The Monroes

My family produced a weekly rodeo in Jackson the summer of 1966. I was 20 years old and had just finished a successful season attending college on a rodeo scholarship. One of the stars of The Monroes was Ben Johnson who, in 1953, as a professional cowboy won the world calf roping championship! Ben Johnson and I became acquainted and he introduced me to Jack Sonntag, the production manager of The Monroes who hired me as an extra to ride horses. I was given one, short speaking part coupled with a stunt which involved my getting shot off of my horse in the middle of the creek. All in all, it was a fun summer in Jackson Hole Wyoming, rodeoing on the weekends and making movies during the week. Two years ago I discovered that the Monroe series was available on DVD and of course I ordered it but I was disappointed with the quality of the DVD; they are way too dark. My grandkids watch the videos and think it's neat for their old grandpa to be in-the-movies.