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This Day…

Posted on July 6, 2025 by Chris Enss

1875 – Jesse James gang robs train in Otterville, Missouri

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Racing horses. Dangerous falls. No stunt doubles f Racing horses. Dangerous falls. No stunt doubles for the stuntwomen. Long before modern stunt coordinators and safety rigs, fearless horsewomen helped create the action audiences loved in early Western films. One of those daring performers was Ione Reed. Reed was among the talented cowgirls Hollywood relied on to double for actresses in demanding riding scenes and dangerous stunts. Racing across rugged terrain, executing precision riding maneuvers, and taking hard falls were all part of the job. These women brought authenticity and excitement to the screen at a time when few of them received on-screen credit for their work. Like many stunt women of the era, Ione Reed possessed exceptional horsemanship and the grit required to perform under difficult conditions. Studios depended on cowgirls like her to make Western heroines appear fearless in the saddle—yet the women doing the real work behind the scenes were rarely photographed and almost never recognized. Their stories are finally being told in Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women, my book celebrating the brave and highly skilled women who helped shape the action and spectacle of early Hollywood Westerns. These remarkable performers risked injury, and sometimes their lives, to make movie magic. It’s time their legacy rides into the spotlight. Visit www.chrisenss.com now to enter to win a copy of Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women Please note the image used here is not an endorsement for cigarette use.
Principal photography begins March 10 at the legen Principal photography begins March 10 at the legendary Mescal Movie Set on the film short According to Kate, written by Chris Enss and directed by award-winning filmmaker Manuela Schneider. One ambitious reporter wants the truth. Big Nose Kate holds the legend. When an ambitious East Coast reporter journeys to Arizona in 1899 to persuade the notorious Big Nose Kate to finally tell her story, she uncovers a trove of letters, memories, and half-mythic accounts from the woman who loved Doc Holliday and claimed a front-row seat to the Wild West’s most legendary figures—revealing a life where truth, legend, and survival blur on the untamed frontier. Filming at the historic Mescal set, one of the most iconic Western backlots in the country, brings this powerful story of the West’s most notorious woman to life where legends once rode.
"My hats off to Enss, I will never watch a Western "My hats off to Enss, I will never watch a Western again without wondering what great 'daughter of daring' is making the action look so easy — and dangerous at the same time." — Stuart Rosebrook, True West Magazine
What an unforgettable evening celebrating Daughter What an unforgettable evening celebrating Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women at Book Soup. The launch was a tremendous success, filled with friends, film lovers, and champions of Western history. I was honored to be joined by the brilliant film historian and award-winning writer Courtney Joyner, the extraordinary Western filmmaker and historian Rob Word, and legendary Academy Award–nominated executive producer Howard Kazanjian. Having Howard in the audience was especially meaningful. We have penned several books together over the years, beginning with our first collaboration about Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the King of Cowboys and Queen of the West. Howard famously produced Raiders of the Lost Ark, one of my all-time favorite films. I first saw it in 1981 during one of the most difficult seasons of my life, while going through a the end of my marriage. That film lifted me out of a deep depression. I saw it fifteen times in the theater. It reminded me of adventure, courage, and hope. Fast forward twenty years: after I was blessed to win the Nicholl Fellowship with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for screenwriting with Howard serving as one of the judges. He phoned and asked me to write a book about Roy and Dale. And so it began. It is remarkable how God weaves our stories together in ways we could never have imagined. The staff at Book Soup were gracious and welcoming, and the technical crew with Book TV made the evening even more special. I’m thrilled to share that Daughters of Daring will be featured throughout the month of March on Book TV. One of the most touching moments of the night, however, had nothing to do with Hollywood history. Among the attendees was one of my former Bible study students, Morgan Fowler. I didn’t recognize her at first—no longer the little girl who once sat on my lap singing songs about Jesus, but a poised and lovely grown woman. Seeing her filled my heart in a way that no professional accomplishment ever could. I’ve had the joy of teaching Bible study for many years, and moments like that are the true treasures of a lifetime. “Children are a gift from the Lord.” — Psalm 127:3 Of all the things I have b
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