“Who’s Trampas? I thought I was getting THE VIRGINIAN.” Making movies with director Kevin Connor

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British born Director Kevin Connor landed on our shores following a string of popular films based on Edgar Rice Burroughs novels starring Doug McClure, Patrick Wayne, and Peter Cushing. They were THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, AT THE EARTH’S CORE, and THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT. Thinking he was getting THE VIRGINIAN star, black hatted James Drury for the lead in the Burroughs adventure film, Kevin was surprised to see the smiling blond haired Trampas appear. It was the TV western classic’s co-star, Doug McClure! A lifelong friendship resulted. When Kevin saw how adept Doug was at the fight scenes, he carefully observed and learned a lot in the process. Later, this knowledge would come in handy.
Connor began his career in the 1960s as a film editor for top British directors like Richard Attenborough, Tony Richardson, Lindsay Anderson, and Richard Lester. When Kevin moved to Hollywood, his first film was the low budget horror comedy, MOTEL HELL, starring Rory Calhoun. He was given the opportunity because his first directorial effort, TALES FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE, starring Peter Cushing, David Warner and Donald Pleasence. Not wanting to be typecast in the genre, Kevin helmed a series of popular miniseries, including NORTH AND SOUTH Book II with James Stewart, Olivia de Havilland, and Patrick Swayze, multiple TV episodes including THE LAZARUS MAN, MOONLIGHTING, HART TO HART and film biographies of Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana, Mother Teresa, and Blackbeard. He has also directed several of the Christmas themed movies so popular during the holidays.
Kevin Connor never seems to slow down but on November 14, 2023, he took time out from his busy schedule to join Rob Word for a conversation about his career.
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#awordonwesterns #dougmcclure #western #classicmovies #film #filmhistory #interview #talkshow #robword #scifi #fantasy #fantasymovies #filmdirector #filmdirecting #filmdirection #filmdirectors #donaldpleasence #filmediting #british #britishfilm #richardharris #jamesstewart #thevirginian
#jamesdrury #jamesstewart #civilwar #civilwarmovie #miniseries #kevinconnor #patrickwayne #dinosaur #specialeffects #rayharryhausen #talkshow #audience #moviestar #hollywood #hollywoodmovies #richardattenborough #carlforeman #editing

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8 июн 2024

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Комментарии : 83

@AlfredFJones1776 Месяц назад

How could you not love Doug McClure.

@troynov1965 Месяц назад

Conner is such a gentleman he does not want to talk badly about anybody.

@waynemcauliffe-fv5yf Месяц назад

Love The Land that Time Forgot

@mythrusthelema Месяц назад

Takes all kind of critters to make Farmer Vincent Fritters.... I love Motel Hell.

@hiramnoone Месяц назад

He looks uncannily like Pierce Brosnan.

@paulkitt-er9dr Месяц назад

Fascinating interview with a director of many diverse films dealing with Harris could be diabolical and he survived.

@user-zd9yn5mz1f Месяц назад

What a terrific interview! I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Connor at the Cinema Wasteland show. He was just as friendly, patient and talkative at the show. A new book from Bear Manor Media has just been released about his career. He was a terrifically gracious artist and professional and helped to produce some real classics. Thanks Rob AND Kevin!

@craigerickson6308 Месяц назад

Really enjoy your work and the behind the scenes of movie and television history.

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Thanks a lot, Craig. I want to know more, more, MORE!

@JSB1882 Месяц назад

I'm working through "The Virginian" episodes because we grew up as a "Bonanza" family. lol I never saw these as a kid and they are really well done. A number of actors are alive still. One notation is Pippa Scott who played the newspaper woman and love interest to Drury, Clark, McClure.and other characters too.

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

I'd really like to have a conversation with Pippa. Thanks.

@jimross7648 Месяц назад

It's funny looking back at some of Kevin's early films how unbelievably hokey they were. I enjoyed how he said things just sort of happened in his career, understating the hard work, effort, and talent, that he had. Enjoyable episode, as always.

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Thanks, Jim. Kevin has talent and is humble. A nice combination.

@lescook9021 Месяц назад

I had no idea that the director who made those fun ERB films with Doug McClure, also made Motel Hell with Rory Calhoun. Motel Hell after being released was quickly put on HBO and that's where I first saw it. One night a buddy, who loved old movies/actors and movie trivia as I did, was over and Motel Hell was playing on HBO in the background, neither of us really watching it, when all the sudden my buddy yelled out, "That's Rory Calhoun! What in the hell is he doing in a horror movie?" For some reason I've always remembered this and it always makes me smile, because my buddy's tone was of one who has been betrayed, because Rory was one of his childhood western heroes, who apparently, should have never been in a horror movie. Interestingly enough, almost the exact same thing happened when the same friend was over and HBO was showing Humanoids from the Deep with Doug McClure. We were talking, not really paying attention to the TV when my buddy suddenly yells, "That's Doug McClure!"

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Cool stories, les. Hey, an actor's gotta act.

@piedmontish Месяц назад

What a memory! I saw that film in the theater and, besides the merry-go-round scene, which was absolutely hilarious, the fact that one of the humanoids in a chase had his mask partially pulled off of his neck/face area just had me rolling in the aisle! 😂

@Dstrbrdgrnd Месяц назад

First time I saw Hotel Hell I thought the same, I told my girl that’s Rory Calhoun!! He’s a cowboy star, what’s he doing in a horror movie?

@kenhurley4441 Месяц назад

Rob,,,,, I'm gonna nick name you "Magic Man"! You've done it again!

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Thanks, Ken.

@OdeeOz Месяц назад

Good ol' Doug, still around forever on Video Tapes and DVD's 👍👍 10🤠

@FranssensM Месяц назад

Thanks for this Rob.

@stevekitt52 Месяц назад

I was watching The Enemy Below last night and Doug was playing a young crewman,who played bridge pretty poorly 🙂

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Cool! Dougie!!

@waynemcauliffe-fv5yf Месяц назад

He seems like a great bloke

@tonyjones9715 Месяц назад

Thanks

@atreb56 Месяц назад

Super interview. Loved Young Winston and From Beyond the Grave with Ian Ogilvy. Such an interesting career for Mr. Connor.

@havitcold Месяц назад

Great interview I just love the nostalgia thanks for keeping these great times, films and TV programs

@dagmargross6064 Месяц назад

Wow! In the early 1970s Doug McClure walked past me in the crowds at Wimbledon! (Tennis). Now I know why he was there! Because he was filming that movie "The Land that Time Forgot" in the UK! Yes, I was thrilled to see him, but at the same time disappointed that James Drury hadn't walked past me instead! Because I much preferred him to McClure. The Virginian was the steady one, the father figure and I as a teenager often imagined myself playing his daughter at Shiloh... Trampas was fun and younger, but I didn't see him as marriage material at all, for example...

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Nice memories, dagmar. Funny!

@tonyliston2311 Месяц назад

Great interview with a real Gentleman . Really interesting and informative. Thanks a lot Rob .

@terryhurlburt9113 Месяц назад

WOW! "NORTH & SOUTH" as well as the EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS stuff! Quite a slice of diverse movie Pie! Thanks Rob!

@dougreed2257 Месяц назад

Another enjoyable interview Rob,the love of film/movies,particularly wrsterns is palpable on these wonderful presentations😊

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Glad you enjoyed it, Doug. Thanks.

@mernarodway7301 Месяц назад

Absolutely delightful! Thank you Rob😊

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks

@rosezingleman5007 Месяц назад

Really interesting interview Rob. Wide-ranging, all kinds of good stuff. Fun to see one of my favorite British actors, John Warner, in that clip too.

@elizabethbeckman1947 Месяц назад

Enjoyed this interview so much. Thank you, Rob. Thank you so much, Mr. Connor, for sharing!

@John-jl9de Месяц назад

Great show, thanks.

@chrisclinton5424 Месяц назад

Enjoyed the interview! Rob you bring out the best in your guests!

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Thanks, Chris. They bring out the best in me, too. Glad you enjoyed it!

@michaelchristian7824 Месяц назад

good interview, RW......Rory Calhoun...gotta find Hotel Hell

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

It's got some laughs, Mike.

@starrjones4127 Месяц назад

Nice man, worked with him on a comedy at Culver Studios in 2005.

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

That's cool!

@user-ky3ti7fs3i Месяц назад

another great video. Thanks.

@user-pk1rf5vi6z Месяц назад

Very good interview

@lynnkain Месяц назад

Great interview!

@russjones4034 Месяц назад

Great interview Rob.

@JMVideos7676 Месяц назад

I'll never forget your interview with Barbara Luna where she said, "Everybody loved Dougy".

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Thanks, J. They still do!

@frankdodgee Месяц назад

Love WOW. Always learn something.

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Thanks, Frank. Love hearing that! We are working on an AWOW episode with Leo's daughter I think his fans will enjoy.

@grahamhill6340 Месяц назад

Delightful interview from a very humble and charming Mr. Connor... His career is certainly about being at the proverbial "right place at the tight time" specially when graduating from editing into directing. He was never a big name ego director, but he always managed to keep working even though the work offered was often not the best, but then you have to earn a living regardless. As he well said you have to be a real diplomat in the movie business, and I know that too well. In editing, specially since the 1980's the director wants to edit their movies and the assigned editor merely acts as an assistant, and it's made even easier when you can edit on a laptop and make changes in seconds when it used to with film take hours and even days. I must say at age 86, Kevin Connor looks good and has good recall of his life, certainly a very down-to-earth man although I think he'd like his name listed on the IMDB with a better movie than Motel Hell! At least Rob found a somewhat western tie-in with Mr. Connor having directed Rory Calhoun, James Stewart and Doug McClure, even though he thought he was getting James Dury!

@hiramnoone Месяц назад

Everyone loved Doug. Reminds me of what Marion Ross said about her early TV career before Happy Days as a sporadically working actor doing small roles on episodic television, often just a scene or two, seldom more than a one-fer , thrust into it not knowing anyone or in some instances never even having watched the show, so a total stranger in every way possible. Yet said she could still get a sense of the relationships among regulars, cast members and crew... as to who was liked and who wasn't, mentioned as examples two actors specifically, David Janssen and Jack Lord as opposites on the popularity meter. Janssen as universally well liked, and Lord being the one almost no one could stand being around. If she'd made a Virginian, I'm sure she would have liked Doug, as it seems everyone did.

@pjoe1950 Месяц назад

This reminds me of the theme in the movie Once upon a Time in Hollywood. After an actor loses his series he moves on to B movies. No matter what he was in after the Virginian I always thought of Doug McClure as Trampas.

@user-zd9yn5mz1f Месяц назад

Thanks!

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Thank YOU

@kenkrausse3624 Месяц назад

Yes. Many thanks

@danadams4714 Месяц назад

Looks a lot like Pierce Brosnan!

@michaelcollins237 Месяц назад

86 years old? Rob you look 10 years younger this month Hello from Dan Richard Harris was a man s man

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

Thanks, Dan.

@ericthered760 Месяц назад

As I recall, Alfred Hitchcock started as an editor.

@galencox4278 Месяц назад

Great interview Rob. Keep upthe great work.🙂

@mjemigh3304 Месяц назад

Very interesting guy. Once again, your interviewing skills got loads of great stuff from him! I remember seeing "The Land That Time Forgot" when it came out. Everyone I knew found it pretty laughable at the time, but I'd like to give it another chance, all these years later. At the very least, I'm sure it would be far more entertaining than any of the current superhero movies.

@AWordonWesterns Месяц назад

It's still a fun film, not to be taken too seriously.

@franwilsoncastanedalamuz2952 Месяц назад

Buenos días porfa en español desde cali Colombia bendiciones

@olddodger7178 Месяц назад

Pierce Brosnan's double?

@normamcmanus1139 Месяц назад

The Trampas in the novel was a bad guy and was eventually killed by the Virginian, I believe. The Trampas, in the television show, was a reformed semi bad guy. He was charming, handsome and a likable scamp. Got along with almost everybody. Almost always wore the same clothing every episode he was in and rode the same buckskin horse. Good friend to the Virginian as well as an older brother type to Betsy.