This picture was taken on October 14, 1991, at the premiere party for the television mini-series The Gambler Returns - The Luck of the Draw. The film debuted on TV on November 3, 1991.
I thought it was fitting to share this picture today, since The Luck of the Draw is being shown on the Encore Westerns channel this evening. It marked the last time Jack Kelly would play Bart Maverick.
JK is second from the right in the picture. (It's hard to miss that smile!) Sadly, we lost two of the other TV cowboys in the picture just this year: David Carradine and Gene Barry. The only one remaining now is Hugh O'Brian.
The Luck of the Draw wasn't the first time JK had met up with these hombres. He'd acted with Carradine in the film Young Billy Young; he did a couple of Name of the Game episodes with Barry; and as a young hopeful at Universal he appeared in several films with O'Brian.
Since 2009 is coming to a close, I thought I'd also take a moment to thank all of you for reading "The Tall Dark Stranger There...", and for all of your kind words and support.
2009 started out on a very sad note for me when my beloved mother passed away. I know she's in a better place now and is suffering no more. However, there's an empty place in my life where she used to be. That cruel fact burdened my heart with sorrow. My Christian faith has helped me to bear that burden. And God, in His infinite and creative mercy, also let my spirit be lifted a little by a gentleman named Jack.
I pray that the Lord will abundantly bless you and watch over you all in 2010! :)
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Now, for the conclusion of "Bart and Bret Running Close Race." This part reveals JK's thoughtful analysis of how he differed from Bart Maverick:
"Jack is married to May Wynn, a former Copacabana beauty and sometime actress. She, and a desire for a family, are the reasons that Jack is not openly disgruntled--as Jim Garner has been--about the hard work and relatively modest pay awarded to the Maverick brothers.
'In fact,' he says, "I hope that Maverick runs for 35 years and that God wills we have a child to take over my job.'
People are always asking Jack if his own personality is akin to that of Bart Maverick. And he is always replying:
'No. I'm not as free-wheeling.
'Before my marriage, I probably had the outlook of the Mavericks, without the guts and the talent to live that way. But marriage makes a big difference in your attitude. For instance, we have a standing rule in our house, I don't travel without my wife or she without me.
'I'd cry up a storm if I lost as much money as Maverick does across the poker table. And, there's a spiritual responsibility that we have which is never noticeable in Maverick's life.
'Bear this in mind,' Kelly concludes, 'the Mavericks are great guys, who will grab a girl wherever they can and say let's go--we'll have a good time and that's it. The men in the audience say gee, look what that guy gets away with, and the women can't help liking him.
'But if people were that free and easy, they wouldn't have to go to the theater, watch TV or buy our entertainment.'
Wouldn't wish that on a nice guy like Jack Kelly."
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Thanks for all the wonderful photos and articles you have posted throughout the year ... I enjoy them very much.
ReplyDeleteThank you again for your site!!!
ReplyDeleteMay 2010 bring you peace and happiness...and, may that continue for as long as you live. [I hate to stop at one year! :)]
I too lost my Mother and my Husband in the last 5 yrs...so, I feel like Jack Kelly has gotten me through some tough times, too, as Bart. Linda's site, and your TDS site are wonderful. I have learned so much about JK...and, met some very nice people along the way, including you!!
God Bless You...and, keep up the good work!
Always, Janet
Interesting interview, never saw it before, I don't think. I believe Kelly came in on the eighth show of the series although don't quote me on that. Anyway, I wonder how his career would have gone had he not done "Maverick" and had to endure direct comparison with the Garner/Maverick phenomenon. Imagine if Stuart Whitman, who looked eerily like Garner at the time, had gotten the part instead when he auditioned for it. How would Whitman and Garner have worked out? By the way, I agree with Kelly that he and Garner were the most entertaining screen team ever, and by a wide margin. Kelly became a different actor in his scenes with Garner and I wish that could have continued longer.
ReplyDeleteI can't get over the photo with Gene Barry dressed up as Bat Masterson for this party. It's a crying shame that TV-movie was so crappy. Much better was his turn as Masterson in "The Guns of Paradise" show several years earlier, also with Hugh O'Brien as Wyatt Earp. O'Brien played his character precisely as he had on the original series while Barry made the elderly Bat Masterson entertainingly dotty. By the way, the "Sky Masterson" character in "Guys and Dolls" (played by Marlon Brando in the film version) was named after writer Damon Runyon's close pal Bat Masterson (Masterson eventually moved to Manhattan and became a New York newspaper columnist).
ReplyDeleteHi Bartista! I've been visiting your blog for a few weeks now and love it. JK is one of my favorite classic actors, and I share your passion to learn more about him. I'm also a Christian and want you to know I appreciate that you take that stand on this blog. God bless you!
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