“It was a really big deal when the Casey Tibbs came to Council Grove.”
He parked his shiny purple Cadillac right at the Ritz Theatre front doorstep.
Wearing his high-crowned, signature-creased black hat, Casey’s prominent dark curly hair set off his forever-ornery grin. A white silk neck scarf blowing in the breeze highlighted Casey’s doubled-breasted purple shirt with pearl snaps.
The buck stitched engraved leather belt sported Casey’s skillet-size 1955 world champion all-around cowboy buckle. Casey’s starched Wrangler jeans draped over the handmade white boots embossed with his purple “CT” brand.
Reminded of that night when Casey guest stared on Dale Robertson’s Tales of Wells Fargo television returns last week.
The nine-times world champion professional rodeo cowboy turned Hollywood movie star was in town for a 1966 movie premier. “Born To Buck” had just been released in Casey’s home-state South Dakota with Casey as writer, producer, and leading star.
Enroute to Council Grove, Casey went to Strong City and picked up his good friends Emmett, Ken, and Gerald Roberts. Of course, the Roberts boys were also professional rodeo champions. Dad Emmett, rodeo contractor renowned riding bucking horses too, was Rodeo Man of the Year.
Custom harvester-local cowboy Sam Curry then owned Ritz Theatre and had made sure the rodeo celebrities were in attendance.
Of course, theatre seats were overflowing including local rancher Andy Olson. Longtime pickup man for Roberts Rodeo Company and Flint Hills Rodeo Association, Andy knew Casey well. Not that night, but Andy often related true stories about Casey’s after-rodeo shenanigans and orneriness.
Ellis Rumsey, Rumsey & White Hardware owner, brought a saddle for display. Don McNeal, Council Grove Republican editor-publisher, was there taking a cowboy picture in the next day’s issue.
The movie was about Casey rounding up 400 head of potential bucking horses. Assisted by cowboy friends, the outlaw broncs were adventurously driven across South Dakota going through several deep, wide rivers.
Upon arrival at Casey’s hometown Pierre rodeo grounds, the wild horses were tested out of the bucking chutes.
Past his prime, Casey, considered the best cowboy ever, mounted three broncs in the movie and bit-the-dirt on all three.