If you would have asked Cowboys Too!’ owner, George Wilson if his small western clothing store would be a part of Hollywood he would have said you were crazy. But this is exactly what happened! Right after Christmas in 2020 Jacqui West with Apple Studios LLC was in Belle Fourche and walked into Cowboys Too!
George was working and she walked up and asked “Could you supply a little over 30 pairs of boots for a movie”? George who loves a challenge said “Sure”. Jacqui and George’s conversation was interrupted by a phone call to Jacqui and she left but not before saying “I will be back to discuss this with you”. George wondered if she would return.
She did return a few days later with more information about what she was looking for and questions. She was in need of 30 pairs of black boots for background actors in a movie set to start filming in April of 2021 and released in theaters on Friday, October 20, 2023. She also needed two pairs of custom boots for the lead actor This was a $200 million dollar budget movie. A movie directed by Martin Scorsese starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro, Lily Gladstone, and Brendan Fraser.
The Osage Indian murders and the Birth of the FBI, David Grann (author) tells the riveting true story of the murders of the world’s richest people per capita in the 1920s. Apple Studios LLC and Martin Scorsese were about to bring Grann’s book to life through film. Cowboys Too! was under a huge deadline to get the boots.
George started researching where to get boots in mass quantity. He came into contact with Alberta Boot Company, located in Canada. With COVID-19 in force and many lockdowns in the USA, Alberta Boot Company was able to slip this into production. They have made boots for dozens of movies and shows including Dances with Wolves, and Hell On Wheels, and also supply boots for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Jacqui and her team sent George a copy of Leo’s foot. They stopped him in his tracks at a New York hotel to get the outline of his foot and sent the 8.5X11” paper with an additional sheet that gave his calf, heel, instep, waist, and the ball of foot measurements. All of this took time and time was running out. There were many discrepancies with the main boot for Leo. They were to be a Western movie star, Tom Mix, replica. Tom’s custom-made, decoratively stitched two-tone boots measuring 15” tall, with 2” Cuban heels needed a little change. Leonardo DiCaprio is over 6’ tall and the Cuban heel is not for a stout man.
George explained this to Jacqui and Jacqui explained it to the wardrobe department. All of this took precious time. After all the changes, boots finally went into production at the end of January. The boots had to be in Oklahoma in the middle of March for the costume designers to do their magic and fit correctly to the actors. The 30 pairs of black boots were easier. No decoration, just an easy slip-on cowboy boot. Once the boots were in production George and George’s manager, Michelle Evans, spoke with other departments to ensure delivery of the boots. Once all the boots were made and ready to be shipped, George called to tell Jacqui. Jacqui insisted that the boots be shipped to COWBOYS TOO! so that George and Michelle could see them. With border customs, this meant the boots would be delivered to the film set in Oklahoma late. George was ready for a road trip.
The boots were delivered through the front door in a 4x3x2 box and George and Michelle looked over each pair. George and Michelle also tried on the two pairs of boots for Leo and quickly knew they would be too small for Leo. After everything was looked over, tried on, and re-boxed George got in his truck with an Oklahoma address in his GPS. George arrived at the gated film set and was approached by a very happy Jacqui. After just a few minutes upon arrival, George made a U-turn and returned to South Dakota.
After a roundtrip adventure of 1800 miles, George’s job was complete and on time. Alberta Boot Company had to quickly make another pair of boots for Leo because the first pair were indeed too small. Then the wait was on. George and Michelle were told not to tell anyone about their involvement or write any articles for any newspapers until the movie had been released at the Cannes Festival in May 2023. COWBOYS TOO! may have just been the middleman but their part is forever written in history.
With raving reviews at Cannes, the movie release date was set. Friday, October 20th, 2023 the movie will be for all to watch.
