Memories of Memorial Day & The Very First Tombstone Rendezvous

 May 29, 2023

   A fitting memory to all those brave guys

Mark Lee Gardner In A

Missouri Military Graveyard

on our Jesse James tour

   We got back today from Issaquah and I have to say, this old photo sums up our feelings about our grandkids

When Grandma Comes to Visit

   Meanwhile, I got this interesting suggestion from across the pond:

   "I finally got and read the Feb/Mar 2022 issue of True West, which was just incredible. But having read so much over the years about Kevin Jarre's original script, two things occurred to me. First, almost no Hollywood film is faithful to its original script. In filming and in editing, scenes and even whole characters and subplots get lost. For every film where the director or writer bemoans the changes made by the producers, there's a film released where critics and audiences think it should have been made shorter and tighter. There WAS of course a Wyatt Earp film made at the same time that kept all its nuances in by extending the running time, and I don't see anyone rushing to its cast reunion. Second, even if someone in Hollywood did decide to film the script, I doubt it would make as good a film as the Tombstone we already have. BUT —why doesn't True West publish it? With your illustrations? That would be fantastic! I have to think TW readers would snap it up, as well as a lot of the film's fans. It would be a way to bring it to life and let the Western-loving world see it at last. Plus, your pictures would be beautiful."

—Darcy Sullivan

Darcy Sullivan in the BBB Studio

   I actually think this crazy idea has some merit. I could illustrate that wonderful script, shot for shot, and without using one of the movie still shots, and it would be wonderful to have people see the incredible lengths Kevin went to in order to capture the real, historic, Tombstone. Of course, the rights issues are going to be ridiculous. Just for grins I called the original producer and he suggested I go through the legal department at Disney (Hollywood Pictures and Cinergi produced the film for Disney) and see if they would grant me the rights to do a graphic novel and while this is good advice, I seriously doubt that route has a snowball's chance in Florida of happening.

The Double Irony

   It was on this Memorial Day weekend (actually May 26), 30 years ago, that I read Kevin Jarre's original script for "Tombstone" for the first time. I was in the actual town of Tombstone for a rendezvous with these crazy guys:

The Renegades: back row, L to R: Bob McCubbin, James Dunham, Robert Palmquist, Jeff Morey. Kneeling, L to R: Allen Barra, Paul Northrop, Casey Tefertiller and BBB

   The photo was taken by Wyatt Earp. No, really. Wyatt Earp was in Tombstone that weekend doing a show on his most famous relative.

   Okay, I am going to paint a couple key scenes from Jarre's original script that did NOT make it into the film, just to illustrate how cool this could be.

"Well, that is exactly how you will get the Disney legal team's attention."

—A lawyer friend of mine who shall remain anonymous