Stone Fox
Encyclopedia
Stone Fox is a short children's novel by John Reynolds Gardiner
. It is the first and best known of Gardiner's books. Stone Fox was acclaimed and very popular when it was published in 1980. It sold three million copies and was turned into a television movie starring Buddy Ebsen
, Joey Cramer
, and Gordon Tootoosis and directed by Harvey Hart
in 1987. It was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year for 1980 (Nov. 30, 1980. p. BR4), and was included in 100 Best Books for Children by Anita Silvey.
The book is about a boy named Little Willy who enters a dog sled race in order to win $500 to pay back the taxes on his grandfather's farm. It is written in simple prose and is set at an indeterminate time in the American Old West
. The book was inspired by a Rocky Mountain
legend that Gardiner heard when he visited Idaho
. Gardiner originally wrote Stone Fox as a screenplay, but turned it into a book at a producer's suggestion.
500 dollars. The next day Willy enters a dog sled race that has a reward of 500 dollars. Willy sees a sled being pulled by five Samoyed
s (fast dogs used for sled racing). The man on the sled signs up for the race, and Willy learns it is Stone Fox, a Native American who doesn't talk to white people and has never lost a race. During the race, Searchlight is so tired that her heart bursts and she dies instantly about 10 feet from the finish line. Stone Fox makes a line on the ground with his boot, takes out his rifle
, and warns that if any other racers cross the line, he'll shoot. He then concedes the match to Willy, by letting Willy carry Searchlight across the finish line to everyone's amazement.
(as Grandpa), Joey Cramer
(as Willy), Gordon Tootoosis (as Stone Fox), Belinda Montgomery
(as Doc Smith), J.C. Roberts (as The Mayor/Blacksmith), Dale Wilson (as Mr. Lester) and Nikky Jansen (as Sarah Foster). The film was produced by Allarcom Limited and Taft Broadcasting
in association with Hanna-Barbera
.
The plot in the movie is a little different from the book, Willy has to win the race to save his Grandpa's Cattle Ranch. At the end of the film Stone Fox leaves Willy a baby dog after the death of Morgan (Searchlight). The movie was filmed at Fort Edmonton Park
, Fox Drive
and Whitemud Drive
in Alberta, Canada.
John Reynolds Gardiner
John Reynolds Gardiner was an American author and engineer. He is famous for writing Stone Fox in 1980 which was later adapted to an NBC movie. He has also edited children's stories for television.-Biography:...
. It is the first and best known of Gardiner's books. Stone Fox was acclaimed and very popular when it was published in 1980. It sold three million copies and was turned into a television movie starring Buddy Ebsen
Buddy Ebsen
Buddy Ebsen was an American character actor and dancer. A performer for seven decades, he had starring roles as Jed Clampett in the long-running television series The Beverly Hillbillies and as the title character in the 1970s detective series Barnaby Jones, and played Barnaby Jones in the movie...
, Joey Cramer
Joey Cramer
Joey Cramer was a child actor in the United States and Canada during the mid 1980s, most notable for his role in Flight of the Navigator. He appeared in the television movie Stone Fox with Buddy Ebsen and Gordon Tootoosis in 1987. Today, Cramer lives in his hometown of Sechelt, and he is...
, and Gordon Tootoosis and directed by Harvey Hart
Harvey Hart
Harvey Hart was a Canadian film director and television producer.Hart studied at the University of Toronto, before being hired by the CBC in 1952...
in 1987. It was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year for 1980 (Nov. 30, 1980. p. BR4), and was included in 100 Best Books for Children by Anita Silvey.
The book is about a boy named Little Willy who enters a dog sled race in order to win $500 to pay back the taxes on his grandfather's farm. It is written in simple prose and is set at an indeterminate time in the American Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
. The book was inspired by a Rocky Mountain
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
legend that Gardiner heard when he visited Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. Gardiner originally wrote Stone Fox as a screenplay, but turned it into a book at a producer's suggestion.
Plot summary
Little Willy and his dog Searchlight find Willy's grandfather lying in bed. Doc Smith, the only doctor in town, tells Willy that his grandfather no longer wants to live. Clifford Snider a tax collector sneaks into Little Willy's house and, with a derringer in his hand, demands to know how much his grandfather owes the state. After seeing some papers he tells Willy that they owe the state of WyomingWyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
500 dollars. The next day Willy enters a dog sled race that has a reward of 500 dollars. Willy sees a sled being pulled by five Samoyed
Samoyed (dog)
The Samoyed dog takes its name from the Samoyedic peoples of Siberia. An alternate name for the breed, especially in Europe, is Bjelkier...
s (fast dogs used for sled racing). The man on the sled signs up for the race, and Willy learns it is Stone Fox, a Native American who doesn't talk to white people and has never lost a race. During the race, Searchlight is so tired that her heart bursts and she dies instantly about 10 feet from the finish line. Stone Fox makes a line on the ground with his boot, takes out his rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
, and warns that if any other racers cross the line, he'll shoot. He then concedes the match to Willy, by letting Willy carry Searchlight across the finish line to everyone's amazement.
Characters
- Little Willy - the protagonist of the book, he lives with his grandfather in a potato farm in WyomingWyomingWyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. - Searchlight - Willy's loyal black dog who dies at the end of the story.
- Grandfather - Willy's grandfather, he is in bed throughout the book but in the climax he's up cheering for Willy to win.
- Doc Smith - the town's only doctor and a close friend to Willy and Grandfather.
- Stone Fox - a Native American who never talks to anyone except of his own kind. He has never lost a race.
- Mr. Clifford Snider - a tax collector who often smokes.
- Mr. Foster - the bank president who helps Willy with the paper work.
- Lester - a kind store clerk who runs Lester's general store.
- Dusty the Drunk - the town drunkard who tells Willy of Stone Fox.
Movie
Stone Fox is a 1987 television adaptation of the book starring Buddy EbsenBuddy Ebsen
Buddy Ebsen was an American character actor and dancer. A performer for seven decades, he had starring roles as Jed Clampett in the long-running television series The Beverly Hillbillies and as the title character in the 1970s detective series Barnaby Jones, and played Barnaby Jones in the movie...
(as Grandpa), Joey Cramer
Joey Cramer
Joey Cramer was a child actor in the United States and Canada during the mid 1980s, most notable for his role in Flight of the Navigator. He appeared in the television movie Stone Fox with Buddy Ebsen and Gordon Tootoosis in 1987. Today, Cramer lives in his hometown of Sechelt, and he is...
(as Willy), Gordon Tootoosis (as Stone Fox), Belinda Montgomery
Belinda Montgomery
Belinda J. Montgomery is a Canadian-born actress and painter currently living in California.-Life and career:Montgomery was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She is perhaps best known as Mrs...
(as Doc Smith), J.C. Roberts (as The Mayor/Blacksmith), Dale Wilson (as Mr. Lester) and Nikky Jansen (as Sarah Foster). The film was produced by Allarcom Limited and Taft Broadcasting
Taft Broadcasting
The Taft Broadcasting Company, also known as Taft Television and Radio Company, Incorporated, was an American media conglomerate based in Cincinnati, Ohio....
in association with Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
.
The plot in the movie is a little different from the book, Willy has to win the race to save his Grandpa's Cattle Ranch. At the end of the film Stone Fox leaves Willy a baby dog after the death of Morgan (Searchlight). The movie was filmed at Fort Edmonton Park
Fort Edmonton Park
Fort Edmonton Park is an attraction in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Named for the first enduring European post in the area of modern-day Edmonton, the park is the largest living history museum in Canada by area...
, Fox Drive
Fox Drive
Fox Drive is an arterial road in south-west Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is used by motorists travelling from destinations in west and south-west areas of the city to reach destinations in central Edmonton, including: the University of Alberta, Old Strathcona, and the downtown core, because it...
and Whitemud Drive
Whitemud Drive
Whitemud Drive is the main east-west freeway in southern Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is one of few roads in Edmonton that has controlled access and limited at-grade intersections with traffic signals. It currently functions as a freeway between Anthony Henday Drive in the west and Anthony Henday...
in Alberta, Canada.
External links
- Official Website
- Stone Fox at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...