Old Tucson Studios came to life in 1939 when Columbia Pictures chose a Pima County-owned site on which to build a replica of 1860's Tucson for the movie Arizona . The $2.5 million film, starring William Holden and Jean Arthur, set a new standard of realism for Hollywood westerns, initiating the move away from studio backdrop movies to outdoor epics. (About 6 miles away as the eagle flies.) Other Movies filmed here were: The Bells of St. Mary's (1945), starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. In 1947, Gene Autrey starred in The Last Roundup, followed in 1950 by Jimmy Stewart in Winchester 73, and Ronald Reagan in The Last Outpost. In the 50's alone, such classics as Gunfight at the OK Corral (1956) with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1957), and Cimarron (1959) with Glenn Ford were filmed at Old Tucson Studios. John Wayne filmed four movies at Old Tucson Studios and each production added buildings to the town. Rio Bravo (1959) added a saloon, bank building and doctor's office; from MCLINTOCK! (1963) came the McLintock Hotel; El Dorado (1967) left Old Tucson Studios with a facelift on Front Street; and from Rio Lobo (1970) came a cantina, a granite lined creek, a jail and Phillip's ranch house. The stampede of movie productions during those early years include, The Deadly Companions (1961), starring Brian Keith and Maureen O'Hara; Lilies of the Field (1962) starring Sidney Poitier; Have Gun Will Travel (1962); The Outrage (1964) and Hombre (1966) with Paul Newman; and episodes of Bonanza (1966, '71, '72); Death Valley Days (1966-69); and High Chaparral (1966-'71). see a complete filmography of Old Tucson Studios. http://www.oldtucson.com/History/Movie_History/movie_history.htm l for a more complete listing.
