Colonel’s Corner

A Loving Tribute to Joel and Frances McCrea

By Col Michael C. Howard US Marines (Ret)

One of the Howard Family’s closest Hollywood connections was not just Bing Crosby and Elizabeth Taylor, but the beloved couple Joel McCrea and Francis Dee, both famed actors from the 1930s through 1970s. They were born and raised in Southern California. Joel had a passion for ranching but found out that in the early movie industry of Los Angeles, acting could earn a talented, good looking young man a lot. Frances was from a military background, but growing up in LA, also found that an accomplished, beautiful young lady could have unlimited opportunities as a gifted actress. And this is how they met, on a movie set. They were married in 1933 and, based on Will Rogers sage advice to Joel to “live off half of what you make, and invest the other half in land” accumulated a large ranch in the Conejo Valley just south of the two Howard Ranches in Ventura County, California. Centered on love, practicing faith, and sound principles, theirs became one of longest enduring marriages in Hollywood history. Their amazing story is one of love, devotion, hard work, unselfishness, and philanthropic blessings to countless others. They believed in family and community, and the belief that God had blessed them to bless others. Joel generously donated substantial acreage near the Norwegian Grade connecting Thousand Oaks to Camarillo to the Southeast Ventura County YMCA. He was a devoted mentor to youth like me, and he graciously recommended me for my very first summer job at our YMCA. This meant the world to me at the time and I was determined never to let his special trust and confidence in me down. I worked hard there for four summers before going off to college and the Marine Corps. Frances was one of my Mom’s best friends, and she was one of the most beautiful women I ever met. Softspoken, gentle, wise and fun (she taught us kids The Charleston). My Mom reminded me that Frances had auditioned for the role of Scarlett O’Hara in the 1939 masterpiece “Gone With the Wind”. Our initial connection with Joel & Frances was that their son Peter was my age, and being the only two boys in the area, we became fast friends and six decades later, we are still close. Aside from being neighbors, and all the horses, cattle, and other ranch activities, the McCrea’s and Howards shared a real love and devotion to patriotic and faith-based values of Moral Re-Armament and the movement they launched in the 1960s, the musical performance group “Up with People”. It is still a movement with a positive message. Yes, the McCrea story is such a wonderful one that I once, together with devoted others, did everything we could to convince author Laura Hillenbrand (following her magnificent work on Seabiscuit), to tell this incredible McCrea story. But sadly, this was not to be.

The beautiful Howard Balcom Canyon Ranch was my Grandfather’s property that he owned and used in his partnership with Bing Crosby, thus the “BingLin Stables” (1930-1950s), and later simply as the L. C. Howard Stock Farm. Consisting of 186 acres of Valencia orange, grapefruit and lemon citrus, 14 horse barns, a breeding and two stud barns and open horse grazing pastures with oat hay and alfalfa. It was just west of Moorpark, California, and regularly housed about 130 Thoroughbreds. My Dad’s ranch was just east of Moorpark on Tierra Rejada Road toward Simi, California, and consisted of 165 acres, also Valencia orange, grapefruit, and avocado groves, plus three horse barns and a dozen open fields for oat hay, alfalfa, and horse grazing. Both ranches housed beautiful facilities for both Thoroughbred (my Grandpa Howard’s passion) and my Dad’s Quarter Horse stock farm. Yes, after two generations in Thoroughbred racing, my Dad chose to make a break, and following his WWII discharge from the Marines, became one of the founding members of the American Quarter Horse Racing Association. Both Southern California Howard ranches were connected by family ties with my Great Grandfather, Charles S. Howard’s, Northern California 16,000-acre Ridgewood Ranch. This was where Seabiscuit, Kayak, Noor, Ajax and many other Howard Thoroughbreds spent most of their time when not racing. When C.S. Howard passed away in 1950, Ridgewood Ranch was sold and all the horses were either sold or moved south to Moorpark.

Joel and Frances McCrea had a cattle operation just south of us on 3,000 acres of sprawling grasslands and oak trees, which later became much of what is Thousand Oaks, California. At its height, they produced over 200,000 pounds of beef a year. All of the Howard Family, at least three generations, greatly respected and loved them for what they unselfishly did in contributing their time, service and material generosity to so many. It was Joel who first taught me how to shoot an 1885 Winchester octagon barrel .45-70 Buffalo rifle and also helped get me my first summer job. And it was Frances who taught my sisters and I how to do The Charleston on the kitchen floor of our ranch home in Moorpark. Both would take us on long horseback rides and hikes across both of our ranches. When it came time for President Ronald Reagan to choose a special location for his Presidential Library, it was Joel and Frances, plus others in Ventura County, that helped he and Nancy find a special spot near all of us where Simi, Moorpark, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks converged. It is now the crown jewel in Presidential Libraries. The McCreas always kept a low profile in what they did, so it was a thrill to all of us when they were recognized in a public way by Paramount Studios with their 75th Anniversary photo.

And among all these greatest names in Hollywood, it is only fitting that Joel & Frances McCrea were lovingly situated front row center! Their 57 year long marriage was a true love story and a rare thing in Hollywood. And they were not only blessed in these years they had together, but they blessed others in their genuine friendship, generosity, humble advice and service to community. They were true American patriots and examples through their close support of Moral Re-Armament and Up With People.

Now there are stories, and there are stories. And the one behind this amazing photo is much like the one about where Seabiscuit is buried at Ridgewood. Only a few know. But I will share that many in this photo deeply understood and were gratified that Joel and Frances, one of Hollywood’s longest and most enduring marriages based on sincere love, integrity and humility, were so recognized by folks who truly knew them and deeply cared for them.

I would like to extend my personal thanks to Peter McCrea, son of Joel and Frances, and also my lifelong friend. I also want to honor Andrew Craddock Lyles Jr, affectionately known as “AC” to many friends, an accomplished American film producer, historian, television writer, and all-around great man who was known as Paramount’s “Ambassador of Goodwill” for half a century. He specialized in Westerns and being a loyal friend and encourager within the motion picture industry. History is a fragile thing, and it is good when beautiful deeds are recorded in unique ways for posterity.