Father of fast draw remembered fondly at shoot-out

Published 12:43 am Saturday, September 1, 2012

One cant speak of fast draw shooting without mentioning Arvo Ojala.

The Hollywood gun coach, actor, stuntman and quick draw artist appeared most famously in the opening sequence of televisions long-running Gunsmoke. Ojala, the man in black, is gunned down by Marshall Matt Dillon, played by James Arness.

Ojala taught some of Hollywoods most famous actors to handle a six-shooter. His students included Marilyn Monroe, the cast of Bonanza, James Garner, Kirk Douglas, Kevin Costner and Paul Newman. Ojala demonstrated his sizzling speed by drawing, cocking and shooting a target in one sixth of a second.

Inga Ojala, who is helping memorialize her father with a museum on Pendletons Main Street, said he started his love affair with guns as a small boy. He learned to spin and twirl six shooters and fire with accuracy and speed.

He practiced by shooting the heads off of rattlesnakes, said Inga. He threw quarters up in the air. He practiced constantly.

Inga, who showed up at this weekends Gunfighter Rendezvous at the Pendleton Convention Center, drew some looks of reverence as she was introduced by Match Director Jon Blackjack Long.

Hes the reason were shooting fast draw today, Long said.

Arvos hands often appeared in close-ups twirling or drawing his gun.

The fast draw artist died in 2005, but his legend lives on, along with a metal-lined holster he invented to help Hollywood gunfighters draw faster. The low-slung holster graced the hips of gunmen in television series such as Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Maverick and Have Gun Will Travel, and numerous movies.

Eventually, Inga will manufacture holsters in Pendleton using vintage equipment her fathers designs as the Arvo Ojala Holster Company. The western heritage museum at 339 S. Main St. will feature a faux western town and offer western paintings and handmade products for sale. Phase one will open to the public with a ribbon cutting Sept. 7 at 5:15 p.m.

Arvos path to Hollywood came after he went to watch the filming of an Audie Murphy movie near the Washington apple orchard where he was raised. Audie heard about Arvos shooting and invited him to Hollywood. The rest, as they say, is history.

His biggest legacy?

My father, Inga said, created the quick draw.