A postcard from Lone Pine 2022: How a movie festival 200 miles away helped solve an old "Iverson Movie Ranch" mystery

The Lone Pine Film Festival just wrapped up its 32nd year

We had a great time earlier this month at the Lone Pine Film Festival, which is still going strong in its 32nd year. Not only is Lone Pine one of the best film festivals in the U.S., I believe it also stands alone in that it's more focused on actual filming locations — and a lot of them — than any other festival in the world.

 

Dawn breaks in the Alabama Hills (Oct. 9, 2022)

The centerpiece of the festival — and of movie history in the Lone Pine area — is the Alabama Hills, a unique geological formation that first caught the attention of Hollywood more than a century ago.

 

Alabama Hills — a vast rocky landscape

"Alabama Hills" is the name given to a sprawling rocky area west of the town of Lone Pine in California's Owens Valley, where hundreds of movies and TV shows have been filmed over the past 100-plus years.

 

Painting of Confederate warship CSS Alabama, which gave the Alabama Hills their name

The area has nothing to do with the state of Alabama, but the name is a Civil War reference. The Alabama Hills are named after the CSS Alabama, which was sunk by the Union ship Kearsarge in 1864.

 

A typical Alabama Hills rock formation

California's Alabama Hills are known for their unusual rock formations, spread out across mile after mile of dramatic landscape. This area has stood in for the American West of the frontier days in countless Western movies, and remains an active filming location today.

 

Lone Pine Peak and Mount Whitney, west of the Alabama Hills

The Alabama Hills are bordered on the west by the Eastern Sierra, including Lone Pine Peak and Mount Whitney, which lend additional scenic splendor to the location.

 

Mount Whitney keeps a low profile here

Almost everyone mixes up Lone Pine Peak and Mount Whitney at first — I know I did. Even though Mount Whitney is the tallest peak in the Lower 48 States, the proximity of Lone Pine Peak makes it appear higher.

 

Lone Pine rock detective and tour guide Don Kelsen examines an Alabama Hills formation

The Alabama Hills aren't the only thing that sets the Lone Pine Film Festival apart from run-of-the-mill movie festivals. A key to the annual event's enduring popularity is that Lone Pine is a gathering of not just movie fans, but movie location fans — including some who really know their stuff when it comes to Lone Pine.

 

"The Last Posse" (1953): One of hundreds of filming locations documented by Don Kelsen

A case in point is master Lone Pine rock finder Don Kelsen, who has been involved with the movie festival — and with uncovering historic Alabama Hills filming locations — for something like three decades.

 

The "Last Posse" location in modern times, photographed by Don Kelsen

I've reported before on Kelsen's spectacular movie location finds — you can click here to see some of his stunning Alabama Hills "then and now" shots.

 

"Gunga Din" — 1939 epic filmed in the Alabama Hills

High-profile Lone Pine movies such as "Gunga Din" and "Bad Day at Black Rock" are well-documented, so on my recent visit I made a point of seeking out locations for productions that don't normally get as much attention.

 

Jeep commercial featuring Lone Pine Peak and the Alabama Hills, 2018

One thing I've been seeing a lot of lately is car commercials shot in the Alabama Hills. Ads for Jeep, Acura, Chevy trucks and other makes have been capturing breathtaking Lone Pine scenery in recent years.

 

The same location in October 2022 — not quite the same angle, but in the neighborhood

I took this photo approximating the location of the Jeep commercial from my campsite in the Alabama Hills on Sunday morning, Oct. 9.

 

 Click on the video above to watch the Jeep spot

Here's the 30-second Jeep commercial that features the beautiful Alabama Hills shot, which appears at 0:19 in the ad. Click on the image above, then click on YouTube in the bottom right corner for the best look at the video.

 

Rabbit Dry Lake in the same Jeep commercial

Other parts of the Jeep commercial are shot at Rabbit Dry Lake in Southern California's Mojave Desert. We explored this location back in 2019, in a post you can see by clicking here.

 

Randolph Scott arrives in the Alabama Hills in the opening to the 1957 Western "The Tall T"

Unique movie tours of the Alabama Hills, such as the Del Gaudio brothers' "Tall T" tour, have long been among the biggest attractions at the Lone Pine Film Festival.

 

The same location in 2022, one of the many highlights on the Del Gaudios' "Tall T" tour

These fascinating tours give the general public a chance to experience the excitement of seeing stunning filming locations up close, and to benefit from the knowledge and legwork of veteran Lone Pine explorers.

 

Mike Del Gaudio breaks down a filming site for "The Tall T"

When you spend time in the Alabama Hills with location hunters like the Del Gaudios, you're bound to learn a thing or two — but more important, you're likely to get caught up in their passion for movie locations.

 

John Del Gaudio stands in for Richard Boone, illustrating a key shot in "The Tall T"

The Del Gaudio brothers, who travel from the East Coast each year to conduct tours, flip burgers and whatever else the festival needs, have perfected a tandem approach to revealing the finer points of the Alabama Hills.

 

Richard Boone's character, Usher, rides through the same pass in the movie

A movie like "The Tall T," filmed almost entirely in the Alabama Hills, offers countless shots that can be matched up against the current landscape — and it's a landscape that remains largely unchanged since the peak filming years.

 

Tour participants follow along with their "Tall T" photo brochures

Visitors participating in the movie tours receive photo brochures containing screen shots from the movie so they can see exactly where everything was filmed and line up their own matching photos.

 

Randolph Scott on the Anchor Ranch in Lone Pine — note the horse stable behind him

A scene early in "The Tall T" finds Randolph Scott on the Anchor Ranch, a cluster of old buildings in downtown Lone Pine that was historically used for filming.

 

The same stable building in 2022

To my surprise, much of the old ranch remains intact today — if "intact" is the right word. The old stable isn't in the best shape these days, but it's still recognizable as the same building seen behind Randolph Scott in the movie.

 

"Conquering Comes Standard" Jeep commercial, circa 2018

One of my favorite locations I visited during this year's festival was from another Jeep commercial. When I showed this shot to Don Kelsen, he knew right away where it was.

 

The Jeep location in October 2022

Here's a matching shot I took at the Jeep location — probably my best match from the latest Lone Pine expedition.

 

Promo still for the 1938 serial "The Lone Ranger": Chief Thundercloud and Lynne Roberts

Another highlight for me from this year's festival has a connection to the Iverson Movie Ranch. I spent a long time searching for the location of this photo after someone suggested years ago that it was taken on the Iverson Ranch. It turns out it wasn't shot there after all.

 

The same rock in 2022, in the Alabama Hills

Thanks to Greg Parker — another extremely accomplished Lone Pine rock hunter and tour guide — the elusive rock was found earlier this year in the Alabama Hills. I took part in an expedition to the site on Oct. 9.

 

"The Lone Ranger" (1938): The movies' original Tonto in the Alabama Hills

A second promo still from the same photo session also turned up some time ago, with Chief Thundercloud standing on top of the rock and Lynne Roberts, the serial's leading lady, on the right.

 

The mystery rock — a mystery no more

The serial "The Lone Ranger" was filmed both on the Iverson Movie Ranch and in the Lone Pine area, among other locations. But the promo stills with the distinctive rock were definitely taken in the Alabama Hills.

 

John Del Gaudio basks in the presence of Chief Thundercloud's rock

A number of veteran Lone Pine researchers, including the Del Gaudio brothers, took part in the pilgrimage to the rock, with Don Kelsen leading the expedition.

 

"Thundercloud Rock" in its natural setting (Oct. 9, 2022)

After wondering for years where this rock might be, I have to admit it was pretty exciting to finally see it in person.

 

Lone Pine, one of the best-kept secrets of the Eastern Sierra

If you missed this year's Lone Pine Film Festival, you might want to start making your plans early for next year. The motels in town fill up fast, but there's also camping available in the historic Alabama Hills.

 

The Lone Pine Museum of Western Film History

Meanwhile, Lone Pine's Museum of Western Film History is open year-round, and is a must-see. You can pick up a brochure there for $2 that'll show you the way to many of the most important filming locations.

 

Where to go, how to get there and what to do once you're there

Two places to keep up on what's going on with the Lone Pine Film Festival, and to start making plans for next year's event, are the Lone Pine Film Festival website and the festival's Facebook page.

 

See you on the rocks at Lone Pine 2023!

If you do plan to go to Lone Pine 2023 — and for that matter, if you're headed to just about any historic filming locations in the SoCal area — shoot me an email ahead of time and maybe we can arrange to meet up.

 

I 💗 Lone Pine

As for me, I'll be going back for sure — and sooner than later. Seems I left my heart-shaped rock arch in the Alabama Hills.

Digging into movie history in the Alabama Hills — "Then and now" shots from Lone Pine's master rock detective Don Kelsen

Lone Pine's Alabama Hills: Filming location seen in "Frontier Days" (photo by Don Kelsen)

Photographer and movie location researcher Don Kelsen has been tracking down filming locations around Lone Pine, Calif., for more than 20 years, and offered to share some of his favorite finds with readers of this blog.

"Frontier Days" (Spectrum Films, 1934)

Don's photo above matches this shot from the Bill Cody Western "Frontier Days." Notice the tiny figure of early cowboy hero Cody near the bottom of the frame, which gives an idea of the scale of the rocks.

Bill Cody keeps an eye on the bad guys in "Frontier Days"

Here's another shot from "Frontier Days" — which, incidentally, is the focus of a tour that Don will be conducting in connection with this year's Lone Pine Film Festival, running Oct. 5-8. Don's movie tours are typically one of the hottest tickets at the festival.

The same spot as it appears today — tracked down and photographed by Don Kelsen

Don learned the ropes at Lone Pine under the tutelage of the late Dave Holland, who was a heck of a rock detective himself. Dave remains a legendary figure among film location historians, especially for his work in Lone Pine, where he was a founder and longtime director of the Lone Pine Film Festival.

"In Old Colorado" (Hopalong Cassidy, 1941)

Don learned his lessons well, and today possesses a depth of knowledge of Lone Pine and its historic Alabama Hills that enables him to find almost any rock in the sprawling landscape.

The same scene in modern times (Don Kelsen)

Hopalong Cassidy is a big part of Lone Pine's film history, with almost all of William Boyd's beloved Hoppy movies filmed in and around the Alabama Hills.

"In Old Colorado": Morris Ankrum uses the rock to steady his aim

Another shot from the same sequence in the movie shows a little more of the background, particularly the area at the right of the frame.

"In Old Colorado" (1941)

In this shot from "In Old Colorado," Morris Ankrum, strolling across an unusual rock formation, shouts down orders to his henchmen James Seay, left, and Weldon Heyburn.

Here's Don's photo of that same confluence of rocks as they appear today.

Errol Flynn in "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1936)

The svelte Errol Flynn, as Maj. Geoffrey Vickers, leaned on a certain acorn-shaped rock when he struck a pose for Warner Bros.' "The Charge of the Light Brigade."

The same rock today

Don was able to find the same giant acorn that provided a resting spot for Flynn.

Don Kelsen visits a shooting location for MGM's "The Firefly" (1937)

To explore a shooting location used in the 1937 Jeanette MacDonald movie "The Firefly," let's start with Don's wide shot of the area — which includes a shot of Don himself. The Eastern Sierra rises in the distance.

"The Firefly" (1937): Allan Jones' horse stops at the same rock

Here's the same spot as it appears in the movie — although with all those rocks, you may want a little help matching it up. As a starting point, the horse is standing near the same rock where Don stands in the recent shot.

This zoomed-in version of Don's photo approximates the framing of the movie shot — and as a bonus, provides a little better look at Don. The road below is Tuttle Creek Road, which was a dirt road when "The Firefly" was filmed but has since been paved.

If you concentrate on the group of rocks highlighted here ...

... you may be able to match them up with the rocks highlighted here in the movie shot.

Here's another scene from "The Firefly." The movie contains a beautifully photographed nine-minute segment filmed in the Alabama Hills.

Don's matching shot brings out some of the characteristic textures of the native rocks — especially the group in the bottom left corner. I recommend clicking on the photo, which should bring up a larger version.

"Strange Gamble" (1948): William Boyd as Hopalong Cassidy in the Alabama Hills

Another movie tour Don will be conducting at this year's festival spotlights filming locations for the Hopalong Cassidy movie "Strange Gamble."

The same location in modern times (Don Kelsen photo)

"Strange Gamble" was the last of 66 Hopalong Cassidy feature films. While almost all of the Cassidy movies were filmed in the Lone Pine area, a number of them also filmed on the Iverson Ranch.

"Mystery Man" (1944): Hoppy at the "basin rock" on the Iverson Movie Ranch

Don and I joined forces two years ago to track down Iverson Ranch locations for the Hopalong Cassidy movie "Mystery Man." During our search for this spot we started calling it the "basin rock" because of the distinctive basin-shaped indentation in the rock.

The "basin rock" as it appears today, in the Garden of the Gods

We were able to find the basin rock hidden deep in the Garden of the Gods on the Iverson Ranch. You can click here to read about the location of the basin rock and our search for the other Iverson Movie Ranch locations seen in the climactic shootout.

"The Last Posse" (Columbia, 1953)

This screen shot from the Broderick Crawford/John Derek Western "The Last Posse" captures some striking Alabama Hills rock towers.

Here are those same rock towers in a recent photo by Don Kelsen.

"Have Gun Will Travel" TV episode "The Marshal's Boy" (1960)

Ken Lynch looks over his shoulder on a Lone Pine shoot for the "Have Gun Will Travel" season four episode "The Marshal's Boy," which premiered Nov. 26, 1960.

The same location in recent years

Don captured a photo of the same spot on a recent visit, matching the TV episode's original black-and-white look, but bringing out much more of the detail in the rocks.

"The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" (1934): Matte painting of "Mogala," set in Lone Pine's Alabama Hills

For a recent blog post I published about the Mogala set built in the Iverson Gorge for "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer," Don was able to find the exact spot in the Alabama Hills where this shot was taken for the matte painting.

Location used for the Mogala matte shot (photo by Don Kelsen)

By matching the above two photos, you should be able to see where the painted version of the Mogala set was inserted into the middle of the Alabama Hills location setting.

The real-world Mogala set, built on the Iverson Ranch

If you caught that post back in May, you may recall that the physical set for Mogala — the mountain stronghold of rebel leader Mohammed Khan — was built in the Iverson Gorge.

However, when it came time to introduce Mogala in the movie, the producers placed a painted simulation of the set against a Lone Pine backdrop.

While the set in the middle of the shot is fake, the surroundings are all bona fide Alabama Hills, as seen in Don's photo up above. Readers can click here to see the full post about Mogala and "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer."

Connections between the Iverson Movie Ranch and Lone Pine will be explored in a presentation on the Iverson Ranch at this year's Lone Pine Film Festival. The presentation will be given by yours truly at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, in the theater of the Lone Pine Museum of Western Film History.

Details about this year's Lone Pine Film Festival can be found on the festival's website at lonepinefilmfestival.org. The event schedule, including dates and times for Don's movie tours and the Iverson Movie Ranch presentation, can be found by clicking here.

The blurb above, taken from the Lone Pine Film Festival site, provides some background on why the Iverson Movie Ranch is crashing Lone Pine's party — and you can find more information about it here.