Historic Newspaper Archives

Roy Bean is being filmed in Pioneertown four miles north of Yucca Valley. This quaint old collection of real and make-believe buildings was built for one purpose -- to be use as a backdrop for western movies, both television and regular.

SACRAMENTO – The State Alcoholic Appeals Board Tuesday took under advisement the petition of Val Jones and D. J. Knox for a seasonal liquor license for the Red Dog Cafe in Pioneertown in San Bernadino County.

A setting for many motion pictures and television features, Pioneertown has been created expressly to provide an authentic-appearing Western town. While some of its buildings are only false fronts, others are real and contain shops, restaurants and the like to serve the needs of visitors.

Some of Hollywood's most famous actors slept here, sometimes through their vast scenes. The Cisco Kid series was made in Pioneertown and Gene Autry live here from 1948 to 1950 while making Annie Oakley. For the Judge Roy BeAn television series the village was altered to look like Langtry, Tex. All told, the front face of pioneer town has appeared in some 200 films, In its salad days 3000 visitors flooded the town on weekends, filtering in and out of the saloons and restaurants along Mane street.