Desert Messenger

November 21, 2018 www.DesertMessenger.com 11 ����� | S���� B���C�� Dr. Buck's Wild West Show • Professional Quality Service! • References Available! • Mobile Service • UNLIMITED GUARANTEE! We don't just restring - We Repair Internally! • Qualified to Service Monocco Coaches • We Use FACTORY CHORDS (not string) Bushings, Parts • Removal & Install on Your Site! DAY NIGHT SHADES REPAIRED Local Resident • FREE Estimates Larry - Cell 928-273-3719 LIFETIME GUARANTEED WORK! Servicing Quartzsite FOR 10 YEARS! Factory Parts DEADLINE : WED. NOV. 28 TH for the dec 5 th edition Desert Messenger News Email: editor@DesertMessenger.com 928-916-4235 www.DesertMessenger.com By Jackie Deal DR. BUCK'S WILD WEST SHOW- Which was more in- credible? The large crowd at the Town Park performance or the line clear out into the parking lot for almost two hours to get into the "Desert Sky Theater" Saturday evening? Either place, the crowd was rewarded with an outstanding show. This was the fi rst Buck Connors Day event and we hope not the last. Was it a success? Wow! Just ask the capacity crowds who laughed, whooped, and hollered. Saturday evening started with a scrumptious bar-b-que dinner, and weren't those beans the best? From about 5 p.m. until it was time to set up the Wild West Show, "Bare- foot and Boots" entertained the din- ers with their high-energy music. Sandy Andreasen, President of the QIA (Quartzsite Improvement As- sociation) estimates the crowd at 380. She says, "We were impressed with the organization of the Com- mittee for The Buck Connors Show and were happy to be included." The show was preceded by an auction of gift certifi cates donated by Mt. Quail Restaurant, Emerald Canyon Golf Course and Avi Casino in Laughlin. The history of Buck Connors read by Quartzsite Mayor Norm Simpson enlightened many of us who wondered what Buck Con- nors claim to fame was other than being buried in our cemetery. Buck Connors was a roper, bronc buster, Navy and Army veteran and an ac- tor for almost 30 years. He home- steaded in Quartzsite (there's our connection!) and raised his family here. He was a pilot and developed his own air fi eld, "Connor airfi eld". In WWII the strip was used to train women pilots (the WASPS). In 1947 Buck Connors died in Yuma of a heart attack and is buried in the Pio- neer section of Quartzsite cemetery. Dr. Buck (Montgomery not Con- nors) was a stuntman in the mov- ies and brags (?) that he had "14 or 15 concussions, 32 broken ribs, a rebuilt knee and 3 crushed ver- tebras" among other souvenirs of those days. He still could take a hearty stage fall and didn't fl inch when having a chair broken over his head. We hope it was a break-away chair and that the saloon brawl was all pretend! One of his movies from 1980, shown on the "bingo screen", was of Dr. Buck running on top of a mov- ing train; while train robbers prob- ably didn't do this, Dr. Buck actu- ally did. Lee Anderson, Historian for the group, and Dr. Buck held a "conversation" debunking several "cowboy myths". Lee was also fea- tured with his dancing horse "Con- cho" at the Park. Dr. Buck ran the Ponderosa Ranch where Bonanza was fi lmed and when it fi nished some folks suggested he start a traveling show. The show has a cast of about 12 with 5 or 6 at each show. He wrote the script and constantly rewrites it (so if he comes again it should all be new!) I asked Dr. Buck if there was one special thing he would like to say. He said "I'm basically a story teller. I want people to walk away with a memory. If you don't have stories to tell you haven't lived life." Photos Page 31 & on Facebook.com/ BuckConnorsDays SIGNS & BANNERS ON THE SPOT MOBILE SIGN SHOP 960 W. Main St. Quartzsite Call Jerry or Josh 206-489-8650

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