Welcome to Westerns Sheep!

Intro for first time players


General Rules


Game-Specific Rules


Other notes
- Unless a question specifies otherwise, answers should be limited to theatrically released movies - not straight-to-DVD releases, TV films, promotional films, TV episodes, etc. If more than one movie has a particular title, please specify which one you mean (by year, stars, director ... anything that makes it clear).
- For the purposes of this game, “Western” refers to movies or TV productions set in the American West or Mexico; “space westerns” or films set in other countries won't count.
- A Western doesn't necessarily have to take place in the Old West; those set in the 20th Century or later are acceptable as answers.
- I don’t plan on taking more than 30 players, so once we get close to filling I’ll close things off (with special passes available to former Sheepmasters).


The Questions
1. R: Name a Western that has been remade.
2. S: Gunsmoke's 20 seasons made it the longest-running TV western in history. Who is your favorite Gunsmoke character?
3. S: Name a Western starring Randolph Scott.
4. R: Name an actor who has appeared in both theatrical and TV Westerns.
5. S: Name a song or musical number from a Western (can be either a movie or a TV production). [Instrumentals will not count.]
6. R: Name an actor or actress who appeared in at least 6 John Ford films.
7. S: Name a Western about a cattle drive (can be either a movie or a TV production).
8. S: What is your favorite Sam Peckinpah Western?
9. S: Who was the most memorable villain in a Western? [Give the character's name, not the actor's.]
10. S: Name a Western featuring Dean Martin.
11. R: The Earp brothers and Doc Holliday have been the subject of several movies. Name another historical figure who has been depicted in a Western.
12. S: Name an American Indian actor who appeared in at least one Western (theatrical or TV).
13. R: Name an actor who appeared in at least one singing cowboy movie.
14. R: Name a comedy Western of the 1960s or 1970s.
15. S: What was the best Western of the 1990s?
16. S: Name a spaghetti Western not directed by Sergio Leone.
17. S: Name an actor who has portrayed Jesse James on film.
18. S: What was John Wayne's best black & white Western?
19. R: Name a Western with the word “west” in its title.
20. S: There have been a number of good performances by actresses in Westerns. Name a memorable example, giving both the actress' name and the movie.
21. S: Name a sheriff from a Western movie or TV show, and the title of that movie/show (unless he appears in more than one movie; then you can just give his name).
22. S: Name a popular filming location for Westerns.
23. S: Name a star of silent Westerns.
24. R: Name an Academy Award-winning Western.

And now it's time to meet my guest host, who'll help score the game. Introducing Mr. Eric Cartwright:

As a western fan, I can't not participate. This will be my first sheep game.

However, I still don't understand the concept of Slam Dunks. I opted out of previous games because of that. It's never been explained to me WHEN and WHY you use a slam dunk. How would I know when an answer I'm submitting deserves a slam dunk?

And I especially don't understand this:

If you're knowledgeable in westerns then you will likely have good Reverse answers -- unique or only a few players matching your answer -- so you're probably better off picking a few Sheep answers that you think most other players will match to get the most out of your slam dunks. The trick is trying to pick the sheepiest answers to maximize your dunks and unless specified in the rules they do not have to be correct, i.e. the Monopoly answer for Milton Bradley's best game.

What wishbone said is a pretty good explanation. Basically, it's best to use slam dunks on Sheep questions where you think your answer will match most other players'. It's trickier to use them on Reverse Sheep questions; by doing that, you're basically gambling that enough other players will match your answer (which would turn it into a regular Sheep question).

The object of a sheep question is try to answer the way you think most other people will answer. If you think a sheep question is a no brainer that most people will come up with the same answer, then it should be a good answer to dunk, as it will multiply your score

The object of reverse is to try and not match anyone else. The only reason you might want to use a dunk on a reverse is if you maybe only have one answer, and you think a lot of other people will have the same problem. Thus if you dunk it, you can turn your bad score into a good score. If you think you've got a good obscure answer, then dunking isn't a good idea on a reverse.

Thanks.

Answers sent in.

Some questions:

#2: will answers that say the character match those that just say the actor?

#13: "singing cowboy" movies ... these have to be full-blown musicals? (not just a movie where a cowboy sings a song or two)

#19: Does "west" have to be a word by itself, or can it be part of a longer word (like "western", "westward", etc)

Good question; I think I'll let the players decide.

No, they don't have to be full-blown musicals (most of the singing cowboy movies I've seen weren't).

It has to be a word by itself.

I'm hoping for leniency, since I've never seen an entire episode of Gunsmoke. But I know the main actors and the roles they played. Just not confident I'll get their character name right.

There goes my sneaky "Westworld" answer

#23 is tricky ... will sheep bother to even pick a star of silent westerns?

One more question:

For #1, all you want is the original movie (not specifying the details of the remake), right?

Westerns seem to be involved with a lot of "loose" remakes. Will they be acceptable answers.

Finally, are multiple film versions of the same historical events considered remakes of each other? Westerns seem to have a lot of those too (not surprising, considering the genre is based in history).

Personally, I'd consider "loose" remakes allowable (as long as the later film is widely credited as being a remake). But multiple films of the same historical events not to be remakes (unless they're so close as to use the same title).

I'll have to sit this one out, because I just don't know enough of the answers to play a decent game. Good luck to whoever participates, and I'll watch for the results.

Same here.

Answers sent...waiting to see how many really know their Westerns (i.e., pre 1970s).

I'd think a "remake" is something that uses the same general storyline. I wouldn't consider "Wyatt Earp" a remake of "Gunfight at the OK Corral," but an argument can be made that "Tombstone" is, since the former covers all of Earp's life, while the latter film focuses on the one event (for the most part).

That would be my 2 cents on it.

BTW, the above film was NOT my answer to the question.

There are lots of films based on the same incidents (O.K. Corral, the Alamo, shooting of Billy the Kid, various Jesse James capers such as the Northfield raid, etc.) but they aren't often remakes, just retellings of the same story. Some would argue that such films can draw on earlier versions, e.g. how much does one famous version of Stuart Lake's book, Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal, owe to an earlier film adaptation of the same book?

Complicating the issue is the fact that there are lots of western remakes of films that weren't originally westerns, but started out as crime capers or, in two famous cases, samurai films. (I'm deliberately not giving titles here.)

But there are many cases, esp. in the 1930s and '40s, of westerns that were, in fact, direct remakes of earlier westerns.

My answers are in...I know just enough about westerns to be able to answer the questions, but not enough to give good reverse sheep answers. Most of my knowledge comes from my mother making me watch old western tv shows and the film classes I took where we watched some of the more famous ones.

Yeah, I'm looking for the title of the original movie. The details of the remake don't matter - unless there's a challenge.

About multiple film versions of a historical event; unless they're acknowledged as remakes or have the same title, they should be considered separate movies.

Answers sent. I feel pretty confident on about 75% of the questions. The reverses in particular killed me. Oh well, sometimes it's just fun to participate even if I have no shot at winning. It's also fun to make the more knowledgeable players angry when enough of us don't know what we're talking about and incorrect or bad answers become the sheepy choice.

After taking a Sheep vacation, I'm back in the saddle for this one. I'm no Westerns expert, especially when it comes to the TV shows, but I have seen most of the major movies. Character names are proving to be a problem, though.

Bravo to Ash for joining! Just so you know, sometimes a lot of knowledge on a subject can be a detriment. The object of the game is not to provide the "right" answer, but the Sheepiest, and those aren't always the same. I hope you score well, though, and also hope you'll add some insight and/or jokes to your and others' answers.

Sent

I am in for this! answers will be sent later tonight so I can figure out how to finish last again.

I've never seen an episode of Gunsmoke, can only name one Randolph Scott movie(not to mention one western remake), and would make a complete ass of myself on trying to name a silent western star. I'm gonna have to sit this one out as well.

Submitted! Broke my rule and played a {sd} on a reverse question. It will probably backfire horrifically.

Sent

Being that this one of the sheepgame subjects I am most familiar with naturally I excpect to finish in the bottom half of scoring.