Three will be feted with gala dinner at Hyatt, bronze saddle plaques on Main Street in Newhall.
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Three Western stars will “saddle up” for honors at the City of Santa Clarita’s Walk of Western Stars (WOWS) April 25 at the Hyatt Valencia after bronze and terrazzo plaques bearing their name are unveiled in Old Town Newhall. The event is part of the annual Cowboy Festival which opens April 23 and runs through April 27.
Actors David Carradine and John Saxon will be in the spotlight, as will animal wrangler and stuntman Jack Lilley at the event, which will also feature a video tribute to former Walk of Western Stars honoree, Jack Williams, who died in 2007.
The afternoon ceremonies at 3 p.m. are free; tickets for the Friday evening gala are $100 per person and include dinner. Bruce Boxleitner, who joined WOWS in 1990, is scheduled to present, along with long-time master of ceremonies Larry Maurice. The popular group “Cowbop” will entertain.
David Carradine
David Carradine is the second of the legendary motion picture family to get a saddle in downtown Newhall. His brother, Keith, was honored in 2004. David is known for his role in the frontier series “Shane” but most likely people remember him from the eclectic “Kung Fu” and “Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.” His performing career includes stints in live theater on and off Broadway, television and movies.
He received the Best Actor Award from the National Board of Film Review as well as a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Woody Guthrie in “Bound for Glory” and won critical acclaim as Cole Younger in “The Long Riders.” Younger fans might know him from his recent star turns in “Kill Bill: Vol. 1” and “Kill Bill: Vol. 2” for which he received his fourth Golden Globe nomination.
John Saxon
John Saxon is a well-rounded character actor who was recognized for his portrayal of Chuy Medina opposite Marlon Brando in “The Appaloosa” and went on to star in feature films such as “The Electric Horseman,” “Winchester 73” and the cult film “Enter The Dragon” with Bruce Lee. Overall, Saxon has appeared in more than 80 films, and is currently devoted to writing screenplays that he hopes to direct.
Jack Lilley
Jack Lilley is a local resident who started out at age 15 (saying he was 18) doing stunts for Westerns and working under legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt. He performed stunts on hundreds of shows, including TV’s “Gunsmoke,” “Bonanza” and “High Chaparral,” and acted in more than 280 features, including “Blazing Saddles” and “The Mountain Men.”
Today, Jack runs Movin’ On Livestock, providing animals for all sorts of films, including Westerns “Young Guns I and II” “City Slickers I and II” and Antonio Banderas’ “Zorro.”
Tickets for the gala event may be obtained by calling the city’s Cowboy Festival office at 286-4021 or online at cowboyfestival.org.
