At the end of this landmark feature by George Stevens, young Joey Starrett (played by youngster Brandon De Wilde) runs through the western frontier yelling at his new friend, "Shane, come back!"
The Paramount Pictures western, made on a then-huge three million dollar budget, would go on to gross over twenty million bucks, largely because SHANE did come back...many times.
Paramount originally released the film in 1953, made a bundle, then sent it around the horn again in 1959. One last release in 1966 (right before SHANE went to ABC television) rounded out its movie theatre life.
Alan Ladd, all 5' 6" of him, played a roving cowpoke who wanders into a territory, particularly the Starrett ranch and is soon caught in the ongoing conflict between a well-to-do cattleman and the local ranchers.
Seems the cattleman had sent to Cheyenne for the services of one dastardly dude, Jack Wilson, the meanest of the mean, to run off or kill the farmers. Then-billed Walter Jack Palance played Jack Wilson, and no one was ever meaner than Jack Palance.
So the stage was set for one of the screen's all-time clashes between good and evil.
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SHANE initially played Rowan County in September, 1953, and per little Joey's request, came back seventeen times. Amazing.
September 1 - 5, 1953 - CAPITOL THEATRE
November 18 - 20, 1953 - ROCKWELL THEATRE
December 25 - 29, 1953 - 601 DRIVE-IN THEATRE
February 21 - 22, 1954 - VICTORY THEATRE
April 20, 1954 - VICTORY THEATRE
April 28 - 29, 1954 - 601 DRIVE-IN THEATRE
September 5 - 7, 1954 - HITCHING POST DRIVE-IN THEATRE
January 1, 1955 - SKYLINE DRIVE-IN THEATRE
July 17 - 21, 1959 - CAPITOL THEATRE
December 13, 1959 - SALISBURY DRIVE-IN THEATRE
February 12 - 13, 1960 - 601 DRIVE-IN THEATRE
July 16, 1960 - 601 DRIVE-IN THEATRE
May 19 - 20, 1961 - SALISBURY DRIVE-IN THEATRE
February 2 - 3, 1962 - 601 DRIVE-IN THEATRE
March 31 - April 5, 1966 - CAPITOL THEATRE
August 14 - 16, 1966 - SALISBURY DRIVE-IN THEATRE
September 16- 17, 1966 - 601 DRIVE-IN THEATRE
August 18 - 19, 1967 - 601 DRIVE-IN THEATRE
