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Showing posts with label Alamo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alamo. Show all posts

Sunday, April 4, 2021

My Franken-Alamo Set-up - Pt 3 Final

Here's the final version of my Alamo playset set-up. I took out the Disney gate on the west wall (the wall closest to the viewer), then I bought a second tin adobe hut from Peter Wassmiller and used it as the Trevino house. From what I've read, the Trevino House apparently had a peaked roof, but this will do as a stand-in. I bought more ladders: now there's 25 and the set-up could use more! The horse corral is now behind the Long Barracks and the two plastic Marx walls have been replaced with Atherton Scenics walls. This was another fun build and I enjoyed seeing my Alamo toys out and on display for a while, but now it's time to dismantle the thing and move on! Enjoy! Opa Fritz







If I'm disappointed in anything it is the ladder climbers NONE of them stay on the ladders in a 'natural' ladder climbing pose, so they all appear as if they're already climbing over the walls or being shot



















Saturday, April 3, 2021

John Wayne's "The Alamo" and My Mexican Dragoon's Uniform From The Movie

Some years back I was really into buying movie props. I was also really into the history of the siege of The Alamo and those two converged such that I was able to acquire one of the uniforms worn in the film. After recently viewing a television special on the making of John Wayne's "The Alamo" it appears there were approximately 2200 extras playing the Mexican forces as either infantry, calvalry, or those pressed into service by Santa Anna. That means there were a lot of costumes to go around but the uniforms and helmets were sold separately and it took me years to acquire the helmet after buying the uniform. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

This was a well done reproduction of a larger sized poster. The originals are quite pricey


This is also a reproduction publicity still


The following two scans are publicity stills - not lobby cards - that would have been included with the Press Kit for the movie. Press Kits were sent to the theaters and included small books on the making of the film, biographies of the stars, perhaps a one-sheet poster, advertising art to use when submitting advertising to the local newspapers, lobby cards printed on heavy cardstock, and many stills printed on normal photo paper (some stills could be B&W while others could be in color). Big production films, or films the studios deemed important, would get a ton of stills included in the kit. The theater managers could do what they wanted with them but the idea was to display them in the lobbies as promotions for the film.



The uniforms were made by the Western Costume Co., which was also mentioned in the TV special I saw. Now here's the rub: I also have props from Billy Bob Thornton's "The Alamo" that could make this unform more complete looking but they're buried out in The Cave and not easy to get to at the moment!! arrrgh! LOL







The helmets are fiberglass with liners









Thursday, April 1, 2021

My Franken-Alamo Set-up - Pt 2

Here's the second phase of The Alamo playset build. I took out the walls that made up the Long Barracks and used the two bread canister Chapels from the two Re-Marx sets I had. All I did was turn them around so that the back was facing out and voila' - instant Long Barracks. Then I placed the handmade adobe hut from Peter Wassmiller, next to the the south wall gate and used it as Bowie's quarters where he made his last stand. Two cannons added to the top of the Chapel, more figures - to include more cavalry - were added to make it an even 'busier' scene than it already was. I think one more change ought to do it for this set-up. Enjoy! Opa Fritz









Sunday, March 28, 2021

Hand made Adobe Hut For My Alamo Set-up

I just happened to spot this handmade tin adobe hut on fleaBay and snatched it up. It's perfect for Alamo set-ups like mine which are primarily tin (vs. the foam walls and buildings that are currently the rage). The eBay seller is Peter Wassmiller (seller name: 'homemadetoys') and I've featured some his works before here on the blog. The house is formed and painted tin with paper photo overlays to provide the detail. I have to touch up a few spots with glue but overall it's an excellent addition to my Alamo collection. The tin structure measures 7 1/2" (19.05cm) W x 3 3/4" (9.52cm) D x 3 3/4" (9.52cm) H. Right now, I'm using this as Bowie's quarters next to the south wall gate with another one coming which I may use as the Trevino house on the west wall. Enjoy! Opa Fritz