British Pathe

Crowborough, Sussex - or possibly Golden Cross, Sussex - anomalies in paperwork about location.

C/U of a hand painted sign which reads: "Boot Hill Cemetery". Camera pans across to show a couple in cowboy hats looking down at a mock up of a Wild West graveyard. They take off their hats in respect....

Crowborough, Sussex - or possibly Golden Cross, Sussex - anomalies in paperwork about location.

C/U of a hand painted sign which reads: "Boot Hill Cemetery". Camera pans across to show a couple in cowboy hats looking down at a mock up of a Wild West graveyard. They take off their hats in respect. C/U of three makeshift grave markers which read: "Rev. Theodor Batt - Hanged 1878", "Aces Brady - Lynched 1877" and "John Owen - Shot by Mistake 1889". Various shots of the signs and the respectful couple.

L/S of man in workaday clothes walking towards the camera (Eric Mitchell). He looks up at a sign which reads: "Golden Horse Ranch". This is a Dude Ranch in Sussex. The man is handed a saddle by a cowboy. His flat cap is swapped for a cowboy hat. M/S of horses being led past a Saloon Bar. The Ranch has been made to look like a Wild West location. The Ranch has been built by Peter and Prudence Mason who once had a Wild West show touring the continent under their professional names of Buck and Lita Starr.

Various shots of guests at the Ranch who are being shown how to handle guns and deal with saddles and stirrups. C/U of "Sheriff" sign then shot of Peter Mason who sits on the porch having a snooze in great cowboy boots and hat. One of the guests pretends to be drunk, firing his gun as he emerges from the Saloon. Devilishly handsome Peter Mason grabs him and takes him off to the jailhouse. He locks him in. Funny shot of the guy in the jail holding onto the bars of the window. C/U of super glamorous cowgirl Prudence Mason winding up a rope. Various shots of horses being led into a paddock. Peter saddles up "Comet" a beautiful Palomino and demonstrates his riding skill. Cowgirl Veronica Mitchell (who works at Hurstmonceaux (sp?) Observatory) is given some horse riding training. Various shots of horse riding.

The holidaymakers have a meal - beans of course, served in the open air on metal plates. Various shots of the folk enjoying their meal. Great shots of Peter demonstrating his lasso technique and showing how quick he is on the draw. Dave Kenny - a sign writer from Brighton - practices his gun technique, he is pretty good. The cowgirls and cowboys have a rest. They sit around and listen to one of the cowboys (Michael Bowyer) playing "Home on the Range" (or possibly "Here on the Range" as it reads in music cue sheet) on a harmonica. Film ends with good C/U of Peter and Prudence Mason.

Note: paperwork in documentation file includes an advertising leaflet for the Golden Horse Ranch and newspaper clippings. Visitors to the ranch named in the paperwork include Playwright Sylvia Laymond from Brighton, Susan Sutton - catering student from Brighton, Betty Farnes from Petersfield and Tony Lockyer a farmer from Somerset. Peter Mason is a Deputy Marshal in Arizona where he spent nearly 10 years.