Posted on 07/26/2022 4:14:02 AM PDT by Rebelbase
HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — The mountains of Western North Carolina have set the stage for many feature films – including the chilling 1972 classic: “Deliverance."
Several scenes from the drama/thriller were shot in the region, and some of the actors were locals. In fact, one of the movie’s most notorious characters, the ‘Toothless Man’, played by Herbert ‘Cowboy’ Coward, calls Haywood County home.
Saturday, July 30, 2022, marks the movie’s 50th anniversary, and ‘Cowboy’ took the opportunity to reflect on his acting days.
“He got a real purty mouth, ain’t he?” – it’s one of the most infamous lines from the movie, and it came from Cowboy.
[snip]Cowboy got his acting start at Ghost Town in the Sky, where he performed daily shoot-outs at the wild-west themed amusement park. It’s also where he got his nickname – but it’s likely not what you’re thinking. Cowboy helped build the park, and to his boss’ benefit, was a pro at operating bulldozers. [/snip]
[snip]His big break came thanks to then-budding actor, Burt Reynolds, who also worked at the Maggie Valley mountainside attraction.
“Burt called me and he said, 'you need to come over here, come over here and work,'” Cowboy recalled.
His “Deliverance” audition was about as rough as the character he played.
“When the producer come in and asked me, ‘is that as mad as you can act?’ when he said that, I grabbed him by collar and knocked him against the wall,” Cowboy said. “Then he said, ‘you’ve got the part!’”
Alongside Bill McKinney, Cowboy gave life to one of the most disturbing scenes in Hollywood history – leaving many with nightmares to this day.
“If you’ve ever done any prayin’ you better pray now,” Cowboy recalled another eerie line from the scene.
(Excerpt) Read more at wlos.com ...
IIRC, the bald headed banjo kid is still around and owns a country store in North Ga.
Today, he has a pet squirrel.
He was on some episodes of Moonshiners not too long ago. Add a keen sense of taste and perceptive insights into the distilling process to his list of talents:)
I thought he had a morning show on MSNBC... :-)
Terrible movie.
What you didn’t like the part played by Ned Beatty ??
“Squeal like a pig” is the one that gives me nightmares.
Machines are gonna fail...
Lewis found out that human bodies are going to fail too. Having a compound fracture out in the wilderness forced Mr. Survival to rely on his city boy buddies to save him.
The hand from the water meant it wasn’t over. Of course the discussion about the size of the corn cobs that summer was pretty well placed lines.
Lewis did get in an epic kill shot.
Except for that one, infamous scene, I liked the movie
But the reputations to those living in WNC and north Georgia were a disservice.
The mountain folks are generally good hearted and church going.
Kind, gentle, hard working……..a lot like the scene around the dinner table at the end of the movie
Boorman took the ugly in life and made his movie
“ What you didn’t like the part played by Ned Beatty ??”
Blech
I’d like nothing better than to discuss further the disgusting nature, themes actions and plot of this terrible movie
And people say boys are stupid.
Mystery.
“He’s sure got a real purdy mouth...”
Squeal like a pig was the big one
We used that line in hazing of all incoming varsity players in high school. Luckily I made varsity the year before and only had to endure toilet dunking
The way I look at it is movies come in all forms, comedy, sci-fi, etc...the fact after 50 years the movie is still being talked about means it was impactful to a lot of people.
Movies are meant to be entertaining; this movie has to be considered an unqualified success, how many 50-year-old movies are still being discussed and debated??
What a great story. Thanks.
That movie was full of “interesting” lines.
It was a liberal yankee movie. Liberals tend to think with their genitals and worship homosexuality. Southerners don’t.
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