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Hopalong Cassidy Festival Report
The 16th Annual Festival was held Thursday - Saturday, May 4-6, 2006 in Cambridge, Ohio.
It was dedicated to Grace Bradley Boyd (Mrs. Hopalong Cassidy) who now lives in California and was unable to attend.
Before attending the Festival events, I made a pilgrimage stop at William Boyd's birthplace house in Hendrysburg, Ohio, shown here...
Click on the photos for a larger view...
Also, I stopped at the Hopalong Cassidy Museum in Cambridge which has a 1966 Producers Milk Truck from Fresno, California parked outside,as if waiting for some Hoppy fans to stop by:
The Festival was sponsored by The Hopalong Cassidy Fan Club International.
The local arrangements were handled by hardworking Festival General Director, Laura Bates. She was assisted by others, including Fan Club President Jim Truitt; Fan Club Vice President Barry Tourtellotte; Fan Club Treasurer John Spencer; Dinner Chair Martha Cherry; and Collector's Show Coordinator Charlie Cheek.
There was a full range of activities including a Western Collector's Show and Sale, a Parade of Cowboy Look-A-Likes; a Friday night dinner and panel with the guest stars; the Saturday morning parade in downtown Cambridge; and the Saturday Night Banquet with awards given out and a fund-raising auction.
Most of the events were held at the Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center in Cambridge.
These are the invited guests who appeared (with one or two of their movies or TV shows listed):
Dale Berry (Walker, Texas Ranger)
Peter Breck (The Big Valley )
John Buttram (nephew of Pat Buttram)
Serge Darrigrand (Tom Mix Look-A-Like)
Robert Hinkle (Gunsmoke)
Bo Hopkins (The Culpepper Cattle Co.)
Dick Jones (The Frontiersmen - Hoppy film, 1938; Range Rider, Buffalo Bill Jr.)
Donna Martell (Blind Encounter - Hoppy TV show)
Russ McCubbin (Cheyenne)
Denny Miller (Wagon Train)
Gregg Palmer (Daniel Boone)
Francis Reeves (Hoppy Look-A-Like)The Friday events included a memorial tribute to Bob Brown by Mary Ann and Fred Kunig and Frank Friers.
Also Judy Keel spoke about her late husband, the wonderful singer Howard Keel, and his autobiography Only Make Believe,before showing the movie musical: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
There was also a talk about Hoppy music presented by Roger Hall with excerpts from several Hopalong Cassidy soundtracks and some reading from his eBook, "Following the Stars" -- Music and Memories of Hopalong Cassidy.
Many folks said this "Sweet 16" Hopalong Cassidy Festival was one of the best and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves .
It was a "Hoppy Time" for all!
I was pleased to receive two awards at the Festival: a beautiful plaque made by Charlie Wolfe showing the Look magazine cover with Hoppy and me, and the Hoppy Talk Golden Boot Award for 2006. Many thanks to Laura Bates and the Festival Committee for their recognition of my Hoppy connections.
I was also awarded a Doctorate of Cowboys certificate from "Hopalong Cassidy University."
What a great honor!
All that for writing about my favorite cowboy star of the past.
So I say to all those fans who remember him...
Long live Hoppy!!
Now Available!
Roger Hall written two books which include the story of
his meeting Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd) in June of 1950.The titles are:
"Back in the Saddle Again" - Cowboy Songs Corral Round-Up
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"Following the Stars" -- Music and Memories of Hopalong Cassidy
To read more about these two photo illustrated books,
click on this link to
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