THE SHOOTIEST

THE SHOOTIST (1976)
dir: Don Siegel

MAD #190, April 1977
w: Dick DeBartolo
a: Mort Drucker

J. B. Books (John Wayne), former lawman and gunfighter, has come to Carson City, The first thing he does is get into a fender-bender (or the equivalent thereof) with dairyman Jay Cobb (Bill McKinney) but Cobb's assistant Gillom Rogers (Ron Howard) tells him it's not worth fighting about. Jack Pulford (Hugh O'Brian) and Mike Sweeney (Richard Boone) are two men with grievances against him. Marshal Walter Thibido (Harry Morgan) wants him out of town.

The "Ford" pin is a combination reference to John Ford, John Wayne's most famous director, and Gerald Ford, who was running against Carter for President at the time this was written.

Dr. Hostetler (James Stewart) tells Mr. Books he has cancer and gives him a few days to live. Books settles in at a boarding house run by Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall).

Books checks in under a fake name, but Bond's son Gillom and stableman Moses (Scatman Crothers) find out he's really J. B. Books. Gillom is excited that a legend is living in their house and tells his mother. She tells him the next morning she's upset she was lied to and wants him out, and he has to admit that he's dying. Marshal Thibido wants him to leave but upon finding out he's about to die becomes overjoyed. Dan Dobkins (Richard Lenz), a kocal journalist approaches, wanting to write his life story.

J. B. Books doesn't want to be written about and chases Dan Dobkins away. He asks Ms. Rogers if she'll go on a carriage ride with him, she refuses, but he eventually wins her over. That night he shoots two intruders who are after him, which impresses Gillom but not his mother.

Gillom has sold Books' horse without his consent. Books confronts him about it, and Gillom thought it was okay since Books was dying and he really meant no harm, then asks for shooting lessons. At the barber, the undertaker (John Carradine) sees Books and makes arrangements which he refuses because he knows he'll just be exploited. Books demands the undertaker pay him. The barber ask if he can have some hair as a souvenir, which he's fine with. Books ask Gillom to set up a meeting that week with his three worst enemies.

His three worst enemies—Cobb, Pulford, and Sweeney show up at the saloon at the time arranged. Books comes all dressed up and orders a drink saying it's his birthday. A shootout then ensues, and Books is shot dead by the bartender before Gillom can warn him.

I think this German accompanied their translation of the parody, but doesn't seem to depict any situation from the movie other than John Wayne's character.

THE SHOT-IST
Sick #113, December 1976
w: Jim Simon

The still in the upper left is of a scene that wasn't used in MAD's parody. It's from the beginning establishing J. B. Books' badassery. When he first comes to town he gets robbed and shoots the robber.