Geronimo: An American Legend
The movie, was filmed on location in Moab, Utah in December, 1993. It follows the events leading up to the surrender of Geronimo in 1886. The Apache Indians have reluctantly agreed to settle on a U.S. government approved reservation. Not all the Apaches are able to adapt to the life of corn farmers, and one in particular, Geronimo (Wes Studi), is restless.

Pushed over the edge by broken promises and unnecessary actions by the government, Geronimo and 30 other warriors form an attack team which humiliates the government by evading capture, while reclaiming what is rightfully theirs. The plot centers upon Charles Gatewood (Jason Patrie), the U.S. cavalry lieutenant charged with capturing the elusive Apache leader with the assistance of a scout leader AI Sieber (Robert Duvall) and a young graduate Britton Davis (Matt Damon).

Gatewood is torn by a grudging respect for Geronimo and his people, and his duty to his country. Brigadier General George Crook {Gene Hackman), charged with overseeing the forced settlement of the Apaches on reservations has nothing but admiration for Geronimo.

Geronimo surrenders to Crook but later escapes, taking half of the reservation with him. Gatewood, Sieber, Davis and a group of soldiers set out to capture Geronimo. Crook later resigns from the army and is replaced by General Nelso Miles. The next day Gatewood, Sieber, Davis and Apache Chato come across some slaughtered Indians. They stop at a bar but there are bounty hunters thee and they threaten to kill Chato for money which results in a shootout in which Sieber is shot and mortally wounded.

Gatewood, Davis and Chato carry on to capture Gernomino makes peace with Gatewood and surrenders along with the other Apache to General Miles. Gatewood is transferred to a remote garrison in North Wyoming while Davis resigns from the army and Chato is shipped off to Florida with the rest of the renegades.

I was very proud to work in Geronimo as an Actor/Stuntman/ portraying one of the Miners at the Mining Camp. Thanks to Walter Hill/ the Director of Geronimo.

Stunts, Stars and Legends:
David Sharpe
I called him the “Crown Prince of the Stunt World” and ranked alongside Yakima Canutt as one of Hollywood’s all-time greatest stuntmen. He appeared in more than 5,000 films, over six decades.

Sharpe won the US National Tumbling Championship in 1925 and 1926. He began his film career as a child actor in the 1920s. He was married to film actress Gertrude Messinger. Eventually, he became the “Ramrod” (Stunt Co-ordinator) for Republic Pictures from 1939 until mid-1942 when America entered World War II. He was replaced in this role by Tom Steele while Sharpe joined the Army Air Corps in 1943. Messinger’s brother Buddy, died in 1965. Dave married Buddy’s widow, Margaret Messinger.

Sharpe was inducted into the Hollywood Stuntmen’s Hall of Fame in 1980 ... he died that year of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Tony Curtis gave the eulogy at his funeral.

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If interested in learning more about the Hall of Fame, please contact John Hagner (Founder) at 435 260-2160. email: johnhagner@hotmail.com Hall of Fame website: www.stuntmen.org

John Hagner (Founder) is also the Artist of the Stars. His Celebrity Portrait Drawings are available at telephone 435-259-7000, Mailing address: 50 W. 400 N, Moab, Utah 84532. Say you saw this article in Moab Happenings!