on various ranches. The town began to be quite excited about the whole thing. Last of the Wild Horses - 1948 Filmed in Jacksonville The company scheduled its arrival in Jacksonville for August 24th. Mayor Albert Hackert made elaborate plans to accommodate the group during its stay.
From Dr. Frank Haines’ book: Jacksonville – the Biography of a Gold Camp Written in 1967 Last of the Wild Horses - filmed in Jacksonville in 1948 Jacksonville folks were organized to provide lunch for the company and all the extras that were used in the local scenes. Arrangements were made to feed at least 200 lunches during the filming. The U.S. Hotel was designated as the center of this activity. The film company sent in an assistant director to make the necessary transformation on the part of the town. Oregon Street, for the first block east of California Street, was covered over with dirt. Planks were laid over the concrete sidewalks. Businesses on the street underwent a transformation, too. The IOOF Hall became the headquarters for the Jacksonville Cattleman’s Association. At the local bank a sign was placed announcing “We Buy Gold!” The Bruner building had swinging doors put on it so that it could serve as the saloon, an establishment that no cow town could do without, especially in a movie.
From Dr. Frank Haines’ book: Jacksonville – the Biography of a Gold Camp Last of the Wild Horses - filmed in Jacksonville in 1948 Windows along the street were carefully arranged so that the displays in them would be appropriate. Some of the material for these displays came out of Jacksonville attics. A call for August 25th requested the local people turn out to provide a crowd for the scenes to be shot that day. They were asked to dress appropriately. The assistant director explained that this meant plaid shirts and jeans for the men. The women were asked to wear old-fashioned clothes. It turned out to be a brief interlude in the life of the town. The filming was completed in just three days. For Jacksonville folks, however, it was a memorable experience. Two local men, Fred Edens and G.A. “Bud” Kimball, had speaking roles in the picture. Kimball was permitted to see the rushes of the Jacksonville scenes and reported that there were so many local people there he thought it was an election.
Jacksonville – the Biography of a Gold Camp - filmed in Jacksonville in 1948 A highlight of these hectic days was the choosing of a Gold rush Jubilee Queen. It was a real contest because the winner was not only to wind a prize of $25, but was also to receive a screen test from Crestwood Pictures. The selection was by purchasing votes in the name of your choice. Barbara Taylor won the contest. A part of the loot on the occasion was a necklace with a gold nugget pendant. The screen test was made in the old courthouse. Miss Taylor played a scene with the film’s leading man, James Ellison. The movie producer was thinking on that one. The newspaper reports that the scene was followed by an interview of Miss Taylor by the actor which was also filmed. The interview was then printed and used locally in theaters as publicity for the film. Apparently the screen test was not impressive for nothing seems to have come of it. Miss Taylor was still in Jacksonville to run for Jubilee Queen in later years.
From Dr. Frank Haines’ book: Jacksonville – the Biography of a Gold Camp Written in 1967 Last of the Wild Horses - filmed in Jacksonville in 1948 The movie company completed its Jacksonville filming on the 31st of August. The specially prepared street had been used. Onc of the very exciting scenes of the film had been a street fight that was shot on Oregon Street. The courthouse had also been used for some of the scenes in the film.
It's the nineteenth century in Oregon. Hotheaded entrepeneur Charlie Cooper has developed a thriving business (the "Double C Ranch") catching, taming and selling wild horses. The smaller ranch owners in the area feel the horses are beginning to be over-harvested and ask him to lay off for a year to replenish the herd. Initially resistant, after some pressure from his daughter, Jane, is exerted, he agrees. However, Cooper's villainous ranch manager Riley (Reed Hadley, who had an uncredited voice-over role in Jungle Goddess) is manipulating Cooper for his own nefarious purposes. Will Barnum hang and the real murderer go unpunished? Will this be the last of the wild horses? Will you ever see a greater number of flimsy plot devices in a movie? Warning: contains horse chases. Don't miss the thrilling climax where Riley and Barnum battle hand-to-hand in a hay loft. "You rarely see a good facial whipping", Dr. F. remarks. How true.
Last of the Wild Horses - filmed in Jacksonville - 1948 This might not have been a bad western if it could have figured out where it was going, what it was doing when it got there, and where they buried the plot under the prairie. The main character is a guy named Duke, who apparently decided that robbery wasn't paying (at least not the way he did it, anyway), and so took a job at a local ranch run by a really annoying old guy who fancies himself a learned medical man, his huge goofy sidekick who walks around in an apron a lot, and the old guy's clichéd tomboy granddaughter, who immediately takes a liking to the 'hero'. The main hinge on which the thin plot revolves is the fact that many of the local ranchers are rounding up wild horses to breed and tame, to the point where there might not be any wild ones left. The worst of the offenders is another old guy, this one in a wheelchair (probably because he let the other old guy treat him for something).
Last of the Wild Horses - filmed in Jacksonville in 1948 The wheelchair old guy makes a pact with the other ranchers not to round up any more wild horses for awhile, but the straight out of prison ranch foreman has other ideas. He intends to get himself deputized so he can kill and steal land with impunity. He even manages to frame Duke for murder, so that he has to flee town as a fugitive, hide out, and get shot by the wheelchair guy's daughter. As a hero, Duke is pretty ineffective. The bad guy shoots the old guy, but only manages to give him a scratch in spite of the fact that he was no more than fifty yards away and the old guy was going really slow because he was in the middle of a river. Duke and the local sherif arrest the evil foreman, and the movie peters out to its slow end. Nothing is really resolved, and the effeminate hero ignores both of the attractive and drooling women (probably in favor of the big, apron wearing sidekick. The horses were by far the best actors, which is fairly sad.
FILMED IN JACKSONVILLE, OREGON IN 1970 AND RELEASED IN 1972. The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid is a 1972 Technicolor Western film about the James-Younger Gang distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Philip Kaufman in a cinéma vérité style and starred Cliff Robertson as Cole Younger, Robert Duvall as Jesse James, Luke Askew as Jim Younger, R. G. Armstrong as Clell Miller, John Pearce as Frank James, and Matt Clark as Bob Younger. The film recreates the James Younger gang's most infamous escapade: the September 7, 1876, robbery of "the biggest bank west of the Mississippi" in Northfield, Minnesota.
The gang. Color photos by Ernie Rasmussen, owner of Jacksonville's Super Serve gas station.
The whole town was turned into a major film set for six weeks. Streets were blocked, granite poured onto the streets, power lines were taken down and never put back up, board walks were built, and fire plugs were covered with barrels. And signs were taken down. Filming started the day after Thanksgiving. It rained much of the time. It has been said that this was the first Western movie filmed totally in the rain. When it did stop, they had to make it rain with sprinklers to maintain continuity. Color photos by Ernie Rasmussen, owner of Jacksonville's Super Serve gas station.
The telegraph operator. He was eventually killed in the movie for trying to get the word out about the bank holdup. The whole town was turned into a major film set for six weeks. Streets were blocked, granite poured onto the streets, power lines were taken down and never put back up, board walks were built, and fire plugs were covered with barrels. And signs were taken down. Filming started the day after Thanksgiving. It rained much of the time. It has been said that this was the first Western movie filmed totally in the rain. When it did stop, they had to make it rain with sprinklers to maintain continuity. Color photos by Ernie Rasmussen, owner of Jacksonville's Super Serve gas station.
It had stopped raining on this day, so they were making rain with sprinklers. The whole town was turned into a major film set for six weeks. Streets were blocked, granite poured onto the streets, power lines were taken down and never put back up, board walks were built, and fire plugs were covered with barrels. And signs were taken down. Filming started the day after Thanksgiving. It rained much of the time. It has been said that this was the first Western movie filmed totally in the rain. When it did stop, they had to make it rain with sprinklers to maintain continuity. The Bank is being held up. Took a week to hold the bank up. Had to keep shooting at the same time each day to keep the lighting continuity. Color photos by Ernie Rasmussen, owner of Jacksonville's Super Serve gas station.
November 26, 1970 Color photos by Ernie Rasmussen, owner of Jacksonville's Super Serve gas station.
November 26, 1970 Color photos by Ernie Rasmussen, owner of Jacksonville's Super Serve gas station. The stage is sitting in front of Ernie's Richfield station. In those days JV allowed any type of signs.
The Old Courthouse became a college. Color photos by Ernie Rasmussen, owner of Jacksonville's Super Serve gas station.
Crazy Royal Dano - great character actor playing the town nut. Royal was hurt when he was pushed into the steam calliope and had to leave the set duirng the filming. A dummy was used for the rest of the moving resting on top of the callipoe. The Crazy Swede thought everybody he met might be his missing son.
Character actor Royal Dano talking to Cliff Roberton. Hundreds of people showed up everyday to watch the filming of the bank robbery.
Royal Dano walking away from Cliff.
Playing the part of a crazed Swede, Royal Dano was accidently pushed down into a steam organ badly injuring him. Royal left the set, unable to continue his role, which had to be written out. Royal Dano was undoubtedly one of the best, most quirky and striking character actors to ever grace the big and small screen alike in a lengthy and impressive career which spanned 42 years. Dano was born on November 22nd, 1922 in New York. Dano is remembered for his supporting roles in a number of 1950s western and mystery films. In "Mr. Lincoln", a five-part TV episode appearing in 1952-53 on Omnibus, Royal Dano very convincingly portrayed Lincoln. Dano was the voice of Abraham Lincoln for Walt Disney's "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" program, first presented in 1964. Disney personally selected Dano, because he felt the actor came closest to the historical descriptions of Lincoln's voice. The "Great Moments" program was moved to Disneyland in 1965, and Dano's vocals continued to be a part of the program until 2001.
Royal Dano
Royal Dano as Abe Lincoln
Great Northfield Minnesota Raid = filmed in Jacksonville R.G. Armstrong as outlaw Clell Miller The film was filmed in Jacksonville in November in the pouring rain. Hi Larry, I thought you might like to read a Northfielder's thoughts about that movie. Chet Chet, I saw that movie several years ago. The story has many historical inaccuracies; clearly the director was interested in a different story about the James brothers. The historical museum probably has a copy of the movie, but the movie is dismissed as primarily fiction. Northfielders, however, did get a kick out of seeing their town depicted with mountains in the background. Lowell
R.G. Armstrong as Clell Miller The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid is a 1972 Technicolor Western film about the James-Younger Gang distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Philip Kaufman in a cinéma vérité style and starred Cliff Robertson as Cole Younger, Robert Duvall as Jesse James, Luke Askew as Jim Younger, R. G. Armstrong as Clell Miller, John Pearce as Frank James, and Matt Clark as Bob Younger. The film recreates the James Younger gang's most infamous escapade: the September 7, 1876, robbery of "the biggest bank west of the Mississippi" in Northfield, Minnesota.Robert Golden "R.G." Armstrong (born April 7, 1917) is an American actor and playwright. A veteran character actor who appeared in dozens of Westerns over the course of his 40-year career, he may be best remembered for his work with director Sam Peckinpah. Armstrong was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He came from a family of religious fundamentalists, and his mother wanted him to be a pastor.
While working on The Westerner, Armstrong made the acquaintance of up-and-coming writer/director Sam Peckinpah. The two immediately struck up a friendship. Peckinpah recognized Armstrong's inner turmoil regarding the religious beliefs of his family. Armstrong would almost always play a slightly unhinged fundamentalist Christian in Peckinpah's films, usually wielding a Bible in one hand and a shotgun in the other. Perhaps most memorably, in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973). Some of his more memorable roles outside include a sympathetic rancher in El Dorado (1967), outlaw Clell Miller in The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid (1972), a bumbling outlaw in My Name is Nobody (1973), Race with the Devil (1975), as well as Children of the Corn (1984), and as the General in Predator (1987). He appeared in several of Warren Beatty's films Despite being typecast as gruff and violent characters throughout his career, Armstrong is well known for having a warm and affable personality offscreen.
Even the mic is getting wet.
Cliff Robertson leading his gang members into town in a driving rain storm. It rained much of the time the film crew was in town. If it did not rain on some days, the crew had to create their own rain.
Jail wagon full of "prisoners". They were paid extra to have their heads shaved. As "Cole" approaches the wagon in the cemetery, his line is, "Sheriff, these prisoners have a straight and narrow look."
Unloading horses, wagons, animals, and filming equipment for the scene of the Cole Younger Gang riding into Jacksonville. Most of the power lines in Jacksonville were removed for the filming.edit
Unloading horses, wagons, animals, and filming equipment for the scene of the Cole Younger Gang riding into Jacksonville. Most of the power lines in Jacksonville were removed for the filming.
Filming in the historic Jacksonville Cemetery
Filming in the pouring rain - November 1970 in the Historic Jacksonville Cemetery as the Cole Younger Gang rides into town. Lead by Cole "Cliff Robertson".
Jacksonville Cemetery in the pouring rain.
Cliff Robertson as Cole Younger leading his gang into Northfield (Jacksonville). Just a few days before Thanksgiving. The crew was in town for six weeks. Notice the scoops for picking up horse apples.
Director Philip Kaufman walking in the rain Nov. 1970 - Jacksonville Cemetery Philip Kaufman (born October 23, 1936) is an American film director and screenwriter. Although not noted for directing a large number of films, the films he has worked on have been done with recognizable intelligence and independence. He is noted for directing films of eclectic subjects, ranging from realism to fantasy, and often incorporating satire or subtle humor as part of his “artistic signature.” The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid is a 1972 (Release date. Filmed in November of 1970) Technicolor Western film about the James-Younger Gang distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Philip Kaufman in a cinéma vérité style and starred Cliff Robertson as Cole Younger, Robert Duvall as Jesse James, . The film recreates the James Younger gang's most infamous escapade: the September 7, 1876, robbery of "the biggest bank west of the Mississippi" in Northfield, Minnesota.
Cliff Robertson as Cole Younger - Jacksonville Cemetery
My mother and sisters were extras on this film as townsfolk. I was only 3 and cried because I was too young. (Now I see it would be a difficult time with long days and wet weather!) They are in the film crossing streets and walking through town. Aimee De La Cruz
The Historic Beeman Bank became a funeral parlor during the filming of the Great Northfield Raid. The kids are looking at the horse drawn hearse. Tom Legg is standing in front of the rear wheel with camera.
Students from Jacksonville School throwing rocks into a horse trough and enjoying the results.
Filming the bank robbery in front of the Historic Beekman Bank. The Old Bank was both a funeral parlor and a dentist office in the movie. Because of having to match lighting each day, the bank robbery took a week to film.
Royal Dano's body after the holdup. He played the part of a crazy Swede. A dummy played his part after Dano is shot. The scene shows a steam colliope. As his body falls and hits the keys, a thunderous sound pours from the colliope sounding the alarm. This alerts the town folk that their bank is being robbed. They begin shooting at the gang interrupting their well laid bank robbing plans.
Real guns were used during the filming of the bank robbery. Here Craig Barron examines the results of shooting out century old historic glass. Losing the wavy glass was a great loss to the historic look of Jacksonville's store window. Margaret Porth - Craig was in my class. Wonder where he is these days/ What memories to see all the photos!
Greg Gilbert. Moved to northern Oregon in 6th grade.
Greg Gilbert. The filming crew was real friendly to the kids whenever they showed up on the set.
Director Philip Kaufman, center. Talking with main camera man.
Director Philip Kaufman, left. Talking with main camera man.
It had stopped raining on this day, so they were making rain with sprinklers. The whole town was turned into a major film set for six weeks. Streets were blocked, granite poured onto the streets, power lines were taken down and never put back up, board walks were built, and fire plugs were covered with barrels. And signs were taken down. Filming started the day after Thanksgiving. It rained much of the time. It has been said that this was the first Western movie filmed totally in the rain. When it did stop, they had to make it rain with sprinklers to maintain continuity. The Bank is being held up. Took a week to hold the bank up. Had to keep shooting at the same time each day to keep the lighting continuity.
It had stopped raining on this day, so they were making rain with sprinklers. The cast had to run under sprinklers so they would wet when the filming started. The whole town was turned into a major film set for six weeks. Streets were blocked, granite poured onto the streets, power lines were taken down and never put back up, board walks were built, and fire plugs were covered with barrels. And signs were taken down. Filming started the day after Thanksgiving. It rained much of the time. It has been said that this was the first Western movie filmed totally in the rain. When it did stop, they had to make it rain with sprinklers to maintain continuity. The Bank is being held up. Took a week to hold the bank up. Had to keep shooting at the same time each day to keep the lighting continuity.
My mother and sisters were extras on this film as townsfolk. I was only 3 and cried because I was too young. (Now I see it would be a difficult time with long days and wet weather!) They are in the film crossing streets and walking through town. Aimee De La Cruz Margaret Porth - One of my 5th grade classmates was an extra too. We were able, as a class, to go watch some filming.
Cliff Roberton as Cole Younger.
Mystery Mansion - Filmed in Jacksonville - 1983 Susan and her brother Johnny go to spend the summer with their aunt and uncle, where they discover a map that may lead to some sort of treasure... See full summary » Director: David E. Jackson Writers: Jack Duggan, David Jackson, and 1 more credit » Stars: Dal McKennon, Christopher Wynne and Randi Brown Own the rights? Add a poster » Mystery Mansion [VHS] (1984) Dal McKennon (Actor), Christopher Wynne (Actor), David E. Jackson (Director) | Rated: PG | Format: VHS Tape
Mystery Mansion - filmed in and around Jacksonville - 1983 Susan and her brother Johnny go to spend the summer with their aunt and uncle, where they discover a map that may lead to some sort of treasure. Susan had been having nightmares about a girl, Rachel, who disappeared in a nearby mansion, now old and abandoned. Eventually, Susan and Johnny, along with their cousin Billy, begin a quest to find the treasure, as well as the answers to Rachel's disappearance. While they are doing this 2 escaped convicts are also looking for the same treasure!
Inherit The Wind Year: 1988 This is not the movie poster of the 1988 version, instead it is the 1960 version. I could not find a poster of the 1988 version. Filmed in Jacksonville Starring: Kirk Douglas Jason Robards Jr. Darren McGavin Jean Simmons Megan Follows Kyle Secor John Harkins Director: David Greene Genre: Drama Synopsis: A biblical orator opposes a liberal lawyer defending a man for teaching Darwinism in the 1920s South. Rating: Not Rated Length: 100 Minutes
Inherit the Wind - 1988 - filmed in Jacksonville This is not the movie poster of the 1988 version, instead it is the 1960 version. I could not find a poster of the 1988 version. Storyline A teacher has taught about evolution in a small town in Tennessee. He has violated state law by doing this. Two great lawyers appear, one to assist in his defense, the other to help prosecute him. The town is divided in many ways which become apparent as the trial progresses. This is a dramatization of the Scopes Monkey Trial that pitted William Jennings Bryan against Clarence Darrow in a real case.
Inherit the Wind - 1988 - filmed in Jacksonville This is not the movie poster of the 1988 version, instead it is the 1960 version. I could not find a poster of the 1988 version. Weakest of the three versions of the story of the Scopes Trial this version suffers from shortening, rewriting and worst of all commercials. This isn't to say its bad, its not. The problem is that compared to the original Spencer Tracy film this film comes off as a good summer stock to the originals Broadway show case. The cast is game. Kirk Douglas is perhaps a bit odd at first as the William Jennings Bryan character, but after a few minutes he slips into the groove and all is fine. Jason Robards' is excellent, unfortunately there is something about the way this was put together for TV that kills his momentum in the home stretch. Seeing this with out commercials doesn't help since the pauses still are there. If its on try it, but if you must see some version of this go for one of the other two.
A Girl of the Limberlost - 1990 Filmed in Jacksonville A Girl of the Limberlost (TV 1990) A teenage girl living in 1908 rural Indiana attends high school despite her mother's fierce opposition of her life, the friendship of a free-spirted older woman helps her stick to her goals. Director: Burt Brinckerhoff Writers: Gene Stratton-Porter (novel), Pamela Douglas (teleplay) Stars: Daryl Anderson, Tobias Anderson and Joanna Cassidy
The Dream Chasers - 1982 Filmed on location in Jacksonville and the Rogue Valley The Dream Chasers (Dreamchasers) 1982 NR 95 minutes Herbie (Justin Dana), a young boy battling cancer, and Telford (Harold Gould), an aging antique shop owner, take off together on an adventure to Wyoming. While trying to live out their dreams, the pair encounters dangerous adversaries and difficult challenges. Jeffrey Tambor, Carolyn Carradine, Wesley Bishop and Jarion Monroe also star in this family-friendly Western drama about loyalty and forgiveness. Cast:Justin Dana, Harold Gould, Jeffrey Tambor, Carolyn Carradine, Wesley Bishop, Jarion Monroe Director: Arthur R. Dubs Genres: Drama, Family Adventures, Westerns Format: DVD availability date unknown
The Dream Chasers - 1982 Filmed on location in Jacksonville and the Rogue Valley The Dream Chasers (Dreamchasers) 1982 NR 95 minutes Justin Dana, Harold Gould, Carolyn Carradine, Jarion Monroe, Jeffrey Tambor ... see more On the journey of a lifetime, two unlikely companions face gun-slinging cowboys and their own personal family conflicts as they learn the importance of friendship, loyalty and forgiveness. An ailing young boy and an old rocking-chair dreamer chase a life of adventure in the wild west. Inspired by the tall tales of the boy's idol, Butch Cassidy and other outlaws, they run away to the badlands of Wyoming to live out their fantasies.
The Dream Chasers - 1982 Filmed on location in Jacksonville and the Rogue Valley = Harold Gould and Justin Dana are the Dream Chasers in this low-key family film. Gould is a curmudgeonly septuagenarian facing bankruptcy. Dana}is an 11-year-old boy battling cancer. Together, these two lost souls try to forge a new life in the darkest days of the Depression. Though by and large suitable for all ages, Dream Chasers is rated PG due to language and tense situations.
Lou Grant being filmed in the JV Cemetery Lou Grant is an American television drama series starring Ed Asner as a newspaper editor. Aired from 1977 to 1982, the series won 13 Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama Series". Asner won the Emmy Award for "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" in 1978 and 1980. The series also won two Golden Globe awards, a Peabody award, an Eddie award, three awards from the Directors Guild of America, and two Humanitas prizes. Ed Asner became the only person to win an Emmy Award for both "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" and "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" for portraying the same character, recognizing his work on this series and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
In the JV Cemetery. Edward Asner (born November 15, 1929), born Eddie Asner[ and commonly known as Ed Asner, is an American film, television, stage, and voice actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, primarily known for his role as Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off series, Lou Grant. More recently, he provided the voice of Carl Fredricksen in Pixar's award-winning animated film, Up.
Ed Asner acting in a scene from the Lou Grant TV series. Lou goes back to his hometown to visit friends and the graves of his parents. They also used downtown Medford as his hometown showing all the really boarded up stores proving that his "hometown" has hit on hard times. Roosevelt School was also used as his home school.
Before he landed his role with Mary Tyler Moore, Asner guest-starred in such television series as NBC's The Outlaws (1962), in the series finale of CBS's The Reporter, Mission: Impossible and The Invaders. Asner is best best known for his character Lou Grant, who was first introduced on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1970. In 1977, after the end of the Mary Tyler Moore show, Asner's character was given his own show, Lou Grant, which ran from 1977-1982. In contrast to the Mary Tyler Moore show, which was a thirty minute comedy, the Lou Grant show was an hour long award-winning drama about journalism. (For his role as Grant, Asner is the only actor to win the Emmy award for a sitcom and a drama for the same role.) Other TV series starring Asner in regular roles include Thunder Alley, The Bronx Zoo, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
Asner was acclaimed for his role in the miniseries Roots, as Captain Davies, the man who kidnapped Kunta Kinte and sold him into slavery, a role that earned Asner an Emmy Award, and for a similarly dark role as Axel Jordache in the mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man. In contrast, he played Pope John XXIII in Papa Giovanni: Ioannes XXIII, an Italian miniseries for RAI. Asner has also had an extensive voice acting career. He provided the voices for J. Jonah Jameson on the 1990s animated television series Spider-Man, Hudson on Gargoyles, Jabba the Hutt on the radio version of Star Wars, Master Vrook from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel, Roland Daggett on Batman: The Animated Series, Cosgrove on Freakazoid!, Ed Wuncler on The Boondocks, and Granny Goodness in various DC Comics animated series. Asner has also provided voice-over narration for many documentaries and films of social activism.
More recently, Asner provided the voice of Carl Fredricksen in the 2009 Pixar film Up. He received great critical praise for the role, with one critic going so far as to suggest "They should create a new category for this year's Academy Award for Best Vocal Acting in an Animated Film and name Asner as the first recipient."[6] Although popularly known as Ed Asner, professionally he prefers the name Edward Asner. He has appeared in a recurring segment, on Jay Leno's The Tonight Show, entitled "Does This Impress Ed Asner?" He was recently cast in a Country Music Television comedy pilot, Regular Joe. In 2001, Asner was the recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.[8] Asner has won more Emmy Awards for performing than any other male actor (eight, including five for the role of Lou Grant). In 2003, he was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.
In the JV Cemetery visiting his parents' graves. In July 2010, Asner completed recording sessions for Shattered Hopes: The True Story of the Amityville Murders which is a forthcoming documentary on the 1974 DeFeo murders in Amityville, New York. Asner serves as the narrator for the film, which covers a forensic analysis of the murders, the trial in which 23-year old DeFeo son Ronald DeFeo Jr., was convicted of the killings, and the subsequent "haunting" story which is revealed to be a hoax.
Lou Grant was a spinoff from The Mary Tyler Moore Show and premiered on CBS in September 1977. Unlike The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which was a 30-minute situation comedy, Lou Grant was a one-hour drama. Lou Grant ran from 1977–1982 and consisted of 114 episodes. It is one of four shows in the history of American television to have the distinction of having episodes that finished both first and last in the ratings during its run, the others being AfterMASH, Cheers, and fellow Mary Tyler Moore spinoff Rhoda.[citation needed] The theme music for the series was composed by Patrick Williams.
Lou Grant worked at the fictitious Los Angeles Tribune daily newspaper as its city editor, a job he took after the WJM television station fired him. (Though Mary Tyler Moore Show viewers were introduced to the character as a television news producer, the character noted many times that he'd begun his career as a print journalist.) This Lou Grant was nothing like the character he had played in the former Mary Tyler Moore series as he was much more serious in his attitudes and manner. The rest of the main cast included Robert Walden and Linda Kelsey, who played general-assignment reporters Joe Rossi and Billie Newman, respectively (Kelsey joined the show in the fourth episode, replacing Rebecca Balding, who had portrayed reporter Carla Mardigian during the show's first three episodes); Mason Adams, who played managing editor Charles Hume, an old friend of Lou's who had convinced him to move from Minneapolis to Los Angeles;
. Asner won two Emmys for his portrayal of Lou; to cover news stories, with the episode's plots revealing problems of the people covered in the stories as well as frustrations and challenges reporters experienced to get the stories. The series frequently delved into serious societal issues, such as nuclear proliferation, mental illness, prostitution, gay rights, and chemical waste, in addition to demonstrating coverage of breaking news stories, such as fires, earthquakes, and accidents of all kind. The series also took serious examination of ethical questions in journalism, including plagiarism, checkbook journalism, entrapment of sources, staging news photos, and conflicts of interest that journalists encounter in their work. Many of the episodes in the first season were based on incidents described by Gay Talese in his history of his former employer The New York Times, The Kingdom and the Power. Talese was unaware of this fact more than a decade after the show was canceled
The cancellation of Lou Grant in 1982 was the subject of much controversy. Reportedly the series had significant enough ratings in its last season to be renewed (it was in the ACNielsen top ten throughout its final month on the air), but the network declined to renew it largely because of controversies created by Asner in using both the series and his presidency of the Screen Actors Guild as political soapboxes. Asner's outspokenness in directly opposing the U.S. government's intervention in El Salvador created problems for the network with its advertisers[citation needed]. Asner also gave one press conference, not long before the show was cancelled, in which he was asked whether he would support free elections in El Salvador even if those elected were communists. Asner responded that if that was what the voters chose in a free election then he would have to support it.
Ed Asner as the voice in "UP".
Craig LaBarron and Greg Gilbert with award winning Robert Duvall. Duvall played Jessie James in the 1970 Great Northfield Minnesota Raid moved filed in Jacksonville. Cliff Robertson played Cole Younger.
