Did you know that over the course of 22 years…in 17 western movies…Jimmy Stewart rode the SAME horse? The horse’s name was “Pie.”
Joan Bakewell at the National Film Theatre interviewed Stewart about Pie in 1972:
“I liked this darned little horse…I actually believed that he understood about making pictures. I ran at a full gallop, straight towards the camera, pulled him up and then did a lot of dialogue and he stood absolutely still. He never moved. He knew when the camera would start rolling and when they did the slates. He knew that because his ears came up.
The last picture that Hank Fonda and I made, The Cheyenne Social Club, Pie was getting old. We did it in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pie got sick and I couldn’t use him the whole time. And, unbeknownst to me, Hank painted a picture of the horse in watercolour. He’s an excellent artist – watercolours, oils, ink, lithograph, anything. He has an amazing talent. When we got home, he brought me the picture and two days later Pie died. It was a great loss. But I have Pie in our library and I consider him a friend.”
Super fan and fellow Stewart admirer, Warren Madsen, alerted me to this fact a while back, and now I share this random tidbit with you.
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You know, I almost shed a tear reading this. Anytime someone has a close relationship with an animal (with the exception of “Zoo”) I am moved to tears. It must be because it reminds me of my dog, Niko, who I was convinced understood things most dogs didn’t. Long live animals like Niko & Pie!
Yay for little tidbits!
Jimmy Stewart pretty much rocks.
Love the podcast and the new website! Keep up the great work.
Makes Jimmy Stewart THAT much more loveable.
~Stefany
sniff, sniff