"Montana Moon" (1930): In the first "singing cowboy" movie, Johnny Mack Brown romances Joan Crawford and is serenaded by Jiminy Cricket on the Iverson Ranch

"Montana Moon" (MGM, 1930)

The early Western talkie "Montana Moon," starring Joan Crawford and Johnny Mack Brown, has been cited as the movie that introduced the singing cowboy to the silver screen.


This 3-minute clip from the movie is filmed on the Iverson Movie Ranch and is one of the most unusual Iverson sequences I've run across in some time.

Cliff Edwards and Jiminy Cricket

The guy singing and playing the ukulele — his "Lambchop," as he calls it in the clip — is Cliff Edwards, whose voice you might recognize as the voice of Jiminy Cricket.

Cliff first played Jiminy in "Pinocchio" in 1940 — remember "When You Wish Upon a Star"? — and went on to voice the animated cricket for the next 30 years.

Years before he became Jiminy Cricket, Cliff Edwards went by the name Ukulele Ike, and this is one time we can say that someone literally wrote the book on something — Edwards, or Ike, wrote the book on playing the ukulele.

He also had a bunch of his own ukulele records. It always bodes well when you can get R. Crumb to do the cover for your record — even though this release came out after Edwards' death in 1971.


Edwards was an unlikely choice for Disney's high-profile spokescricket, given the Mouse House's prudish reputation and Ukulele Ike's penchant for naughty innuendo. Click on the above audio clip to sample the kind of mischief Ike was up to in the early 1930s.

A crestfallen Johnny Mack Brown in Garden of the Gods in "Montana Moon"

But the most exciting thing about the "Montana Moon" clip, to me, is the locations. This scene is shot along the western edge of Iverson's Garden of the Gods, and spotlights some rarely filmed rocks.

The site is carefully chosen — not just for the rocks but also for the view looking west toward Santa Susana Pass Road, which is incorporated into the scene.

The same setting in 2016: Western Garden of the Gods

Here's the same rock Johnny was sitting on in 1930, which is easily identified by its large diagonal crack. Today the view of the road below is blocked by brush.

However, Santa Susana Pass Road is still visible down below if you go one rock over. The road forms an S-curve as it snakes through the area, just as it did in 1930.

In a poignant juxtaposition of the road below and the rocks above, Cliff Edwards and Johnny Mack Brown watch as a caravan of vehicles heads west on the Pass, taking their women away.

While the cars are traveling west in the real world, it is understood that in the movie, the caravan is headed east — both geographically and metaphorically.

Both of the rocks where the heartbroken cowboys sat are still to be found in the same spot — on the west end of the Central Garden of the Gods.

When their broken hearts get the best of them, the cowboys ride out in pursuit of that caravan.

Here's the same pass between the rocks where they rode out, as it appears in 2016.

The rock on the right is one I've blogged about before, which I call "Getaway Rock."

Getaway Rock

Here's a wider view of Getaway Rock. These rocks were part of a terrific sequence in "Tennessee's Partner," which you can read about by clicking here.

This Bing aerial should help you find the "Montana Moon" filming site, if you're so inclined. It's located on land that has been preserved as a park and is open to the public during daylight hours.

"Montana Moon" — incredible Iverson Ranch location shot

We still haven't talked about the single best shot in the clip, seen here. For this part of the sequence the action shifts to Iverson Ranch Road and the car is now traveling northeast.

We now see a bunch of cowboys — it's not clear to me where they all materialized from — closing in on the last car in the caravan.

It took me a while to figure out what I was seeing here, partly because I had to pinch myself to believe it was real. The shot includes a view of some old stone buttressing that I had never seen showcased in such detail in any other production.

Other markers in the shot pinpoint the location, as noted here. We can see a portion of Rock Island in the background, and behind it, farther west, is the back side of Batman Rock.

The shot contains a wealth of information about how the Iverson Ranch was set up at the tail end of the silent film era — including the road, the buttressing and even the fencing.

The stone buttressing on both sides of the road creates a culvert under the road that is part of the area's drainage system. I'm tempted to romanticize it a bit by calling it a "creek," but as it was usually dry, "drainage channel" will have to do.

1952 aerial view of the Lower Iverson

Iverson Ranch Road was essentially the entrance to the location ranch, and at the same time served as the driveway leading to the Iverson family residences.

Chatsworth Train Depot, looking south, in "Montana Moon"

Just as the clip fades out, everyone arrives at the Chatsworth Train Depot. This building, which stood from about 1910 to 1962, made its way into countless productions, but no longer exists.

The old Chatsworth Train Depot (looking north; ca. 1950s)

The old train depot stood about halfway between Lassen and Devonshire and about halfway between Canoga and Owensmouth — pretty close to the spot where its replacement, the present-day Chatsworth transit station, now stands.

"Montana Moon": Southbound train approaches the water tower

This shot didn't quite make it into the clip, but it appears in the movie and offers a rare closeup of Chatsworth's old railroad water tower that once stood near what is now Devonshire — alongside the tracks, about halfway between Canoga and Owensmouth.

The water tower shot also provides a glimpse of the Chatsworth landmark Stoney Point in the background, along with a section of Oat Mountain way in the distance to the north.

Johnny Mack Brown and Joan Crawford, whose torrid love affair 

is the centerpiece of "Montana Moon"

While "Montana Moon" is a Western, it's mainly a love story — with the romance more central to the plot than would become the practice as the Western genre "matured." Within a few years Westerns would be aimed primarily at young boys, and would be more about shooting it out than about making out.

John Mack Brown and Greta Garbo — promo still for "A Woman of Affairs" (1928)

But Johnny Mack Brown did plenty of making out early in his movie career, before he became a B-movie cowboy. Besides Joan Crawford, Johnny — billed in the early days as John — starred with Garbo, Mary Pickford, Norma Shearer and other top actresses of the '20s and '30s.

Joan Crawford publicity still for "Montana Moon"

Some of the publicity shots for "Montana Moon" and other pre-code John Mack Brown movies are pretty amusing. Click here to see more about Brown and his many leading ladies.

I want to send a shout-out to fellow rock detective Don Kelsen, who brought the "Montana Moon" clip to my attention while we were out searching for Hopalong Cassidy rocks in the Garden of the Gods. You can click here to see a recent post about that adventure.



I can recommend "Montana Moon" and encourage readers to click on the link above to go to Amazon.com, but I want to add the disclaimer that there's almost no Iverson Movie Ranch content beyond what's in the clip near the top of this post.

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.