Actor Harry Carey Jr. is ...

• Sep 8, 2005 04:00 AM ET
• by Maitland McDonagh

Question: Actor Harry Carey Jr. is listed in the opening credits of Rio Bravo, but never appears in the movie. Did they cut all his scenes and, if so, why?

Answer: The son of silent-Western star Harry Carey, Harry Carey Jr. also specialized in western roles, including She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Rio Grande (1950), The Searchers (1956), Wagonmaster (1950), Two Rode Together (1961) and Cheyenne Autumn (1964) for John Ford. Carey Jr. had made three films for Howard Hawks –- including Red River (1948), which also featured his father – but apparently offended the director early in production on Rio Bravo (1959) by addressing him on the set in an overly familiar way. Carey was fired, but his contract was honored; he got paid and was given screen credit even though he doesn't appear in the film. As far as I know, none of Carey's scenes was even shot.