You can now add Southern's famed steam locomotive 4501 to your list of favorite Hollywood stars because this veteran of press, radio and television has added a movie role to her long list of credits.
Along with Mr. Stewart, Mr. Kennedy, Miss Baxter and a host of other top flight motion picture actors, locomotive 4501 stars in a Columbia Pictures film, "Fools' Parade," due to appear in theaters late next spring or early summer.
Locomotive 4501 pulls into the depot at "Glory," W. Va., as the camera records a scene with George Kennedy (with dog) and (from left) Strother Martin, Jimmy Stewart and Kurt Russell. |
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Based on a book of the same name by Davis Grubb, "Fools' Parade" was filmed almost entirely in Moundsville, W. Va., where the author formerly lived and the setting for his book (in the book and the movie the town's name was changed to Glory, W. Va.).
The story concerns three convicts released from the state penitentiary in the depression year of 1935. One of the ex convicts, Jimmy Stewart, is free after serving a 40-year term for murder. During his years in prison, Mr. Stewart accumulated the substantial sum of $25,452.32-his earnings for prison work. The money had been put on deposit at the local bank waiting his release, when he would be presented a check by the warden. But there's one hitch, the check can only be cashed at the local bank.
Walter Dove (left} and Paul Merriman (right} explain 4501 's workings to actor Stewart. |
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The three ex convicts, however, are taken straight from the penitentiary to the town's rail station where they are each given a five dollar bill and a train ticket out of town by the villain of the movie (George Kennedy). Mr. Kennedy portrays a prison guard who is involved in a scheme with the local banker and two hired killers to hold up the train after it leaves town, kill the exconvicts during the holdup and retrieve the $25,000 check for the banker (who needs the money to cover shortages) .The motion picture deals with the attempted holdup, the escape of the ex-convicts (with the check) and the pursuit by Mr. Kennedy and the two hired killers.
'Lights, camera, action" -starring 4501 |
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Much of the film's action involves trains, as the ex-convicts elude the attempted holdup and return to Glory to cash the check, in a unique way, and then attempt to leave town again by train. Since the time period (1935) required steam locomotives pulling the trains, Columbia Pictures selected locomotive 4501 for the role.
The locomotive arrived in Moundsville on the morning of September 22, following her trip from Chattanooga over Southern, Norfolk and Western, and Baltimore and Ohio/Chesapeake and Ohio railways. On her arrival, Columbia Pictures' prop men set to work putting on her "makeup" for her movie appearances. The locomotive and tender were painted black, covering the colorful Southern green-and-gold, and the tender was re-lettered "Baltimore and Ohio" (the book's locale was in B&O territory and called for B&O trains). A mixture of mud, water and oil was sprayed over the locomotive and tender giving them the look of "in service" equipment.
From September 24 until October 8, locomotive 4501 was kept busy shuttling in and around the station area, sometimes at the head end of a string of passenger coaches, at other times pulling freight cars. The locomotive filled all the roles the script demanded for various locomotives appearing in the movie. In one scene, she would be numbered 4501 and pull passenger coaches; in the next she would be numbered 1405, or 4150, and pulling freight cars.
Engineer for 4501 during the filming sessions was Southern's retired general road foreman of engines and 4501 's regular engineer, Walter C. Dove, Handling the business end of the coal shovel was "fireman" Paul Ho Merriman, owner of 4501 and president of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.
"We've had the time of our lives," Mr. Merriman said. "Everyone has been so friendly and helpful to us and made us feel right at home. The movie people have been very interested in our locomotive and Jimmy Stewart was one of our many visitors in the cab."
The locomotive also attracted many of the towns-people and visitors who came out each day to watch the filming. " As soon as I'd lay on the whistle, they'd come a'running," Walter Dove said.
The "4150" prepares to move onto the main line with a string of freight cars for the filming of another scene |
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Mr. Stewart tries out the engineer's seat on "4150" |
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Walter Dove looks on. |
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Some things are not always what they seem-front and rear views of the prop maker's skill in creating the setting for "Hannibal Junction." |
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Her "acting" role completed on October 8, locomotive 4501 set out for Chattanooga, via Cincinnati. Traveling down the CNO&TP over the weekend of October 10 and 11 and still wearing her movie "makeup," 4501 pulled a string of coaches, offering public rides as she returned triumphantly home.
Although she will again sport her familiar green-and-gold colors, the locomotive made one more appearance in her movie garb, at the head end of the " Autumn Leaf Special," a two-day excursion sponsored by TVRM from Chattanooga to Crossville, Tenn., and return the weekend of October 24-25. This is one movie star that most assuredly doesn't "vant to be alone." .