{"product_id":"tall-in-the-saddle-the-life-of-ben-johnson-hollywoods-real-cowboy-9781496861559","title":"Tall in the Saddle: The Life of Ben Johnson, Hollywood's Real Cowboy","description":"\u003ci\u003eTall in the Saddle: The Life of Ben Johnson, Hollywood's Real Cowboy \u003c\/i\u003eis the definitive biography of Ben Johnson (1918-1996), the only man to win both an Academy Award and a world rodeo championship. Born on a historic Oklahoma ranch, Johnson could rope cattle before he could read, and his horsemanship took him straight to Hollywood when tycoon Howard Hughes needed horses for \u003ci\u003eThe Outlaw\u003c\/i\u003e in 1943. What started as a behind-the-scenes gig turned into an acting career that spanned six decades. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Discovered by legendary director John Ford, Johnson became a fixture in classic Westerns alongside John Wayne, before stepping into more complex roles with filmmakers like Sam Peckinpah, Steven Spielberg, and Peter Bogdanovich--who guided him to his Oscar-winning performance in \u003ci\u003eThe Last Picture Show\u003c\/i\u003e. Though he worked with Hollywood greats like Steve McQueen, Marlon Brando, and Clint Eastwood, Johnson remained rooted in the authenticity of the American West, both on and off screen. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Drawing from a wealth of interviews with costars, directors, and rodeo companions, Kathryn Jones captures the grit, grace, and enduring legacy of a man who didn't just play a cowboy--he was one. \u003ci\u003eTall in the Saddle\u003c\/i\u003e is a rich, cinematic portrait of a Hollywood legend whose real-life story is as unforgettable as any role he played.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKathryn Jones\u003c\/b\u003e is a journalist, essayist, and poet whose work has appeared in \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTexas Monthly\u003c\/i\u003e, and other publications, and in numerous anthologies, including \u003ci\u003eA Uniquely American Epic: Intimacy and Action, Tenderness and Violence in Sam Peckinpah's \"The Wild Bunch\u003c\/i\u003e.\" She is author of two volumes of poetry about the beauty and brutality of nature. She was born in Hollywood and grew up in Texas, where she lives on a ranch southwest of Fort Worth. Jones was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters in 2016.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"University Press of Mississippi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52078292664594,"sku":"9781496861559","price":25.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_c0b89f24-4b6c-4d6e-b3b7-efc0563be997.jpg?v=1772541241","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/tall-in-the-saddle-the-life-of-ben-johnson-hollywoods-real-cowboy-9781496861559","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}