Latest news with #WalkingTall
Calgary Herald
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
This Vancouver author lost The Rock's movie — and lived to write about it
Article content Vancouver author Christine Stringer has turned her decade-plus career in the TV/film business into a fun and entertaining novel perfectly suited for a summer beach bag. Article content 'I want this to be a nice break for people,' said Stringer about her book. 'I want you to be able to take it to the beach and then be distracted by people on the beach, to be able to people-watch, and then get right back into the book.' Article content Article content Set in 1997, Charity Trickett is Not So Glamorous follows a young Vancouver woman who heads to Los Angeles to work as an assistant for a top director. But, like many others who have done coffee runs on a film or TV set or picked up a producer's dry cleaning, Charity dreams of becoming a screenwriter and producer. Article content Instead, Charity finds herself working long hours and making no money, while trying to outwit a co-worker who appears to spend most of her time trying to undermine Charity's attempts at career advancement. To make matters way, way worse, Charity manages to lose a copy of a studio's yet-to-be-released summer blockbuster film. Article content Article content The story for Charity Trickett is Not So Glamorous is definitely inspired by Stringer's own Hollywood story. Between 2002 and 2011, Stringer worked in the world of TV/film production. She was a production assistant and personal assistant in Vancouver to many producers and directors, including: Chris Haddock of Da Vinci's Inquest fame; Todd Garner, who produced a number of Ice Cube projects; Eric Bross, the director behind the Emmy-winning Traffic: The Miniseries; producer Paul Schiff, who did Walking Tall, the 2004 Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson film; as well as that movie's director Kevin Bray. Article content Article content In fact, it was Bray who made Stringer an offer she couldn't refuse, and after the shoot wrapped in Vancouver, asked her to come with him to L.A. to be his assistant. Article content Article content 'It plays out almost like it did in the book,' said Stringer, who was in her early 20s at the time when Bray suggested she go south. Article content 'I was blown away. I said yes, absolutely. It's what every assistant dreams of. But it very rarely happens. You know, all of us assistants on set, we're just like, 'Oh God, when is somebody going to discover my talent? How can I prove myself to make that next step up to producer, writer, director?' ' Article content Stringer has plenty of personal stories to draw on. But the most notable one, and the one that anchors the new novel, is the time she lost a copy of the yet-to be-released film Walking Tall. Article content 'The director asked me to take a copy of the film to this test screening in El Segundo, and I got pickpocketed. And I didn't know I was pickpocketed. I just thought that I lost the movie,' said Stringer.
Vancouver Sun
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
This Vancouver author lost The Rock's movie — and lived to write about it
Vancouver author Christine Stringer has turned her decade-plus career in the TV/film business into a fun and entertaining novel perfectly suited for a summer beach bag . 'I want this to be a nice break for people,' said Stringer about her book. 'I want you to be able to take it to the beach and then be distracted by people on the beach, to be able to people-watch, and then get right back into the book.' Set in 1997, Charity Trickett is Not So Glamorous follows a young Vancouver woman who heads to Los Angeles to work as an assistant for a top director. But, like many others who have done coffee runs on a film or TV set or picked up a producer's dry cleaning, Charity dreams of becoming a screenwriter and producer. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Once in L.A., Charity discovers her new life is far from the glitz and glam of red carpets and A-list celebrity parties. Instead, Charity finds herself working long hours and making no money, while trying to outwit a co-worker who appears to spend most of her time trying to undermine Charity's attempts at career advancement. To make matters way, way worse, Charity manages to lose a copy of a studio's yet-to-be-released summer blockbuster film. The story for Charity Trickett is Not So Glamorous is definitely inspired by Stringer's own Hollywood story. Between 2002 and 2011, Stringer worked in the world of TV/film production. She was a production assistant and personal assistant in Vancouver to many producers and directors, including: Chris Haddock of Da Vinci's Inquest fame; Todd Garner, who produced a number of Ice Cube projects; Eric Bross, the director behind the Emmy-winning Traffic: The Miniseries; producer Paul Schiff, who did Walking Tall, the 2004 Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson film; as well as that movie's director Kevin Bray. In fact, it was Bray who made Stringer an offer she couldn't refuse, and after the shoot wrapped in Vancouver, asked her to come with him to L.A. to be his assistant. 'It plays out almost like it did in the book,' said Stringer, who was in her early 20s at the time when Bray suggested she go south. 'I was blown away. I said yes, absolutely. It's what every assistant dreams of. But it very rarely happens. You know, all of us assistants on set, we're just like, 'Oh God, when is somebody going to discover my talent? How can I prove myself to make that next step up to producer, writer, director?' ' Stringer has plenty of personal stories to draw on. But the most notable one, and the one that anchors the new novel, is the time she lost a copy of the yet-to be-released film Walking Tall. 'The director asked me to take a copy of the film to this test screening in El Segundo, and I got pickpocketed. And I didn't know I was pickpocketed. I just thought that I lost the movie,' said Stringer. Even remembering the moment, Stringer says, causes discomfort. 'It's exactly how it is in the book. I'm standing there with all the executives, and we're chatting, and then everybody leaves. The theatre empties out, and the director looks at me, and he's like, 'OK, where's the DVD of the film?' I look down and oh, s–t, I don't have it,' said Stringer. Not to spoil the plot, but you can probably guess that this situation is serious. If an unreleased movie gets pirated, a blockbuster's bottom line could easily become a punchline. 'I'm under FBI investigation. I can't leave Los Angeles. And I do believe, my phones were tapped,' said Stringer adding: 'It was wild, I was in my office, and I called home to tell my dad what was going on, and he says, 'I'll fly you home. I'll get you on a flight tomorrow to come home.' And then the assistant to the CEO of MGM knocked on my door, five minutes later, and told me her boss says I can't leave the country.' After a few weeks of scrutiny, Stringer learned that she was indeed the victim of a theft, but that did nothing to lessen the fact that it looked like her career had gone from promising to probably over. 'After the whole FBI thing, I was bullied into thinking that my Hollywood career was over. I was young, scared, naive and broke,' said Stringer. In a plot twist Stringer didn't see coming, she landed a job as an assistant to producer Gabe Sachs, who was shooting the new series Life as We Know It in Vancouver. 'As Gabe's assistant, I had the opportunity to work on a quality project, move back in with my parents, lick my wounds and save money,' said Stringer. That series only lasted a year, but, after that, Stringer found other gigs, including working on the TV series Psych and writing and associate-producing in the independent TV and film world. But she was never able to shake the feeling that the Walking Tall debacle was following her like a dark cloud. 'Every time I interviewed for a job, even in Vancouver, I was terrified that my MGM SNAFU would come up. My job was to assist the people who came in from L.A. after all,' said Stringer. Stringer, who left TV and film in 2011 when she had her first of two children, is following the classic Hollywood sequel format and is currently working on a second Charity Trickett novel. She has plans to follow that up with a third book. And yes, she is writing a screenplay just in case her novel catches Hollywood's attention. 'I would love for the book to get optioned,' said Stringer. 'It would be a full-circle moment to have this book become a film … It would be an absolute dream to have this happen, because I love the movies.' Dgee@
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sheriff Buford Pusser — the other story
MCNAIRY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — For many Tennesseans growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, and especially those in McNairy County, Sheriff Bufford Pusser was a hero. Hollywood made the big hit movie 'Walking Tall' about the lawman, but a shadow of controversy has also loomed over the McNairy County sheriff. His wife's murder remains a cold case to this day — and some say Pusser is responsible. Pusser's image of a big stick-carrying sheriff who cracked down on crime continues to this day. However, not everyone believes Pusser was a saint. 'You look into these things and you find it didn't happen that way at all,' said Mike Elam, author and podcaster of 'Buford Pusser: The Other Story.' 'He walked on both sides of the law.' Who was legendary lawman Buford Pusser? Elam is an outsider. He's from Arkansas, where he spent years in law enforcement. He started digging into Pusser's past. For him, the hero story wasn't adding up — especially that Pusser's wife Pauline was mistakenly murdered in an ambush that was intended to take him out. Elam believes Pusser killed his wife and covered it up. 'I believe it was staged to fit Buford's narrative,' Elam told News 2. 'But when you look at the evidence, it's so convincing that he didn't tell the entire truth.' Elam launched a podcast called 'Buford Pusser: The Other Story.' He also operates the a tour called 'The Truth has no Agenda' where he takes his guests — including many law enforcement officers — on a guided tour of the different crime scenes from the night of the murder. Dennis Hathcock is one of the locals on the tour. Pusser cracked down on his family's business, The Plantation Club, on the state line. Annual Buford Pusser Festival celebrates legendary sheriff 'He was evil. That's the only thing I can say … Because he could put out that persona that he's a good man fighting crime and corruption when, if you really knew what was going on,' Hancock told News 2. 'That's the importance of the tour and taking the route Buford took that morning — because that alone convinces a lot of people that it did not happen the way that Buford claimed,' said Elam. Elam said that other red flags at the crime scene included the location of blood splatters, and bullet holes. In fact, a tip last year led the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to re-examine the cold case and exhume Pauline's body. However, this revision of the Sheriff Pusser hero legend has ruffled some feathers in McNairy County. 'It's very frustrating — these people coming from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arksansas trying to be the Bufford Pusser expert,' Steve Sweat said. 'They don't have a clue.' Why were Pauline Pusser's remains exhumed? Sweat is the honorary Pusser expert for the state of Tennessee. He's not happy with tours like Elam's that tell a different story about Pusser. 'As far as I'm concerned, it happened the way the sheriff said it did because he was there and we weren't,' Sweat told News 2. 'As far as I know, that's the way that ambush went, the way the sheriff said it did.' 'I just think the truth is important,' Elam said. 'On my podcast, I always end it saying, 'The truth has no agenda.'' Elam said a tip to his podcast is what led the TBI to re-examine the cold case. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Buford Pusser's granddaughter says grandfather represented ‘respect and integrity'
McNAIRY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – Famed Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser died more than 50 years ago, but his daughter carried on the legacy before she died in 2018. Now the torch has been passed to the next generation. Buford's granddaughter shared what she wants people to know about her famous family. News 2 asked Madison Garrison Bush when she first started hearing stories about her grandfather. 'Honestly, before I came out of the womb,' said Garrison Bush. 'A lot of people have told me he was a gentle giant until you crossed that line.' Who was legendary lawman Buford Pusser? Garrison Bush never met her grandfather, but she knows him well through the stories passed down to her. 'He gave a lot of second chances. He would say what's right is right, what's wrong is wrong.' She said the first time her grandfather's legacy really hit her, she was on a first-grade field trip with her classmates to the Buford Pusser Museum in Adamsville. 'That first grade field trip to the museum, and the kids were like, 'Will you sign our souvenirs?' And they were my peers. And I was like, 'I guess. sure.'' For Garrison Bush, her grandfather was ahead of his time. She's proud to say that he was the first in Tennessee to hire a Black deputy. And she admits his way of serving justice would not work in today's day and age, but when need be, he showed compassion as well. She said he would allow inmates to work and earn some money. 'He would release them during the day so that they could go to work. So that they can provide for their family and then return back to the jail when the workday is done…To me, he represents respect, integrity.' When Garrison Bush was older, her parents allowed her to watch the 1973 film Walking Tall about her grandfather. The film chronicles both Buford's crime-fighting actions, but also his wife's, Pauline, tragic murder. Questions remain decades after death of Pauline Pusser She remembers watching the film with her mother. 'It hurt my mom, just like it hurt my grandad, to have to walk out during the really hard scenes when we lost part of our family during all of this.' Garrison Bush left McNairy County, but she's never left behind the Pusser family legacy. Over the years, she's come back home to the festival, just like her mother, Dwana, did, in order to award the Buford Pusser Festival Law Enforcement Award to an exemplary officer of the law. 'To me, it is a way and such an honor to keep his legacy alive in doing what I saw my mother do my whole life.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Sheriff Buford Pusser's lasting impact on Tennessee law enforcement
McNAIRY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – One sheriff has had a massive influence on law enforcement decades after his death. Buford Pusser is a Tennessee legend, even Hollywood took notice. News 2 spoke with the current McNairy County sheriff about Pusser's impact on crime fighting. Sheriff Buford Pusser kept law and order in McNairy County back in the 1960s. When Hollywood portrayed him in the 1970s film Walking Tall, he carried a big stick to fend off criminals. However, that stick, historians say, is somewhat of a myth. What's not a myth is how Pusser left a permanent mark on law enforcement. 'Whatever you think of him – good, bad – he did motivate people to get into law enforcement for the right reason. I think my whole generation of law enforcement officers, not just in Tennessee, but across the country and all across the world, who were motivated by those movies,' said Sheriff Guy Buck. Who was legendary lawman Buford Pusser? Buck currently occupies the sheriff seat in McNairy County that Pusser once sat in. Even though more than 50 years have passed, Buck still gets asked about his famous predecessor. Pusser was well-known for serving justice with his own style. According to one story, instead of hauling a car theft suspect off to jail, he tied the man to a pole to publicly humiliate him. Sheriff Buck admits that law enforcement today is not what it was when Pusser served this small county from 1964 to 1970. 'Law enforcement is very different. We would all go to jail for the things that we did in 1984, much less the things they did in 1964. It's a different world. It's a completely different world,' said Buck. 'Good guy, bad guy, something in between?' we asked Buck. Buford Pusser's granddaughter says grandfather represented 'respect and integrity' 'I think he was a human being. And he was a sheriff in the '60s. And, I think, if you were to ask anybody about any sheriff in the '60s, they would have different opinions. Some would think they were good, some would think they were bad. Obviously, Buford is no different,' said Buck. Buford Pusser is no longer top cop in McNairy County, but his name is truly synonymous with law enforcement. And, also creating an opportunity for this county to become a place where visitors can come from all over and pay their respects to law enforcement. In fact, they recently unveiled this memorial to do just that. 'It is a granite wall that contains 796 names of every police officer who has died in the line of duty since Tennessee became a state,' said Buck. 'So many of those stories have never had a voice, and they do out here now.' The county also hosts an annual law enforcement appreciation ceremony at the Buford Pusser Festival. Leaders here envision a future McNairy County where people from Memphis to Johnson City can gather to pay their respects to law enforcement, and it all started with one man, Sheriff Buford Pusser. 'You can't say sheriff without thinking of Buford Pusser,' said Buck. Sheriff Pusser was known for professionalizing the department by hiring paid deputies and purchasing squad cars. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
