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In Tuesday's Tribute

Tuesday’s Tribute: Clint’s Fans

When we spoke, he always inquired about the members of his Fan Club, and asked me to send them greetings, best wishes, and his thanks for their unwavering support. Good public relations, to be sure. But so much more.  Clint knew that he was blessed with loyal fans whose admiration of his work and affection for him were both genuine and enduring — and appreciated each of them, many of whom he met over the years at various functions.

I had not planned to write a Tribute this week. Frankly, I haven’t felt like writing, although I spent quite a bit of time on the computer this past weekend reading tributes to and comments about Clint. So many times I started to reach for the phone to call him and say, “Honey, you have to hear these lovely words that a fan wrote about you.” He would have been so touched by the boundless expressions of sadness about his departure and appreciation for his work that have been published in the past week or so. Like these comments:

I was introduced to the fine citizens of Llanview at the tender age of eight. The moment Clint appeared on the screen it was love at first sight and that affection never waned in the intervening 26 years. The character of Clint Buchanan was a wonderful mix of intrepid newspaper man and rough and ready cowboy. He was played to utter perfection by Clint Ritchie whose real-life cowboy tendencies brought an authenticity to the role.

I met Clint Ritchie once. And while my giggly fan girliness I’m sure must have made me seem insane, he was absolutely delightful. What I remember most was his smile. It was one of those rare times when the person behind the character not only lives up to your expectations but exceeds them.

Or these:

It is the end of an era. An era, where a man treated a woman as a lady instead of his latest ho. Clint Ritchie was a throwback to the days of Cary Grant. A true gentleman. I felt his pain when I read how they had changed his character and he decided to walk away. This shows what character he had.

I never got a chance to meet this wonderful man. . . . To all of you who got to meet him, you are so lucky. A man like him only comes around once in a lifetime, if ever. He truly was one of a kind. I know he is with God and his family now. This world is now a sadder place that such a man is no longer part of it.

Norrthpier paid tribute to Clint this way:

[A] mythic man and master storyteller who fed our imaginations, who gave us hope and laughter, and whose work we loved without measure, you will be missed. Thank you for sharing your time, and your talents with us. They were and always will be considered treasured gifts.

If you think that all of the fans saddened by Clint’s passing are women, you are quite mistaken. Marlena de la Croix reminded her readers that

[t]he real Ritchie, a cowboy who had been a Hollywood contract TV and movie player, galloped into soaps during the Dallas mania in 1979. The Buchanans – Clint, his heart-throb younger brother Bo and his hilarious curmudgeonly father Asa — may have been derivative of primetime, but they still became a total daytime sensation. Even if the meeting of these three actors and the timing turned out to be serendipity, at least someone at ABC knew what they had. A medium that centered on women and was all about romance needed some very manly men.

Clint delighted in the fact that he could not walk down the street in New York City, board a plane or, most impressively, walk into a truck stop in the most remote part of Wyoming without being recognized by the male patrons and employees who watched One Life to Live because of “The Buchanan Men” and tried to pry plot details out of him.

Listening to a question during his 1998 Fan Club Luncheon in New York City.

Clint was the common denominator that drew together diverse folks with vastly dissimilar backgrounds living all over the country. Many of us found each other through his Fan Club and, later, online. The affection, warmth, and concern that his fans expressed for him was matched by and inspired the friendship, comaraderie, and support they have shown each other over the years. I count among my best friends several of the women I met because of Clint, and know that, although the man who served as the catalyst for our interactions is gone, we will remain connected. That is also part of Bucky’s legacy.  It is said that “fame is fleeting.”  If that is true, the fact that so many people never lost interest in Clint, his work — or each other — is nothing short of remarkable.

In recent days, I have also spent some time working on Clint’s Official site which was launched in 1998 almost as a dare.  When I told Clint that he needed a website, his reaction was something like, “A what?” You see, Clint never did learn how to use that computer he bought so many years ago. When he retired, he talked about taking a computer class or two, but never got around to it as too many projects at the Ranch and a few trips back to New York City kept him busy. I somehow found myself authorized to create an official site for him, even though I had never built a website and had no clue how to start. So I went to the book store, picked out the most easily-understandable book on HTML I could find, got a free domain on Geocities, and went to work. Over the years, the site grew and evolved. My husband accused me more than once of being obsessed with it, but I was determined to keep improving it.  Eventually, I secured his name as the domain. I converted the old static webpage into a blog and focused my efforts on converting more videotapes than I can count into digital files so that I could burn DVD’s. I have uploaded quite a few clips on You Tube for viewers to enjoy. Because I was Clint’s friend, I designed and maintained the website, and, at his request, kept his Fan Club going. But I never spoke for him and see no reason to start now. Rather, his own words will remain on his site which will stay online permanently as a lasting tribute to our cowboy’s life and work.

And to his innumerable loyal, loving, steadfast fans.  I salute each and every one of you because you are a remarkable group of people, and a profound reflection both of the man to whom you gave your time, attention, and affection — and each other.

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9 Comments

  1. Debby Taylor

    Thanks, Janie!

    It wasn’t hard for us to stay loyal to Clint. He more than deserved the loyalty we had for him. I never got a chance to meet Clint and that, I regret now. But I will always remember that phone call I won from him and the online chat! You were our lifeline to him when he was on the show and after he retired. I appreciated that.

    It’s just so hard to face the reality that he is with the angels. And with Phil Carey!

  3. Maura (nerdy nerd)

    Wow Janie, I was browsing the official site today, and I can’t believe you’ve had it running since 1998. That’s true dedication. It just doesn’t seem that long. It looks better than ever and will serve as a lasting tribute to our favorite cowboy. You’ve also written some beautiful tributes here. Take care.

  4. Jay

    Hi Janie-
    Quite honestly, I had to ask my wife who he was, but my wife knew immediately. I leave it to the fans to know what a great man he was, but I commend YOU on your dedication, and outstanding tribute…it really was a pleasure to read.

    Thanks,
    Jay

  5. Ms. Lolly

    I’m so happy I found your blog. Upon hearing the news of Clint’s passing, I just had the worst need to connect to other people who enjoyed his work as much as I did. I guess the only way to explain it is that I grew up watching him and he was a part of my family. It has been just wonderful reading what others have written. Two of my friends are actually flying in for the weekend to have what we are calling ‘The Buchanans Ride Again” marathon so we can remember our favorite actor the right way.

    Ms. Lolly´s most recent post: i whine therefore i am

  6. Marianne

    Janie, you are the best. I came to his fan site late but I have always been a fan of his. I loved reading the interviews you posted. He was an amazing man and I hope he is riding his horse Bunny in heaven.
    I love horses and would have loved to been able to just get a glimpse of his ranch. It must have been a self proclaimed loners’ paradise.
    I loved when I read where he thought his character was never considered a sex symbol or something like that. Didn’t he ever look in a mirror? He was still a very handsome man at 70. But not only his looks made him desirable but how he had old fashioned manners. That to me was very appealing.
    I believe that when people die and go to heaven, whenever someone thinks a good thought or talks about a memory of them, they feel it. So Janie, he is feeling all the love you and all of us are sending him.
    So I am sending you and him hugs. You for being kind enough to share your memories of this wonderful man and to Clint for being the kind of man women really want but rarely find.

    • JHS Post Author

      @Michael: I appreciate the sentiment. However, Clint lives on in the hearts of his family, friends, and fans.

      We are so unfortunate to have thousands of hours, if not hundreds of thousands, of film and videotape with which to remember his wonderful performances. Although he was playing a part, we can still see his handsome face, and hear that very distinctive voice and laugh.

      The laugh is what I will miss the most. I just couldn’t help myself. Even when he annoyed me, if he laughed, I was a goner. I could not stay mad at him and I could not resist laughing myself once he started laughing. He could totally disarm me with one little chuckle.

      Thanks for stopping by.

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