 On Nov. 2, 1965, Gallant Bess, an old mare that belonged to Arthur Parker whose ranch was in the Mt. Vernon area near Auburn, was taken to UC Davis to be humanely put down. Her advanced age and an incurable brain tumor made the trip necessary. Were this any other horse, it might not have garnered the front page of the Auburn Journal. But Gallant Bess was a war hero and a movie star.
In 1942, U.S. forces invaded Tulagi, one of the Solomon Islands in the Pacific, as part of the larger Guadalcanal Campaign of World War II. After an intense battle, a horse was found wounded and next to the horse was a young filly.
The mother was put down by her Australian owner, but the American forces did what they could to keep the young filly safe. The Australian had named her Gallant Bess. Arthur Parker was a chief warrant officer in the Navy and a horseman, and he instantly took a liking to the filly.
Parker did all he could to transport the horse from Tulagi to his next assignment in the Pacific and then finally to Long Beach.
She was a favorite of the servicemen and often slept next to their bunks. She was one of them. She had been in battle, tasted blood and was an inspiration to all she served with. She learned to untie knots, perform tricks and, according to Parker, acted more like a dog than a horse.
By the time Parker and Bess reached Long Beach, Bess was famous and Hollywood came knocking. In 1944, filming began on a movie that was loosely based on her story and Bess, of course, played herself. “Gallant Bess” was released in 1946.
While on the MGM lot, she made friends with Gregory Peck and a young child actress named Elizabeth Taylor, who often shared her lunch with the famous horse. Soon after the film, Parker and Bess made their way to a quiet, peaceful ranch near Auburn. In 1955, she made an appearance at the Auburn State Theater when the film was shown as part of a special Easter matinee for children.
“I always thought she’d outlive me,” Parker said in 1965. He was a veteran of both World War I and II. He died in 1982 and is buried in the Old Auburn Cemetery.
 Don’t miss the fun coming this next week in...
Roseville: Holiday Craft Fair, All Nations Native Craft Fair, Food Truck Mania
Loomis: Celebration of the Arts
Auburn: Silver Screen Classic Movies: State of the Union, Beautiful Mind Presents: An Evening of Song and Story
...and many Placer County Library and Placer County Museum events.
Visit our regional partners to discover more of the fun happening right here in Placer County!
Placer County Visitors' Bureau
North Lake Tahoe Resort Association
The Arts Council of Placer County
Placer Valley Tourism
PlacerGROWN
Placer Wine Trail
Find current state COVID-19 guidance, along with local data and resources, here.
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