Not only is Prescott a great place to visit, it looks mighty fine through a camera lens, too.
At least that's what a half-dozen movie companies in the past 40 years have thought as they rolled the cameras on the unique landscapes of Everybody's Hometown.
"How The West Was Won," "Billy Jack," "Junior Bonner," "Bless the Beasts and the Children," and most recently, "The Cactus Kid," are but a few of the big screen movies that featured the streets, antique buildings, events and people of Prescott as their backdrop.
"Junior Bonner," filmed during Prescott's Frontier Days celebration in June 1971, was perhaps one of the most famous of the flicks filmed here.
To celebrate its 30-year anniversary, Arizona Highways magazine has a large cover article on "Junior Bonner" in their June issue.
Screenwriter for the movie, Jeb J. Rosebrook, reminisces in the article about the seven weeks he spent in Prescott rubbing shoulders with stars Steve McQueen, Robert Preston, Ida Lupino, Ben Johnson and others.
One of the biggest thrills for locals, no doubt, was watching as McQueen played a struggling rodeo champion, graced the streets of Prescott during the Frontier Days parade, at the World's Oldest Rodeo and in a staged bar fight at The Palace on Whiskey Row.
Revisiting Prescott 30 years later, Rosebrook has fond memories of the way the town was then, when Prescott Valley had but 1,000 residents and Highway 69 was only two lanes.
But wait; let's not let the cat out of the bag.
For the rest of the story, pick up a copy of June's Arizona Highways and take a gander at the entertaining text by Rosebrook and slick color pages chock full of photos taken during "Junior Bonner."
After all, this is your hometown and it's famous.
- National Weather Service warns of major winter storm approaching Prescott, Prescott Valley area
- UPDATE: Latest prediction is 14 to 23 inches of snow in quad-city area
- Drivers advised to limit travel later this week
- Why are flags at half-staff today, Feb. 9, 2019
- Prescott, Prescott Valley school districts avoid snow day due to holiday; procedures in place for upcoming storms
- Prescott street crews mobilize for expected one-two punch of snow events
- Prescott Police arrest 59-year-old woman for allegedly operating prostitution house
- 4 to 6 inches of snow forecast for greater Prescott area
- Monday's school delays, closures
- Obituary: Sandra Kay Sorenson
- Why are flags at half-staff today, Feb. 9, 2019
- Teenager killed while crossing Spouse Drive in Prescott Valley
- ‘Prescott Valley Fire’ burns about 300 acres north of Highway 89A
- Wind-driven wildfire quickly moving northeast of Prescott
- Prescott home total loss in difficult firefight
- Young Prescott man arrested for sexual assault of teen
- Multiple pedestrians struck by cars in downtown Prescott on Thursday
- Local fire departments frustrated with Life Line response times
- Firefighters battling home fire in Prescott
- Missing 18-year-old found after night in woods
More like this story
SUBMIT FEEDBACK
Click Below to:
Community Calendar | |
---|---|
WED
20
|
Prescott Stamp Club meeting,
|
WED
20
|
WaterSmart: Drop by Drop
|
WED
20
|
Open Office Hours with City Manager
|
THU
21
|
Prescott Caregiver Support Group
|
THU
21
|
You Too! Mentor
|
View More Events...
|
|
This Week's Circulars
To view money-saving ads...