As Christmas wound down, I turned on the television; flipped through the channels; and came upon The Sons of Katie Elder. This is not one of my favorite westerns, but I was lucky enough to catch the opening scenes, which I have always thought were cool.
As I watched the movie, I realized a couple of things. Martha Hyer, who plays the wholesome love interest of John Wayne, played a completely different kind of role the year before. She was soiled woman in The Carpetbaggers.
Also, I realized that Earl Holliman, who played one of Katie Elder’s sons, shows up in a lot of old movies. That is when I decided to find out if there can be any wisdom found in the movies of Earl Holliman.
This is what I discovered.
From Broken Lance
Anybody that throws $10,000 in a spittoon makes me nervous.
From Forbidden Planet
We’re all part monsters in our subconscious, so we have laws and religion!
One cannot behold the face of the Gorgon and live!
From Giant
Money isn’t everything.
Just remember, one of these days, that bourbon’s gonna kill you.
From Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
There’s always a man faster on the draw than you are, and the more you use a gun, the sooner you’re gonna run into that man.
Poker’s played by desperate men who cherish money.
From Last Train from Gun Hill
If any of the girls try and tell you how wonderful you are, don’t believe them.
The human race stinks.
Don’t take no guts to kill a man when he’s cuffed!
There you have it. The wisdom of Earl Holliman.
SBI: A Thinning Crowd 