Movie being produced in Oklahoma with LOTS of Model T's

[mgarrett]

Just wanted to report to all in the Model T community about a movie being done right now in Pawhuska, Oklahoma that involves a lot of our beloved T's. The movie is entitled "Killers of the Flower Moon" and is based on a book by the same name and tells the true story of Osage Indians that were being murdered for their oil royalty money. The story takes place around the early to mid 1920's in that part of Oklahoma. The movie company has collected close to 80 Model T's for use in the movie along with several other beautiful old cars and trucks from that era...Hupmobile, Hudson, Lincoln, Moon, Dodge Brothers, Buick, Packard, Pierce Arrow, Mack, Studebaker, etc. Myself and a good friend are privileged to be used as drivers and are having the time of our lives driving many of these great old cars on the set. The movie company also contracted with us to use our own Model T's in the movie, so we are excited about that too. My '27 Speedster is being used in a scene where there is a speedster race down Main Street in Pawhuska. Big fun!

If you're a Model T fan (preaching to the choir here! ), get a copy of the book "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann and read up on the story before the movie comes out (I suspect sometime early next year). The big names in the movie are producer Martin Scorsese, and actors Leonardo DeCaprio, and Robert DeNiro. You won't want to miss it!!

[dobro1956]

One of my cousins is in the movie. He is a sheriff/ranger. No speaking part (so far) but is a prominent extra in several scenes. I would have liked to have taken the speedster project to use in the street race scene but other obligations got in the way. That part of Oklahoma is where most all of my grandparents,aunts,uncles, and cousins are from on both sides of my family. Our family moved into the area in 1916 to work the oil fields and construction of all the town's as brick masons and carpenters, and pretty much been there since, From what I know about the movie, it should be a good one to see when it comes out.

[TXGOAT2]

"Promoters" took a lot of people to the cleaners during the various oil booms.

[speedytinc]

One of our members has his T down there for this filming. Shipped from the leftist coast. He needed a T for the last Death Valley trip. So he bought another for the trip. He figures the rental payments will more the pay for 2nd T. I personally love my T's too much to risk any of them to a film crew.

[DLodge]

...I personally love my T's too much to risk any of them to a film crew.

NBC shot part of a miniseries ("Will of Their Own") here in St. Louis. I made my T available, but with a driver (me) included whenever it was used. The car made more money for being in the film than I did as an extra.

[speedytinc]

If I was retired, I would consider it under those conditions.

[Chris Haynes]

They also transported steam locomotive number 29 from the Virginia & Truckee Railroad.

[Rich Eagle]

https://www.newson6.com/story/60af07ecf ... n-pawhuska
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnew ... 1200%2C759

[Steve Jelf]

The 1916 Baldwin locomotive is a good choice, but if they're going to run it in Pawhuska it will have to be on temporary tracks. Both railroads there are long gone.

Given who is involved in the project I expect it's a high-budget operation and will have great production values. That doesn't mean history won't take its usual brutal beating at the hands of Hollywood, but it will look great.

"Dirt streets" downtown? With lines painted on the dirt for parking, of course.
Finding this circa 1920 photo with paved streets didn't surprise me, but the absence of bricks did. Most towns in these parts paved with red street bricks in those days.

[mgarrett]

The gentleman in charge of all the movie cars and vehicles told us that Apple Studios BOUGHT the train they are using in the film; locomotive, coal tender, and 3 pullman cars and had them brought in to Pawhuska. The tracks they have set up are only about 4 blocks long. He estimated the film budget to be north of $200 million so obviously, money is no object!

[perry kete]

Oklahoma is no stranger to the Model T!

[OilyBill]

Tucson has the locomotive "RENO" that is used a lot for filming. The company that moved my lathes and mills into my new shop is the same one that contracts to move that locomotive. The guy told me that they have it loaded and ready to move in 4 hours, and reload it and bring it back in another 4 hours. He joked that RENO has spent more time on a semi-truck, driving up and down I-10 to filming locations, than it ever spent running on actual rails.
(It was obvious they knew exactly what they were doing. It took them about 10 minutes to bring my huge new mill from the flatbed semi in the street in front of my house, and put it exactly in place in my shop, from the time they honked the semi horn on arrival. Total moving distance was about 300 feet, from the street, down an alley, into my yard, up a slope, and into my shop. After they located it, I changed my mind about clearances, and it took them about 30 seconds to lift it and move again to the spot I actually decided I wanted. It cost $450 and it was money well spent. It was as easy as asking someone to carry a kitten somewhere. I will never try to move heavy machinery by myself again. Much easier and safer to let guys with equipment do it. I actually had the milling machine delivered to their yard, and then they brought it out and put it in place when they had a slow period.
(A couple members of our local machinist club were moving a small milling machine a few years back, and took it apart to make it easier. During the move they put one of the acme screw shafts directly through one of the guys lower leg. They actually did it twice, as they dropped the machine a second time, trying to get the acme screw shaft out of his lower leg from the first drop. He wound up getting his lower leg amputated eventually, due to the physical damage of the bones in the lower leg.)
It was a good lesson in letting experts do their work.)

[MWalker]

I have been following the news blurbs about the film for more than a year, since it's being made in my old stomping grounds. I was born in Hominy, which is 19 miles south of Pawhuska, and graduated High School there. This is a big boost for Pawhuska's economy. Scorsese is seeing to it that folks who play Indians in the film are actually Indians. They are working with the Osage Nation to assure authenticity in the film.

[George House]

Well, good luck with your cars guys. I posted this thread to my friendly Picture Car Coordinator and asked him if he was involved with this project. He said “Not only no, but hell no” because this PCC colleague of his leaves antique autos out in the weather overnight and treats them like props. My guy either rented a warehouse or large tent close to shooting sites where my rented $400 @ day Model T s spent their overnights.

[W Austen]

I wonder how many Black Ts with chrome radiator scripts, and natural wood wheels will be in the movie.

[Will_Vanderburg]

Since all of the original V&T RR locomotives are either in museums, or with the exception of the one at Old Tucson Studios, I HIGHLY doubt the production company bought the locomotive number 29 and the passenger cars.

The V&T is currently a heritage excursion railroad for tourists. Locomotive 29 is one of two steam locos that railroad owns. It's named Robert C Gray, after the guy who reactivated the railroad in 1972 having been one of the last passengers on the original line in 1938.

29 is NOT an original V&T RR locomotive. It is a former Longview, Portland & Northern locomotive. V&T bought it in 1977.

[Chris Haynes]

29 is NOT an original V&T RR locomotive. It is a former Longview, Portland & Northern locomotive. V&T bought it in 1977.

As with a lot of locomotives that have been sold to other roads. The fact is that today it is a V&T locomotive.

[Will_Vanderburg]

29 is NOT an original V&T RR locomotive. It is a former Longview, Portland & Northern locomotive. V&T bought it in 1977.

As with a lot of locomotives that have been sold to other roads. The fact is that today it is a V&T locomotive.

Yes, today it is. But the V&T today is not the same

[Steve Jelf]

The former ATSF station in Pawhuska is now the Osage County Historical Society Museum. The Santa Fe abandoned the route in the sixties. The other railroad serving Pawhuska a hundred years ago was the Midland Valley, which ran from Wichita through Arkansas City, Pawhuska, Tulsa, and Muskogee to Fort Smith. Both roads' tracks through Osage County are long gone, but a lot of the MV right of way is visible in satellite view, especially between AC and Pawhuska.

[Chris Haynes]

29 is NOT an original V&T RR locomotive. It is a former Longview, Portland & Northern locomotive. V&T bought it in 1977.

As with a lot of locomotives that have been sold to other roads. The fact is that today it is a V&T locomotive.

Yes, today it is. But the V&T today is not the same

Of course it is not the same. That does not change the fact that as of today it IS a V&T locomotive. All railroads sell their locomotives. Some to other railroads and others to the scrapper.

[david_dewey]

Somewhere on the internet I saw photos of a movie company laying track on an old right-of-way for a movie, I think this one. I really doubt that the V&T would sell any of their equipment, it is to hard to replace and they need it, but I could see them leasing equipment because it is one way to fund rebuilding of said equipment. An operatable steam engine is a rare commodity nowadays, and expensive.