A Word on Westerns
A Word on Westerns
Podcast Description
With a special emphasis on the Western genre, A WORD ON WESTERNS is a podcast devoted to preserving and documenting the rich history of film, television, and related media. Hosted by television veteran Rob Word—joined by his son, producer and entertainer RJ Word—this award-winning interview series brings you in-depth conversations with the filmmakers, performers, and creative minds who shaped some of our most cherished screen classics. Many of these engaging discussions originate from the legendary Autry Museum in Los Angeles, California, offering authentic insights and firsthand stories that continue to keep the spirit of the West alive.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes related to Western film, television, and cultural impact, including personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories from notable Western productions. Episodes highlight significant works like The Waltons and Gunsmoke, and include discussions on the legacies of stars like John Wayne and James Arness, with topics ranging from memorable scenes to personal interactions with Hollywood legends.
With a special emphasis on the Western genre, A WORD ON WESTERNS is a podcast devoted to preserving and documenting the rich history of film, television, and related media. Hosted by television veteran Rob Word—joined by his son, producer and entertainer RJ Word—this award-winning interview series brings you in-depth conversations with the filmmakers, performers, and creative minds who shaped some of our most cherished screen classics. Many of these engaging discussions originate from the legendary Autry Museum in Los Angeles, California, offering authentic insights and firsthand stories that continue to keep the spirit of the West alive.
Our special guest who recalls a western with Bob Dylan and Brigitte Bardot written by a counter culture comedy troupe? What could go wrong? Well, according to Firesign Theatre’s Philip Proctor, a lot could happen…and did. What was left was ZACHARIAH, a 1971 rock and roll cult western starring Broadway’s PIPPIN, 25-year-old John Rubinstein, and 21-year-old Don Johnson, in only his 2nd film. They were trippy cowboy pals in the psychedelic Old West. Very loosely based on Herman Hesse’s SIDDHARTHA, the script by Joe Massot and the Firesign Theatre’s Proctor, Davis Ossman, Peter Berman and Philip Austin, follows the two young wannabe gunslingers, one good and one bad, as they meet up with various outlaw musicians and odd balls, before having a final confrontation.
Even with an outlaw gang played by Country Joe and the Fish, a fast-draw drum-slinging bad guy, Elvin Jones, a soothsaying fiddler in black (the legendary Doug Kershaw), and a foot stomping rock number from Joe Walsh and the James Gang that opens the film, ZACHARIAH was a unique studio funded flop.
Find out what happened during development and during the filming south of the border from Proctor, who regales a packed house of western fans with hysterical drug fueled memories.
Phil blows the audience away with his memory of another acting gig with Fess Parker on the popular series DANIEL BOONE. That’s followed by the origin story behind the award winning Firesign Theatre. It was a revolutionary group of brilliant comics, writers, voice artists, actors and…storytellers whose audio fantasies created over a dozen albums. The zany, hysterical LPs were bestsellers that created trippy storytelling for the psychedelic 60’s and 70’s. Learn how a Sunset Strip riot became the meeting place and inspiration of the thought provoking comedy troop of performers known as The Firesign Theatre. They were embraced on college campuses everywhere and became darlings of the media.
Following his cowboy misadventures, Proctor became a much in demand voice artist in animation (TOY STORY, MONSTERS, INC.) and video games (ASSASSIN’S CREED) racking up over 200 roles. Phil shared his amazing adventures with producer and host Rob Word for this special episode of A WORD ON WESTERN recorded at The Autry Museum, January 20, 2016.
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