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flint wouldn't hit the frizzen to ignite
the powder in the pan. There would
be other repairs here and there, but–
no matter what–the rifles had to be
ready to go the next day. I'd also have
to clean each weapon extensively
each night."
It was a tall order for Dennis, who,
at 77, was the oldest person on the
set.
"The makeup girls called me
grandpa," he joked, "and they had
to darken my beard. There were no
old men back then."
As armorer, Dennis worked hand
in hand with Brown to coach the actors
on how to handle a rifle so it looks nat-
ural, especially as they carry it through
the woods. Many of the actors were
also new to flintlock rifles and pistols,
so he and Brown had to coach them on
how to do it right, which at times was
nerve-racking (like "giving a kid a fire-
cracker," Dennis joked), but the actors
got the hang of it.
Dennis might be new to the film in-
dustry (he had a small role in The Ballad
of Lefty Brown, starring Bill Pullman, also
thanks to Brown), but he's a veteran when
it comes to historical accuracy, especially
BEHIND INTO THE WILD FRONTIER WITH ARMORER DENNIS BORUD
the Wild Frontier
The Into the Wild Frontier crew sets up camera and sound for a scene
Dennis, far right, on the set with fellow cast and crew members.
Dennis Borud, the armorer,
on set of Into the Wild Frontier
