November 28th--

*** Special Christmas Greetings!!! ***

Ray Nielsen, the co-coordinator of the Memphis Film Festival, has sent along his special Christmas greetings for all to enjoy!  A beautiful way to celebrate the Holidays!

I've read the first community Christmas tree in America may have been placed in Madison Square Park, New York City in 1912.  It was also said to be the first electrically lit tree.  In the city of Conway, Arkansas, which I live near, a 54 foot artificial tree was recently erected in a downtown square. It is said to be the largest of its type in the state and possibly the Midwest.

When that tree in New York was put up, it was celebrated by rich and poor alike.  A poem entitled "Christ Child's Christmas Tree" was published in honor of the occasion.  What follows is part of it:

Above the bustle and wear and tear

Of a city's life in a busy square

The Christmas Tree stands with its open hands,

A symbol of love for all to share;

And great and small respond to the call

Forsake the shop and the gilded home

For the voice of the Christ child calling

"Come-Oh Come-Lo, My festival is free

And love is the host at my Christmas Tree."

I hope you like the attached photo of the Conway tree and that you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Ray Nielsen

November 4th--

Want to revisit the past?

Jimmie Covington has found in his archives an interview with Kirby Grant, "Sky King", that was made when Mr. Grant visited the MFF in 1973.  This informative interview has been put on the website for all to enjoy and is free to all!

The interview was taken on 8/7/13 and can be found on the Festival Highlights page.  Please take some time to enjoy it!  Thanks very much, Jimmie, for sharing this!

October 31st--

The latest rendition of the 2014 Memphis Film Festival flyer is now available!  It has the earliest information - a must to plan ahead for this summers' festival!!

Feel free to download copies and print them out!

Help support the show by giving flyers to friends and family you believe will be interested in attending this exciting, fun-filled festival next summer!

MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL FLYER (JPG Format)

(Please note that one of these flyers is in PDF format. If you are unable to read it, it may be because your computer is not equipped with a PDF reader program. To download Adobe PDF reader free of charge, please take the following link.)

Download Free Adobe Reader

October 27th--

It is time for us to announce another giest to next years' Memphis Film Festival and we are pleased to do so!

We will welcome the multi-talented Ruta Lee to the festival!  Ruta will be joining us to share her many, many memories of her wide Hollywood experiences, whether that involves her multiple guest appearances in TV westerns or her many other performances in Hollywood musicals, situation comedies or dramas!

She could be seen in many of the early TV westerns but went on to classic film roles and much more!

She is looking forward to next year's festival and meeting her many fans!  Hopefully these "posters" will give you an idea of the classic actress you will be having the opportunity ro meet and greet next year!

Be sure to check the Guests page for a more extensive list of her Hollywood work!

October 21st--

It seems that many things happen in three's and unfortunately in recent days, we have had three celebrity guest passings.

The first of these was the passing of A.C. Lyles, a guest who visited us in 1986!

A. C. Lyles worked as a producer for Paramount Pictures, who is best known for producing a variety of westerns in the 1950s and 1960s.  Among his works were "Arizona Bushwackers", "Waco", "Johnny Reno" and many others.

This still (taken from the set of "Red Tomahawk") shows A. C. Lyles being honored with an award alongside Howard Keel, Scott Brady, Broderick Crawford and Joan Caulfield.

A. C. Lyles was no stranger to awards. Besides being honored with this Walk of Fame star on Hollywood, he was also honored with a Golden Boot Award among many others.  A truly likeable executive in the Hollywood machinery whose contribitions can not be overstated.

A. C Lyles
(1918 - 2013)

We also recently lost Tommy Scott who visited us in 1991. He was also known as "Ramblin'" Tommy Scott and "Doc" Tommy Scott.  He was an American country and rockabilly musician.

Tommy Scott was the last of the ol' time medicine show barkers.  He combined his pitch for his medicine show ware with his unique hillabilly music.  While all the others have long gone, he continued his show until this year.  

Tommy Scott took over the medicine show from Dr. M. F. Chamberlain who founded it in 1890.  He retired and Scott took it over in 1935.  Tommy has run the medicine show ever since - never having another job.  Over the years, he has had many a western star and performer work with him and his show including Tim McCoy, Al "Fuzzy" St. John, Sunset Carson, Monte Hale, Junior Samples and Johnny Mack Brown.

In the world of nusic, he certainly left his mark, including writing and performing such hits as "Rosebuds and You", "Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms", "Mule Train" and many more!

But there is no better tribute than we can present to this multi-talented performer than to show a couple of his performances. So seen here in two different stages of his career - both early to very recent - is the great Ramblin' Tommy Scott!

To learn more about his medicine show and his music, check out this web site!  It is certainly a view into a new world - one that is simpler and more fun - than what we have today. One that has Tommy Scott at home in it!

Ramblin' Tommy Scott
(1917 - 2013)

Finally, we bid farewell to another western star - Jon Locke - who entertained us with his cowboy performances and visited with us in 2001.

Over the years, Jon made over 250 western TV appearances and films including such classics as "Gunsmoke", "The Texan", "Cimarron City", "Westward Ho, The Women", "26 Men", Walt Disney's "Texas John Slaughter", "Bonanza", "Tales of Wells Fargo", "Riverboat", "Laramie", "Wagon Train", "A Man Called Shenandoah", "The Virginian" and many, many more - the list just goes on and on!

While in the Air Force, he costarred for 11 months in the play "Flame Out" under the drection of Alan Mowbray.  After his honorable discharge, he recreated his tole of "Tex", a F-86 fighter pilt in the Broadway production also directed by Mowbray and produced by John Wayne!  He then went on to be a regular on "Highway Patrol" opposite Broderick Crawford.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

Frequent Memphis guest and star of "The Virginian", James Drury, was a longtime friend of Jon's. Above you see both Jon Locke and Mr. Drury at different points in their career.  (In this first group photo, you see James Drury front and center with Jon to his left.  Also in the photo (from left to right) are the Sons of the Pioneers...Pat Brady, Dale Warren, Roy Lanham, Rusty Richards, a gentleman we are unsure of in the back, lady circus performer, James Drury, Jon Locke and John Mitchum (brother of Robert Mitchum)).  And finally in the second photo, you see the two of them about a year ago at a celebration of "The Virginian".

James and many others have left their condolences on the Facebook web page of Katie West, a longtime close friend and companion of Jon Locke's.

Jon Locke
(1927 - 2013)

Each of these stars have left a special legacy and will be missed in their own special way!
We thank them for their contribution to our world and our entertainment.  May God bless each of them and their families!

September 28th--

We must announce the sad passing of another past guest of the Memphis Film Festival!

We have lost John Calvert at the amazing age of 103!  John was an announced guest in 2004 but was a surprise guest when he visited in 1987!

John was an accomplished actor but was at the same time a famous magician!  In fact, he even brought out his magic talents in some of his great acting performances!

He was most famous for his three performances as The Falcon in that dramatic film series.  The series included "Devil's Cargo", "Appointment with Danger" and "Search for Danger".  He also starred in a couple of Charles Starrett westerns, "Lawlwss Empire" and "Return of the Durango Kid"!

One of the highlights of his 2004 appearance was that he performed his magic act (along with assistance from his wife, Tammy) for all who attended free of charge!

Our prayers go out to her and all their family!  His kindness and enjoyment of life will be missed!

John Calvert
(1910 - 2013)

September 26th--

Another new guest has been announced for the 2014 Memphis Film Festival and he is a great addition!

We are excited to announce Robert Conrad, the star of "The Wild Wild West" and many other fabulous TV shows will be graciously appearing with us next summer!

This ultra-rare appearance by Mr. Conrad will not want to be missed!  Plan your plans now to attend!

September 16th--

We are proid to announce that a new addition has been made to the 2014 guest list - and it is one we have wanted to get for some time - Clu Gulager, the exciting star of the TV western, The Tall Man and many other western roles.

Clu is also the veteran of many other TV westerns and shows.  Besides starring in The Tall Man where he portrayed BillyThe Kid, he was a regular on The Virginian.  Help us welcome Mr. Gulager to Memphis with a hearty western howdy-do!!

September 16th--

We sadly announce the passing of a previous guest of the Memphis Film Festival - Louise Currie - who appeared at the festival in 1981. She was 100 years old when she passed on September 8th.

Her Hollywood career spanned the decade of the 1940s, initially doing bit parts and supporting roles at RKO (she can be seen briefly in Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane").  She was the last surviving "Citizen Kane" cast member.

Billed as the "Katherine Hepburn of Monogram" by Sam Katzman, Louise Currie started her career at PRC appearing in "Billy the Kid Outlawed" (1940) and "Billy the Kid's Gun Justice" (1940) with Larry "Buster" Crabbe. Her first serial was Republic's "The Adventures of Captain Marvel" (1941). She helped Billy Batson and his super powered alter ego to keep the Scorpion from completing his deadly Scorpion Atom Smasher.

Currie's next serial was the WWII oriented "The Masked Marvel" (1943). The spunky Currie worked with five investigators, one of them sometimes disguises himself as the Masked Marvel, to stop the sabotage attempts of Japanese spy Sakima.

It was at this point that Currie began working at Monogram. among her films were "The Ape Man" (1943), "Voodoo Man" (1944); both with Bela Lugosi, and the Charlie Chan mystery "The Chinese Ring" (1947) with Roland Winters as the inscrutable detective. As the forties closed Currie retired from films to devote more time to her family.

Louise Currie
(1913 - 2013)

September 16th --

"Geronimo - Life on the Reservation" is the one-man show by Rudy Ramos, a guest for the 2013 festival.  It chronicles Geronimo's final years as a POW in Fort Sill, OK.  This exciting and informative program will be presented at various spots along New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

For nore information, please go the Geronimo show site to learn more.

August 21th--

The room rates and the reservation information for the 2014 Festival have been announced!!

The new location is the same as last year - Sam's Town in Tunica, Mississippi!  It is only a few minutes south of the old location in Olive Branch!

Further details concerning the airport shuttle service that will be available, etc. will be announced soon but rest assured there will be plenty of room at the hotel for everyone - we will not have to be split over several hotels as we have been in the past!

That being said, if you wish to go ahead and make your reservations, go ahead and do so by using the following number: 1-800-946-0711 .

Please note that the reservation code for next year's Memphis Film Festival is MEMF14A. You MUST be sure the reservationist gets this code in order for you to get the best rate and for the festival to get credit for your reservation!

And, also another set of great news! There is no increase in the room rates from 2013!!

The nightly rates may not be consistent from night-to-night but that is because you are staying at a facility that also hosts a casino meaning the weekend rate will be higher than the weekday rate!  You WILL find that if you are staying for the entire festival that your hotel bill will be cheaper than the old facility!  The room rate for Sunday through Thursday will be only $39!  For Friday and Saturday only the weekend rate of $109 will apply.  But as mentioned, it is cheaper for the entire festival run! If you enjoyed your stay at the 2013 festival, you already know what a great facility this hotel is!!

But the better food, the much-larger room facilties, a dealers' area that allows for larger tables and makes room for more dealers - all this makes for a better film festival going experience and enjoyment for all!

Yes, as mentioned, there is a casino "under the same roof" - but the two are separate and there is no problem with having kids at this facility.  Not only are children under 21 not admitted into the casino but the they will not be allowed to simply roam into a gambling area unnoticed! 

The Memphis Film Festival just keeps growing and getting bigger and much of that success is thanks to you, the fan!  We are glad to continue to serve you and look forward to 2014 being one of te best Memphis Film Festivals ever!

July 13th--

Looking for a LARGE selection of autographed memorabila on the web while waithing for the next Memphis Film Festival?

Well, we have an interesting site for you - HollywoodMemorabilia.com ! This is your first and only stop for Hollywood collectibles and memorablia!

Take a look today and enjoy their HUGE selection - We hope you will enjoy it!

June 20th --

Now that the 2013 festival is now history, the fine remembrances are starting to surface!

Dawn Moore, the daughter of Clayton Moore, THE Lone Ranger, wasted no time to write about her experiences at this years' Memphis Film Festival!

To see her exciting post about her experences, please refer to her article in The Huffington Post.

The Memphis Film Festival thanks her for her kind words and appreciates the pleasure it was to host her appearance at this year's festival.

May 28th --

Orders are now beinf taken for T-shirts comemorating the Gathering of Guns 5 celebration at the Memphis Film Festival!!

To find out all the information including style, color and sizes, please take a moment and check out a special website set up for ordering your T-shirts!  Order yours here!

They will be be in demand so get yours early!!

May 27th --

There have been many, many guests who have appeared at the Memphis festival over the past 35 years.  In fact, there have been over 300 guests making over 450 appearances.

Want to relive some memories of those shows?

Or, if you haven't been attending these shows for long, you may want to be surprised by the very impressive list of guests the festival has hosted over the years?

You can do that now - by checking out our new "Past Guests" page.  You can review the list of past guests by festival date or by an alphabetic last name.

Check out this page here - you will be impressed!