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Post by flossieskid on Apr 4, 2021 11:24:57 GMT -5
One day when my Mom was working on set, Joe Conley came over to her holding a large black and white photograph. He said, “Nora, isn’t this your husband in this photo?” He showed my Mom the picture and she was so shocked to see my then 18 year old father (James McCallion) in only his 2nd movie called “Pride of the Bluegrass.” The picture showed my Dad in a turtleneck sweater, jeans and a jockey’s cap. Early on, they discover the horse in the movie,‘Gantry’ is blind. The movie is about Gantry who, despite his blindness, is trained by my Dad to participate and, of course, win a famous steeplechase race in England! I mention my Dad’s attire because when he starred in the series,“National Velvet”, my Dad used the exact same wardrobe: turtleneck sweater, jeans and a jockey’s hat. Although the series was almost 25 years after the movie, certain wardrobe choices are classic!
Mom gasped “Joe, where on earth did you get this photo? We have never seen this!” He told her he found it in his attic. Evidently, he had just bought his new house from a very nice family who mentioned their grandfather had been a cinematographer. Joe assumed he must have been the cameraman on the movie. The photo shows my Dad leaning against a tree but the picture also includes the full crew which, at that time, was ridiculously small compared to the many people who worked on the set of The Waltons.
Joe was intrigued, so he decided to do a little research (and this was long before Google!) to find out if his guess was correct. Sure enough, Joe came to the set a few days later and told my Mom that, indeed, the cinematographer, whose family sold Joe his house, was the cameraman on my Dad’s movie and must have left it in the attic. Of course, Joe asked the previous owners of the house if they wanted the photo, but when he told them it was a picture of Mrs. Brimmer’s “husband” they said yes, please give it to her. So he did! Small world!
I still have that great photo on my wall in a place of honor. I made several copies for my extended family who really loved it because it not only showed my Dad, of course, but it was also so unique because it captured the crew working hard in 1938. Joe’s kindness in giving us such an amazing part of my family’s legacy was so appreciated by my Mom and all of us. I even think “Mrs.Godsey” would approve!
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Post by patriciaanne on Apr 4, 2021 12:56:21 GMT -5
What a fabulous story! Amazing how interconnected everything is in the cosmos. I'm so glad you were able to get this precious photo back in your family. 💗
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Post by Easton on Apr 4, 2021 13:28:55 GMT -5
Small world indeed. If somebody else had bought that house...
I couldn't find any photos of your father in Gantry, but I found one of him as probably a teenager and one from National Velvet:
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Post by patriciaanne on Apr 4, 2021 13:56:11 GMT -5
Quite the handsome man!! 💗
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Post by nedandres on Apr 10, 2021 23:25:56 GMT -5
What a cool story and photos. Thanks all!
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Post by Easton on Apr 13, 2021 9:30:01 GMT -5
Since I am unable to create new threads in this forum for some reason or other, I'll post new images of flossieskid's father, James McCallion, from time to time. With luck, I'll find a few images that flossieskid has never seen
Here is James from the 1939 Universal release of Code of the Streets:
The Little Tough Guys
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Post by noplacelikehome on Apr 14, 2021 15:09:28 GMT -5
Since I am unable to create new threads in this forum for some reason or other, I'll post new images of flossieskid's father, James McCallion, from time to time. With luck, I'll find a few images that flossieskid has never seen
Here is James from the 1939 Universal release of Code of the Streets: The Little Tough Guys
Nice photos. I'm unable to attach photos to my posts for some reason. Says something about "lack of forum memory" |
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Post by Easton on Apr 14, 2021 15:55:47 GMT -5
^ When you attach photos, ProBoards stores them for the board, but there is limited space. The error message means that the storage space is full and no other photos can be attached until some are deleted.
My photos are not 'attached'. I have an internet storage space specifically for posting photos in forums apart from this board. In essence, I attach links to my storage space so you're seeing them from where I store them.
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Post by Brenda on Apr 14, 2021 17:35:57 GMT -5
Since I am unable to create new threads in this forum for some reason or other, I'll post new images of flossieskid's father, James McCallion, from time to time. With luck, I'll find a few images that flossieskid has never seen.
This board was specifically set up so that only flossieskid can create new posts, but all forum members can reply. It is fine for you to post photos in your replies. |
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Post by Easton on Apr 14, 2021 18:38:25 GMT -5
^ That is what I had guessed. I had never encountered such an option before.
This thread seemed the most appropriate for James' photos.
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Post by Easton on Apr 21, 2021 9:32:27 GMT -5
Everybody knows his face. Not everybody knows his name.
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Post by patriciaanne on Apr 25, 2021 17:37:31 GMT -5
It's true, Easton! His face is so familiar! And now I do know his name. 😊
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Post by Easton on Apr 29, 2021 8:45:05 GMT -5
I found this on YouTube this morning. It's sort of a 'Whatever happened to...?'
It's from the National Velvet television series: The Colt.
James McCallion as Mi Taylor appears at 6:40 if you wish to fast-forward. 'Mi' is short for 'Michael'.
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Post by flossieskid on May 1, 2021 4:03:38 GMT -5
Hey Easton - thanks for the link to the “National Velvet” site, but it was a disappointment that my Dad wasn’t acknowledged! Bummer! But WHAT a shock about the suicide of Lori Martin!! Goodness! She was around my age and so many days I spent at MGM, often we would walk around the studio together or go to the commissary. Once my Dad and Lori were suppose to ride in the Hollywood Lane Parade and so I was just coming along. Lori got sick and had to cancel at the last minute. When we were backstage waiting to get in the car, a cop came over and said a little girl wanted my autograph. My Dad said they obviously thought, since I was the only girl near “Mi”, that I was Lori Martin - although we didn’t look anything alike. So, my Dad said to not disappoint the fan, just sign Lori’s name. which I did. Such sad news - unbelievable! The last time I saw the whole cast was at the wedding of Carole Wells and Larry Doheny in 1963. Life flies by....
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Post by patriciaanne on May 1, 2021 13:45:22 GMT -5
Hey Easton - thanks for the link to the “National Velvet” site, but it was a disappointment that my Dad wasn’t acknowledged! Bummer! But WHAT a shock about the suicide of Lori Martin!! Goodness! She was around my age and so many days I spent at MGM, often we would walk around the studio together or go to the commissary. Once my Dad and Lori were suppose to ride in the Hollywood Lane Parade and so I was just coming along. Lori got sick and had to cancel at the last minute. When we were backstage waiting to get in the car, a cop came over and said a little girl wanted my autograph. My Dad said they obviously thought, since I was the only girl near “Mi”, that I was Lori Martin - although we didn’t look anything alike. So, my Dad said to not disappoint the fan, just sign Lori’s name. which I did. Such sad news - unbelievable! The last time I saw the whole cast was at the wedding of Carole Wells and Larry Doheny in 1963. Life flies by.... They do acknowledge your dad around the 19 minute mark. How nice it was to hear his voice. 😊 Was the accent real? |
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