Guardian Of The Wilderness
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''Guardian of the Wilderness'' is a 1976 theatrical narrative film (often alternatively titled ''Mountain Man'') directed by David O'Malley about the true story of
Galen Clark Galen Clark (March 28, 1814 – March 24, 1910) was a British North American-born American conservationist and writer. He is known as the first European American to discover the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia trees, and is notable for his ro ...
, an explorer who successfully campaigned to have the
Yosemite Yosemite National Park ( ) is a national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service ...
area set aside from commercial development, the original forerunner of the American
national parks system The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all national parks; most national monuments; and other natural, historical, and recreational p ...
. Clark was prompted by his dedication to preserving places like the
Mariposa Grove Mariposa Grove is a sequoia grove located near Wawona, California, United States, in the southernmost part of Yosemite National Park. It is the largest grove of giant sequoias in the park, with several hundred mature specimens. Two of its trees ...
of
Giant Sequoias ''Sequoiadendron giganteum'' (also known as the giant sequoia, giant redwood, Sierra redwood or Wellingtonia) is a species of coniferous tree, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae. Giant sequoia specimens are the la ...
, which he discovered, from being destroyed by loggers. The cast features
Denver Pyle Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997) was an American film and television actor and director. He was well known for a number of television roles from the 1960s through the 1980s, including his portrayal of Briscoe Darling i ...
as Galen Clark,
John Dehner John Dehner (DAY-ner; born John Dehner Forkum; November 23, 1915February 4, 1992), also credited Dehner Forkum, was an American stage, radio, film, and television character actor. From the late 1930s to the late 1980s, he amassed a long list o ...
as legendary naturalist
John Muir John Muir ( ; April 21, 1838December 24, 1914), also known as "John of the Mountains" and "Father of the national park, National Parks", was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologi ...
and
Ford Rainey Ford Rainey (August 8, 1908 – July 25, 2005) was an American film, stage, and television actor.Myrna Oliver ''Los Angeles Times'', July 26, 2005. Early life Rainey was born in Mountain Home, Idaho, the son of Vyrna (née Kinkade), a teacher, ...
as
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...
. Clark was eventually appointed Superintendent of Yosemite, a position in which he served for more than two decades during which he defined the concept of an American park ranger; his varied history with the valley ranged across 55 years. A book written by Mark S. Rinehart in 2009 titled ''Abraham Lincoln on Screen: Fiction and Documentary Portrayals on Film and Television'' and published by
McFarland & Company McFarland & Company, Inc., is an American independent book publisher based in Jefferson, North Carolina, that specializes in academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tert ...
states that the sequence of the film involving Abraham Lincoln never took place nor did Clark ever travel to Washington D.C. The film's supporting cast includes
Ken Berry Kenneth Ronald Berry (November 3, 1933 – December 1, 2018) was an American actor, comedian, dancer, and singer. Berry starred on the television series '' F Troop'' (1965–1967), '' Mayberry R.F.D.'' (1968–1971) and ''Mama's Family'' ( ...
,
Cheryl Miller Cheryl Deann Miller (born January 3, 1964) is an American former basketball player. She was formerly a sideline reporter for NBA on TNT, NBA games on Turner Sports, TNT Sports and also works for NBA TV as a reporter and analyst, having worked ...
,
Norman Fell Norman Fell (born Norman Noah Feld; March 24, 1924 – December 14, 1998) was an American actor of film and television, most famous for his role as landlord Mr. Roper on the sitcom '' Three's Company'' and its spin-off, '' The Ropers'', and his ...
and
Cliff Osmond Cliff Osmond (born Clifford Osman Ebrahim; February 26, 1937 – December 22, 2012) was an American character actor, screenwriter, and acting teacher. Early life Osmond was born in the Margaret Hague Medical Center in Jersey City, New Jersey ...
. The screenplay was written by David O'Malley and Karen C. O'Malley from a story by the film's producer
Charles E. Sellier Jr. Charles Edward Sellier Jr. (November 9, 1943 – January 31, 2011) was an American television producer, screenwriter, novelist and director, best known for creating the American book and television series ''The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams'' ...
loosely based on the actual events. The music was composed and conducted by John Cameron and the song "Yosemite Theme" features music by Bob Summers and lyrics by Penny Askey. The film was rated "G" and thereby deemed suitable for children, and was shot on location by
cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...
Henning Schellerup, edited by
Sharron Miller Sharron Miller is an American Television director, television and film director, Film producer, producer, and screenwriter. She is one of the pioneering women directors who worked regularly in mainstream Hollywood in the 1970s and 1980s (along ...
, and released in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in December 1976 with a running time of 112 minutes.


Cast

Denver Pyle Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997) was an American film and television actor and director. He was well known for a number of television roles from the 1960s through the 1980s, including his portrayal of Briscoe Darling i ...
as
Galen Clark Galen Clark (March 28, 1814 – March 24, 1910) was a British North American-born American conservationist and writer. He is known as the first European American to discover the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia trees, and is notable for his ro ...

Ken Berry Kenneth Ronald Berry (November 3, 1933 – December 1, 2018) was an American actor, comedian, dancer, and singer. Berry starred on the television series '' F Troop'' (1965–1967), '' Mayberry R.F.D.'' (1968–1971) and ''Mama's Family'' ( ...
as Zachary Moore
John Dehner John Dehner (DAY-ner; born John Dehner Forkum; November 23, 1915February 4, 1992), also credited Dehner Forkum, was an American stage, radio, film, and television character actor. From the late 1930s to the late 1980s, he amassed a long list o ...
as
John Muir John Muir ( ; April 21, 1838December 24, 1914), also known as "John of the Mountains" and "Father of the national park, National Parks", was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologi ...

Cheryl Miller Cheryl Deann Miller (born January 3, 1964) is an American former basketball player. She was formerly a sideline reporter for NBA on TNT, NBA games on Turner Sports, TNT Sports and also works for NBA TV as a reporter and analyst, having worked ...
as Kathleen Clark
Ford Rainey Ford Rainey (August 8, 1908 – July 25, 2005) was an American film, stage, and television actor.Myrna Oliver ''Los Angeles Times'', July 26, 2005. Early life Rainey was born in Mountain Home, Idaho, the son of Vyrna (née Kinkade), a teacher, ...
as
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

Norman Fell Norman Fell (born Norman Noah Feld; March 24, 1924 – December 14, 1998) was an American actor of film and television, most famous for his role as landlord Mr. Roper on the sitcom '' Three's Company'' and its spin-off, '' The Ropers'', and his ...
as Doctor
Cliff Osmond Cliff Osmond (born Clifford Osman Ebrahim; February 26, 1937 – December 22, 2012) was an American character actor, screenwriter, and acting teacher. Early life Osmond was born in the Margaret Hague Medical Center in Jersey City, New Jersey ...
as McCollough
Jack Kruschen Jacob "Jack" Kruschen (March 20, 1922 – April 2, 2002) was a Canadian character actor who worked primarily in American film, television and radio. Kruschen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Dr. Dreyf ...
as Madden
Don Shanks as Teneiya
Melissa Jones as Heather
Brett Palmer as Joey
Prestiss Rowe as Forbes
Hyde Clayton as Chairman of Legislature
Coleman Creel as Senator
John Conness John Conness (September 22, 1821 – January 10, 1909) was an Irish-born American businessman who served as a U.S. Senator (1863–1869) from California during the American Civil War and the early years of Reconstruction. He introduced a b ...

Michael G. Kavanagh as General Carson
Tom Carlin as Harold Lawson
Earl Benton as President's secretary
Michael Ruud as Officer
Lynn Lehman as State Representative


See also

Galen Clark Galen Clark (March 28, 1814 – March 24, 1910) was a British North American-born American conservationist and writer. He is known as the first European American to discover the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia trees, and is notable for his ro ...

John Muir John Muir ( ; April 21, 1838December 24, 1914), also known as "John of the Mountains" and "Father of the national park, National Parks", was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologi ...

John Conness John Conness (September 22, 1821 – January 10, 1909) was an Irish-born American businessman who served as a U.S. Senator (1863–1869) from California during the American Civil War and the early years of Reconstruction. He introduced a b ...

Mariposa Grove Mariposa Grove is a sequoia grove located near Wawona, California, United States, in the southernmost part of Yosemite National Park. It is the largest grove of giant sequoias in the park, with several hundred mature specimens. Two of its trees ...

Giant sequoias ''Sequoiadendron giganteum'' (also known as the giant sequoia, giant redwood, Sierra redwood or Wellingtonia) is a species of coniferous tree, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae. Giant sequoia specimens are the la ...

Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park ( ) is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The p ...

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...


Bibliography

* * * * * Originally published as "A Plea for Yosemite" in ''Yosemite Nature Notes'' (February 1927), from a manuscript written c. 1907.


References


External links

*
''Yosemite Tales: Galen Clark - Guardian of Yosemite''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guardian of the Wilderness 1976 films 1976 action films 1976 drama films 1976 independent films 1976 Western (genre) films 1970s English-language films American drama films American historical comedy-drama films American historical drama films Native American drama films 1970s American films English-language historical drama films English-language Western (genre) films English-language independent films English-language action films