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Fools' Parade (1971) is an Andrew McLaglen film starring James Stewart. Filmed in Moundsville, West Virginia, Fools' Parade is a story about three convicts; "Mattie Appleyard", played by Stewart, "Johnny Jesus" played by Kurt Russell, and "Lee Cottrill", played by Strother Martin who had just been released from the West Virginia State Penitentiary, located in fictional Glory, West Virginia during the the Great Depression in 1935. Appleyard had a glass eye named "Tighe" who could tell Appleyard things that were going to happen in the future. See also: 1970 in film 1971 1972 in film 1970s in film years in film film // Events February 8 - Bob Dylans hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New Yorks Academy of Music. ... Andrew Victor McLaglen (28 July 1920 - London, England) is a British - American film director and former actor. ... James Maitland Jimmy Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an iconic, Academy Award-winning American film and stage actor, best known for his homebred screen persona. ... Moundsville is a city located in Marshall County, West Virginia. ... Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951 in Springfield, Massachusetts) is an American actor. ... The West Virginia State Penitentiary is a retired, Gothic style prison located in Moundsville, West Virginia. ... The Great Depression was a global economic slump that began in 1929 and bottomed in 1933. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

"Homer Grindstaff" who was a big named banker in Glory, played by David Huddleston, and "Doc Council" who was a prison official, played by George Kennedy were teamed up to plot to kill Appleyard and his ex-convict friends who were attempting to open up a general store in Stone Coal, West Virginia (fictional) and to take the money. Born in Vinton, Virginia, on September 17, 1930, David Huddleston was briefly an officer in the United States Air Force before beginning his formal education in acting at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts. ... George Kennedy George Kennedy (born February 18, 1925 in New York City, New York) is an actor who has appeared in over 200 film and television productions. ...

After the three ex-cons boarded a B&O passenger train headed for Stone Coal, Council teamed up with "Steve Mystic", played by Mike Kellin, and "Junior Kilfong" played by Morgan Paull to stop the train before it reached its destination of Stone Coal and kill all three convicts. After an unsuccessful attempt, "Junior Kilfong" fires one shot from his double barrelled shotgun into a "Drummer from Pittsburgh" Roy K. Sizemore, played by William Windom, knocking him to the ground. After Appleyard, Johnny, and Cottrill depart on another train, Council identifies Sizemore as being an innocent bystander and shoots Sizemore in the head with a revolver, making the remark "Looks like Appleyard's a murderer again." meaning that Appleyard was going to be setup to be either arrested or shot on site for the murder of a salesman. But not before Appleyard retrieved the salesman's goods (one suitcase full of dynamite). Hence the alternative name of the film "Dynamite Man from Glory Jail." 1876 map The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) is one of the oldest railroads in the United States, with an original line from the port of Baltimore, Maryland west to the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia and Parkersburg, West Virginia. ...

The next morning, Appleyard enters the "Bank of Glory" which after a brief verbal altercation with a now stunned Grindstaff, and Council, lights the dynamite that is now strapped around Appleyard's chest from the night before in order for Grindstaff to pay his money that he is entitled to. After Grindstaff pays Appleyard, the convicts head down to the train depot to catch a freight train out of Glory. Johnny and Lee (Cottrill) meet up with "Chanty", a shy 16 year old riverboat "working girl" played by Catherine Cannon and "Sonny Boy", played by Fools' Parade screen writer James Lee Barrett. After Lee agrees to get himself a drink of whiskey, Johnny stays on the river bank to wait for Mattie (Appleyard). On the riverboat, Lee encounters "Cleo", played by Anne Baxter. After Cleo realizes who was going to meet Lee on the riverboat, and hearing about the large amount of money that Appleyard had, she lures them all on the boat and takes the case, not knowing that the money is actually on Appleyard's person now and all that the case contains is the remainder of the dynamite. During this time, Johnny encounters Chanty, and fall in love instantly. The three take Chanty off the boat with them. After Cleo attempts to shoot the case, the case blows the riverboat up in pieces.

After a sighting by Council on a box car freight train at the depot, Council pursues Appleyard and his gang, but not after being picked up by the train conductor to be transported out into the wooded area of now Marshall County, West Virginia. After eluding Council, Steve and Junior, they (Appleyard and gang) end up at an abandonded house. Council, scaling the hillsides of Marshall County observes what is smoke from a chimney from afar. Knowing that he would now have to split the profit between Steve and Junior, he guns down both Steve and Junior on a Marshall County hillside and makes his way to the abandoned house.

Once at the abandoned house, Appleyard knows something is not right. He can sense the presence of someone. After Johnny and Chanty are awakened by something outside, Johnny runs upstairs to warn Appleyard and Cottrill. When doing so, Council fires a shotgun round through an upstairs window, striking the window sending glass and debris onto Appleyard, injuring him. Knowing that Appleyard had dynamite on him, Johnny and Lee (Cottrill) prepare to throw dynamite at Council in the attempt to kill him. When doing so, Council's dog (Joey) picks up the lighted stick of dynamite and carries it back upstairs. At this time, the dog drops the dynamite, only for Appleyard to pick it up and throw it out the window, only this time, the dynamite laying next to Council. The dynamite exploded and thus killed Council.

The next scene shows Appleyard, Johnny, Lee, and Chanty inside the Marshall County Court House, being escorted outside by Police. With Grindstaff looking from his bank office window, which was located next to the Marshall County Court House, the Prosecuting Attorney enters with Appleyard. "Homer, you're under arrest, the prosecuting attorney here has something to say." muttered from an unknown man, "Make out a check to Mr. Appleyard for the amount of $25,452.32" advised the prosecuting attorney. After a brief pause of motion from Grindstaff, he (Grindstaff) made the check out to Appleyard. After Appleyard received the check, he asked if it was cashable anywhere in the State. He was told "Anywhere from Wheeling to Stone Coal". Knowing his misfortune, Appleyard walks up to the teller and asks to cash his check. After the crowd cheers outside the bank, they depart for the train station.

While onboard, Appleyard was warned by "Tighe" (the glass eye) that something was about to happen. The train conductor who had helped Appleyard elude Council pulled the emergency stop on the train and stated that they were being followed. While the three ex-cons and Chanty exited the train, it was Council's dog (Joey) who had been friends with Johnny all through his prison sentence who had been following the train, barking. After the dog is hugged by Johnny, they all get back on the train, and head away in the distance.

Movie Production Facts

"Fools' Parade" was filmed entirely in Marshall County, West Virginia

"Joey" used as the dog in the film was actually the same dog used in "The Beverly Hillbillies" TV Show.

The production crew used the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, (now CSX) throughout filming, mainly at the Moundsville station, which was demolished in 1980.

The production crew used "stand-in" actors from Moundsville, West Virginia such as George Metro who was the "Train Dispatcher", and also at the time of filming (1969-1970) was the Trainmaster for B&O Railroad, and Kitty Jefferson Doepkin, who played "Clara", Mr. Grindstaff's secretary.

In the beginning of the film, the convicts are filmed riding through the streets of Moundsville. Looking closely, the film is set in 1935, but you can visibly see vehicles from the era of the filming (1969-1970).

Davis Grubb, author of "Fools' Parade" aka "Dynamite Man from Glory Jail" was born and raised in Moundsville, West Virginia, where most of the filming took place.

In the scene where Council spots the ex-convicts on the freight train, as soon as they get off, they are picked up by Hubbard (conductor) on the opposite side of the train where Council is. When they pull off to escape, the shot shows the vehicle traveling down a road. The road in real life does not exist. This road was made by the production crew.

In the scene where the court house is shown and Cottrill asks Council how he feels about apple sauce, the police officer that walks to the corner, was a real Moundsville Police officer used in the filming.

Cast

James Stewart - "Mattie Appleyard"

George Kennedy - "Doc Council"

Kurt Russell - "Johnny Jesus"

Strother Martin - "Lee Cottrill"

Anne Baxter - "Cleo" Baxter in The Blue Gardenia (1953) Anne Baxter (May 7, 1923 – December 12, 1985) was an Academy Award-winning American actress. ...

William Windom - "Roy K. Sizemore" William Windom (May 10, 1827–January 29, 1891) was an American politician. ...

Mike Kellin - "Steve Mystic"

Catherine Cannon - "Chanty"

Morgan Paull - "Junior Kilfong"

Robert Donner - "Willis Hubbard" Robert Donner (born April 27, 1931 in New York, New York) is an American actor who has made hundreds of appearances in television series and films in a career spanning more than 40 years. ...

David Huddleston - "Homer Grindstaff"

Dort Clark - "Enoch Purdy"

James Lee Barrett - "Sonny Boy"

Kitty Jefferson Doepkin - "Clara"

Dwight McConnell - Station Master

Richard Carl - Police Chief

Arthur Cain - Prosecuting Attorney

Paul Merriman - Fireman

Walter Dove - Engineer

Pete Miller - Trusty

George Metro - Train Dispatcher

Suzann Stoehr - Bank Teller

John Edwards - Bank Clerk