Fire on the Mountain is a 1981 American neo-Western drama television film directed by Donald Wrye and written by John Sacret Young, based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Edward Abbey. The film stars Buddy Ebsen as John Vogelin and Ron Howard as Lee Mackie. It originally aired on NBC on November 23, 1981.
The film marked Ron Howard's last major acting role of any kind before he transitioned into becoming a full-time film director. Afterward, Howard would act in only one more project, reprising his role as Opie Taylor in the 1986 Andy Griffith Show reunion movie Return to Mayberry, also on NBC.
Plot
John Vogelin is a widower and New Mexico rancher whose land adjoins the White Sands Missile Range and is about to be condemned by the United States Air Force to use his land to expand a bombing range. He is the last holdout among the several people whose land the Air Force wants, and he refuses to move, having lived on the land his whole life.
Lee Mackie, a young land developer who also has land that is to be cleared for the range, agrees to help the Army vacate the rancher, but realizing that the Army refuses to show any respect for Vogelin's situation, he soon joins in defying the military. Soon it boils down to a battle of wills between Vogelin and the equally bullheaded army officer Colonel Desalius, with Mackie, along with John's grandson Billy and his ranch hand (and surrogate daughter) Cruza also caught up in the mix.
Cast
- Buddy Ebsen as John Vogelin
- Ron Howard as Lee Mackie
- Julie Carmen as Cruza Peralta
- Ross Harris as Billy Starr
- Ed Brodow as Major Parrell
- Michael Conrad as Colonel Desalius
- Gary Graham as Marshal Burr
- Richard Chaves as Lieutenant
- Harvey Vernon as Bartender
- Will Hare as Hayduke
Awards and nominations
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! Year
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
! Ref.
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| 1982
| 34th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards
| Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Mixing
| Thomas Causey <br> David J. Hudson <br> Mel Metcalfe <br> Ray West
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