Celebrating 100 years of Chatsworth Movies - Overview

Some fascinating Iverson Ranch "rock stars" still exist for you to explore (Nyoka Cliff 2011)

There have been a few newcomers visiting my blog, so I figure it would be a good idea to create an overview of my celebration of 100 years of Chatsworth Movie making.

In Chatsworth's backyard, there remains a fantasyland that was forever made famous by Hollywood…

A place where Superman once captured the evil Luthor in his hidden Stoney Point cave, where Batman wrestled a criminal on top of a speeding locomotive, where Tarzan the Ape Man found an ancient elephant graveyard, and where John Wayne's fighting Seabees pushed a Japanese tank off the same cliff that Nyoka used to escape Vultura’s killer ape.

The place is Boulder Pass.  It was the jungles of India and Africa, the sands of the Sahara, the Khyber Pass between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the plains of Montana, and the High Sierras and the Rocky Mountains all rolled into one.  

It was the scene of stagecoach holdups, posses chasing outlaws on owlhoot (outlaw) trails, Indians attacking white settlers in remote cabins, flying rocket men, and unearthly spaceship landings.  It was a land for make-believe. It could be anything a Hollywood director fancied.

Boulder Pass is a fictitious name borrowed from an old B-Western movie.  The real place is the Santa Susana Pass in Chatsworth, California.  For over  a century, the Santa Susana Pass has been home to the granddaddy of all movie location ranches--the Iverson Ranch.

My name is Jerry England.  I live in Chatsworth.  In fact, I can see the rocky remains of the Iverson Ranch from my front porch.  I am also an author (see http://www.cowboyup.com/) and movie historian who has been researching Chatsworth's filming locations  for more than a dozen years.

Locations researched include: Iverson Ranch, Brandeis Ranch, Burro Flats, Bell Ranch, Spahn Ranch, Chatsworth Lake, Chatsworth Trains, Roy Rogers' Double R Bar Ranch, and Corriganville

In 2012, we are celebrating 100 years since D.W. Griffith cranked the first motion picture camera while shooting a short film titled Man's Genesis (1912).  

UPDATED MOVIE LINKS:

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

• CHATSWORTH MOVIES — updated links

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2023/05/chatsworth-movies-updated-links.html

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Films of Boulder Pass — A Comprehensive List

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2018/11/films-of-boulder-pass-comprehensive-list.html

Saturday, November 17, 2018

The Rock Stars of Boulder Pass (aka Santa Susana Pass)

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-rock-stars-of-boulder-pass-aka.html

Friday, August 31, 2012

San Fernando Valley Horses and Movies Are Forever Linked

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/08/san-fernando-valley-horses-and-movies.html

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Reel Cowboys, Cowgirls, etc -- Chatsworth's Six-Gun Heroes

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2018/11/reel-cowboys-cowgirls-etc-chatsworths.html

OLDER LINKS:

Tuesday, May 1, 2012 — older post

Chatsworth's Rock Stars

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/chatsworths-rock-stars.html

Monday, April 30, 2012

• Celebrating 100 years of Chatsworth Movies — Overview — older post

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_30.html

Saturday, December 29, 2012

My Baby Loves Western Movies & Ranches

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-baby-loves-western-movies-ranches.html

Friday, July 18, 2014

Chatsworth's Road to Movie Magic -- Part One

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2014/07/chatsworths-road-to-movie-magic-part-one.html

Friday, July 18, 2014

Chatsworth's Road to Movie Magic -- Part Two

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2014/07/chatsworths-road-to-movie-magic-part-two.html

Monday, January 16, 2012

Meanwhile back at the ranch -- Map to rock star locations

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/01/meanwhile-back-at-ranch-map-to-rock.html

OLDER LINKS — REEL COWBOYS, COWGIRLS AND THEIR HORSES:

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Reel Cowboys, Cowgirls and Their Hosses (2011- 2012)

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/12/reel-cowboys-cowgirls-and-their-hosses.html

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Four Legged Pals -- Those Wonderful Movie Horses

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/09/four-legged-pals-those-wonderful-movie.html

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Four Legged Pals -- More Wonderful Movie Horses - part 2

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/09/four-legged-pals-more-wonderful-movie.html

Friday, September 14, 2012

Four Legged Pals -- More Wonderful Movie Horses - part 3

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/09/four-legged-pals-more-wonderful-movie_14.html

OTHER CHATSWORTH AREA MOVIE LOCATIONS:

Meanwhile back at the ranch -- Rocky Peak

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2014/04/meanwhile-back-at-ranch-rocky-peak.html

Meanwhile back at the ranch -- Oat Mountain

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2014/04/meanwhile-back-at-ranch-oat-mountain.html

Brandeis Movie Ranch -- Hickeyville

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/06/brandeis-movie-ranch-hickeyville.html

Brandeis Movie Ranch -- Caretaker's House

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/06/brandeis-movie-ranch-caretakers-house.html

Brandeis Movie Ranch -- Bunkouse

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/06/brandeis-movie-ranch-bunkouse.html

Chatsworth Filming Location -- Railroad Depot

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/chatsworth-filming-location-railroad.html

Chatsworth Filming Location -- Railroad Tunnel 28

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/chatsworth-filming-location-railroad_02.html

Chatsworth Filming Location -- Railroad cut and tunnels

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/chatsworth-filming-location-railroad_03.html

Chatsworth filming location -- Chatsworth Reservoir

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/chatsworth-filming-location-chatsworth.html

Chatsworth filming location -- Burro Flats

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/chatsworth-filming-location-burro-flats.html

Corriganville Movie Ranch -- Overview

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/corriganville-movie-ranch-overview.html

Corriganville's Western Street -- Silvertown

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/corriganvilles-western-street-silvertown.html

Corriganville's Fort Apache and Dugout

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/08/corriganvilles-fort-apache-and-dugout.html

Corriganville's Robin Hood Lake

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/08/corriganvilles-robin-hood-lake.html

Corriganville's Chase Roads

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/08/corriganvilles-chase-roads.html

Double R Bar Ranch -- Roy Rogers’ Chatsworth Home

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/02/double-r-bar-ranch-roy-rogers.html

Beyond Boulder Pass -- Bell Location Ranch

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/beyond-boulder-pass-bell-location-ranch.html

GARDEN OF THE GODS PLAQUE:

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Chatsworth Equine Cultural Heritage Organization's Parting Gift — GOTG Plaque

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2017/04/chatsworth-equine-cultural-heritage.html

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Big News on the Iverson Movie Ranch

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2013/03/big-news-on-iverson-movie-ranch.html

Monday, February 6, 2012

Homage to six-gun heroes and their gallant horses

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/02/homage-to-six-gun-heroes-and-their.html

VIDEO LINKS:

Iverson Movie Ranch Video Montage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_HBwVKaHjo

9.3K views  11 years ago

Video introduction to the historic Iverson Movie Ranch once located in Chatsworth, CA

2012 OLDER LINKS:

I am paying homage to Chatsworth Movies by sharing film titles and memorabilia discovered during my research:

The beginning (1912 - 1922)

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth.html

Sound arrives (1923 - 1929)

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_04.html

1930s Classic Movies

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_06.html

Westerns (1930 - 1936)

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_07.html

Westerns (1937 - 1939)

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_5642.html

1930s Cliffhangers (Serials)

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_755.html

1940s Classic Movies

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_15.html

1940s Cliffhangers (Serials)

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_17.html

Westerns 1940

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_18.html

Westerns 1941

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_20.html

Westerns 1942

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_22.html

Westerns 1943

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_24.html

Westerns 1944

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_27.html

Westerns 1945

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_30.html

Westerns 1946

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth.html

Westerns 1947

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_03.html

Westerns 1948

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_06.html

Westerns 1949

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_09.html

Westerns 1950

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_12.html

Westerns 1951

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_15.html

Westerns 1952

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_18.html

Westerns 1953

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_21.html

1950s Cliffhangers (Serials)

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_9916.html

Westerns 1954

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_25.html

Westerns 1955

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_28.html

Westerns 1956

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth.html

Westerns 1957

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_04.html

Westerns 1958

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_07.html

Westerns 1959

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_10.html

Westerns after 1960

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_18.html

Classic Movies 1950 - 1953

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_13.html

Classic Movies 1954 - 1956

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_14.html

Classic Movies 1957 - 1959

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_15.html

Classics after 1960

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_20.html

Chatsworth's TV Shows

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/wait-for-me-wild-bill-chatsworths-tv.html

While you're here be sure to check out my tributes to various six-gun heroes in my "Reel Cowboys" posts.

And,  learn about some of the rock stars on "Meanwhile back at the ranch" posts

Stay tuned… there's lots more coming in ht future.

For more information about my books and Chatsworth location ranches visit http://www.cowboyup.com/

Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas -- George Houston

George Houston (1896–1944) was an American B-western film actor and accomplished singer. (photo above is Al St. John alias Fuzzy Q. Jones on the left and George Houston as the Lone Rider on the right-courtesy of Bruce Hickey)

He won a few singing roles for minor studios during the 1930s, but got his big break in 1941 when Producers Releasing Corp. (PRC) signed him for a series of singing westerns in which he would star as "The Lone Rider".

Unfortunately for Houston "Three Mesquiteers" star Robert Livingston (a bigger box-office draw) became available after his contract with Republic Pictures ended in 1942.  Houston had been unhappy with his meager pay at PRC, and PRC was not happy with the performance of the "Lone Rider" series, so they let Houston go and replaced him with Livingston.  Houston left the movie business after that, and in 1944 (at age 48) he collapsed on a street in Hollywood, dead of a heart attack.

George Houston's Santa Susana locations filmography:

Border Roundup (1942) starring George Houston, Al St. John and Dennis Moore - PRC

Lone Rider Crosses the Rio, The (1941) starring George Houston, Al St. John and Roquell Verria (Iverson Ranch) PRC

Lone Rider Fights Back, The (1941) starring George Houston, Al St. John and Dorothy Short - PRC

Lone Rider in Cheyenne, The (1942) starring George Houston, Al St. John and Dennis Moore - PRC

Lone Rider in Frontier Fury, The (1941) starring George Houston, Al St. John and Hillary Brooke - PRC (photo courtesy of Bruce Hickey)

Lone Rider in Ghost Town, The (1941) starring George Houston, Al St. John and Rebel Randall (Brandeis Ranch)(Iverson Ranch) PRC

Lone Rider in Texas Justice, The (1942) starring George Houston, Al St. John and Dennis Moore - PRC

Lone Rider Rides On, The (1941) starring George Houston, Hillary Brooke and Al St. John - PRC

Outlaws of Boulder Pass (1942) starring George Houston, Al St. John and Dennis Moore - PRC

'Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas' is a continuing series about "six-gun heroes that performed on movie location ranches in Chatsworth, California.  For more information about Chatsworth filming locations see http://www.cowboyup.com/ to find information about my books: Rendezvous at Boulder Pass: Hollywood's Fantasyland - 2010 and Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas - 2008.