Lex Barker

The Making of a Lex Barker Documentary

1

On February 1st 2022, I receive an e-mail from Wolf von Truchsess of Frankfurter Westend Film & TV Produktion. "Long time, no hear", Wolf writes.

At one point in time when a TV production about Johnny Weissmuller was made ("The only real Tarzan"), I gave his company "a little support" by communicating a few of my interviewing-contacts to them: Julian Lesser (son of a long-standing Tarzan producer and my co-author of "Tarzan and Hollywood"), his sister Marjorie, as well as Linda Christian (a dear friend from the old classic Hollywood days). It is good to hear from Wolf again. It is good to hear from Wolf again.

2

Three days later, on February 4th 2022, a first video chat with Wolf and author/producer Andreas Wagner takes place. This chat about the different possibilities is supposed to last for an hour, but takes way longer in the end. Afterwards I almost have to pinch myself.

Had Barker-son Christopher and I only just paved the way for a new memory book commemorating the 50th anniversary of his father's death, now and rather unexpectedly, a wider thematic field seems to emerge. In fact, in 2012/2013 there had already been hope for the creation of a Lex Barker TV documentary which, for reasons I do not want to explain in detail here, was dampened quite soon. Now, in view of the Weissmuller documentary, hope for such a project is fuelled again, the more so as the request comes from a TV station. Had Barker-son Christopher and I only just paved the way for a new memory book commemorating the 50th anniversary of his father’s death, now and rather unexpectedly, a wider thematic field seems to emerge.

3

In the following weeks and months no significant development comes about. Nevertheless, some potential surviving interview partners have already been contacted. But when we are about to start, we simply cannot get in touch with the secretary of Lex Barker's ex-wife Baroness Tita anymore. Luckily, Baroness Tita had thrust her calling card into my hand, when I last paid her a visit at the Mediterranian Barker villa in Spain. Now the moment has come to try out this "door opener". And bingo! It worked. Many things are a lot less complicated if you call from person to person and now we are friends on Whatsapp. Rather quickly, an on-location appointment is agreed on.

4

At the Barker villa "Mas Mananas", on September 1st 2022, "the slate claps" for the first time to indicate that the making of the Lex Barker documentary has started.

Time and again, "Mas Mananas" is a faszinating place to be. There are, alas, no stars and stripes flying from the villa's flagpole now. Away from the filming, we get closer than ever to Barker's gravesite. After more than six hours of filming on locatrion, our bags are packed again and we are sitting at the table together for a meal at the villa. I can see tired but at the same time happy faces. What does it matter now that, due to a Lufthansa strike, some of us will have a longer trip home than expected.

5

A special highlight is some footage taken on All Saints' Day in the presence of Christopher Barker and his son Daniel in the Swiss city of Lucerne.

The first filming location is at the Hotel Balances where Lex Barker used to take accommodation when he came to town. It is here where Christopher Barker is readily speaking and answering. In the late afternoon - amidst a crowd of cemetery visitors – further footage is taken at the grave of Lex's wife Irene. During his marriage to Irene, Lex must presumebly have had the happiest time of his life. I have a feeling that this visit to the cemetery is going to add a special vibe to the documentary.

6

In the morning of December 5th, a blizzard is sweeping across Koblenz on the River Rhine and the bordering mid-range mountains. Thick snow drifts and weather-related detours accompany me to the Luxor Event Location in Koblenz.

The Luxor is a former 1950s style cinema of enthralling nostalgia and retro charme. Today it will be my turn to be interviewed on the (not very well-heated) stage. In the cinema foyer – in proper style – I am allowed to hang up my Lex Barker posters the oldest of which is a U.S. original of his first Tarzan movie.

And that I am very proud of.
Thank you so much.

7

Unfortunately, I am not able to be present at the shooting on each and every day. Visiting Westend Film in Frankfurt, I can cast a glance into the studio where I can see Lex Barkers "Starschnitt" on the wall. ("Starschnitt" is a life-size puzzle the parts of which can be collected from the weekly issues of the German youth magazine "Bravo".) I very much regret though, not having been able to travel with the crew to Croatia, the land of the Winnetou movie filming. The definite dates of departure are determined at rather short notice which is down to travel dates being delayed by a large-scale strike day (strike again!).

8

For the concluding shoot in Los Angeles I am on-site again.

On Eastersunday I am leaping "across the big pond". The next day we are guests of my good acquaintance Karen Kondazian at Hollywood Blvd. From her apartment, there is a fantastic view of the Chinese Theatre and the famous Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Karen is talking very emotionally about sharing the last few months of Lex Barker's life.

The next morning we travel on to Lagoona Woods in the south of the metropolitan area. Brett Halsey, a fellow US American actor who met Lex during his La Dolce Vita days in Rome, shares his recollections with us. On the last day of shooting, we are due to meet movie expert Jan-Christopher Horak. We have known each other for about 25 years and it is always nice to have an exchange about movie subjects with him. Just as expected, Jan-Christopher expertly analyzes Hollywood. It is such a pity that only parts of his analysis can be seen in the final documentary.

In the late afternoon, some short sequences are supposed to be filmed at the LA Arboretum, once a location where some Tarzan jungle scenes with Lex Barker took place. Unfortunately, the weather does not play along nor does the thicket of the jungle by the lagoon. After three dry years, it has recently rained quite often.

All things considered it is a short exhausting Hollywood trip on which we are happy to capture some good statements made by living contemporaries. The film shoots of the New York intersection where Lex Barker collapsed and died, have already been taken a short time before.

9

Parallel to the beginning of the film-cutting, we enter the final stages of publishing the memory book mentioned above. Whilst designing the final lay-out of the bookprint, more and more questions concerning the film-cutting pop up in my inbox. Furthermore, the first-person narrator for citations from Barker's letters, has yet to be determined after consulting Christopher Barker whose choice this is.

10

It is on a Friday when I am presented with the text-fact-check and rough cut. Straight after, I grab the phone to congratulate producer and author Andreas Wagner on this exciting and entertaining composition on the subject of "Lex Barker".

11

After having been published on different internet platforms, the trailer for the new Lex Barker documentary showed that the original title "Lex Barker - Western Hero and Heartthrob" had been changed to Lex Barker - Western Hero and Playboy". This change has been made not by the production company but the broadcasting tv channel ARTE. Christopher Barker stated that the expression "playboy" is utterly inappropriate where his father is concerned. Unfortunately, the title cannot, as requested, be changed anymore now.

Some readers of the Lex Barker websites did as well express their discomfort about him being depicted as a playboy. Why exactly ARTE decided on this lurid change of title, is incomprehensible to Christopher Barker and many others.

Fotos: Reiner Boller, Westend-Film

Introduction Biography Filmography Early chapters of life On Location Interviews Photo album Lex on TV in USA or UK Links Impressum

https://www.lex-barker.de

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Last updated:  09-14-2023