Company of Heroes: My Life as an Actor in the John Ford Stock Company

I'm 67 goin' to be 68 in 12 Days and I remember some of this tale myself. At the moment I live in Newhall, California a few blocks from where Harry Carey, Jr turned on Placerita Canyon to go to work at the Disney Ranch on "Spin and Marty" that I watched faithfully on "The Mickey Mouse Club". We moved to the San Fernando Valley in 1953 and I remember those orange groves he speaks about and other changes from a by-gone time. Nostalgia is grand isn't it?I loved and appreciated Dobe and Ben Johnson's work and if truth be told this kid went to movies for decades, because their names were on the credits too. I knew what I was getting as did Carey, Jr's "Uncle Jack" Ford.You can read and I have excellent biographies about John Ford and never once have the real feel of the man, because no matter who wrote them they weren't there and Dobe was family. He was also the son of a great silent film Cowboy actor Harry Carey. He also married into another fine character actors family Paul Fix.This book is a well written yarn about the Wild West, Indian Raids, Mormon settlers in Covered Wagon's and getting drunk John Ford style. Just Don't think you can get water from a barrel cactus.

I could not put this book down! Pretty amazing how he grew up, and his life in the movies. Lots of good stories and not some myth-buster. I would never have wanted to work for John Ford. His tale of driving to Nevada with Richard Wigmaker and Ricardo Montolban cracked me up. Traces his roles in John Ford movies mostly but does mention some of the others he has been in, and anyone who gives a nice tip of the hat to Andrew V McLuaghing is A-OK with me.

His first movie he acted in was Red River along side John Wayne. He is the son of the actor Harry Carey and the actress Olive Carey. He was born on his parents' 1000-acre ranch near Saugus, in the northwestern part of Los Angeles County.During World War II, Carey enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and he served in the Pacific Theater first as a Navy medical corpsman. However, he was transferred back to the United States (against his wishes) to serve under his father's good friend, the director John Ford, in making movies for the Navy (training films)and the O.S.S. (propaganda films).After the death of Harry Carey, Sr., in 1946, Mr. Ford gave the younger Carey a leading role in the movie that Ford dedicated to the memory of Harry Carey, Sr., in 1948, 3 Godfathers (1948).As a full-fledged member of the noted John Ford Stock Company, Carey, Jr., appeared in many of Mr. Ford's epic Westerns during the following two decades. Carey also starred in a series-within-a-series on TV, The Adventures of Spin and Marty (1955), which was shown as a part of The Mickey Mouse Club (1955). Very boyish looks characterized Carey's early years, but he matured into a strong and familiar character actor over the following four decades, and he acted in scores of films and TV programs in his long career. Carey, Jr., is married to Marilyn Fix Carey, the daughter of the actor Paul Fix.His book covers his career and his feeling toward John Ford. Bassically he was afraid of Ford but love the Duke.I picked this book up after reading a book about making the movie "The Searchers" which Carey jr was also in.I just finished the book "Five Came Back" which featured the military history of John Ford which was also a good book.I guess, with me, it is one book always seems to lead to the next.I guess I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is because Carey is not really a writer, and he admits it. There are some clumbsey parts to the book.However there are not boring parts in this book. You know how a lot of books start out strong and interesting and then fall off in about the middle and get boring....not this book.It is a fast read and I enjoyed it

If you are a fan of John Ford or John Wayne this is pretty much a "must-read" book. Until recently, it has only been available as a used hardback and was very expensive. Fortunately, the Carey estate has seen fit to publish it as an affordable paperback.Harry Carey Jr. was as good a storyteller as he was a character actor. In this memoir, he recounts his days as a member of director John Ford's "stock company" of actors with a highly readable conversational style. The book is full of humor, but does not draw back from presenting a "warts and all" view of the subject matter. Anecdotes regarding such classic films as The Searchers and She Wore A Yellow Ribbon abound, as well as stories of lesser known films such as Wagonmaster.I look forward to reading it again.

Could not put it down. Really enjoyed reading about the Hollywood of the past. He mentions names of people that you never really knew who they were until you google them. Then you realize who they were in all those old films. Great character actors that made those movies really come alive. Old John Ford was the right director for Hollywood in its prime. Now a days he never would survive all the political correctness crap. He left us a wonderful legacy of film and actors.

ol' Dobe wrote a good book. It is largely autobiographical, but focuses on his interactions with those people in the Western Movie genre of his day. I enjoyed his approach and self deprecating tone. His stories are lively and believable and entertaining. He lived a life at the intersection of some great personalities. I only wish there were more to the book. It ended with me wanting to know more about the authors life.

John Ford was a complicated movie director. Harry Carey Jr. knew Ford well appearing in many Ford movies. This book details the intricate personality traits that surrounds John Ford. It details some of behind the scenes in making Searchers movie. Mr. Carey discusses the force of economic assistance that Ford brought to the Navajo Nation by filming many movies in northern Arizona. Ford had to hire many Navajo people to appear in his movies. The unemployment rate has always been between forty-five to eighty percent the last seventy years on the Navajo Reservation. For anyone interested in John Ford and his intricate personality as a movie director I recommend this book.

Bought this as a present for my Western loving father. He's read many of the biogs of the main players and so it was nice to have something that came from someone slightly down the pecking order. I've not read it myself but my dad has spent many happy hours pouring over the reminiscences and photos. Harry Carey Jr. is an engaging and detailed witness to events but he's not interested in a 'warts and all' take down of the various Stars/John Ford, he just wants to invite you to the party, which is all you need sometimes.

I've been a lifelong fan of John Wayne, John Ford and of course of John Ford's select stock of very special supporting actors, so it was a real treat to read the recollections of Dobe Carey's times while making so many of Ford's classic films. Carey comes across as a very likeable, easy going sort of man and his style of putting across his story is very easy to read and entertaining, giving insight into the personalities of his co-actors and other movie people without once resorting to sensationalism or muck-raking. Dobe Carey is the kind of person you would love to spend hours talking with and just listening to his stories of the old days in the movies. A wonderfull read in the company of what feels like a favourite friend. I like Harry Carey Jr and I like this book.

Gives an intimate insight of what it's like to work on the set of a film. Fascinating details of John Ford's directing methods and treatment of film actors plus interesting personal information about the actors themselves that you don't often get to hear about. Well worth a read.

This is an entertaining read.However I think that he is a bit easy on Ford.Doesn't mention how badly he humiliated his brother Francis.I would add that he makes Ward Bond sound like a figure of fun.He was an exceptionally nasty man,who through the infamous rag,Red Channels,ruined many careers and lives.Wayne is not much better.I presume the title is supposed to be ironic.

Very good autobiography If you like the films of John Ford then this book tells you about him amongst others.