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I
wonder when was the last time that Goldie Hawn paid a visit to Belmont?
No, this isn't a ridiculous question nor is it some sort of joke.
Movie star Goldie Hawn and actor Ben Johnson were in Belmont,
Texas, in March of 1973, filming portions of the movie, "Sugarland Express."
The March 15, 1973, issue of The Gonzales Inquirer included an
article about this historic happening at Belmont;
they also took photographs of Hawn and Johnson as they rested between scenes.
Although I’m quite a fan of Ben Johnson, this particular movie isn’t included
on my “favorite film” list. I just couldn’t see Ben in a high speed pursuit, unless
he was on a fast horse.
Anyway, the whole event created quite a stir among
the citizens of Belmont
who feared that there must be some sort of major dilemma going on; what with all
the law enforcement folks assembled there.
The following article was written
by Bob House and is presented just as it appeared in the Inquirer.
The Gonzales Inquirer • March 15, 1973
[Headline: Belmont
Area Used In Movie]
It isn't often that two Oscar winning performers
can be found in the confines of Gonzales County, and though no record books have
been published about such things we doubt that it has ever happened. In fact,
we doubt if one Oscar winning actor has been seen around these parts lately.
The two performers filling the bill are Goldie Hawn and Ben Johnson, who are working
on a movie called "Sugarland Express." (What its final moniker will be is anyone's
guess.) They were on location near Belmont
Wednesday and the whole crew created quite a scene near that small community.
Many Gonzales citizens
were sure that some catastrophe had occurred near the little community because
of all the "Highway Patrol" units on the road, but if you've seen any of the reports
carried on San Antonio television
stations lately you had a good idea about what was happening. |
The
movie according to most reports, deals with the kidnapping of a Texas Highway
Patrolman by Miss Hawn and her husband, played by who we aren't sure. They race
across Texas pursued by numerous units of THD which
seem quite expendable, considering all the wrecks which take place.
The
movie is a car chase film and should be well attended by affecionados of "Bullit"
and the "French Connection." This flick was described by one of the stunt actors
as the car film to end all car films. | |
Back to the stars;
Johnson plays a highway patrol chief and apparently leads the chase across the
state from Sugarland to its culmination in Del
Rio. It is rumored that the final crash will involve over 30 cars and it should
be something to outdo any yet staged.
Other stars are Michael Sacks, Bill
Atherton and Greg Walcott.
Fleming Goss, owner of the Goss Station at
Belmont and his mother,
Mrs. Luther Goss, have seen much of the action happening around the community.
Ben Johnson was drinking a soda water there Wednesday evening and Goss said Goldie
Hawn had just left the station.
Johnson was carrying on an amiable conversation
with the local residents, but had to return to filming a scene where he leads
several patrol cars through the town.
The real Highway Patrol rather than
their reel counterparts, were involved in traffic control and answering questions....
They said the DPS had reviewed the script and declared it okay for the image of
the department.
The film crew will go to Floresville
for several days, and no one was saying when they would return to this area.
©
Murray
Montgomery
January 18, 2013 column
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