So far this week I have watched 2 movies and darned if there wasn't some EXCELLENT shots of FRISCO Equipment in them. First was in the documentary "THIS IS ELVIS" the story of ELVIS PRESLEY's rise to fame from the poor side of Memphis Tennessee and Tupelo Mississippi. I am studying his life for another true life story which connected ELVIS and his best friend Who stood behind him on stage for 18 years and helped make him who he was. The second movie was "THE OUTSIDERS" There is a few great shots of a FRISCO SW1500 I think #315 including a shot from an overpass. I loved both of these movies and am glad there is more out there to see!!!! LONG LIVE THE FRISCO!!!!
Interesting...my wife, Deb, who was friends with Joe Esposito, Red West, Alan Fortas ..(to mention a few) when first living in Memphis 40 years ago found this fascinating. Buck
That is interesting. I am a Turner Classic Movies addict and every time I see a train I am looking for a Frisco boxcar or something. Unfortunately, I've never found success with that.
Look for "The Learning Tree" (1969), which was shot in the FT Scott area. As I recall, a 5-10 car train of all Frisco boxes with a wooden three-window caboose was shown. The head-end was not shown, but the audio track had the sounds of a steam locomotive, since the movie movie was set in the 20's-30's. Saw the movie in the theater, but haven't seen it since.
Pretty common knowledge that Elvis didn't like to fly and frequently rode the Frisco Sunnyland from Memphis to Kansas City to catch one of the western lines on his trips to California. Tom
Wasn't the 1522 shown in a few shots in the HBO movie Truman (1995)? Also, there is a brief shot of our favorite 2-10-0 in the movie A League of Their Own (1992). It's the scene where the girls are running to catch the train as it pulls away from the station. The engine is shown steaming in the background with it's boiler coonskin clearly visible. I believe that the scene was shot at the Illinois Railroad Museum in Union IL. Pat Moreland, Union Mo.
The Wings of Eagles, a 1957 movie staring John Wayne,Dan Dailey and Maureen O'Hara about early navy aviation. There's is a scene with a bi-plane buzzing a cut of Frisco boxcars on a tressel. Two trainmen jump off top of cars into water. Here's a link; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIDwalAHZv0 klrwhizkid
Excellent catch, Pat, from one of my favorite movies. I'd noticed #1630, too. Quoth Ernie Capadino (Jon Lovitz): "Are you coming? See, how it works is, the train moves, not the station." Seems like I also recall a Frisco box car in the early train scene of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Best Regards,
I think all the equipment in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Came from the Reader Railroad in South Arkansas.
I am glad I posted about this. It is fun to find Surviving FRISCO Equipment making its HOLLYWOOD DEBUT and keeping the memory of our beloved railroad alive!!!!
I am headed back to Memphis in April to Interview Red West at GRACELAND, As well as George Klein but Joe Esposito and the rest are a little out of my reach. I would love to hear any stories your wife has about the guys if she would be willing to share. Our story is about Charlie Hodge and how he was famous before Elvis was ever heard of and how he walked away from his own fame to help make Elvis the greatest entertainer that ever lived!!! Lamar Fike passed away a year ago in Dallas as well as Merna Smith. The only original member of the sweet inspirations that is still around is Cissy Houston (Whitneys Mom) It is going to be a fun film to make!!!!
Last night I was watching "A League of their own" and there were Frisco steam engines in the movie. I didn't notice it, until the coonskin caught my eye.
