Them on Us: Shane revisited; Meet the Press

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

By Jake Nichols

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-James Dannenberg penned a rather exhaustive travel piece for the Los Angeles Times while trying to visit  scenes of the Western flick “Shane.”

“The Grand Tetons held sway over me for 20 years – before I ever set eyes on them,” Dannenberg wrote. His fascination with the notorious Western, shot in and around Jackson Hole in 1952, led the journalist on a search for set locations in the valley. Only after purchasing Walt Farmer’s CD-ROM book “The Making of Shane” was Dannenberg able to locate Ernie Wright’s ramshackle cabins in the Gros Ventre and another site at Oxbow Bend. He had less success locating the actual town set. That burned down years ago on Antelope Flats.

We learned a few things about the movie from the Internet Movie Database online. “Although the movie is generally remembered for its blue-sky vistas, the weather was actually cloudy or rainy for a great deal of the shoot,” read the website’s trivia section. The Tetons provided an inspired background but, apparently, it was the local cattle that looked too darn good for Hollywood. “Meticulous care was taken at all levels of production … [Director George] Stevens even had cattle imported from other areas as the local herds looked too well-fed and healthy.”

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The Rainbow Family’s gathering in Sublette County’s Big Sandy recreational area has shown up in the Denver television market (CBS9). Judging from bloggers’ response to the story, Coloradans are probably glad to be rid of the group. They massed in North Routt County in Colorado in 2006 and “stunk like Greeley on a hot summer day,” according to one blogger.

Since 1972, the loosely organized band of self-professed earth-lovers has met in some U.S. location during the first week of July. This year’s congregation has sparked controversy after it forced the relocation of a planned Boy Scout project and drew the attention of state legislators, who chastised forest officials for allowing the Family to skirt the permit process.

The latest showdown occurred last week. The Sublette Examiner was there when the Rainbow Family hosted a community meeting at the Pinedale Library that went on for three-and-a-half hours and culminated with a handholding moment of silence.

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Jackson Hole was thrust into the political spotlight when MSNBC announced they would tape the first “Meet The Press” show in the post-Tim Russert era from Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis with Tom Brokaw moderating.

Isolated shots of Brokaw featured a fireplace in the background (the Baltimore Sun thought it a little warm for a fireplace, too), while guest Democratic Govs. Dave Freudenthal of Wyoming and Bill Ritter of Colorado were back-dropped by the glorious Tetons like gunslingers in “Shane.” The interview concluded with Brokaw pointing out to viewers that the glorious scenery outside was no TV trickery. “And we’ll have to remind everybody, that’s not a set, obviously,” he said, waving toward the window.
“No, no. We’d like them all to come and visit Wyoming,” Gov. Dave said.

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They held an affordable housing forum in Steamboat Springs last week. The Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association’s Economic Development Council put on the event held at Rex’s American Grill & Bar. The Community Housing Trust’s Anne Hayden represented Jackson Hole. She said the affordable housing situation here has reached a tipping point.

Others at the forum shared dire predictions they had to learn the hard way.
“Years ago, I was foolish enough to think that we would run out of billionaires,” said Pitkin County Housing Authority Executive Director Thomas McCabe, who has seen the Aspen real estate market explode during the 33 months he’s been on the job.

COURTESY PHOTO
Tom Brokaw and Gov. Dave on the set of the “Meet the Press” show.

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Them on Us: Shane revisited; Meet the Press | Planet JH News Article: General News

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