Range Rider Rock, Fireplace Rock and the Ottoman — three rocks that have caused more than their share of trouble

Three neighboring rocks with remarkably similar silhouettes

These screen shots show three different rocks that were situated near each other on the Iverson Movie Ranch. Similarities in their shapes have posed a number of research challenges.

As marked here in blue, all three rocks have a gentle "S"-curve along the left edge, then tuck in toward the bottom to form a curved overhanging ledge. The darker appearance of the rock on the right is due to variation in lighting.

"Man From Sonora" (Johnny Mack Brown, 1951)

Remarkably, all three rocks are positioned in the same direction, with their matching edges found at the northwest corner of each rock. Two of these edges can be seen in this screen shot from the B-Western "Man From Sonora."

The names I've adopted in my research for these two rocks are Fireplace Rock and the Ottoman. Fireplace Rock is still in place today, but the "fireplace" near the bottom of the rock feature is almost impossible to see.

Here's a better look at Fireplace Rock in "Man From Sonora" in which the recessed "fireplace" area can be clearly seen toward the right of the frame, behind the horse and rider. Today the fireplace is concealed behind a home in the Indian Hills Mobile Home Village.

In the original composite shot, Fireplace Rock appears on the left, the Ottoman is in the center and the panel on the right contains Range Rider Rock.

"Atom Man vs. Superman" (Columbia serial, 1950)

The shot of Range Rider Rock comes from "Atom Man vs. Superman." The image of the corner of the rock looming along the right edge of the frame is typical of how all three rocks at times appeared in the movies.

"When the Daltons Rode" (Universal, 1940)

Another interesting use of that "S"-curve edge of Range Rider Rock can be found in the Randolph Scott Western "When the Daltons Rode," where a bushwhacker atop the rock awaits his prey.

"Man From Sonora" — Range Rider Rock

Range Rider Rock had a number of other profiles that were also often seen in productions. This shot from "Man From Sonora" shows the full length of the rock, and is probably its most common angle.

This photo highlights the corner of Range Rider Rock seen in the shots higher up in this post. "Man From Sonora" is one of the best showcases for all three of the rocks featured in this post. I published a detailed post about "Man From Sonora" last year, and you can see that post by clicking here.

"Shut My Big Mouth" — Joe E. Brown (1942)

Range Rider Rock is featured in colorized form in this lobby card for the Joe E. Brown movie "Shut My Big Mouth."

"The Roy Rogers Show": "The Scavenger" (Nov. 27, 1955) — "Brainiac"

Viewed from this angle, the north end of Range Rider Rock presents a profile I've always found amusing, which I call "Brainiac." I broke down the elements of Brainiac in a post back in 2010 that you can see by clicking here.

Range Rider Rock/Brainiac in modern times

Range Rider Rock survives today as part of the mobile home park, but the rock is hard to access and I have been unable to replicate the "Brainiac" angle. The above shot is about as close as I could get, but it clearly has none of the original Brainiac charisma.

Range Rider Rock's contemporary setting

Another partial view of Range Rider Rock can be seen by looking over the roof of a mobile home. This angle, with the camera pointed southeast, doesn't quite match any productions I've seen.

"The Lone Rider in Ghost Town" (PRC, 1941)

Range Rider Rock was frequently filmed from the north, as in this example from the George Houston B-Western "The Lone Rider in Ghost Town." Range Rider Rock appears on the left, with a portion of the Lash LaRue's Arch formation visible in the background, above the riders.

Identifiers on the rock, including the three bumps noted here, help match up the rock with its screen appearances.

Here's a better look at the three bumps as they appear today.

"Gold Raiders" (1951)

It can be a challenge to find these bumps in productions, but they're visible in this shot from the Three Stooges movie "Gold Raiders."

"The Virginian": "The Mountain of the Sun" (April 17, 1963)

The bumps can be found again in this unusual shot from the TV show "The Virginian." Unfortunately, that side of the rock is in shadow, once again making the bumps a little hard to see.

"The Fighting Seabees" (1944)

An interesting shot of Range Rider Rock appears in the John Wayne war movie "The Fighting Seabees," with the rock filling much of the bottom left corner of the frame. The rocks near the top of the frame are still in place as well, and today decorate the area around the swimming pool in the Indian Hills Mobile Home Village.

I'm unable to make out the three bumps in this shot due to the shading on the rock, but if we could see them, they would be approximately in the area designated here in green.

Notice this curved indentation in Range Rider Rock.

The same indentation can be seen in the shot from "The Virginian," although the shading again hampers visibility. You may want to click on the photo to see it in a larger format.

The indentation is also clearly visible in recent shots of Range Rider Rock's north end.

"The Rawhide Trail" (1958)

The relationship between Range Rider Rock and Fireplace Rock can be seen in this shot from the Allied Artists B-Western "The Rawhide Trail," which starred Rex Reason.

The two rock features are identified here. The Ottoman, which was located between Range Rider Rock and Fireplace Rock, is hidden behind Range Rider Rock in this shot and cannot be seen.

The "S"-shaped curves at the northwest corners of both Fireplace Rock and Range Rider Rock are noted here.

Two distinctive rocks, Bugeye and Trapezoid, are situated at the top of Fireplace Rock, as noted in this version of the "Rawhide Trail" screen shot. I've also noted the "Fireplace" area at the base of Fireplace Rock.

"Lawless Cowboys" (Monogram, 1951)

In the Whip Wilson movie "Lawless Cowboys," we get a better look at Bugeye and Trapezoid atop Fireplace Rock. The shot is taken from Sheep Flats looking southeast.

Also appearing in the "Lawless Cowboys" shot is the Ottoman.

In modern times Bugeye and Trapezoid loom above the streets of the Indian Hills Mobile Home Village. They're still positioned atop Fireplace Rock, but the "fireplace" area is now hidden from view.

"Overland Trail" TV series: "Westbound Stage" (March 6, 1960)

The Ottoman can be seen in the top left corner of this shot from the TV show "Overland Trail." The one-hour Western series, which starred Doug McClure and William Bendix, lasted just one season on NBC.

Seventeen episodes of "Overland Trail" were produced, with most of the location work done on the Iverson Ranch.

The Ottoman's "S"-curve is seen again here, albeit from a different angle than in previous shots.

Example of an actual ottoman

It may go without saying, but to illustrate why I've been calling the rock the Ottoman, here's a picture of an actual Ottoman. While the name is related mainly to the ottoman-like shape of the rock, I also like the suggestion of a cushy rock that one could put one's feet up on.

"Man From Sonora"

The rock feature the Ottoman is on the obscure side, as famous Iverson Movie Ranch rocks go. "Man From Sonora" includes one of the better looks at the rock, but even here it tends to blend in.

"The Virginian" — "Mountain of the Sun"

This is probably the most striking appearance by the Ottoman, from the same "Virginian" sequence noted above. The sequence marks one of the few times the east side of the rock was filmed.

The "Virginian" shot also features a view of other rock features in the neighborhood, including another glimpse of two of the main rocks in the swimming pool area, known as the Cave Rocks.

The fake cave entrance that gives the Cave Rocks their name can be seen in the photo, along with a strategically placed fake bush hiding the opening to the cave.

Indian Hills Mobile Home Village — swimming pool area

Some of the same rocks can be seen in this recent shot of the swimming pool area. The original location of the fake cave would have been near the left of the frame, in the dark area above the white table.

"Atom Man vs. Superman" — the Ottoman

 The Ottoman can be seen at the far left of the frame in this screen shot from "Atom Man vs. Superman."

"Motorcycle Gang" (American International, 1957)

On a rare occasion when horses and old gangster sedans gave way to motorcycles on the Iverson Ranch, the Ottoman lurked in the background during filming of the oddity "Motorcycle Gang."

The fate of the Ottoman is not clear. It's likely that the rock was buried during development of the mobile home park, but the area is inaccessible today and the rock's status remains a question mark.

Indian Hills Mobile Home Village (Bing bird's-eye view)

A recent overview of the Indian Hills Mobile Home Village, at Topanga and the 118 in Chatsworth, Calif., notes the location of two of the main rock features highlighted in this post — Fireplace Rock and Range Rider Rock.

Beautiful color images of the Iverson Movie Ranch from the final season of "The Lone Ranger"

"The Lone Ranger" (1957): Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels on the Lower Iverson

The TV show "The Lone Ranger" aired just one season in color — the final year of its five-season run on ABC. The 39 color episodes that made up season five aired from 1956-1957.

"The Sheriff of Smoke Tree" (premiered Sept. 20, 1956)

Much of the show's location footage during season five was filmed on the Iverson Movie Ranch, producing memorable color images of the ranch during one of its most productive periods.

Tonto playfully lassoes the Lone Ranger outside the Cottage on the Middle Iverson Ranch Set
in "Decision for Chris McKeever" (Dec. 6, 1956)

Season five marked a homecoming for series stars Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels, as the show took on its most ambitious Iverson shooting schedule since production on season one in 1949-1950.

"Quarter Horse War" (Nov. 8, 1956)

The saddle pals take a break at a "water feature" — probably just a puddle left behind by the rain. The scene takes place on a lightly filmed patch of land near the eastern boundary of the Lower Iverson. This land no longer exists, having been demolished in the 1960s to put through Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

The "Topanga Cut," as it appears today (looking east)

This recent bird's-eye view diagrams approximately where the water feature (or puddle) in the previous shot would have been located — somewhere in the middle of the "Topanga Cut." The demolition required to extend Topanga to the 118 Freeway resulted in the loss of a substantial chunk of scenic terrain.

The Topanga Cut, looking west

This bird's-eye highlights the scale of the Topanga Cut, including the enormous change in elevation between the original Iverson Movie Ranch property at the top and the current level of the road far below. Notice how the cars are dwarfed by the "slice" that was carved through the terrain.

 John Beradino as stage holdup specialist Lem Crater in "The Sheriff of Smoke Tree"

In "The Sheriff of Smoke Tree," former Major League infielder Johnny Beradino — who went by "John" after he transitioned to acting — led a crew of outlaws who terrorized the Lower Iverson holding up stagecoaches. Beradino would resurface in a variety of bad-guy roles throughout season five.

The shot of Beradino includes a couple of Iverson-area landmarks, noted here. The Football can be found today among the condos, as I've discussed in previous posts. Elders Peak, also known as Rockridge, Sunset or Retz Peak, is situated south of the movie ranch.

Maurice Jara as Red Cloud — "The Courage of Tonto" (Jan. 17, 1957)

Much of the episode "The Courage of Tonto" was filmed in Iverson's Garden of the Gods, including this sequence set in the Central Garden of the Gods. The camera is pointed toward the west, with Getaway Rock featured prominently behind Maurice Jara and Green Hill in the distance.

Getaway Rock in modern times — Central Garden of the Gods

Getaway Rock and Green Hill remain in place today, as seen in this photo from a visit to the ranch in 2014.

"The Courage of Tonto"

For this part of the sequence the camera remains in roughly the same place, but is turned around and aimed toward the east. Visible between Maurice Jara and Jay Silverheels is part of the Harum Scarum Cluster.

"The Avenger" (Jan. 10, 1957): Central Garden of the Gods

This shot taken in the same area appears in the episode "The Avenger," which premiered one week before "The Courage of Tonto." A portion of the Harum Scarum Cluster can again be seen, along with the Old Yeller Tree.

"Old Yeller" (released Dec. 25, 1957)

When the Old Yeller Tree appeared about a year later in the Disney movie "Old Yeller," the tree was embellished with prosthetic limbs and a few fake rocks were added to the Harum Scarum Cluster.

The tree and rock cluster were featured in the dramatic feral pigs sequence in "Old Yeller" — a tearjerker that left many a young movie goer emotionally scarred.

This shot offers a rough idea of which of the rocks were real and which were fake in "Old Yeller." The rock highlighted in yellow is pretty easy to spot between Red Cloud and Tonto in the "Lone Ranger" photo up above.
 

"Tennessee's Partner" (1955): John Payne and Ronald Reagan in Central Garden of the Gods

The same setting — including the Harum Scarum Cluster and the Old Yeller Tree — can be seen during the climactic sequence in the Western "Tennessee's Partner," which you can read about by clicking here.

The Harum Scarum Cluster in recent times (Central Garden of the Gods)

The Harum Scarum Cluster remains in place today in Central Garden of the Gods. However, the Old Yeller Tree no longer exists.

"Outlaw Masquerade" (Jan. 3, 1957)

The Ranger pursued bad guys on the decaying Iverson Western street in "Outlaw Masquerade," which was filmed in 1956 for its premiere in early 1957.

"Outlaw Masquerade" — The Iverson Western street

The poor condition of the town set in 1956 was partly by design, as the set was frequently used as a ghost town. However, the town, built in 1945, was in fact falling apart, and would soon be demolished.

The Barn, as seen in "Outlaw Masquerade"

The Barn, part of the Western street set, was in especially bad shape in late 1956.

"Outlaw Masquerade"

Additional deterioration can be seen in a wide shot of the town from the same episode — especially on the Livery Stable, to the left of the riders. For additional photos of the town set, including more "Lone Ranger" shots, please click here to see my in-depth series of blog posts on the Iverson Western street from early 2015.

"The Avenger" — A shootout is brewing in Garden of the Gods

A big shootout takes place near Overlook Point in "The Avenger," pitting the Lone Ranger, with help from Tonto, against a bad guy known as Dave Spence.

Dave Spence sets his sights on the Ranger

Oddly, even though Dave Spence plays a large role in "The Avenger," the actor who played him is uncredited — and nobody seems to know who he was. If you recognize him, please give us a heads-up.

The Ranger tries to hold off Spence, who has the high ground. My guess is the mask made this sort of thing that much more difficult.

Meanwhile, Tonto circles around behind the bad guy. (Never saw that coming!)

Tonto gets the drop on Spence from above and behind him, even though the rock he's really behind is right next to where he was in the first place — and nowhere near where he's supposed to be. Based on his position here, he would be shooting into the ground.

Spence surrenders as Tonto balances on top of Mitchum Rock

One bad guy vs. two of the most legendary crimefighters of the Old West? Spence never had a chance. Especially once Tonto was magically transported to a strategically superior position.

"The Return of Don Pedro O'Sullivan" (Oct. 25, 1956)

Silver and Scout do some synchronized rearing up with the Lone Ranger and Tonto aboard during an extensive shoot on the Upper Iverson for "The Return of Don Pedro O'Sullivan."

"The Return of Don Pedro O'Sullivan"

The team charges across the Fern Ann Creekbed, with the Cliff, a prominent feature of the Upper Iverson's South Rim, looming at top left.

The episode showcases the Upper Iverson chase roads — including a few tire tracks that probably technically wouldn't have been there in the Wild West days. Also visible here are those pesky fenceposts.

"Quarter Horse War"

Both the Lone Ranger and Silver were ready for their closeup in "Quarter Horse War." The shot is part of the same sequence mentioned near the top of this post that was filmed in what's now the Topanga Cut.

"No Handicap" (Oct. 4, 1956)

Jay Silverheels and Scout work the area north of Garden of the Gods. Immediately to the right of Silverheels' leg is a rock I call the Toucan. Silverheels, who was born Harold J. Smith, reportedly rode a number of different "Scouts," all paint horses, during his five seasons on the TV series.

"Decision for Chris McKeever"

Iverson shoots for "The Lone Ranger" typically included plenty of pointing and neck craning for Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels. This example is filmed between Strange Rock, on the left, and Tom Mix Rock, on the right.

"The Letter Bride" (Nov. 15, 1956) — Sheep Flats and Fireplace Rock

Fireplace Rock looms in the background during a stagecoach sequence in "The Letter Bride."

Here's a breakdown of the key components of Fireplace Rock, which I've referred to in the past as "Bugeye & Trapezoid," or "B&T."

Bugeye and Trapezoid are easy to spot today, still positioned atop Fireplace Rock but now part of the decor of the Indian Hills Mobile Home Village. The "fireplace" that gives the rock its name is impossible to see in modern times, but you can get a good look at it in the movies by clicking here.

Rooster Foot Gulley, in the episode "Journey to San Carlos"

Left to right: Clayton Moore, Melinda Byron, Joseph Sargent and Myron Healey

"Journey to San Carlos," which premiered May 9, 1957, featured a sequence filmed in "Rooster Foot Gulley" along the northern ridge of Cactus Hill. The camera is aimed east, and some rock features of the Upper Iverson's South Rim are seen in the background — including Turtle Rock, above Clayton Moore's shoulder.

Rooster Foot Gulley in 2016 (photo by Jerry Condit)

Location hunter and photographer Jerry Condit tracked down the site earlier this year and took this photo duplicating the frame from "The Lone Ranger."

"The Courage of Tonto" — Garden of the Gods

In "The Courage of Tonto," Tonto was tied to a tree on the north wall of the Sphinx. Notice how the artificial lighting casts multiple shadows — especially noticeable with the shadows of the tree and the character at far right.

The tree and rock wall can still be identified, as Jerry documented on a recent visit.

Lone Ranger Rock (opening to the TV show, filmed in 1956)

Lone Ranger fans know this shot well, as it's part of the opening to the TV series. A number of versions of the opening were filmed, as detailed in a previous post. This shot is from the most widely seen opening, filmed in 1956. Although the sequence was filmed in color, it is usually seen in "retrofitted" black-and-white.

"Breaking Point" (Jan. 24, 1957) — Lone Ranger Rock

A less familiar appearance by Lone Ranger Rock in the TV series has both the Lone Ranger and Tonto riding by in the episode "Breaking Point." The horse Tonto is riding here is believed to be the original "Scout."

The most popular attraction on the former Iverson Movie Ranch, Lone Ranger Rock remains in place and can be seen from Redmesa Road — appearing on the right side of the road before visitors even get out of the car.