The Dow Villa
"Next stop, the Bar 20"
By Will "Cherokee" Slim Lacey
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I'm getting ready to make a bee-line to one of filmdoms western sets
To breathe fresh air, take in the scenery, and fire up a few briquettes.
It's Lone Pine near the high Sierras that kicks in my overdrive,
And I'm counting the hours till I load that trunk and head up the three-ninety-five.
'Cause they've got this annual wig-kicker that I've kinda grown partial to,
That honors a bevy of celebrities that for years have been passing through.
And laying down for posterity many fruits of writers schemes,
While showcasing the skills of directors and materializing their dreams.
Those Alabama Hills underneath Mt. Whitney are magnificent on their own,
But the movie folks have added more mystique by filming in its prized sandstone.
The full roster of stars who've visited the site, is too long to mention here
But the crest of the Hollywood cinema crowd have shown year after year.
My base camp is the Dow Villa, smack dab in the middle of town.
A perfect place to stop and regroup, and lay your tired head down.
With all the busy action around you, it's quite a near oasis,
And even there you'll find western fans trading yarns or watching outlaw chases.
Glen Strange and Eddie Dean wrote songs there, just for starters.
And it's where Dave Holland, the film-fest boss, has made his main headuarters.
John Wayne's laid down his bedroll there and so's Bill Boyd, while doing Hoppy.
And the Cartwright bunch took shelter there once while making a Bonanza copy.
The ample, old-style lobby with those authentic western stairs
Gives you the feeling at any moment a movie scene might break out there.
And those frontier-style rooms in the main hotel are steeped with country charm.
Nine feet walls, antique windows, and ambiance as long as your arm.
Last year just outside my window it looked like who's who of movie land
Swapping yarns with regular folks, rubbing elbows and shaking hands.
And the help at the Dow deserves five stars for being excellent hosts.
I'm not even counting their personable smiles that make you feel warm as toast.
Yes, that four exciting, fun-filled days when I call Lone Pine home.
Wouldn't be complete without the Dow, it really stands out alone.
So fluff my pillows and put out the cat, 'cause it's nigh time to make the trek.
Good-bye smog time, hello Lone Pine, I'm ready for a reality check.
By Will "Cherokee Slim" Lacey - November 29, 1994
