Why a whip?

Indiana Joe · Post by **Indiana Joe** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 6:30 pm

Indiana Joe wrote:There's been mention of these chaps wearing a fedora or a brimmed hat and also carrying a pistol or other firearm.

It has always facinated me that Indiana Jones carried a whip. I mean, who came up with the idea for that unique weapon, in the first place? Did any of these aforementioned explorers or archaeologists carry a whip?

Peacock's Eye wrote:To my knowledge, none of these explorers/archaeologists carried a whip. My understanding is that the idea for Indy carrying a whip came from movie serials like Zorro and possibly a cowboy named Lash LaRue.

I'm interested in the history behind what made Indys creator(s) decide on a whip. It sounds like Peacock's Eye gave a good foundation. Anyone else care to elaborate?

Rabittooth · Post by **Rabittooth** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 8:06 pm

Bullwhips were used, as stated above, in Zorro as well as other Serial-type films of the period that Lucas was trying to emulate with Raiders.

-Rabittooth

Blue Coyote · Post by **Blue Coyote** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 8:34 pm

heres an interesting note and possible unknown fact bout Lash Larue.
he pretty much lied to get that character part. the director wanted a guy who could use a whip, so he said he could. then he went out and bought two whips, i think an 8 and 10 foot. then he taught himself, and has the scars to prove it. later when he was talking to the director about it, he confessed but also added that he was acting. acting like a guy who knew how to use a whip.
something to that effect anyway. thats the coyote's version of the story.
as for why Indy's creators gave him a whip... well thats a creative bunch of guys.... lucky he didnt end up with a bolo

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 1:28 pm

Blue Coyote wrote:heres an interesting note and possible unknown fact bout Lash Larue.
he pretty much lied to get that character part. the director wanted a guy who could use a whip, so he said he could. then he went out and bought two whips, i think an 8 and 10 foot. then he taught himself, and has the scars to prove it. later when he was talking to the director about it, he confessed but also added that he was acting. acting like a guy who knew how to use a whip.

That's a true story about Lash Larue, "The King Of Bullwhips". But he actually rented a couple of whips; one 15 footer and the other was an 18 footer!!! He beat himself nearly to death over the weekend to try to learn cracking the whip. It was a requirement for the part he was trying out for. He beat himself so bad, that he actually stopped practicing. He showed up to the set, Monday and they filmed a few scenes (no whip). The director liked what he saw, and hired him for the part, which was 3 times more than his salary. "Al" Larue (he wasn't Lash yet), then feeling real guilty mentioned, that he could act but he couldn't really crack a whip. He then took off his shirt and showed the director, his badly bruised and cut up back from the whip. The director laughed and said he wanted him anyway and the studio then hired, Snowy Baker, to be his whip coach.

It's one of the most fascinating stories that ever came out of Hollywood. Next to of course, Steven Spielberg, who basically took over an empty office at Universal Studios when he was just out of high school.

Back to topic. I would agree that the Zorro serial movies and Lash LaRue movies during the time of George Lucas's childhood, was a major influence to that particular prop comprising the persona of Indiana Jones.

-Sergei

Blue Coyote · Post by **Blue Coyote** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 1:32 pm

aw ok you told the story better lol i'm a bloody artist, not a writer

heres where we both got the story
http://www.surfnetinc.com/chuck/lash.htm

i reread it, and just realised am very forgetful..

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 2:06 pm

Blue Coyote wrote:aw ok you told the story better lol i'm a bloody artist, not a writer

heres where we both got the story
http://www.surfnetinc.com/chuck/lash.htm

i reread it, and just realised am very forgetful..

Hey, that's a good link, Blue Coyote! I actualy first heard the story from Lash LaRue himself. Not face to face, but through an interview I saw on either TV or videotape. I think there is a video of him from one of those Mark Allen tapes, "The Art of the Bullwhip".

Snowy Baker is a very famous Australian athelete who was popular during the early film period in Hollywood. He trained Douglas Fairbanks for the Don Q movie in 1925. It took 6 weeks of training to get Douglas Fairbanks proficient and provided Fairbanks, that flair in his bold, atheletic type of acting.

-S

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 2:16 pm

I was fortunate enough to meet him when he came to Roy Rogers days in Portsmouth, Ohio years ago...not to long before he passed away. He was a very nice man, and strong as a bull to the end, or at least his handshake was!

. Regards. Michaelson

Post by **Dalexs** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 5:09 pm

I too met him years ago on a family winnabago trip cross country.
Met him at the cowboy Hall of Fame. I didn't know who he was at the time. But he practically gave us a guided tour. My mom was thrilled becasue she grew up on his movies.

Dalexs

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 5:22 pm

Geesh, I feel left out.

But back to Lash, I think if he would have rented a much smaller whip, like an 8 or 10 footer, he would have probably been successful in getting self taught. I couldn't imagine picking up an 18 foot whip for my first whip and trying to crack it. No wonder the guy almost killed himself.

Look how long this whip is. That's probably an 18 footer.

Blue Coyote · Post by **Blue Coyote** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 6:05 pm

Sergei wrote:Geesh, I feel left out.

But back to Lash, I think if he would have rented a much smaller whip, like an 8 or 10 footer, he would have probably been successful in getting self taught. I couldn't imagine picking up an 18 foot whip for my first whip and trying to crack it. No wonder the guy almost killed himself.

i feel left out too... only actors i've ever met was a couple guys that played in the movie Texas.
I dont suppose Lash had many handy resources on learning to use the whip. i guess thats one way to learn something though.. just get into it and figure out for yourself what works and what doesnt..

Indiana Philip · Post by **Indiana Philip** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 1:30 am

Hey! Don't forget to mention my next door neighbor and first whip mentor, "Whip Wilson". Maybe he wasn't that influential, but he did his part. Can you post a picture of him Sergei?
Indiana Philip

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 10:44 am

Indiana Philip wrote:Hey! Don't forget to mention my next door neighbor and first whip mentor, "Whip Wilson". Maybe he wasn't that influential, but he did his part. Can you post a picture of him Sergei?
Indiana Philip

You know as I writing up all the stuff on Lash, my thoughts immediately came to Whip Wilson and you, Philip!

Certainly, my friend. There are tons of Whip Wilson pictures to select from. I like this one, with a rather nice "bullwhip" in hand.

-S

Indiana Philip · Post by **Indiana Philip** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 11:54 am

Awsome!!!

Thanks Sergei!!!

Great Pic!!!

Indiana Philip

Blue Coyote · Post by **Blue Coyote** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 2:14 pm

ok i know lots of cowboys... but i dont remember Whip Wilson!

schwammy · Post by **schwammy** » Sun Feb 09, 2003 11:47 pm

Oh, go ahead, Philip. Tell the Whip Wilson story again. There are a lot of new folks here who weren't about when you first regaled us with that tale.

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Mon Feb 10, 2003 11:29 am

Might as well, Philip. It's a great one. Didn't you get a signed Whip Wilson picture recently from Ebay? I'd like to get one soon myself.

-S

Indiana Philip · Post by **Indiana Philip** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 1:23 am

Sergei wrote:Didn't you get a signed Whip Wilson picture recently from Ebay? -S

Unfortunately, I did not. I foolishly let it slip away by not paying attention. I'm going to start checking out e-bay again for another.
Indiana Philip

Indiana Philip · Post by **Indiana Philip** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 1:53 am

schwammy wrote:Oh, go ahead, Philip. Tell the Whip Wilson story again. There are a lot of new folks here who weren't about when you first regaled us with that tale.

Forgive me if I defer until tomorrow evening. The hour is late, and my mind has become indolent.
Indiana Philip