Mackintosh and T.J.

Mackintosh and T.J.

Original film poster
Directed by Marvin J. Chomsky
Produced by Tim Penland
Starring Roy Rogers
Music by Waylon Jennings
Cinematography Terry K. Meade
Release dates
 1975
Country United States
Language English

Mackintosh and T.J. is a 1975 American modern day Western film starring Roy Rogers in his last feature film appearance in a film that was specifically written for him.[1] Prior to this film his most recent feature film appearances were in the Bob Hope films Son of Paleface (1952) and 1959's Alias Jesse James (a cameo).

Plot

MacKintosh (no first name is ever given) is an aging migrant cowboy drifting from ranch to ranch doing odd jobs along the way with the exception of his World War II service in the Pacific. When passing through a town he sees T.J. (no other name is ever given) a 14 year old recently released from doing clean up work for vagrancy. Shopping for supplies, MacKintosh sights T.J. preparing to steal an apple being watched by the store owner. MacKintosh pretends the boy is with him and pays for their supplies.

Giving T.J. a ride the two realise they have much in common. Having left his single mother and not having been in school since Dick and Jane books were used (early primary school), T.J. is off to work his way to the Pacific Ocean that he has never seen. When MacKintosh's vehicle breaks down T.J. catches a lift with a well dressed stranger on his way to El Paso as MacKintosh makes his repairs.

Stopping for dinner in a bar that night, MacKintosh sights T.J. working as a busboy in the bar. T.J. explains that the man who picked him up was "funny" that made T.J. leave him as quickly as possible. A drunken loud cowboy named Cal misplaces his money and accuses T.J. of stealing. When Cal strikes T.J., MacKintosh knocks him down. Cal comes after MacKintosh with a knife with MacKintosh knocking him down again by breaking a catsup bottle on his head. Losing his job, T.J. and MacKintosh team up again.

The pair find work at the 6666 Ranch run by Jim Webster where MacKintosh impresses everyone when he breaks horses, works as a ranch hand and gains more money by obtaining cash bounties for coyotes he shoots. T.J. is put to work cleaning up abandoned buildings. The two settle in until accusations are made against MacKintosh for his being too friendly to the wife of his foreman.

Production

The film was shot on Texas locations at the 6666 Ranch.[2] Waylon Jennings provided several songs for the film and released a soundtrack album. Former child star Claude Jarman Jr. acted as a production manager on the film.[3]

Quotes

There's no leading lady, no shooting, some fights, but no blood spurting, and that's the way I wanted it - Roy Rogers[4]

Cast

Notes

  1. ↑ http://www.penlandproductionsinc.com/about_the_film
  2. ↑ H. Allen Anderson, "FOUR SIXES RANCH," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/apf01), accessed November 09, 2014. Uploaded on June 12, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
  3. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0418741/
  4. ↑ p. 243 Roy Rogers, Roy & Evans, Dale Happy Trails: Our Life Story Simon & Schuster, 1994

External links