Gage County Classic Film Institute

02/28/2026

“Westward the Woman” — With a Gage County Surprise!
Did you know that in the 1951 film Westward the Woman has unexpected ties to Gage County? It’s true — and the story behind it is just as fascinating as the film itself.

Robert Taylor wasn’t impressed with the original script, so he made a creative choice: he replaced many of the names and places with ones pulled straight from Gage County. If you join us for the screening, we’ll share exactly which hometown references made it into the final cut. Even better, you can try to spot them yourself as you watch.

About the Movie
Westward the Woman follows a group of courageous women traveling by wagon train to California, where new lives — and new husbands — await. Led by a tough trail guide (Robert Taylor), the journey becomes a gripping test of endurance, grit, and determination. It’s a classic Western with heart, hardship, and unforgettable characters.

Come enjoy the film, discover the Gage County connections, and see how many local names you can catch on screen. It’s a perfect blend of Hollywood storytelling and hometown history.

March 6–7, 2026

Enjoy family-friendly screenings, in-person talks with film historians and authors, and a special meet & greet with featured guests.

🎟 Tickets: $20 adults, $5 youth (13–18)
💫 Gage County Historical Society Members: $15
VIP donor levels include exclusive gifts + reserved seating!
👉 Reserve your spot today—Contact the Gage County Historical Society to find out how.
402-228-1679

Tickets are for Saturday during the day. The movies on Friday and Saturday night are free to the public.

02/21/2026

Friday, March 6, 2026

📍 Centenary United Methodist Church
• 6:00 PM – Family-Friendly Screening: Cattle King (1963)- Free to the Public.
🍿 Light snacks provided by Colleen’s Catering

We’re celebrating Robert Taylor’s Nebraska roots with a screening of Cattle King!

Bring the family, enjoy the film, and kick off a great weekend of classic cinema.

In 1963, Robert Taylor returned to MGM one last time for Cattle King, a modestly budgeted Western built on classic frontier themes. Though Taylor had left the studio’s contract list years earlier, his long tenure made him one of the few actors ever to earn an MGM pension. By then a television star, he still had the draw to make Cattle King a success in smaller theaters.

The film was shaped by Western veterans: producer Nat Holt, TV seasoned writer Thomas Thompson, and director Tay Garnett, who had previously guided Taylor in Bataan.

Enjoy family-friendly screenings, in-person talks with film historians and authors, and a special meet & greet with featured guests.

📅 Robert Taylor Film Weekend – March 6–7, 2026
🎟 Tickets: $20 adults, $5 youth (13–18)
💫 Gage County Historical Society Members: $15
VIP donor levels include exclusive gifts + reserved seating!
👉 Reserve your spot today—Contact the Gage County Historical Society to find out how. Tickets are for Saturday during the day.
402-228-1679

The photo is from the Turner Classic Movies article written by Frank Miller. https://www.tcm.com/articles/33916/cattle-king

01/30/2026

Save the Date

🎬✨ Celebrate Hollywood’s Nebraska Star! ✨🎬
Join us for the 115th Birthday of Robert Taylor, presented by the Gage County Classic Film Festival!

📅 March 6–7, 2026
Enjoy family-friendly screenings, in-person talks with film historians and authors, and a special meet & greet with featured guests.

🎟 Tickets: $20 adults, $5 youth (13–18)
Gage County Historical Society Members: $15
VIP donor levels include exclusive gifts + reserved seating!

👉 Reserve your spot today—Contact the Gage County Historical Society to find out how.
402-228-1679.

04/03/2025

It's National Film Score Day!

Beatrice native Fitch Fulton won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for the 1949 movie "Mighty Joe Young." The musical score for “Mighty Joe Young” is one that often gets overlooked. Composed by Roy Webb with the song "Beautiful Dreamer" written by Stephen Foster. For thirty-five minutes the music included action cues, exotic African underscore, nightclub jazz music, fanfares, and outrageous orchestration.

Roy Webb was born in New York on October 3, 1888. He would compose and arrange music for over two hundred films never once receiving an award. In 1925, he wrote the fight song for Columbia University his Alma Mater. In 1961, his house caught fire destroying all his manuscripts including his film scores and unpublished works. Afterwards, he never composed a single song again. He died on December 10, 1982, at the age of ninety-four.

When ‘’Mighty Joe Young” was remade in 1998, James Horner composed the musical score still keeping the song "Beautiful Dreamer" by Stephen Foster.

http://www.mmmrecordings.com/Audio_Samples/Music-MJY-01.mp3

03/12/2025

We had a great weekend! Our classic film event was superb! Ben Model was great! He gave excellent performances! We are now look forward to our next year's event.

03/08/2025

Today's the day!

I hope you are excited as we are!

This Harold Lloyd fan sure is!

Begin at the museum for donuts and coffee and carpool over to Burchard. Then we have a great afternoon in store at Community Players!

Those who buy tickets are automatically entered in the drawing for Harold Lloyd's 1928 Autobiography!

03/07/2025

Harold Lloyd fans are coming out tonight for our Family Friendly event! We hope to see you tonight at Centenary United Methodist Church at 6:00pm!

03/05/2025

This Harold Lloyd Fan is wondering if you are coming to our Classic Film event this weekend. I hate to tell him you are not. So stop by the museum today and get your tickets. Can't make it during the day on Saturday. No worries our event for Friday night and for Saturday night are free to the public.

03/04/2025

This little cutie is counting down the days to our Big Harold Lloyd Event. If you have not purchased your tickets for this Saturday's event, please come by the Gage County Historical Society and Museum. Hours this week are Thursday- Friday 10:00am- 4:00pm.

03/03/2025