During my early research of Santa Susana Mountains filming locations I encountered a credit for Billy the Kid (1930) that said it had been filmed at Porter Ranch. That was it--just Porter Ranch--not Porter Ranch, California or Porter Ranch, San Fernando Valley.
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Publicity still for Billy the Kid (1930) depicting Lincoln, New Mexico
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Having ridden horses in the San Fernando Valley's Porter Ranch I was skeptical because I believed the chaparral should have been denser than that depicted in the movie.
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Recently I found another Billy the Kid (1930) movie still (above), and because--in my opinion--the photo resembles Oat Mountain I decided to do some additional research.
I've discovered two books that state Porter Ranch, California had a Western town set (built by MGM) that was used to portray Lincoln County, New Mexico (the home of William Bonney, also known as Billy the Kid, circa 1880).
Those books are Location Filming in Los Angeles (Page 113), written by Karie Bible, Marc Wanamaker and Harry Medved, published 2010 and When Hollywood Came to Town: A History of Moviemaking in Utah (Page 286), authored by James V. D'Arc, also published in 2010.
I won't say whether or not I'm convinced, so I'll just borrow a line from one of my favorite movies…
At the end of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) a newspaper man, finally understanding the truth about the killing of Valance, burns his notes and says: "This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend".
Billy the Kid (1930) was filmed at Porter Ranch, California
Directed (in widescreen) by King Vidor and starring Johnny Mack Brown, Wallace Beery and Kay Johnson.
Billy the Kid (1930) is a tale about the relationship between an 1880s New Mexico outlaw Billy the Kid (Johnny Mack Brown) and sheriff Pat Garrett (Wallace Beery), the man who later killed him. The movie is based on the book The Saga of Billy the Kid, written by Walter Noble Burns.
Behind the scenes Johnny Mack Brown gets a little coaching from William S. Hart (the original two-gun man). The pistols carried in the movie by Johnny Mack Brown were the real pistols that had belonged to the real Billy the Kid. William S. Hart had them in his private collection and loaned them to MGM.
For more information about the Chatsworth filming locations visit http://www.cowboyup.com/ and learn about my books: Rendezvous at Boulder Pass: Hollywood's Fantasyland © 2010 (ISBN: 978-0-615-21522-8) and Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas © 2008 (ISBN: 978-0-615-21499-3)
As always, Jerry, thanks for the information! Having grown up with the Westerns in the 40's and 50's, it's fun to live at Cal West where so many films were made.
ReplyDeleteGary Washburn
Always good to hear from another "front row kid."
ReplyDeleteStay tuned...
I'm a native of Porter Ranch, and I'm trying to figure out where this little valley where the film set is could have been if this is indeed in Porter Ranch, in the Valley. The OP is right that the highest peak in the background may be Oat Mtn. If so, that helps one a little bit. My guess is maybe in Limekiln Creek Canyon area? Though the valley there looks too wide for Limekiln. There has to be a map somewhere of where that MGM set was located...
ReplyDeletePlenty of folks are sure it's the Northridge Porter Ranch. I'm still not sure.
ReplyDeleteI think I would put this more toward Granada Hills (when it was the Sunshine Ranch). Check out top of Shoshone/Bull Canyon area. Near Cagney Ranch
ReplyDeleteI rented the movie. I think it's Aliso Canyon. Old photos show a possible dirt road and a stream that crosses the road. Its bends are similar in the movie as the stagecoach rides into town. The images from that area/angle of Oat M seem to match the movie. More investigation is needed.
ReplyDeleteFOUND! I grew up in Porter Ranch and was struck by the photo of King Vidor and the photo of the town looking up main street towards what appears to be Oat Mountain. This spurned my interest, and I bought the movie. This led to more images but nothing definitive except for Oat Mountain itself. I then focused on the white hill at the end of the main street shot. I believed there was a good chance that some recognizable part of the hill would still be standing, and I was Right! To help confirm my findings I compared the film and photo images, against the Historic Aerials website, and the geography appears to line up. I believe with 99% certainty the set was built on what is now Wilbur Ave & Killimore Ave. I have placed the center of main street along the sidewalk on the west side of Wilbur Ave that runs along the golf course, and the building aka the Lincoln Courthouse at the intersection of Wilbur Ave & Killimore Ave. I now plan to fly my drone and replicate the photo of King Vidor. I welcome your comments, questions and suggestions.
ReplyDeleteA gent named Dean Fields did considerable research and came to the same conclusion... Dean Fields 2018 "Found it on 1930 aerial. Check it out. The town is on Wilbur between Killimore and Doral. It is now a golf course. The courthouse is sitting about on the corner of Killimore and Wilbur." Glad you enjoyed my post.
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