Rare Rawhide Candid from 1964

Rare Rawhide Candid from 1964

I stumbled across this wonderful photo on the web some time ago and stuck it in a folder for good keeping. I pulled it last week and began restoring it removing spots and blemishes, improving the colour balance and was really pleased with the results, pleased enough to post it here anyway.

The picture captures Clint, Paul Brinegar (Wishbone) (1917-1995) and one of the Rawhide crew. Paul Brinegar would also later appear in Clint’s first self-directed western, High Plains Drifter (1973). The photo was taken in a diner, apparently in 1964. The year 1964 was significant of course as this was also the same year Clint departed for Rome during the Rawhide Hiatus in order to make a little picture called The Magnificent Stranger. I wonder what ever happened to that movie?

This photo captures a great moment in time and free of any AI interference – just as it should be. 

My kindest thanks to the original uploader of the photo. 

Harry’s 44 Magnum: Final Hammer Price

Harry’s 44 Magnum: Final Hammer Price

As promised, I am just reporting back on the final Hammer price for this extraordinary piece of memorabilia. It was on July 16th, 2026 that the Hammer came down on Clint’s .44 Magnum calibre revolver with a 6.5" barrel – and finished at a whopping $206, 250.00! 

We of course have no idea where the gun finally ended up – but I can tell you it wasn’t with me! Congratulations to whoever became the lucky owner – a very wise investment I’m sure, but let’s hope it also provides a great deal of pleasure. 

I guess I will have to make do with my replica revolver which I bought back around 1980 – It may not have the providence of this particular gun, but I’d never part with it just the same. 

By pure coincidence, I was sifting through a huge box of cuttings last weekend and came across some lovely box art for a plastic model kit of the 44 Magnum (again, the 6.5" barrel). I tried to find some history of this kit and found that one had sold in a Worthpoint auction, but unfortunately there was no date of when this was produced other than the 80’s. The Auction description read: 

The LS replica guns are model kits in 1/1 scale made replica plastic model kit to build featuring a Smith & Wesson 44 Magnum B-4 design item # M29 6.5 inches in length. Depicting the pistol that was made famous from the Dirty Harry Movies. Imported from Japan, these unassembled kits offer a detailed replica of the firearm for collectors and hobbyists. With a focus on accuracy and quality, these LS replica guns are a must-have for enthusiasts of models and kits. New In Original Sealed Packaging from the 1980's. An out of production model kit.

Something a lot more affordable to us mere mortals…. Anyway, thought I’d try and scan the box art and include it here. 

Below: The LS Plastic kit box art from Japan

Newman & Eastwood: The Summer of ‘69

Newman & Eastwood: The Summer of ‘69

I stumbled (purely by accident) across this little ad the other day, from a Universal pairing during the Summer of 1969. Starring Paul Newman and Clint on the same bill, I certainly would have paid a couple of bucks to catch this one. 

Again, it’s another strange pairing, which served very little purpose other than to promote two of Universal’s superstars. 

Winning was the latest of the two movies, a 1969 drama / sports film directed by James Goldstone and starring Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward and Robert Wagner. The film is about a race car driver who aspires to win the Indianapolis 500. A number of race car drivers and people associated with racing appear in the film, including Bobby Unser, Tony Hulman, Bobby Grim, Dan Gurney, Roger McCluskey, and Bruce Walkup.

Coogan's Bluff was made the previous year, and for me was certainly the better movie.

I found this small ad for The Washington Theatre, Royal Oak, Michigan – which sadly was just made up of text – we couldn’t have that, so I took the opportunity to have a play, and mock it up a little…

Below: The Ad in its original form

Below: The Ad re-invented 

Eastwood and Brando Together in One Show!

Eastwood and Brando Together in One Show!

Yes, blink and you may well have missed this double-feature which showcased Eastwood and Brando. There really wasn’t too much of a theme connecting these two movies, other than they were both Universal pictures. The Night of the following Day (1969) was co-produced by Elliott Kastner and Jerry Gershwin, both of whom would collaborate to produce Where Eagles Dare (1968). The Night of the following Day was a routine thriller starring Marlon Brando (with a hip blonde hairdo) and Richard Boone (who wasn’t). Filmed in France, around Le Touquet it tells the story of a kidnapped heiress being held hostage in a remote beach house on the coast of France. 

Coogan’s Bluff (1968) marked the first of five collaborations between Don Siegel and Eastwood. A far more enjoyable film starring Clint Eastwood, Susan Clark, Don Stroud, Tisha Sterling and Lee J. Cobb. Eastwood plays the part of a veteran deputy sheriff from a rural county in Arizona, who travels to New York City to extradite an apprehended fugitive named Jimmy Ringerman, played by Stroud, who is wanted for murder.

Before Hang 'Em High had been released, Eastwood had set to work on Coogan's Bluff, a project which saw him reunite with Universal Studios after an offer of $1 million, more than doubling his salary for the previous film. Jennings Lang was responsible for the deal. Lang was a former agent of Don Siegel's, a Universal contract director who had been eyed to handle Coogan's Bluff, which would be Eastwood's second major American film. Eastwood was not familiar with Siegel's work, but Lang arranged for them to meet at Clint's residence in Carmel. Eastwood, having seen three of Siegel's earlier films by then, was impressed with his directing and the two became friends, forming a close partnership in the years that followed.

Above: The double-bill was significant enough to warrant a quad poster release – a poster which is quite hard to come by these days. Also below are a couple of original newspaper ads promoting the double bill release. 

Rare South Korean Vinyl Album

Rare South Korean Vinyl Album

Once in a while, a piece sometimes comes along in which you form an instant liking. It’s happened a few times with me, but because the piece is so rare it often means that you could be waiting years – just for the opportunity of it coming along again…

I think it must have been a good 10 years ago when I first spotted this rare vinyl LP, and while I keep a pretty close eye on the markets, this one just didn’t appear to show itself that often. However, one look at that fabulous cover / sleeve photo – and it’s not hard to understand why it remained firmly in my head. WESTERN SCREEN THEME BEST 20 Vol.7, is a 1990 album, is not particularly anything extraordinary or special in terms of its content, a lot of average covers of themes, the like of which we have all heard before over a dozen other, similar type albums. This album was released on the short-lived Korean label, Seorabul Record Co. a company who were formed in 1975 and closed in 2004. It carries a cat No of VIP-20113.

The fact remains that this album’s appeal remains firmly in its packaging, and the use of the glorious cover photo of Clint from Coogan’s Bluff. Recently, I was extremely lucky to be contacted by a Korean Vinyl dealer who offered me it at a very reasonable price – in fact, the shipping was more expensive than the LP – but sometimes you just can’t afford to think about it for too long, ‘you snooze you lose’ as the idiom states. Needless to say, I snapped it up – I just didn’t fancy that long 10-year wait again – and very pleased I did.

REGARDING THE ARCHIVE

OK, thanks for all the negative responses in regards to Photo Opportunity #75 _ it has now been removed. It's funny, because I began the Archive (and in particular - Photo Opportunity) in order to try and bring fans something ‘new’ - and I have on numerous occasions - but you know what, the compliments and positive responses in comparison to the negative comments - which people are so quick to jump on, is becoming a bit tiresome. I was discussing with a close friend this morning (from my hospital bed) if it was really worth continuing? It feels like AI has really fucked up the world, I was never a fan of it, and it appears to have stripped away all integrity in determining if something is genuine or not? I'm proud that I've never posted junk on the archive - I've turned down invites from TV companies around the world because they've simply wanted to focus on 'how many affairs' or ‘how many kids Clint has' - fuck off, I'm not interested.... 

I've contributed to half a dozen good books and a very good documentary - that's fine with me. But I'm not happy with the state of technology - it's good, and it's clever - but how on earth can legitimacy be relied upon again? 

I thought about finishing it all on the archive - and discussed it this morning. However, I came to the conclusion that from here on, it will be utilising material that I know is 100% genuine, stuff that was gathered and collected long before this AI shit took hold. So there may be a Photo Opportunity every month, but try not to moan if it is something you've seen before - I've given up trying to source new(old) material. Thank 'technology' for that one. 

Yes, I know I made a typo with white rocks and white sands - I’m surviving on a couple of hours sleep a night and on Dialysis days I get absolutely NO sleep at all - but I continue to make the effect in order to present something for the 'fans'. YES I had all the same concerns about the star, the clapperboard, the belt buckle - do people really think I wouldn't? But I went with it - at worse I thought it may have been a stand-in for the Eastwood / Dern fight scene? I made a decision, and stand crucified for it. 

Anyway, expect much less in future, I really don't have time for this shit anymore.

Rare Dirty Harry Trade Ad

Rare Dirty Harry Trade Ad 

Here’s a cracking original Trade ad I picked up recently. It’s full page in size (approx. 11” x 8”) and originally appeared in the UK Trade magazine Cinema/TV Today on Saturday 6th May 1972. 

These ads often appeared for just 1 day only, and rarely present themselves these days.