Fort Smith in the Movies (Site Bulletin)

Fort Smith Site Bulletins

This article is part of a series of printed site bulletins at Fort Smith National Historic Site.

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Belle Starr: The Bandit Queen movie poster.

Fort Smith in the Limelight

No diehard movie fan can overlook Fort Smith as a setting for some of the great westerns of the silver screen. Best remembered for John Wayne's performance as Rooster Cogburn in True Grit, a movie about the life and times of a deputy marshal out of Judge Parker's court, Fort Smith has not only provided the fascinating stories, but also the actors and sets for a score of films.

Major and Minor Titles Based on Fort Smith

Many of the better known movies include the 1975 sequel to True Grit, Rooster Cogburn, and Clint Eastwood's Hang 'em High, which is loosely based on the hanging judge stereotype that Parker is so well known for. Lesser known films, such as The Dragoon Wells Massacre, begins with a scenario before Judge Parker.

Parker's federal court, in addition to providing the stories of outlaws and lawmen, supplied some talent to the screen. Bill Tilghman, a famous deputy, appeared in 1908’s The Bank Robbery. Tilghman also directed a movie, The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws in 1915, which featured former deputy marshal Chris Madsen in the acting credits. Long after the versatile Tilghman died, he was the basis for a character in the 1980 film Cattle Annie and Little Britches, starring Burt Lancaster. The subject of this movie was outlaw Bill Doolin, who, along with his gang, was the topic of at least four other movies including a Randolph Scott flick, The Doolins of Oklahoma.

Henry Starr

A western would not be a western without outlaws and who better to portray a bad guy than the bad guy himself. The 1919 release of Debtor to the Law was written, directed and starred Henry Starr, by far the most interesting of the outlaws who ever came through the court at Fort Smith. Henry’s movie was the story of his successful holdup of two banks at the same time in 1915, although Henry was the only member of the gang that did not make his escape. Shot off his horse by a kid, Henry recovered, got out of prison early and decided he could make money with the movie. Filmed on the location where it happened, the best part is that his co-star was the kid that originally shot him. Whether he made any money is debatable, but he was soon back to robbing banks and meeting his maker, as they say, in 1921 in Harrison, Arkansas. In addition to Henry’s claim to fame of robbing two banks at the same time is that he is the first bank robber to ever use an automobile in the crime.

Dalton Gang

The Dalton Gang, with numerous ties to Fort Smith, has always been a favorite on the big screen. In 1907, Emmet Dalton was released from prison and got into movies. He made The Last Stand of the Dalton Boys in 1912, which was remade six years later as Beyond the Law. In that version, he and his brothers were cast as themselves. No less than fifteen other movies highlighted the Daltons, including a Three Stooges film, The Outlaws Is Coming.

After Belle Starr's fame in cheap dime novels, she was a sure thing for the movies. First mentioned in 1928, Belle has been the topic of at least ten or more movies and one 1980s television series, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, entitled Belle Starr.

Mini-Series

Several movies have been filmed around the old courthouse itself, including Frank and Jesse in 1993, and the Civil War mini-series The Blue and the Gray. The critically acclaimed mini-series Lonesome Dove also had a Fort Smith connection. Who knows when Hollywood will come calling again?

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