Reducing The Ranks Of Make-Believers

Like Superman, Peter Pan and Tarzan of the Apes, Smiley Burnette is strictly a hero of youngsters.

There is nothing eternal about Smiley. When you outgrow the smell of popcorn at Saturday double-features, when you outgrow the feel of nickel-plated toy revolvers on your hip, you outgrow Smiley as well.

When he walked into the newsroom for a visit with News Movie Editor Emery Wister yesterday, his ancient, black hat on this head, we felt an old nostalgia come over us. But he was just a man, after all, and there was a time when he was a humorous, hard-riding, two-fisted god.

Smiley, himself, understands that. He told the story of a youngster who asked him, not long ago, “how do you manage to get so many shots out of a six-shooter without reloading?”

“How old are you?” Smiley asked.

“Fourteen,” the boy answered.

“Son,” Smiley said, “we’re losing you.”

And it was true, and, as that cynical youth will realize when he reaches mellower maturity, it is a pity. Because, first thing he knows, questions will start arising about how Peter Pan flies and how Tarzan turns aside those stampeding elephants, and then, all the magic will be gone.

Charles Kuralt's People (Kenilworth Media, copyright 2002)
ISBN 0-9679096-1-9 | Hard cover | 384 pages with photos | $25.95

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