You’d Do It For Randolph Scott!

Today I tuned into the western tv station GRIT, where a Randolph Scott movie marathon was being broadcast. Scott was a little before my time. The first time I heard his name was in the 1970’s Mel Brooks comedy, “Blazing Saddles.” For those who can remember the scene, “You’d do it for Randolph Scott. Rannndolllph Sccotttt!,” its just one of the many hysterical episodes in the movie. But for us kids watching back then, we were all kind of in the dark, wondering, who the heck is Randolph Scott? I remember laughing along with the older folks watching, assuming he must’ve been some cowboy from their era of television and radio. I wasn’t far off in my assumption.

Randolph Scott was an early American film actor who became known for playing the tough lawman in westerns. Though his acting was a bit stiff, he was tall, athletic, and considered ruggedly handsome; perfect for the western hero role. He was John Wayne before John Wayne and Clint Eastwood before Clint Eastwood. He did more talking with his fists and guns than with his low, monotone voice. A simple, no-nonsense hero with high values, who stood for truth and justice.

In the two movies I watched, “Tall Man Riding” and “Riding Shotgun,” he was misjudged by both good and bad. His quiet demeanor was sometimes taken for cowardice, weakness, or in the case of women, cold-heartedness. But in the end, he is always proven a good, strong, stand-up man. 

He seldom smiles and rarely shows any emotion, but you know he always wants what’s right and just. His smile is more of a hint of a smile, like a smirk, never splitting the tight-lipped vice of his mug.

What got me into watching Randolph Scott movies is my crazy obsession as an Oakland Raiders fan. Anything Raiders gets my blood and passion going. Years ago, I learned that the Raiders used the image of Randolph Scott for the eye-patched pirate logo emblazoned on the sides of their silver helmets. The logo, with a few modifications, has been that way since the team joined the NFL in 1960. 

Looking at the pirate logo alongside a picture of Randolph Scott, the resemblance is confirmed; squinty-eyed, prominent nose, thin-lipped and square-jawed. So you can imagine a fan of the Raiders pirate seeing him riding into town on horse-back, looking tall and tough as nails, fearing nobody and ready to fight at the drop of a hat. That’s a Raiders Fan image of just who the Raiders are and that's the character Randolph Scott portrayed in his movies. It's really a sight to behold as a fan.

I recommend to any Raiders fan to give it a try. Check out a 1950’s Randolph Scott western, preferably in color. You’ll be a better fan for it, knowing the Raiders pirate mystique actually represented a high-caliber individual on the right side of the law. We ain't all pillaging crooks! Coincidently, Scott's last name in the movie "Tall Man Riding" was Madden.

I once heard Al Davis in an interview say he styled the Raiders after two of his favorite New York sports teams; the Yankees for their talent and domination and the Dodgers for their ruggedness and tenacity. I suppose the image of Randolph Scott was chosen for the same reasons. Al Davis was a man who appreciated greatness. He was a visionary, crafty enough to mold the Raiders into the competitive sports greatness he’d observed growing up in Brooklyn. 

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