The Serial Life of William Witney
The contributions of William Witney will never be forgotten. Every time you see a stunt that seems familiar, or a brilliantly directed movie or TV show, the odds are, William Witney had a hand in either the genesis of, or influenced the creators in their childhoods. He was underappreciated by Republic, underpaid, and in the end, the many fans that expressed their appreciation in person at the various film festivals, he was loved and respected in return.
Who else could say they helped develop the stunts that made Yakima Cannutt famous? Or had creative input into Captain Marvel, Spy Smasher (still one of my favourites), and The Lone Ranger? Who else could say they were there at the beginning of Mascot Studios? Republic Studios? He could, and he willingly shared his experience with his actors, co-workers, and later in life, with the fans who made those films successful.
Reading his book, 'In A Door....', I could imagine him beside me, or in front of me at a celebrity panel with Dave Sharpe, Yak, Kirk Alyn, Clayton Moore, John Hart, Ralph Byrd, Kay Aldridge, Reed Hadley, or any of a hundred other serial actors, writers or producers. The book intrigued me by its' detail, drew me in with its' love for the medium, and entertained me with the many anecdotes. Reading the book let you understand the man behind the camera, and the many struggles that early directors faced with budget, actor, story, and filming difficulties. Even after that, I would have loved to been part of the industry, to feel the growing pains, and to suffer the real pain and to have been able to say, 'I was there when...'
Much of the writing done today on the many B Western 'classic' stars is complimentary. Few authors, or former co-workers are unwilling to say that Don 'Red' Barry was difficult to work with, or that a serial with John Carroll was going to be a tough experience, but Witney does. Seen from the directors chair, his recollection of the many events surrounding the serials he was involved in is refreshing. You get a sense of the frantic pace that Republic, and Mascot demanded of their production units. Another impression that you garner is that many of the serials that we watch today and wonder why that scene was left in, or ask why that happened, also left the producers doing the same.
