The 1938 show, as I tour the country doing nostalgia for seniors, is the 2nd most popular. I come to the point of the program where I talk about the academy awards of 1938. I start it out with the first several awards and then I ask a question. I invite you to listen in:
The academy award winning song of 1938 adopted by Bob Hope to be his forever after theme song. Thanks For The Memory
The academy award for best picture of 1938 went to "You Can’t Take It With You". Lionel Barrymore and Jimmy Stewart.
Bette Davis won best actress for her portrayal of a snotty southern lady in Jezebel. Fay Bainter was top supporting actress for the same film.
Spencer Tracy won best actor for his role as Father Flanagan in Boys Town co-starring Mickey Rooney.
Now to best supporitng actor. A man who, at his death in the 1970s, had more Oscars than any one else?
Walter Brennan as Peter Goodwin in "Kentucky".
Brennan was never even nominated for top actor, but had so many supporting roles with such versatility that when Walter passed away in the 70s, he had more Oscars on his fireplace than any other actor…I am not illustrating, I have seen that fireplace. You see…
I lived in Thousand Oaks, California from 1972-74. I had a job as an assistant to an author. The author’s wife knew Ruth Brennan, Walter’s long time wife. She and Ruth and my wife got together several times. My wife and Ruth became "how ya doin, Mary?" type friends. Nothing real close, but seeing each other regularly at luncheons and the like.
One day, my boss and I and a sound man went to Walter Brennan’s ranch to record Walter using a combination of his real voice and his "Grandpappy Amos" voice to make a radio commercial for a local candidate.
I had the opportunity to have several quality conversations with Walter Brennan because, to be honest, we found we shared a lot of the same values.
One of my prized possessions is a photo of Walter, in his 80s, and I at the candidate’s campaign headquarters.
Y’know, away from heroic cowboys & grim Indians there is another side of the old west. Truly, a more common side. Namely, farmers and homesteads.
Walter as Grandpappy Amos of the Real McCoys & on TV in the late 50s early 60s, used the world’s most homespun voice to entertain us, warm our hearts and promote the ideals of family loyalty and good honest hard work.
Walter could have long since retired to this fine Orange Grove farm/ranch that he had. However, he remained active on behalf of these values with his art form as well as making speeches and supporting candidates.
Few months later, I was telling my oldest friend about Walter. Jack was out visiting me during his vacation from a teaching job in Florida. I decided to drive Jack by the Brennan ranch just to show him how close it was.
Jack begged that we might knock on the door so that he could meet Walter. I didn’t feel the liberty to do that unannounced, but I did agree that if I saw Walter in the yard, we would stop.
Jack said, "Yeahhh, sure, 81 years old, he’s going to be out in the yard"
When we got to the front of the ranch and slowed down to peer out, we saw nothing but we heard a loud machinery noise coming from the other side.
Presently, around the corner came this big tractor with some kind of contraption that pruned lower limbs off the orange trees in this section on the ranch. 81 year old Walter Brennan, wearin’ a wide brim floppy hat just like Amos McCoy’s, was operating the tractor and equipment.
I turned to Jack and said: Well, buddy, he is sort of out in the yard.
Jack said: Hey, we won’t interrupt him. I am satisfied. I’ve got all the story I need to tell my Junior High History class when I get back.
This episode also illustrates that Walter was not sitting in an arm chair espousing the value of hard work to "young whippersnappers!"
Another thing Walter did that is probably forgotten was make hit records. No he didn’t sing, but, right smack in the middle of rock and roll songs all over the pop charts were "Houdini" "Old Rivers" and "The Old Kelly Place." Musical backgrounds with Walter narrating. A curious blend of lyrical quality and the poor country farmer personna.
In the Old Kelly Place lyrics you can detect the values I was talking about.
You know that 40 acres we got in corn this year,
Your great-grandaddy cleared that land
With two big mules and sweat and tears,
And a good woman who lent him a hand
And when he give out before his time,
Them boys o’ his had a land of their own
So you see all of this that I call mine,
Is more in the neighborhood…Of just a loan
Walter was so kind. It did my heart good to know a Hollywood star who played homespun, down-to-earth characters was homespun and down to earth.
