26th Lone Pine Film Festival this weekend
Some ideas just seem to work out well – such as the one conceived by the Town of Lone Pine’s business and community leaders in 1989—to invite actors, directors, and producers of hundreds of movies and television episodes filmed in and around the town, the Alabama Hills, and the local Sierra Nevada mountains. The first Lone Pine Film Festival celebrating the iconic American West was held in 1990.
The first documented movie made in the area was The Round Up, filmed in 1920. With an emphasis on the transition from silent movies to the talkies, this year’s Lone Pine Western Film Festival promises all the good guys, bad guys, classic stars and thought-provoking panel discussions visitors to the event have come to expect says the festival organizers.
Celebrity Guests this year include Bruce Boxleitner, Sylvia Durando, Diamond Farnsworth, Billy King, Robert Knott, Kenneth Turan and William Wellman Jr.
The festival’s Special Guest this year is Johnny Crawford, who many will remember as the son, Mark, in the television series, The Rifleman, starring Chuck Conners which ran from 1958-1963
Johnny Crawford and Chuck Connors from
The Rifleman, circa 1960.
The Lone Pine Film Festival kicked off Thursday, October 8th, with a Gala Reception at the Museum at 4:30 p.m. followed by a Community Concert by America’s Cowboy Balladeer, Don Edwards at 7 p.m. at the Lone Pine High School Auditorium.
Friday, October 9 at 7:30 a.m., begins a series of screenings, panels, presentations and tours of movie location capped by a parade on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Main Street.
All the movie screenings are held at the Lone Pine High School Auditorium.
There is shopping and opportunities for autographs of the film festival invited guests at Statham Hall, located at 138 North Jackson Street from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and merchandise and a food court at Spainhower Park, located at the north end of town.
A full listing of the scheduled events can be found at the film festivals website www.lonepinefilmfestival.org under “Events.” For information on tickets, call 760.876.9103.
The ticket office is located at the Lions Club near McDonald’s Restaurant at the south end of town.
