When Festival of southern nostalgia Concrauss from June 5 to 7 in Olive Branch, his list of cinematographic and televised guests – Cowboys, child stars, nominated for Oscars, a notorious “Nerd” and a rugged nonagenarian – will continue a tradition of the Memphis region which has more than half a century.
The event was from 1972 under the name of the three-day western film festival, held at Sheraton-Peagody (when the “Grand Hotel du Sud” suffered an identity crisis, before its restoration and its great reopening in 1981). As its title suggests, the Convention was organized by and intended for fans of cowboy films-in particular the B-Westerns who were the favorites of the public of the morning mornings in the 1950s.
The list of guests of this first year – a collection of “Oldtimers of the Sunset Trail” and “Heroes of Yesteryear”, according to The Commercial Appeal – was impressive. Among the Gunslingers of the cinema which attended, to sign autographs and accommodate a range of 114 feature films and six series, projected in various meeting rooms, were Lash Larue, the “king of Bullwhip”; Sunset Carson; Don “Red” Barry; And Max “alibi” Terhune, who may have the most unusual gadget in Western history: he was a ventriloquist, accompanied in his films-and to the Convention-by his model of Rootin’-Tootin’-Fecracking, Elmer.
Jon Provost, who played Timmy Martin on “Lassie”, shows a photo of himself and Lassie at Gallatin Comic Con on November 19, 2022. Provost will be on site for the Midsouth 2025 nostalgia festival at Olive Branch.
Over the years, the festival has changed places from time to time and has widened its western genre accent to classical cinema and vintage television in general (guests have included Angie DickinsonHuntz Hall of the Bowerry Boys and “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” Star Kevin McCarthy, to name just a few). He renamed, from “western film festival” to “Memphis Film Festival” to – in 2022 – “Midsouth Nostalgia Festival”, to better distinguish itself from the very publicized Indie Memphis Film Festival; highlight your commitment to bring together veterans’ actors and fans; And to promote your identity as a market for vintage posters, signed photos, DVDs that are difficult to find, toys, books and other cinematographic memories.
Meanwhile, “L’Antan” originally celebrated by the festival has become a little further away each year. Thus, the event in 2025, which will take place at the Whispering Woods Hotel & Conference Center at 7300 Hacks Cross Road, emphasizes the former stars of children and second generation actors, plus an “Oldtimer of the Sunset Trail”, 91, “aged 91”: 91 years old Robert FullerStar of the 1960s TV Westerns “Laramie” and “Wagon Train”, making its 13th appearance in the Fest. (Accompanying Fuller will be his wife, the actress Jennifer SavidgeWho was the nurse Lucy Papandrao in the 1980s, Hit “St. Elsewhere”.)
No doubt the big name among the former children stars planned to be present is the first guest of the festival Johnny Whitakerwhich from 1966 to 1971 played the role of Jody with curly hair in the comedy of the successful situation CBS “Family Affair”, opposite Brian Keith as “Uncle Bill”, and the late Anissa Jones as a twin sister in a pig’s tail, Buffy. Whitaker also played in the 1970s on Saturday morning Krofft Brothers, “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters”.
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Other former stars of the child or youth who should be in town include Mary BadhamNominated to the Oscars as the best support actress for her role as “Scout” in the 1962 film “To Kill a Mockingbird”, which she did at the age of 10; Jon Provostwho was the title of Boy by Collie “Timmy” on seven seasons of “Lassie”, from 1957 to 1964; Darby HintonWho played the son of Fess Parker, Israel Boone, in the television series of the 1960s of the 1960s “Daniel Boone”; Mary McDonoughWho was the young Erin Walton on “The Waltons”, who started his nine season race in 1971; Sean KellyWho, like “Bégayant Bob”, cursed John Wayne in “The Cowboys” (1972); And Beverly WashburnA teenager from “Old Yeller” from Disney (1957) and a young adult from the classic cult “Spider Baby” (1967).
Among the second generation actors planned for the festival are Robert CarradineSon of John Carradine (and brother of Keith and David Carradine), perhaps the best rendered for his main role as an Uber-Berd Lewis Skolnick in the films “Revenge of the Nerds”; And Patrick WayneSon of John Wayne, and a hero of Swashbuckling in films such as “Sinbad and the eye of the tiger” (1977).
As always, the stars will participate in group discussions and fans of meetings during the autograph sessions in the “Salle des concessionaires”, which will be filled with memories for sale. Films and television shows will be broadcast in various projection rooms. The event ends with a banquet on June 7.
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Festival of southern nostalgia
June 5-7, Whispering Woods Hotel & Conference Center, 7300 Hacks Cross Road, Olive Branch
Apparitions of classical cinema stars and vintage television; Projections of film and television episodes; round tables; Memoracies of films for sale, more.
Registration is $ 90 for the agreement. Daily entry is $ 35 on June 5 and 6 and $ 20 on June 7.
Visit Midsouthnostalgiafestival.com.
This article originally appeared on Memphis’ commercial call: Midsouth 2025 nostalgia festival: programming, dates, tickets and more