'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance' (1962), rats in your car engine, and family Texas History

Send us Fan Mail

The official podcast of The Jimmy Stewart Museum is back, this time exploring an all-time Western classic—John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, featuring the legendary pairing of John Wayne and James Stewart.

"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." But facts are facts: Michael shares a bit more about his father's high school encounters with rock 'n' roll pioneer Buddy Holly, and how his grandmother once lived near famed Texas rancher Charles Goodnight. Tim, meanwhile, recounts how his great-great-aunt became the very first student on campus at Texas Tech University.

And, of course, there's the movie itself—a powerful story of sacrifice, mythmaking, and the taming of the American frontier. As Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) makes a tragic and heroic sacrifice, he helps clear the path for the rise of Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) and the coming of law, order, and progress to the West.

In association with The Jimmy Stewart Museum https://jimmy.org/

Special thanks: Jen Buckles, Janie McKirgan, Tim Harley

Original podcast artwork: Kristin Baxter
Original podcast theme: David Gorham