Posted on 10/05/2011 10:27:24 AM PDT by FritzG
Feb. 9, 1957: Television’s Wyatt Earp, actor Hugh O’Brian, on left, and Al Jennings, onetime western bad man, draw guns for Los Angeles Times staff photographer Al Markado. O’Brian won, but Jennings, at 93, had the experience to make the shot count – if he needed too.
Times staff writer Norman Dash reported:
TARZANA–A 93-year-old “bad man.” who was once allegedly the fastest man with a gun in the West, met up with television’s Wyatt Earp and immediately went for his clippings, memories and tales of the Old West at his modern-day hide-out in Tarzana.
Al Jennings, last of the real shoot-’em-up gun slingers, can talk for hours about such men as the original Wyatt Earp, the Daltons, Jesse James, Doc Holiday and Bat Masterson–all men he has known.
“I won’t give ya a plugged nickel for today’s crop of television’s western heroes,” Jennings told Hugh O’Brian, who plays Earp. He reached for a gun that O’Brian gave him to look at.
The small, wiry, white haired former desperado, not much taller than 5 feet, tried twirling Earp’s gun and finally gave it up because his once nimble fingers weren’t what they used to be.
Finally he snorted, looked at the blank TV screen and confided to O’Brian: “These television heroes are no good at all!. They’re certainly not as good with a gun as the men in my day. It’s a joke!”
Jennings should know what he’s talking about. His trail leads back to train and bank robbing feats, five years in the penitentiary at Columbus, OH., a parole by President McKinley and a pardon from President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907.
“Now let me tell ya,” he continued, “On television they’re always hitting the cap of the gun and fanning it real fast so it looks good.”
(Excerpt) Read more at framework.latimes.com ...
Feb. 9, 1957: Days of Old West came to life as Officers Ken Melbie, on left, and Morrie Henkin call at Tarzana home of Al Jennings, 93, the “last of the badmen.” Jennings was showing Hugh O’Brian, TV’s Wyatt Earp, how Colts were handled in the old days when neighbors became alarmed, called police. (Original published caption) Credit: Los Angeles Times
Did this old man do everything with his eyes closed? Guess it helped when drawing with the sun in your eyes, seems he is fortunate to have lived so long.
Hugh O’Brien later became famous because he is the father of twin brothers Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.
Fanning the hammer of a SAA was mostly an invention of Hollywood. Folks shouldn’t do it to a stock SAA - it is very hard on the lockwork.
Elmer Keith did, however, write briefly about “slip shooting,” where the trigger is held back and the hammer is drawn to the rear with a thumb and then the thumb is “slipped” off the hammer to fire the gun rather than pulling the trigger.
Yeah,, the actor looks like he knows what he’s doing. pay no attention to the geezer who has lived through it. Target and trick shooters are fine,,, but a person who has put theory into practice is another thing.
This concept is why we are sometimes treated to stories of geezers that perorm in lethal encounter far above what one expects.
The camera caught a blink.
can you imagine how the cops would have acted in many places today?
Fascinating story, thanks.
Look at the leg, arm, and gun positions. All different. I trust the old man’s positions.
Exactly,,, and most deadly of all. His mind is made up,,,,and has been for decades.
Best Quote from the Old West you have the quick draw but can you look in the eyes and Kill if need be!
Not really into gun safety, this lot.
That's not a cop, it's Bill O'Reilly.
Hugh O’Brian is still alive at age 86. I have never seen “Wyatt Earp” but remember him in the 1970’s series “Search.”
LOL! Reminds me of Chief Wiggam, on The Simpsons, cracking walnuts with the butt of his loaded revolver.
Tarzana is the childhood home of Edgar Rice Burroughs - and named after his most famous character.
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