From the "You learn something new everyday" category: I never realized local Branson residents protested the showing of the John Wayne film "The Shepherd of the Hills" because it differed greatly from the book. I have a copy of Jerry S. Madsen's booklet "Branson a Time Line History," (Purchased at SDC a few years ago) and there is a photo of a guy protesting the showing of the film at the Owens Theater in downtown Branson in the 1940's. The sign reads "Paramount's Shepherd of the Hills Unfair to original characters, We uns dont like 'hit! Hillbilly Local No. 0001"
A banner hung below the marquee on the theater by Jim Owens, the owner, reads in part "Neighbors we don't like it- but here it is."
I posted the photo for you to view on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juniorduganThe text by the photo reads in part: "All the business people and dignitaries of Branson dressed in their finest and with smiles on their faces entered the theater with great expectations...but before the film progressed very far folks were leaving the theater in disgust. Aunt Molly, a very kindly woman, was portrayed as a vicious bootleg moonshiner and the story differed from the book almost entirely. After just a few minutes of the film, the town's people offered to hang producer, cast and all." Madsen added, "The movie folks did make it out of town without harm or tar and feathers..."