Sleeping With A Movie Star In Kanab

Don’t tell my wife, but a few weeks ago I slept in a movie star’s room, and woke each morning to her stunningly beautiful face staring at me with her piercingly sexy eyes.

Okay, so my wife already knows.  In fact, she was also in the same bed.  And if you ask her, I think she’ll even admit that she liked it, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Before this turns into an MTV reality show, let me explain.

During the last few weeks, my wife and I made two trips to Kanab, Utah, also known as “Utah’s Little Hollywood.”

With more elevation than people, listed at 4,909 feet above sea level versus a population of 3,803, this quaint little town has capitalized on their movie past and wild west roots. 

That past includes a slew of western movies filmed in the area surrounding the town, including John Wayne’s “Stagecoach,” Frank Sinatra’s “Sergeants Three,” Clint Eastwood’s “Outlaw Josey Wales,” and parts of the Mel Gibson film “Maverick.”  Some of the scenes from “Planet of the Apes” were also filmed in the area.  At a movie set built outside of town, it was also the filming location for TV shows like Gunsmoke, Have Gun Will Travel, F Troop, Daniel Boone, and even a few episodes of Lassie.

When you think about it, the image of the American west that most people hold in their hearts is actually the scenery surrounding Kanab.

The movie business became a cottage industry for the town, as local residents welcomed the Hollywood glitterati, provided services for the visitors, and even worked as movie extras and stuntmen.

When the world’s love affair with westerns on the silver screen faded in the mid 1970’s, so did the steady stream of movie stars and film crews.

For a lot of communities, this would have been the death knell, with the main streets becoming as deserted as the abandoned movie sets that today feel like stumbling upon a ghost town.

But just as the films depicted the hardy stock to be found among the inhabitants of the old west, the citizens of Kanab and the surrounding area persevered, survived, and prospered.  And they did it in a proud way.  They didn’t try to repackage their town as a destination for alternative energy projects, or pretend to be an option for new industry. 

Instead, they embraced their heritage as a film location and the essence of the old west.

Along route 89, the main road which cuts through the middle of town, building facades hint at a western theme.  At Houston’s Trails End, a restaurant on that thoroughfare, the waitresses actually wear leather gun belts and carry the occasional six shooter.     

On both sides of the road, dozens of metal plaques have been erected with the names and photos of movie stars who spent time in Kanab, and the movies that were shot there.  That includes “The Duke,” John Wayne.

On the Fourth of July, the town holds a parade filled with plenty of reminders from the boom days when the old west on film WAS Kanab.

Every August, they hold the Western Legends Roundup, featuring stars from old movies and TV shows like Clint Walker and James Drury, as well as the families of other western stars like Roy Rogers, Jr.

At the heart of the town, both geographically and metaphorically, is the Parry Lodge.

It’s the place where most of the movie stars stayed while shooting the more than 100 movies filmed in the region.

Built in 1931 by the Parry brothers, it became the headquarters for many of the movies thanks to relationships developed between Whit Parry and producers in Hollywood, back when deals were made based on handshakes and friendships instead of low bids and production contracts.

Today, many of the rooms at Parry Lodge bears the name of a movie star that once stayed there.  In the dining room, autographed photos from the stars who broke bread there adorn the walls.

In June, my wife and I stayed in the Julie Newmar room, a tribute to the curvaceous actress who appeared in a number of westerns including Mackenna’s Gold.  Most people also know her as the original Catwoman on the old Batman TV series.

Each morning, after sleeping in Julie’s room, I awoke to a large and stunning black and white photo of the actress in an Indian costume which hung on the wall next to the bed.

To say the least, I enjoyed our stay.

This week, my wife and I hit the jackpot.  We spent two nights in the John Wayne bungalow, located next to Julie’s spot.

Unfortunately, while there were a couple of movie posters from The Big Trail and Stagecoach hanging on the wall, there was no life size photo of The Duke for my wife to swoon over each morning, so I don’t think we’re quite even yet.

It’s obvious the rooms are old, but maintained with care and love.  It’s a thrill to imagine sleeping in the same room where John Wayne once kicked dust from his spurs, or sitting in a dining room where Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr. once swapped jokes.  According to the lodge, the rooms bearing names match up and were actually occupied by their namesakes.  It’s fun to see the names of Ronald Reagan, Maureen O’Hara, Telly Savalas, and other screen icons written on wooden plaques above each entry door.

The grounds are gorgeous, with a pool that was allegedly suggested by Wayne himself, according to local legend.  In fact, according to the lodge staff, Wayne put up half the money for the pool.

Behind the AParry Lodge is an old barn that has been converted into a theater where every night they show one of the old movies filmed in the area.  My wife and I enjoyed “Trooper Hook” while there in June, an old 1957 flick starring Joel McCrea and Barbara Stanwyck.  And of course, while wandering the property later, we found the rooms bearing the names of these two legends.

Best of all, the lodge and the peaceful yet bustling town are filled with friendly, welcoming people.

My wife and I enjoyed both stays, although each was too short.  In addition to the fun of sharing in these throwbacks to a golden era, the solitude of the lodge allowed me to do a lot of writing, so it’s guaranteed that we’ll be back.

Until then, as a way of showing the welcoming nature of my hometown, I’d like to offer an invitation.

In an effort to return the favor, Julie Newmar is welcome to stay in my room any time she happens to be in the Mesquite area.  I’ll even provide the Indian outfit.  It will be great to once again see her face every morning, as true beauty remains no matter what the age. 

Of course I’ll be offering my “good morning” from the living room sofa, which is where I’ll probably be sleeping once my wife reads this, but it would be a restless sleep worth having, complete with visions of movie stars, chases on horseback, gunfights, and the spirit of the old west that can still be found in Kanab.