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 Dice |
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the movie star horse
trained by Ralph
McCutcheon.
Dice was a flashy black & white pinto colt used in rodeos. One day a talent scout asked if Dice could be in a forth coming Richard Dix western called "It happened in Hollywood". They tested 9 horses and Dice was picked for the role. This triggered another Hollywood success story-Mr McCutcheon's 30 plus years of training many of the top equine stars of motion pictures. Many of the many early western stars rode atop of Dice. Gene Autry once rode Dice in a movie. Later "Duel in the Sun"& "Arizona" was made. That made Dice big time famous as well as Mr. McCutcheon. Dice was selected to carry actor, Gregory Peck and
 
Jennifer Jones & Dice |
 
Gregory Peck & Dice |
actress, Jennifer
Jones. Columbia studios used Dice extensively
which estabished Mr. McCutcheon as the trainer & handler for any horse work for that studio, thanks to Dice. After doing the movie "Duel in the Sun" Dice loafed around the McCutcheon stables in Van Nuys, California until 1958 when it was evident Dice, 30 years old
was finding life too difficult and had to be put to sleep. The next time you watch the old western movies you will see Dice in action again.
Dice and Jean Arthur in the movie "ARIZONA"
Dice pulling the wagon in one the 3 Stooges serials
Note: Loretta knew the horse trainers
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Comments & Info From: Dice was known for his extraordinary ability to 'track' exactly in his own tracks. This is hard for a horse to do but very important to the film maker who must set his cameras and lights perfectly. When Dice was to work a scene at liberty, the trainer would walk him along the path which he was to follow. Once they were ready to film, Dice was turned loose and cued for the speed they wanted. He never veered from the original walk-through. Black Diamond was the another who could do this (Les Hiton, trainer of Mr. Ed the talking horse, sometimes worked with Dice also), as could our pony, Pixie, although Pixie could not do it as consistently as they could. |
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