A Cowboy and A Lady Reliving History

Reno divorce era “survivor” and author Marilu Norden with former 1940s Nevada divorce ranch wrangler, Bill McGee.  Scottsdale, Arizona, November 2012. (Photo: Chris Norden)

 

Marilu Norden is on a short list of Reno divorce era “survivors” — people who went to Reno in the 1940s and ‘50s to get a six-week divorce.

In 1951, Ms. Norden resided for six weeks at Pyramid Lake Guest Ranch, one of a handful of divorce ranches (as they were called) scattered around Reno. Pyramid Lake was remote then – and still is today. However, its remoteness is exactly what attracted many high-profile types who wanted to spend their six weeks in privacy and avoid the prying eyes of the press.

In 1949, noted writer and journalist A. J. Liebling stayed at Pyramid Lake and later wrote “The Mustang Buzzers” for The New Yorker.  In 1956, Arthur Miller stayed at Pyramid Lake to free himself up so he could marry Marilyn Monroe, and penned the short story for Esquire that would later become the basis for the movie, “The Misfits”. In 2008, Marilu Norden wrote a fictionalized account of her six weeks at Pyramid Lake in Unbridled: Tale of a Divorce Ranch.

Bill McGee is a former 1940s Nevada divorce ranch wrangler and the co-author of  The Divorce Seekers: A Photo Memoir of a Nevada Dude Wrangler.

The Cameras Rolled This Month… Four Interviews “in the can” for Reno Divorce Documentary

October 2012 – The cameras rolled this month as producer/writer/director John Cork shot four interviews for his upcoming documentary RENO and The Romance of Divorce . (Pictured) Sandra McGee, Reno divorce expert and creative consultant on the project.

Sandra and her co-author husband, Bill McGee, who is also a creative consultant on the documentary, wrote what is regarded as  the Reno divorce era ”bible”, The Divorce Seekers: A Photo Memoir of a Nevada Dude Wrangler.

Others giving on-camera commentary included: Bill McGee, a former 1940s Nevada dude wrangler on the famous Flying M E divorce ranch; Joan Wagner, who got a 1948 divorce at the Flying M E; and Christopher Caproni, whose grandmother got a 1938 divorce at the TH Ranch in Sutcliffe, Nevada’s first ranch to take in paying dudes and divorce seekers.

The project is currently accepting tax-deductible contributions of any amount for the next phase of production at Indiegogo.com.

The Pig Roast

In September, the documentary team of RENO and The Romance of Divorce  (“RRD”) met in Reno to discuss plans for the next phase of production. (See the post, Getting the Cameras Rolling, September 15.)

The team took a break to attend the Annual Pig Roast hosted by Reno historian Neal Cobb and his wife Mary on their Reno ranch. More than 200 guests enjoyed an old-time Western gather with an abundance of food, good music, camaraderie and of course… The Pig.

“RRD” documentary producer John Cork (center) with “2012 Distinguished Nevadan” Guy Rocha (left) and Reno gaming historian and author Dwayne Kling (right).

(Left to right) Steve Ellison, producer “Harolds Club” documentary; author and “RRD” creative consultant Bill McGee; and Deb Geraghty, “RRD” creative consultant.  

“RRD” producer Lisa van Eyssen (left) with “RRD” creative consultant and author Sandra McGee.

 

National Day of the American Cowboy – July 28, 2012

 

 

My favorite cowboy…  Bill McGee on his roping horse Zorro on the Flying M E Guest Ranch, Washoe Valley, Nevada, 1947. Who is your favorite cowboy?

-Sandra McGee, Divorce Nevada Style

Welcome to DIVORCE NEVADA STYLE

From the 1930s to the 1960s, if you wanted a quick, simple exit from marriage, Nevada was the place to go – and especially Reno.  ”Divorce Seekers” (as they were called) flocked to Reno — and later Las Vegas – by the thousands, including Eastern socialites, movie stars and housewives, all seeking the “Reno cure”.

In most other states, divorce required a waiting period of a year or more and proof of adultery. But in 1931, Nevada made it simple: A six week residency at a hotel, boarding house, or exclusive divorce ranch; a list of legal grounds that required little proof; and an average of six minutes in court.

Soon after Reno was known as the “Divorce Capital of the World” and “I’m going to Reno!” became synonymous with getting a divorce.

I became fascinated with the Reno divorce era through my husband’s stories of his time from 1947 to 1950 working as the head dude wrangler on the Flying M E, an exclusive divorce ranch 20 miles south of Reno that catered to wealthy Easterners, socialites, and Hollywood celebrities. Together we co-authored a coffee table book, The Divorce Seekers: A Photo Memoir of a Nevada Dude Wrangler. (Read about the book on the page, The Divorce Seekers: The Book That Inspired This Blog.)

Today, few people know about this part of Nevada history or how difficult it used to be for a woman to get out of an unhappy marriage. I hope to help preserve this history. To this end, my husband, Bill McGee, and I are currently creative consultants on an upcoming documentary RENO and The Romance of Divorce . (Click on the link to view the trailer and read the full story.)

Please send me your Nevada divorce story at mcgeebmc@aol.com.

– Sandra McGee, Divorce Nevada Style

“We’re Going To Reno!”

April 2012 — John Cork and Lisa van Eyssen, acclaimed writer/director/producers of the upcoming documentary, RENO and the Romance of Divorce, met with two of the project’s creative consultants Bill and Sandra McGee en route to Reno. John and Lisa will conduct some serious research and meet with key historians and players in the history of divorce in Nevada. (View the documentary trailer on this blog.)    –Sandra McGee, Divorce Nevada Style

Seeking Home Film Footage for Reno Divorce Documentary

The producers of RENO and the Romance of Divorce, an upcoming documentary on the Reno divorce era, are seeking home film footage and photographic stills of Reno from the 1920s to the 1950s.  

Reno and the Romance of Divorce will be a feature-length documentary that tells the story of the vital role a small town in Nevada played in changing America’s understanding of marriage and divorce.

Acclaimed documentary filmmakers John Cork and Lisa van Eyssen of Cloverland will write, direct and produce.  Creative consultants on the project are authors Bill McGee and Sandra McGee (The Divorce Seekers: A Photo Memoir of a Nevada Dude Wrangler);  Mella Rothwell Harmon, Nevada Humanities Scholar; and Guy Louis Rocha, Nevada State Archivist (Retired) and “2012 Distinguished Nevadan”.  The San Francisco Film Society is the fiscal sponsor and KNPB (PBS) Reno is the sponsoring broadcaster. The documentary is expected to be completed in 2013.

View the trailer

To discuss your home film footage, photographic stills, or other memorabilia of Reno from the1920s to the 1950s, please call or email Bill or Sandra McGee at (415) 435-1883 or mcgeebmc@aol.com.

–Sandra McGee,Divorce Nevada Style

“RENO and the Romance of Divorce” (An Upcoming Documentary – View the Trailer)

 A DOCUMENTARY FILM

BY JOHN CORK AND LISA VAN EYSSEN

The remarkable true story of how a small town in Nevada redefined divorce and marriage, and changed the role of women in American society.

“This documentary will not glorify divorce. It will examine the personal, political and historical aspects of Nevada’s divorce trade, and how changing the  divorce laws created a more equal society between men and women. It’s a great story about a chapter of American history few people know about today.”  –John Cork, Writer/Director/Producer

San Francisco Film Society, Fiscal Sponsor

KNPB (PBS) Reno, Sponsoring Broadcaster

Anticipated Completion 2013

Your tax-deductible contributions of any amount are welcome!
View the perks and contribute online Here.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS 

John Cork, Director/ Producer/ Writer, has directed over 300 documentary shorts and two feature-length documentaries for clients such as the James Bond film producers, MGM, Fox, and Sony. He is the screenwriter of the acclaimed civil rights drama, The Long Walk Home (1990), starring Academy Award-winning actresses Sissy Spacek and Whoopi Goldberg. Mr. Cork is president of Cloverland.

Lisa van Eyssen, Producer, has produced a wide-range of projects for The History Channel, AMC, BRAVO and HBO, as well as writing/producing biographies for A&E on Mary Tyler Moore, Paul Newman, Harrison Ford and Elizabeth Taylor. Lisa joined Cloverland in 2006 and has served as producer, writer and director on over 50 film projects.

Creative Consultants:
Bill McGee and Sandra McGee – Authors of The Divorce Seekers: A Photo Memoir of a Nevada Dude Wrangler
Mella Rothwell Harmon – Nevada Historian and Author of “Divorce and Economic Opportunity in Reno, Nevada During the Great Depression”
Guy Louis Rocha –Nevada State Archivist (ret) and “2012 Distinguished Nevadan”
Deb Geraghty – Reno Events Coordinator

Interview with Bill McGee, KOLO-TV, Reno (Video)

Ed Pearce of KOLO-TV, Reno, interviews former 1940s Nevada dude wrangler Bill McGee on the site of the famous Flying M E divorce ranch, Washoe Valley, Nevada. November 2004.

 

“Welcome to Reno: America’s Divorce Resort” (Video)

This video documentary short was produced by acclaimed documentary filmmakers John Cork and Lisa van Eyssen for Twentieth Century Fox. The documentary short — or exclusive featurette as it’s called on the DVD – accompanies the re-release on DVD of the 1939 film Charlie Chan in Reno. Former 1940s Nevada divorce ranch wrangler and author Bill McGee provides on-camera commentary. The featurette runs 15 minutes; posted is a 2-minute clip.

The Charlie Chan Collection, Volume 4, is a 4-DVD box set and includes Charlie Chan in Reno, three other Charlie Chan movies, plus many exclusive featurettes. Available from Amazon.