'The Alamo' Star Richard Widmark, Dead at 93

Growing up on the Oklahoma plains, thoughts of the American West, Cowboys and Indians were never far from my mind (though I did grow up in the 1980s). Being the enfant terrible that I was, my family was predisposed to set aside one weekend each winter and make the long drive down to Bexar County, Texas- all in order to indulge my childhood fixation: the battle of the Alamo.

Some kids had He-Man and Battle Cat. I had Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie.

Long will I recall the bustle of San Antonio's business district as our ubiquitously massive Chevy Conversion van wound its way amid the narrow streets and traffic. Soon we would arrive at the Mecca (or at least the Medina) of my youth, nary a cobblestone away from the hallowed Halls of Texan Independence. We would then spend the remainder of afternoon seeing all of the Alamo's exhibits, strolling the River Walk, and, of course, visiting the gift shop. I distinctly recall pestering the 'rents for either a Bowie knife or a mock 'Old Betsy', Davy Crockett's gun. By the time our trips to San Antonio ceased, I had amassed more than enough weaponry to arm the small militia that was my friends.

Given this slightly nerdy, youthful, indiscretion, one of my all-time favorite movies growing up was John Wayne's The Alamo. In fact, it may still rank in my top ten (don't judge). But a large part of what made that particular re-telling of the Alamo battle legendary for me was the performance by Richard Widmark who starred as the consummate Texas volunteer Jim Bowie.

In the 1960 film, Widmark's character is a wise-cracking, down-home, tough guy with a scorn for military superfluities and a particular disdain for Col. William Barret Travis. Despite the tension in the ranks, Bowie's volunteer force stays-on to help Davy Crockett and the Tennessans. Soon thereafter the battle begins, and Widmark's character is maimed in early hours of the assault. Eventually, the Mexican forces break through the Alamo's crumbling barracks, setting up the film's denouement. Ailing, with only his servant for protection, Widmark's character falls guns blazing when Gen. Santa Anna's Mexican forces break through. Out of ammunition, Bowie dies wielding his famed Bowie knife, taking more than a handful of Mexican soldiers with him into the next life.

Naturally, today finds me a bit sad to report that Richard Widmark passed away today at age 93. I doubt he passed guns blazing, but in the imagination of my much younger, childhood self, he always will.

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