Movie series to feature stunt man
The Alamo will be shown at the Aztec Theater this Saturday, Aug. 25, and as a special treat the Aztec board has waved the price of admission and has invited two special guests to the showing of the historic war film that was directed, produced, and starred in by John Wayne.
The theater will open at 6:00 p.m. and free water and popcorn will be available.
The guest of honor will be Stephens County resident Dean Smith, who was a stunt man in the movie, and also played a small role.
He is expected to share a few of his memories from working with Wayne on this and several other films, and will be available to sign copies of his memoir, Cowboy Stuntman: From Olympic Gold to the Silver Screen, written by Mike Cox.
Smith’s wife Debbie is expected to accompany him on Saturday.
The Alamo
The 1960 film is based on the 1836 tragic defeat of the Texas defenders at the Alamo mission in San Antonio that helped buy time needed for Sam Houston to prepare to win Texas independence from Mexico.
The movie was nominated for multiple Academy Awards and won the Oscar for Best Sound.
Cast members included Wayne (Davy Crockett), Richard Widmark (Jim Bowie), Laurence Harvey (William Travis), and Frankie Avalon (Smitty).
Dean Smith
Smith, an Olympic gold medal track star raised near Eliasville, was an NFL player for the Los Angeles Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers before he decided to try his skills in the movie industry.
He has performed stunts and/or served as stunt coordinator in 91 different movies and TV shows including stunt doubling for James Garner, Roy Rogers, Alex Cord, Robert Duvall, John McMartin, Robert Forster, Dabney Coleman, Doug McClure, Dale Robertson, Stuart Whitman, Ben Johnson, Claude Akins, Will Wright, and Maureen O’Hara.
Smith is a member of the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Stuntman’s Hall of Fame, and University of Texas Hall of Fame. He has been awarded the American Culture Award for Western Movies and Television, Golden Boot Award, Ben Johnson Award, All American Cowboy Award, and Head of the Class Alvin Davis Award.
Smith was one of the stuntmen on the set of The Alamo, and also played the part of “Bowie’s Man.”
The Aztec box office will open at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25. Smith will take the stage at 7:00 p.m., and the film will follow.
