Well, we did it; not without substantial work from many of our members. Thanks go to all of you that helped promote the show, as well as those that did security, photography, videography, and all the others who served in various capacities before, during, and after, to make it happen. We cannot do this without your support. Take a much needed rest. You all deserve it and much more. So, the award show is now over. I was told by many of you that you had a good time, in spite of the little things that did not go as planned. Now to plan for next year's show.

In the meantime, I have created a digital copy (PDF) of the program book so you can view it on your phones, tablets, computers, etc. It is for sale on the Silver Spur Awards website. Hopefully, by the end of the year, we will have the DVDs available as well. I have added the honorees to the Reel Cowboys member list. Soon, I will have thier biography pages up along with the demo reels we saw at the show.

Dan Blocker was an American television actor best known for his role as Hoss Cartwright on Bonanza. Blocker was born December 10th, 1928 in Texas and would attend Texas Military Institute. Following that, he would serve two years in the military before going on to pursue a master’s degree in the dramatic arts.

It wasn’t until 1959 when his big break came along, his role in Bonanza. He would play the role for 415 episodes until his death on May 13th, 1972, at the age of 43. His kids, Dirk and David Blocker, still carry on their late father’s legacy.

Nothing is more iconic in American film and television than the Western genre. Everything about the American Old West is now considered a classic, and while we no longer see true and new Westerns anymore, our fascination for the genre continues. Westerns have them all—action, drama, strong characters, excellent plot lines, and more. They were the predecessors to some of the most common plots in film altogether. Westerns introduced us all to gang plots and revenge stories. They also featured some of the first stories. They were also the first films to introduce the idea of exploring and conquering frontiers...

We can define the Wild West by both time and place. Geographically, it was that part of the United States of America to the west of the Mississippi River. Historically, it was the period in the latter half of the 19th century and the early 20th century.

Before the outbreak of the Civil War, a common expansionist political doctrine known as Manifest Destiny swept through the country. The principle, promoted by the United States government, said it was an inevitable and divinely ordained movement to claim and settle the lands westward. So we are looking at the land between the...

The western genre might be the most important American contribution to cinema. With Edwin S. Porter’s The Great Train Robbery (1903) typically cited as the first of the genre, westerns are as old as the craft of filmmaking itself, and would remain one of the most popular genres until the late 60s. Themes of morally righteous men doling out justice and paving the path of the American frontier resonated strongly with audiences, and had a profound impact that is still evident in the stories of today. The western hero has transcended the medium and become an icon of integrity and gallantry...