Posted on 05/01/2006 11:38:42 AM PDT by Theodore R.
PBS ranch series receives some local advice
Cowboy life
BY RAY WESTBROOK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Cowboys riding hard after cattle in the heat of a Big Bend summer in 1867 could find relief from their work only by falling exhausted at night onto their crudely fashioned camp site.
It was life hanging by a thread, with neighbors perhaps 25 miles away and no way to reduce the distance by speed.
Today, the scene has been repeated south of Alpine, except a TV camera followed the cowboys wherever they rode.
Producers of a reality show about 19th century ranching, which will air nationally at 8 p.m. today through Thursday on PBS (KTXT-TV channel 4), reached out to Lubbock's students of the Old West to learn how it should be done.
Provided by Wyman Meinzer / Thirteen/Wnet "Texas Ranch House," a reality show scheduled to air at 8 p.m. today through Thursday on PBS, will depict life as it was lived by the American cowboy in 1867. The film was made on a ranch south of Alpine in the area near Big Bend.
The show, called "Texas Ranch House," depicts life in 1867 on a 40,000-acre ranch and was made by Wall to Wall Productions of New York and London. It runs two hours on each of the four nights.
Henry Crawford, curator of history at the Museum of Texas Tech, worked on the project as a consultant and in the acting role of a buffalo soldier. His wife, Robin, curator of the National Ranching Heritage Center, taught members of the reality cast about home life as it would have existed in 1867.
Jim Pfluger, executive director of the National Ranching Heritage Center, helped provide the historical background and ensure the accuracy of the set. John White, architecture professor at Tech, advised the company on the design and building of ranch structures.
The cast of cowboy reality actors were put through a boot camp of training for their work in the show, according to Crawford.
"This was a period of total immersion," he said. "During the period when they were taking our classes, they also were out there riding eight hours a day, working cattle, learning how to use the horses properly. The guys came out of the boot camp totally prepared for what they needed to do."
Texas Ranch House What - Reality show about 19th century ranching.
When - 8-10 p.m. today through Thursday.
Where -PBS, KTXT-TV channel 4, Lubbock
Producer - Wall to Wall Productions of New York and London
Crawford said that when he later rode his horse unannounced into the scene as a cavalry sergeant, the look on the faces of the cast "was totally priceless."
Pfluger said the production company chose a family from California to be the ranchers.
According to Robin Crawford, they were a mother, father and daughters, ages 14, 17 and 19. A woman hired to help in the home also was a kind of member of the family.
"I was the consultant who was there to talk about home life and expectations for women for the period."
It was a short course in the home arts. She even saved some of her advice for others in the cast:
"I also talked to the cowboys a little about manners."
According to Pfluger, the cast was given no quarter.
"They just worked under the stress of 1867, with none of the modern conveniences. They had to live by whatever they cooked."
To comment on this story:
ray.westbrook@lubbockonline.com 766-8711
shelly.gonzales@lubbockonline.com 766-8747
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ping
...the people are so pathetic...
...fortunately the people who built the USA were made of better stuff!
Ummm, even with the advent of cars, trains, planes or helicopters, distance remains the same.
Thanks for the word, TR! I'll try to catch some of it.
The local paper said it was in W. Texas but, never would give the actual location. Beautiful country out there!
Yep, I watched it a couple of nights. Got a few laughs, although at the wrong times. I especially liked it when the Comanche Indian Chief asked Rancher Sap (Cooke) if he was a wimp. The ending was about what I expected. But I was surprised it took so long to happen.
Cindy, did you watch this series?
Nah. I watched Sean, get axed though:')
LOL, Jared was fired and told to leave the ranch in thirty minutes. The ending was worth watching.
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