Hollywood Royalty! In the Shadows of Giants with Melinda Carey. Harry Carey! John Wayne! John Ford!

Actor Harry Carey's silent westerns helped launch the career of multi-award winning director John Ford. Carey's son, nicknamed "Dobe" because of the reddish color of his hair, followed his famous father into films launching his career with a starring role in Ford's "Three Godfathers" (1947) with John Wayne. Raised during the Golden Age of Hollywood amongst legends, Dobe married actor/teacher Paul Fix's daughter Marilyn. Paul, of course, was Sheriff Micah on "The Rifleman." Melinda Carey, Dobe and Marilyn's daughter, shared her memories of growing up with cinema legends on A WORD ON WESTERNS.
#interview #johnwayne #filmhistory #filmdirector #characteractor #robword #famouspeople #western #westernmovies #harrycarey #fatherdaughter #awordonwesterns #classicmovies

[@davidskaar3232]

What a joy to learn of these golden western Heros and their lives....golden joy.

[@johnnewcomb534]

What a great interview from.an insider .Thanks Rob and Mrs .Melinda.

[@timwade5157]

Thank you. A Word on Westerns is the best of memories from the best of times in Hollywood.

[@slomo1562]

The Searchers isn't just my favorite western. It's my favorite movie.

[@JohnSmith-vb6jx]

Love these interviews.

[@alvaropelayo8084]

I have always loved Paul Fix too

[@alvaropelayo8084]

I love those guys, Duke Wayne, Olive Carey, Ward Bond, Harry Carey, Harry Carey Jr, Hank Worden, Andy Devine, Ben Johnson "that's not my department to know that"...

[@bizzybee852]

John Wayne has always been my favorite actor, and I love hearing and seeing anything about the John Ford Stock company actors. Thank you so much for bringing such treasures of inside information to those of us who love this genera.

[@f.davidbush9093]

I met Harry Carey Jr at a showing of The Seracher’s in Davenport Iowa in the early 2000s. What a nice guy and I was able to get a signed copy of his book that I reread almost every year. Thanks

[@AWordonWesterns]

That's cool, David. Great book, too! Thanks.

[@johnnyjames7139]

I am 73, had my Annie Oakley cap guns back when. These interviews are priceless!

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks, JJ

[@Ken-dv9uf]

What wonderful stories about her Dad and the John Ford bunch as told by Melinda Carey.... I always look forward to Sunday's and "A Word on Westerns"! Thanks Rob! 👍👌❤😊

[@allenwoodall5590]

Great job Rob . I was a big fan of Harry Carey Jr. and his father. And Ben Johnson. Ward Bond on Wagon Train.

[@freddillard6775]

"The Searchers" was also one of my favorites, and I will watch it to this day.

[@marknan5352]

Oh rob ..... I loved dobi and duke. Thanks so much for this.

[@brianboisguilbert6985]

I highly recommend Harry Carey's book COMPANY OF HEROES, it reads as if you were sitting with the author and he's sharing his memories, just a warm. wonderful book.

[@Rick-mx5kh]

Love that book. I think I've read it seven or eight times.

[@sue7777]

OMG-really enjoyed this interview. I, too, played as a horse when I was a kid. Although I never drank from the puddles formed in our dirt driveway, I was required (?) to nibble on the grass that grew in between them. What a bunch of fun memories Ms. Carey shared with us-thanks Rob, for allowing me to feel like an old friend who just stopped by to visit.

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks, Sue. Drop by anytime.

[@rogersmoot6194]

I truly enjoy every program you present, and your guests seem endless in number and fame. Thank you, Mr. Word.

[@edithdavis2848]

Thank you for keeping our memories alive. Sr and Jr. Careys were both marvelous under rated actors.

[@mhazel4777]

thank you so so much, Harry Carey and Harry Carey jr two of my all-time favorite movie stars with john Wayne it could not be better all of them my fav the one with harry Carey and john Wayne - The Shepherd of the Hills

[@Timbill62]

I just ordered Dobe's book from Amazon, can't wait to read it. I have been a fan for years!

[@williamsweeney6499]

Great book. Really enjoyed it. Eye opener about Ford.

[@cecilthrift2747]

Thank you for this one, I love them all but Mr. Dobe has been and always will be one of my favorites along with Ben Johnson.

[@joycegausmann5840]

This conversation with Melinda is wonderful. Warm and she is quite a story teller as well. Her memories of her family brought me right into her home. I was always playing cowboys as well and drinking water out of the puddles was fabulous. Thanks so very much for the interview.

[@skeltonknaggs1600]

That's what made these films so great!! These actors gave us their inner honesty!! Genuinely good people

[@mikehutchins7963]

Thanks for reminding us 50’s generation guys of all the “good” things that this movie era stood for. Great actors, memorable stories, & quality movie making. Wish so much we had some of this today. 👍

[@carolynrussell774]

Such warm & interesting people I would of never guessed that I would be able to fell such a part of it all by simply watching & listening. Thanks again, it was great!!

[@AWordonWesterns]

Our pleasure, Carolyn. Thanks.

[@Ronin4614]

Good Sunday morning, Rob. This is just a wonderful look at what has to be the very heart & soul of western films. Thank you for keeping that wonderful era alive.

[@edithsymmans3273]

Much appreciated I so enjoyed watching about the truely wonderful actors of days gone past.

[@paulstan9828]

Your videos are Always great to watch and to hear first hand stories . Our favorite western stars what they were all about in front of and without the camera. Brings back a lot of memories.

[@alancooper9632]

Just love it, one HAPPY lad from England,

[@davidtierney581]

Being a big fan of western movies, TV shows and books, I love "A Word on Westerns." It is so much fun to hear the tales from the Westerns era and reminiscence. Great videos, thank you.

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks, David. I love hearing these stories, too. My wife wonders why, whenever she turns the TV on, there's a western! I told her she was just lucky.

[@shellydehart8217]

What a great education I just received watching video. I must say ell u how much I admire u n how u keep the western movies alive today. It’s so wonderful to see people that we have forgotten about n definitely wonderful to see Harry Cary’s daughter n the stories she shared ♥️♥️😊👍

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks for watching, Shelly. Glad you enjoy them.

[@Paladin1873]

Harry Carey played the father-in-law of Tom Selleck's character in "Last Stand At Saber River". There's a scene where, having returned to his wife after the Civil War ends, he asks her what she wants. She replies that she wants to go home. I played that short short clip at my Air Force retirement ceremony, then told my wife and kids I was taking them home - to Montana.

[@williambilyeu9801]

That was Harry Carey, Jr. Harry Carey was a great actor into the 1940s. I liked both of them in many roles.

[@Paladin1873]

@@williambilyeu9801 Yes, I know. But his father died decades before (1947) when Tom Selleck was two years old, so I saw no need to refer to him as Jr.

[@philwebb3]

Thanks for doing these videos. Enjoy them all.

[@davidp4043]

I could listen to this lady all year long. Rob. Thank you so much for putting these together.

[@RenieinMN]

Great interviews! Thanks for doing them!

[@Slab-gv7vu]

Her maternal grandfather was Paul Fix from The Rifleman and many other westerns.

[@skeltonknaggs1600]

I liked Paul Fix a lot. I am pleasantly surprised when he shows up in a movie and I didn't expect it.

[@sandym4317]

What a fun childhood 🥰

[@Dave49erman]

Great stories as always Rob! I've read Company of Heroes - EXCELLANT! I also watch Harry Carey Sr, very cool to know his ranch was right over the hill from me in Santa Clarita!! Really cool that Paul Fix is tied in there too. I always enjoy him too!!

[@Lee-qp6gf]

Good times and good people. What a shift to todays crap.

[@davidskaar3232]

Great interview . So much joy and memories. Thank you for capturing moments so needed to know.

[@marlenalinne7958]

I absolutely LOVED Olive Carey. She was the best!!

[@AmericasChoice]

She is like the Rock of Ages in The Searchers. I reckon she was like that in real life, too.

[@williambilyeu9801]

Harry Carey, Sr., was a great actor. He started in the silent era and later became a great character actor, especially as the Vice-President in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." He did several movies with John Wayne, and John Wayne said that he learned a lot from Harry Carey. Her grandmother Olive Carey was another great character actor. Her father Harry Carey, Jr., was in a lot of John Ford and John Wayne westerns. He was also in a lot of other movies, including "Tombstone." I enjoyed all three of them so much.

[@Rick-mx5kh]

Great interview. I really wish you'd have mentioned her other grandfather...the great Paul Fix. What a family tree she has!

[@BigWheelHawaii]

What a Great Series,,, Thank You Rob For Your Time and Effort,,,,

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks, BigWheel. We're gonna keep on turnin' as long as we can.

[@funkyalfonso]

Fantastic channel. Keep 'em coming.

[@gmatwotimes]

Omg they should put the Carey’s notes “they wrote before the book” in the smithsonian!!! Or maybe take pics of each page and put that in a book!! This is so special to hear personal things about Dobe and Son “Ben Johnson”!! Loved them and award Bond!!😄

[@AmericasChoice]

Considering it was his first major movie role Dobe's performance in The Three Godfathers was sublime. Always brings a tear to my eye. One of my all-time favorite John Ford films, and annual viewing around Christmas in my house. Thanks, Rob.

[@nealro1471]

Going to order the book today!

[@jerryknorr679]

Thanks Rob very good

[@davidmcwaters6108]

thank you

[@serpentines6356]

They play old radio shows on one radio station I listen too. One actor in the radio drama (yr. 1943) was Harry Carey. (Which made me think of HaraKari). I wasn't familiar with this actor so looked him up, and also found this video. What fun.

[@AWordonWesterns]

Glad you found our channel of goodies, Serp. Keep looking and thanks.

[@mybingobrain]

Great stories! Keep it up!

[@Scripts360]

Thank you Rob for another great interview. I met Dobe at the 1991 Sonora Film Festival along with Ben Johnson. Both incredibly gracious and warm. I cherish those memories.

[@ChiefThundermoon]

This was a good one Rob,i took a picture of Jrs wife with holter belt and colt over her shoulders,Harry was a member of Sass website and saw the picture and wanted a copy so i sent him one through another member that got it to him.Wish i still had it.No cell phones then.

[@brentlittle8075]

Just great

[@joesharonrogers2602]

Thank you so very much for your videos!!!! Would you do one on Ward Bond? What a great actor, but I'd really like to know more about the man. Thanks again! Joe

[@AWordonWesterns]

JoeSharon Rogers I want to know more about Ward Bond, too. It’s getting tougher to find people who knew or worked with him. But, I’m in the hunt! Thanks for watching.

[@skeltonknaggs1600]

I don't know if it's true, but rumor had it that Ward Bond was a bully on the set at times??

[@aileenwagner2576]

VERY nice, when westerns were really Westerns!!! Thank u!

[@richardbennett6237]

Thanks for mention 'Company of Heroes' by Harry Carey Jr. ... full of good stories behind-the-scenes look at John Ford and his acting company, of which Dobe was one. I got the impression Harry Carey was a very humble man

[@fenwaypark1725]

One movie that took me a while( as I got smarter and older) is 3 Godfathers. I think it’s a minor gem. My god look who’s in it and the story line holds up today.

[@williambilyeu9801]

It was filmed several times. Harry Carey, Sr., played the role in one that John Wayne played in a later version with Harry Carey, Jr.

[@TexasStyleCuisine]

Always enjoy your interviews. Thanks for sharing.

[@butchglancy3850]

Thank you. I really enjoy these.

[@CountryGirlLA]

Thanks, Rob! Enjoyed the interview. Memories, back when movies would warm the cockles of your heart.

[@gregsmht40]

Another great one👍🏼

[@seamusoheachaidhin4307]

This was really terrific- heartwarming! Thank you

[@AirstripBum]

Great Photo with one of my favorites on the right. Yak

[@AWordonWesterns]

Cool, thanks

[@waynemcauliffe2362]

The Searchers is the greatest Western

[@bigfatpear]

what a great video. such a shame that they don't make westerns anymore except those gastly gritty modern things.

[@cordovanbee713]

Great Storyteller

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

I LOVE Mascot Serials. So different than anybody else's serials.

[@larryfisher5796]

Rob think you for these Great Videos I'm 75 years old and really enjoy them

[@markmortensen4341]

What some great insight to some more legends‼️ It makes even more enjoyable to watch my movies. Thanks for bringing another great for person to interview.

[@robyntattersall236]

Thanks for the share ... love the reference to Spin and Marty ..it was a popular serial on the original Mickey Mouse Club

[@AWordonWesterns]

Robyn Tattersall Thanks, Robin. We’re planning to post an interview with Tim “Spin” Considine in December. As they say...”Stay tuned. There’s plenty more coming down the trail.”

[@robyntattersall236]

A Word on Westerns ... Thank you, I’ll look forward to that. Should be interesting because he has quite a body of work from his young years.

[@leospring6264]

That was a wonderful interview! I loved the stories told and everything. I have an autographed photo of Harry Carey Jr. on my wall next to James Arness and Buck Taylor and they are priceless to me.

[@mgroth8]

That was great!

[@mikeprell2747]

I've loved "Westerns all of my life, be they on the silver screen or on that little screen called TV. Of all the TV westerns, I always favored HAVE GUN,WILL TRAVEL with Richard Boone. Was there ever any attempt to produce a screen version of this classic?

[@AWordonWesterns]

Not to my knowledge. Boone died in 1981 and the proliferation of TV movie reunions mostly took place during that decade and later. The closest I can think of is the modernization of that series, "The Equalizer," and the successful features being done today. But, no 1880s version with Paladin seems to have been considered. Too bad. Some western fans have speculated that "Hec Ramsey" filled that void, but not for me. Although, I always enjoyed watching Boone in anything and like "Hec Ramsey."

[@mikeprell2747]

@@AWordonWesterns Too bad, indeed. A few years back, I pictured Tommy Lee Jones as the Knight w/o Armor. Lately, Kevin Kostner comes to mind. Hey, maybe you could get the idea started!

[@robinconkel-hannan6629]

I grew up in the 50s When we played cowgirls and Indians, my sister and I always wanted to be Indians.. The other kids thought we were crazy.. When We grew up and I started researching our family tree I got a pleasant surprise.. Grandma, Daddy, and aunt Mary looked like eastern Indians but we were always told no .. A few generations back we had a Shawnee grandmother.. I found her too late to tell one sister but the other and I and some cousins were vindicated for being so obstinant about it.. Not a big percentage but enough to prove we were justified..

[@colintraveller]

Brilliant ...

[@marksheffer625]

I cant tell you how many times I saw John Wayne movies with Harry Carey Jr or Harry Carey before I finally figured out who was who . It wasn't like the put a picture with the cast members name and no google . But finally got them . I really liked Harry Carey's character in Angel and the bad man. Who was the recurring character as Mose among other names slow witted and shaved head. When I moved here to Fort Worth Texas it really dawned on me all the movies I grew up on were based on actual places and events even if extremely embellished. The Denton Mare was a real story not as told in the movies but there it was the Denton Mare I believe with Randolph Scott and a well know hot chick Jane Russell??? Love seeing your series I have always enjoyed knowing the back story. I have a friend here who was able to meet John Wayne so jealous of him . Funny story I was painting in St. Louis Missouri in a very wealthy gated community. We the young crew were working on the garage near the service road or alley. Someone says look . It was Marlin Perkins now he has 5 little black dogs with him and a rough looking crowd of 4 or5 young men . He stops about 15 feet from us . We are in awe . He immediately started a show by introducing these black pygmy dogs and we dont say a word he did the full show I hope we thanked him . Later my girl friend called me not knowing this story whispering said you won't guess where I am calling from I'm like where ? Marlin Perkins bathroom long before cell phones I saw him once more with his wife at a opticians office before he died . She said he wasn't doing well . Dont think he ever did any westerns but he and John Wayne are the only two men I ever looked at as heroes

[@LizzyTexBorden]

Royalty with a capital R to be certain.

[@Smithsgold]

Great 👍

[@cornshucker77]

Great work Rob.

[@ChiefThundermoon]

Got to meet Harry Carey Jr. his wife and his sister at Harry Careys Ranch.In Santa Clarita and made the local paper with pictures.

[@johnnyllooddte3415]

we used to go to durango and lake valcita every summer growing up.. and even our kids., lots if friends up there

[@johnnyllooddte3415]

sad.. a lost and last generation of the best people in the world

[@lylegorch5956]

That was nice.

[@barrygioportmorien1]

Wonderful interview.

[@robinconkel-hannan6629]

Gene Autry will always be ''King of the Cowboys'' to me.. Even though Roy Rogers is from my home county, he just has to take second place..

[@Teho231]

I just love your segments on westerns, when are you during one on Woody Strode ?

[@Teho231]

Good question when will we see a segment on Woody Strode, another western character actor and Person who worked with Ford a lot.

[@danielfronc4304]

Wow! This is the real good stuff that KZbin has to offer. This is my first of your interviews and I subscribed based on it alone. I hope your other presentations are just as good. Thanks alot!

[@greatbyrondo]

Wow....nice interview...!

[@burthogan3956]

Well done very interesting

[@TubenIt83]

A NEW ONE!!! I wish there was a graphic on all of these with the date that they were recorded on. I enjoy your channel. Thank you.

[@AWordonWesterns]

TubenIt83 I always include the tape date of the interview when I post the edited episode on KZbin. Not sure how viewers access that info but there must be a way. Thanks for watching and hope you find where date info is located.

[@mikekemp9877]

its always a shock to see how big the ford actors were.of course bracketed between wayne and maclaglen they all seemed the same size. i was amazed to see that for example ben johnson my idol when accepting his oscar from tall richard harris was a touch taller.ben was such a phenomenal actor like ward bond that he seldom needed to play big. the only two films where he played a giant that i can recall were his frankly terrifying sheriff in kid blue where he brilliantly overshadows every scene and is as tough as he seems to be and another underrated movie hustle where he played a simple working guy who is trying to find who killed his daughter and nearly beats a guy to death trying to explain that he knows there is a cover up by the rich but it aint right.his inarticulate character who has lost his daughter but is convinced that no justice will be done because the culprits are rich and powerful is an amazing piece of work by both him and burt reynolds. ward bond was a big lump too normally with ford as in the searchers and quiet man he plays the immovable object the only guy in it who is a tough as wayne maclaglen or henry brandon seeing a lot but saying little but he played moose malloy in a version of farewell my lovely the part played by huge mike mazurki and then jack o halloran fitting really as mike played the immovable object in donavans reef the part that ward would have played had he lived as the cop. he also took over the mante of top sergent to harry carey jr and ben in cheyenne autumn.

[@stephenm6100]

more rob... more. 👍👍👍

[@olddodger7178]

Rob, you mentioned watching Spin and Marty but did not say anything about Harry Carey Jr.playing the part of Burnette in that series.

[@AWordonWesterns]

Old Dodger I will be editing more of the conversation with Melinda where we will discuss SPIN & MARTY and more about Dobe. Stay tuned.

[@olddodger7178]

@@AWordonWesterns Thanks, I really enjoy your videos.

[@mikekemp9877]

always wondered why harry after making trader horn [ whichwas a massive hollywood departure from the norm an expensive and dangerous film to make on location in unexplored parts of africa]seemed to work for lesser movies almost directly after. according to film historian of the silent and early sound days harry was so right for the part not just his acting but his outdoorsman talents which helped with the camps food etc as this was a big gamble for the studio sending a crew into darkest africa with little outside support. brownlow covers this movie along with several other forgotten groundbreaking foreign exscursions by the studios like chang in the war the west and the wilderness a great book if you can get it.my favourite is billy cody filming custers last stand with many of the sioux on the sacred battlefield.the 7th cavalry also participated and there are stories of the indian actors intending to use real bullets and use the film as a rematch and apparently the 7th felt the same.so buffalo bill was rushing around trying to keep the peace.fascinating times when the location shoot worries were more than extended winnebagos and colour sorted m and ms for the actors .

[@moncorp1]

I loved listening to her dad call Cubs games... JK

[@FooFahFoeFum]

I want my rocking chair. You promised me a rocking chair. Moe's ..

[@mikekemp9877]

olive cary i think knew why harry another massive actor i like in the same class as walter houston {i love their fictionalised wyatt earp and doc holliday in law n order recently found and on you tube] and ford split but never mentioned it.at harrys funeral he came over cried drunkenly over olive and she forgave him carrying on the friendship as if nothing had happened.and worked with him subsequently.one theory but im not sure its true was that john loved olive and the coat scene with bond wayne and his sister in law was similar to how ford regarded olive which if true gives the final doorway scene waynes tribute to harry even more meaning.

[@michaeldougfir9807]

It seems to me that most, if not all, blackballing was useless. It just hurt a few people at the time. What I would have done is just not hire the people I didn't want. Not damage the careers of good people. Or have I missed something?