History Corner: Locals served as extras, got small parts in Hollywood movie
Historian
Courtesy image
The recent announcement in the Sky-Hi News of the passing of Jay Jenkins, one of Grand County’s stalwarts, reminded me of a very special tidbit of local lore.
In early 1950, Grand County was the filming location for the movie “On Dangerous Ground.” It starred some big names at the time, including Ida Lupino, Ward Bond and Robert Ryan. Having a Hollywood film crew arrive in Grand County today would be newsworthy, but it was really big news 75 years ago.
According to entertainment writer Cyndi Palmer, some of the backstory filming for the movie starred a few locals: Al Hodgson, Bill Thompson, Roy Alexander, Francis Jenkins and son Jay, Don Yager, Ted and Vern Birdsill, Andy Vaughn, Louis Heckert, Mary Dyger Baumberger, Eddie Linke Jr. and Clint Hardenbrook.
Guest actors were paid $55 for speaking one line and $10 daily on set. Young Jay Jenkins was paid the $55 for speaking one line (“Dad here they come.”) which would be over $700 today.
You can watch the film on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
Penny Rafferty Hamilton, Ph.D., is the author of “Images of America: Grand County.” Contact her at drpenny1@earthlink.net.
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