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The Old Paria Movie Sets are situated in Paria Canyon near the Paria River. It is located 33 miles northeast of Kanab by way of Highway 89, then 5 miles north on a dirt road. Farther north on the same dirt road, accessible by four-wheel drive (or walking), is the original Paria (Pah-re-ah) townsite (Paria means "muddy water" in the Paiute language).
The Old Paria Movie Sets were built for the movie "Sergeants Three". The town site now comprises five buildings. They are full shells and filming can be done in their interiors, but watch out for snakes (I almost stepped on one that was crossing the road).
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In 2002, a flash flood swept through the town, endangering the buildings, so they were moved 100 feet up from the flood plain. They were reconstructed with new wood and placed on concrete footings. On August 26, 2006, all the buildings were destroyed in a fire, which might have been arson. It is hoped that the sets will be rebuilt once again, possibly much closer to the highway to allow easier public access.
SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY:
"Buffalo Bill" (20th Century Fox 1944) Directed by: William A. Wellman. Cast: Joel McCrea, Maureen O'Hara, Linda Darnell, Thomas Mitchell, Anthony Quinn, Moroni Olsen, Chief Thundercloud.
"Red Canyon" (Universal 1949) Directed by: George Sherman. Cast: Howard Duff, Ann Blyth.
"Cattle Drive" (Columbia 1951) Directed by: Kurt Neumann. Cast: Joel McCrea, Dean Stockwell, Chill Wills.
"Westward the Women" (MGM 1952) Directed by: William A. Wellman. Cast: Robert Taylor, Denise Darcel, John McIntire, Hope Emerson, Henry Nakamura, Renata Vanni.
"Sergeants Three" (United Artists 1962) Directed by: John Sturges. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, Henry Silva.
"Duel at Diablo" (United Artists 1966) Directed by: Ralph Nelson. Cast: James Garner, Bibi Anderson, Sidney Poitier.
"Ride in the Whirlwind" (Proteus Film 1966) Directed by: Monte Hellmann. Cast: Jack Nicholson, Cameron Mitchell, Millie Perkins.
"Mackenna's Gold" (Columbia 1969) Directed by: J. Lee Thompson. Cast: Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Telly Savalas, Camilla Sparv, Eli Wallich, Keenan Wynn, Edward G. Robinson, Raymond Massey, Anthony Quayle, Lee J. Cobb, Burgess Meredith, Eduardo Ciannelli.
"One Little Indian" (Buena Vista 1973) Directed by: Bernard McEveety. Cast: James Garner, Vera Miles, Jodie Foster, Clay O'Brien, Jay Silverheels.
"The Outlaw Josie Wales" (Warner Bros 1976) Directed by: Clint Eastwood. Cast: Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney, John Vernon.
