You are welcome. Yes, encouraging news. Can't wait to hear more.

As there are probably many like myself who've never heard of Ruth Wilson, I decided to explore and bring back things. Wow says I. Impressive actress, absolutely fascinating background (her grandfather!!). She is only 29. Here's two wiki pieces to give you just a taste.

On Ruth Wilson:

On Alexander Wilson, writer and spy:

This is a bit off topic...but I remember hearing the story of the Lone Ranger and Tonto being surrounded by Indians on the war path. As they closed in, the Lone Ranger looked at Tonto, and said,

"It looks like we are in trouble this time."

Tonto just looked back at the Lone Ranger, and said
"What do you mean,We, white man!"

Somehow I think Johnny would like this story.

I think they go off when they have shooting permits requested. And those most likely have a month in each direction just in case something happens. So the real shoot will probably be around 4 months.

Hi-Yo Phoebe, away!: Woodstock horse lands role as Silver in Lone Ranger movie
Today at 10:48 a.m.
S

Phoebe — a rare, white thoroughbred — has been tapped as one of five horses to play Silver in the movie “The Lone Ranger,” scheduled for release in 2012.

By Andrea L. Brown
Special to the Tribune

A rare white horse bred in Illinois will leave home this week to star in a Hollywood picture.

Phoebe has been tapped as one of five horses to play Silver in an upcoming production of “The Lone Ranger,” scheduled for release in 2012. She will co-star with Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as Tonto.

“I’m kind of like a mom sending her kid out to college,” said Phoebe’s owner, Amber Bauman, 37. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t have mixed emotions.”

Bauman was with Phoebe, the first all-white thoroughbred born in Illinois, when the mare was born five years ago on her Woodstock farm, Valley View Acres. Bauman breeds thoroughbreds in unusual colors, such as as white, buckskin and palomino.

Bauman said she isn’t exactly sure why producers singled her horse out, other than the fact that that white thoroughbreds are extremely rare.

The Jockey Club, which authenticates thoroughbreds in North America, has 125 white thoroughbreds registered as of July 15, a Jockey Club spokeswoman said. Phoebe is registered with The Jockey Club under the name Perfectly Memorable.

A truly white horse such as Phoebe is born with a white coat over pink skin. Other horses that appear white are born with gray coats that later turn white, Bauman said.

Representatives from the film flew out earlier this year to ride Phoebe and make sure she met the size requirements, Bauman said. Even before Hollywood scouts spotted her, Phoebe has grown accustomed to the spotlight.

“She knows she’s different, and she just kind of goes with it,” Baruman said. “She’ll fit right in, in Hollywood.”

Phoebe will spend the next year training for and performing in her role under the care of Hollywood horse wranglers. Bauman said she is not sure what tasks and tricks Phoebe will perform. The mare has a friendly temperament and could be trained to rear up on voice command.

But more likely Phoebe will be seen hopping fences. “No one jumps like she does in our farm,” Bauman said.

Phoebe began her career at the racetrack. Too slow to race, the mare excelled as a show horse. She won first place in the 2010 Fox River Valley Pony club mini event in the beginner novice class.

While she is not sure if Phoebe will return to the barns of Valley View Acres, Bauman said she has no doubt the barn will throw its own party complete with red carpet when the movie premieres next summer.

If she’s around, you can bet Phoebe will join the party.

“She always wants to be one of the girls,” Baumann said. “She loves people, and she loves attention.”

Thank you Emma for the article. I am a horsey person, so I am very interested in the starring horses. I have never seen an all white horse with pink skin, I wonder if they must use sun screen to protect her skin.

This is very interesting! The farm in Woodstock is not too far from my house. Seems like a long way to take a horse, but I'm sure they are experts at this kind of thing.

Woodstock horse galloping off to be in ‘Lone Ranger’ film
By Denise Moran For The Courier-News July 18, 2011 8:14PM

Updated: July 19, 2011 2:15AM

WOODSTOCK — Phoebe, the first all-white thoroughbred born in Illinois, soon will be traveling to Hollywood to be one of five horses playing the part of Silver in a remake of “The Lone Ranger.”

Phoebe and her original owner, Amber Bauman, owner of Valley View Acres horse farm here, met with the media Monday prior to making the journey west for filming of the movie.

Fans of “The Lone Ranger” will remember that it first aired as a radio show in 1933. It later became a television show from 1949 to 1957, starring Clayton Moore as the masked hero and Jay Silverheels as his partner, Tonto.

The movie, which is being directed by Gore Verbinski, will star Armand Hammer as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as Tonto. The release date is Dec. 21, 2012.

Phoebe is now owned by Silver Bullet Productions Inc., which is owned by Walt Disney Pictures.

Valley View Acres is a breeding farm that specializes in colored thoroughbreds like Phoebe for race and sport. Bauman lives on the farm with her husband, Tyson, and their three children: Adam, 11; Alexis, 7; and Austin, 5.

Bauman said there also are farms in Tennessee, Kentucky, Oregon and Virginia that breed colored thoroughbreds.

“Phoebe was born on our farm on May 24, 2006,” Bauman said. “It’s amazing when you hear a foal take its first breath and towel them off. Phoebe is a part of my family. She thinks she’s human, and she knows that she’s special.”

Phoebe is the daughter of a thoroughbred named Perfectly Memorable, a good jumper owned by Bauman, and Chet DT, a race horse owned by Jerry Tyler of Cadillac, Mich.

Phoebe was the first all-white thoroughbred born in Illinois.

“Jerry taught me about colored thoroughbreds,” Bauman said. “He brought Phoebe’s dad here to my farm. Jerry trained Phoebe.”

Tyler died in October, but it was through him and contacts in the Midwest thoroughbred breeders community that producers of “The Lone Ranger” first learned about Phoebe, prompting them to purchase her for the movie.

Spooking others

Phoebe is 5 years old, weighs 1,200 pounds and stand 15.3 hands high. A hand is equivalent to four inches. The measurement is taken from the ground to the withers, which is the ridge between the shoulder blades.

“At 2 years old, Phoebe went for saddle training,” Bauman said. “At 3 years old, she went for racetrack training. She trained at Arlington Park Racetrack and Hawthorne Racecourse. The fact that she is pure white spooked the other race horses. We decided that Phoebe was too slow for the racetrack, so we turned her into a show horse. Her first and only event was at the Barrington Horse Trial.”

Bauman described Phoebe as an “eventer” who was entered in triathlon competition that includes dressage, stadium jumping, and cross country.

“Dressage is a ballet of the horse and rider together,” Bauman said. “When it comes to what Phoebe likes the best, bring on the jumping.”

Bauman said that she has taken Phoebe over jumps as high as 4 feet, 6 inches.

“She has a good extended trot,” Bauman said. “She looks like she is floating on air.”

Bauman said everyone at the farm will miss Phoebe when she leaves for Hollywood.

“It’s like sending my kid off to college,” Bauman said. “I plan on having a red barn event when the movie comes out. We will make a concrete star with her hoof prints for the barn, and we will watch the movie in Crystal Lake. Rumor has it that the film producers already are planning a sequel.”

Horse Days event

Bauman is the event coordinator for Horse Days 2011 on Aug. 19-21 at Boone County Fairgrounds in Belvidere. Horse Days 2011 will include the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association rodeo, the Ultimate Horseman’s Challenge Race, and the largest horse pull competition in Illinois history. Sanctioned by the Illinois Horse Pullers Association, the competition will feature horses from throughout the Midwest and Canada.

“There’s something for everyone at Horse Days 2011,” said Brian Lamb, founder and chairman of the event. “It’s a playground for horse and dog lovers, who will be excited about both the traditional and new events we are bringing to the fairgrounds. Those who don’t know much about horses will be enthralled by our showcase of equines.”

“Phoebe would have been in the jumper class at Horse Days 2011 if she wasn’t going to Hollywood,” Bauman said. She will host a mini-event at her farm on Sunday, July 31, that will mirror some of what people will see at Horse Days 2011.

More information on Horse Days 2011 can be found at http://www.horsedays.net

From Terry Rossio's forum:

Re: LONE RANGER

Posted by Terry on Monday, 18 July 2011, at 8:57 p.m., in response to LONE RANGER, posted by Fergie on Monday, 18 July 2011, at 4:33 p.m.

>> Now that the LONE RANGER has got the greenlight and opening date, do
>> you know why DISNEY or GORE VERBINSKI asked for another screenwriter to
>> come in over you for a rewrite?

Justin came in to work on the screenplay with Gore during production rewrites on On Stranger Tides. As one of the exec producers I've been able to stay involved, help the transition, help pitch to Mr. Depp, etc. (There is also the not to be overlooked fact that Justin is an utterly fantastic writer and a freakishly impressive human being.)

>> Is it a rewrite or a touch up on dialogue or something?

Rewrites are rewrites. Everything is a candidate for change until the entire story works.

>> Is the script basically how the LONE RANGER became the LONE RANGER? I have
>> watched the movies of Clayton Moore & the legend of the lone ranger starring
>> Klinton Spilsbury - 1981.

There is a lot to the film. I don't want to spoil it or limit it in any way.

>> How did you come up with a story after he becomes the LONE RANGER, Terry?

In that case, it was, who is the villain and what is he trying to do?

>> Did Gore have some ideas?

Of course. At least a hundred a day.

Very exciting to have a western -- a real, old-fashioned WESTERN -- going into production, by the way.

and:

Keep to the Code

Posted by Terry on Tuesday, 19 July 2011, at 12:02 a.m., in response to By "old-fashioned Western" do you mean a Hays Code Western, posted by guy in the cheap seats on Monday, 18 July 2011, at 9:21 p.m.

It's written to be a Hays Code western, but with Gore and Johnny involved, they'll go pre Hays Code where they can.

Note: the Hays Code was a form of self-censorship in Hollywood that pre-dated the current MPAA ratings. For Westerns its main impact was the rule that shooter and victim couldn't be in the same frame. The Hays Code's main impact, though, was in censoring suggestive or foul language or acts. Mae West and Jean Harlow were thought to be too titillating for the poor movie-going public so the code was implemented.

Thank you FAN for the update.
I'm fascinated to know just who Justin is and how "freakishly impressive a human being" he is.