TUCSON, Ariz.—The closest you will get to stepping off the dusty trail into a bustling 1880s frontier town is a day at Old Tucson, a historic movie studio and theme park. Established in 1939 for the film “Arizona,” Old Tucson has been the backdrop for numerous classic Western movies and TV shows featuring legendary stars like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Paul Newman.
Shows like “Little House on the Prairie” and movies such as “Tombstone,” “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,” and “The Last Outpost” with Ronald Reagan were filmed at this location.
“Old Tucson has such a rich history, especially as it pertains to the stunt performers. And these guys love to improvise,” Ken Korpi, Old Tucson’s creative director, told The Epoch Times. “This is a team that values everyone’s creativity,” he said about the collaborative spirit among the performers and staff.
Reflecting on the park’s origins, Mr. Korpi said, “It was really the place where people who made Western films started to say, ‘Hey, we can use practical locations and get away from these big studio backdrops.’” Old Tucson remains an active film ranch offering 300 acres of space for movie and TV production.
Today, the park’s full-service studio capabilities, including stunt performers, background actors, costumes, and effects, also makes it a fabulous day out for the general public. “The American West is such an interesting and vital part of our history here,” Mr. Korpi said.
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