Film historian Eric Grayson will screen The Wildcat Trooper, a 1936 Western starring Vevay, Indiana, native Kermit Maynard at the Garfield Park Arts Center. The film, the first of two Westerns with Vevay natives, will begin at 8 p.m. on Sat., April 23.
In this strange hybrid of a western and a Canadian Mountie film, Grayson says, Maynard goes after a mysterious criminal known as The Raven (legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt). But no one has ever seen The Raven, so the task is nearly impossible. The film also stars Hobart Bosworth and a supporting part with legendary athlete Jim Thorpe.
Brothers Kermit and Ken Maynard were popular Western stars in the 1920s to 1940s. Ken was the more popular of the two, working at most of the major studios in Hollywood. He was also a severe alcoholic, which caused a lot of production issues and on-set squabbles. Kermit was a more affable sort of guy but never seemed to register as well with the public, although he made hundreds of movies.
On May 14, also at 8 p.m., Ken will be the star, along with Dave O’Brien, of Flaming Lead, a 1939 film offered by Grayson at Garfield Park. It’s fun Western fare enlivened by Maynard’s deft horse riding tricks, according to Grayson.
At each screening, Grayson will introduce the film and handle a Q&A afterwards. He will also, as always, show a short or cartoon before the main feature.
Admission is $5; concessions, $1. For more information, visit www.gpacarts.org or call 317-327-7135.
