Fifty years ago, independent film maker Thomas Van Dyke received a call from former U.S. Sen. John Warner giving him an opportunity of a lifetime.
As the one in charge of the American Bicentennial Revolution, a nationwide celebration in 1976 marking the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Warner was in search of a director to produce a public service announcement that celebrated the American spirit, starring American singer and songwriter John Denver.
After creating a few scripts, Van Dyke sent them off in the mail, and in just three days Warner called him with some good news.
“He says, ‘I don’t know what you said, but John (Denver) likes your style, likes your words, and said he’ll do it if whoever wrote this would come out to California to produce and direct it,” Van Dyke recalled of the distant memory during a recent interview with The Signal.
As Van Dyke took creative control of the project, he scouted locations that would fit the ambiance of the PSA, titled “Stand up and be Counted.” His top two was Will Rogers Polo Ranch in the Palisades area and William S. Hart Park in Newhall.
With the 260-acre historic estate owned by one of the legendary cowboy stars of the silent film era, Van Dyke moved forward with making the site of Hart’s ranch as their filming location.
“We didn’t have a lot of film,” Van Dyke said. “The PSA was filmed in one shot.”
Denver flew into the filming location, carried his guitar as they walked through the premises, and the small crew set up their equipment to film the PSA encouraging civic involvement.
The catchphrase “Stand up and be Counted” was Van Dyke’s call for Americans to come together at a time when the nation was deeply divided.
He wanted the public “to get involved and be a part of our democracy,” he said. “The freedom of America, to be free, to be able to be creative, stand up, and be counted. To support their leaders, to do the right thing.”
Now 50 years later, nearing America’s 250th birthday, Van Dyke believes his initial message in the PSA still stands.
“Today we’re saying the same thing, just having similar conflicts,” Van Dyke said. “Stand up and be counted. Don’t sit back, don’t let somebody else do it for you.”
