P a g e 7 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r Ahab and Joan Bennett fulfilled the Hollywood-required amorous parts of the movie, found nowhere in the novel. The movie premiered August 14, a mere three months after the start of production. A New York Times review touted the movie as, “a well-knit tale . . . and when one hears the man in the main top shouting, "Thar she blows!" it creates a thrill such as the screen is seldom capable of affording . . . the picture as a whole is splendidly handled.” It was November before the epic movie reached the wilds of Montana. A Helena newspaper described the film as, “Authentic and spectacular, the epic struggle between man and the world’s greatest living monster, makes Moby Dick a picture that can never be forgotten.” By the end of 1936, whale exhibitions lost popularity with the public. Although newspapers advertised occasional displays through the early 1940s, they were few in number. In desperation, the exhibition included circus side-show acts, a living mermaid - a woman with boneless legs and scale-type markings, a girl born without arms, legs, or hips, 3000 year old man, a supposedly headless woman and other shameless spectacles. It seems to be an ignoble end for such a once noble beast. But in the minds of the beholders, the exhibition of Colossus and the rest of his supporting cast of leviathans was a spectacle that surely would not be forgotten by the awed multitudes of Montana. But as crowd -pleasing events are wont to do, the tale of the noble whale faded from memory and was eventually castoff to the Davy Jones Locker of obscure history, to surface only on rare occasions. –Contributed by Robert V. Goss Geyser Bob was a stagecoach driver for 30 years (1883-1913) in Yellowstone National Park. He was known as a teller of tall tales and a prevaricator extraordinaire, with just enough truth thrown in to cause many greenhorns, pilgrims, etc., new to the West, to actually believe him. You can read more of his amazing stories and work at geyserbob.com, his new book, YELLOWSTONE JACK is now available, check that out here: https:// www.geyserbob.com/yellowstone-jack-book Public Domain Image Archive / Digital Maryland October 31, 1899- This is Hallowe’en and promises to be lively in some parts of the city, therefore the owners of gates and other moveable effects should see to it that they are stored away or secured in some manner. -Daily Inter Mountain Newspaper (Butte, MT), Accessed via https:// chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ Would you like to receive our digital quarterly magazine for free? Just send an email with MAGAZINE in the subject to ghosttownsofmontana@gmail.com Please Pass This Newsletter on to a Friend!
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