Horse Replaces Cow-Town Car

By Aline Mosby

PIONEERTOWN, CALIF., Nov. 30–(UP)–The Wild West not being so wild anymore, a Western movie company is turning this desert village into a permanent cow town.

This Hollywood version of the good old days started out to be a resort for Western movie stars with millyuns. Even the stores of tiny one-street town were built in old-fashioned Western style to make oat-burner heroes feel right at home.

Then the picture company discovered the place, leased it, and made it one super-colossal movie set.

Pioneertown’s great white father is Producer Philip Krasne, who moved his company here for keeps to make “Cisco Kid” thrillers. Now you can’t tell where real life ends and reel life begins.

Sings Lend Atmosphere

The entrance to the village has a sign, “Pioneertown Is This-a-Way.” Next sign: “Horseless Carriages Ain’t Aloud on Mane St.” Even Producer Kranse discreetly parks his Cadillac off the dirt road.

Krasne & Co get chow at the Golden Stallion, which serves un-Western dishes as Eastern oysters at a price that would shock Mike Romanoff. This eatery also has 50¢ slot machines and “Wild West” tunes like Dorothy Lamour’s “One Rose” on the juke box.

Down the street are “Trigger Bill’s Shooting Gallery,” ” Pioneertown Gazette, ” “Likker Barn,” etc. The Red Dog Saloon” has swinging doors, supplemented by ordinary variety, and a beat-up, unplayable piano for atmosphere.

These places will be used as movie sets, and in between are propped real false front sets imported from Hollywood. The town’s 300 pre-Hollywood residents will get in the act too.