Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)

Director:

Burt Kennedy

Writer:

William Bowers (writer)

Release Date:

26 March 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Plot:

In the old west, a man becomes a sheriff just for the pay, figuring he can decamp if things get tough. In the end, he uses ingenuity instead.

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | Australia | Fued | Town Mayor | Country Girl

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

James Garner	...	Jason McCullough
Joan Hackett	...	Prudy Perkins
Walter Brennan	...	Pa Danby
Harry Morgan	...	Olly Perkins
Jack Elam	...	Jake
Henry Jones	...	Henry Jackson
Bruce Dern	...	Joe Danby
Willis Bouchey	...	Thomas Devery
Gene Evans	...	Tom Danby
Walter Burke	...	Fred Johnson
Dick Peabody	...	Luke Danby
Chubby Johnson	...	Brady
Kathleen Freeman	...	Mrs. Danvers
Dick Haynes	...	Bartender
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alden	...	(uncredited)
Robert Anderson	...	Man at Kate's Eatery (uncredited)
John Daheim	...	Brawler at Emma's (uncredited)
Richard Hoyt	...	Gunfighter hired by Danby (uncredited)
Marilyn Jones	...	Bordello girl at Madame Orr's House (uncredited)
John Milford	...	Gunman McCullough throws rocks at (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan	...	Street Brawler (uncredited)
Tom Reese	...	Gunfighter shot in jailhouse by McCullough (uncredited)
Gayle Rogers	...	Bargirl (uncredited)
Paul Sorensen	...	Man Installing Jail Cell Bars (uncredited)
William Tannen	...	Man in Saloon (uncredited)

Directed by
Burt Kennedy

Writing credits
William Bowers		(writer)

Produced by
William Bowers	....	producer
Bill Finnegan	....	associate producer (as William Finnegan)

Original Music by
Jeff Alexander

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Jr.

Film Editing by
George W. Brooks

Art Direction by
Leroy Coleman		(as Leroy A. Coleman)

Set Decoration by
Hugh Hunt

Makeup Department
Stanley Smith	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ray DeCamp	....	assistant director (as Ray De Camp)
David Hawks	....	assistant director

Art Department
Walter Wall	....	property master

Sound Department
Franklin Milton	....	recording supervisor
Bruce Wright	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Marcel Vercoutere	....	special effects

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Catching	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Daheim	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Lilley	....	stunts (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Howard Bradner	....	key grip
Durward Graybill	....	still photographer
Wally Meinardus	....	camera operator
Howard Roberts	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Norman A. Burza	....	wardrobe: men (as Norman Burza)
Florence Hackett	....	wardrobe: women

Editorial Department
Stan G. Davis	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Dave Davies	....	publicist
Marjorie Mullen	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Cherokee Productions
• Three Pictures

Distributors

• United Artists (1969) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• United Artists (1969) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1968) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Sheriff (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Singapore:PG | West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11 | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Cherokee Productions

Trivia:

Though not a sequel or related to the original story line, this movie was followed by Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971) with most of the cast intact playing similar characters.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the final gun battle, the intact portions of the glass windows that the Prudy has broken change from shot to shot.

Quotes:

Joe Danby: [about his father] He's got a heart as big as the whole outdoors, but he don't have one brain in his poor old head.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera vs. Barugon (#4.4)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Rock of Ages

A comedy masterpiece

This film really should be in the IMDB top 50. Alas, just as with the Oscars, comedies never get the same respect as other genres.

It also seems that comedies more quickly feel dated. Not this one, however. Although it obviously doesn't have today's special effects, and quick-edit

sensibilities, it still feels almost as if it could be a modern flick.

It is as perfect as a comedy can be. Never a dull moment or lagging scene.

Excellent screenplay with lots of quick jabs. An absolutely perfect cast.

If you're reading this because you actually haven't seen this flick yet, and you like easy-to-digest comedies, you can't miss with this one. Ten stars.