The public television series “The Story of Us,” which highlights accomplished, underappreciated women in Montana history, visited Boulder last week to shoot at multiple locations — with three locals portraying the lead character at different periods in her life.
The story begins a few years ago when, after seeing the PBS show’s first episode, Julie Forbes of Jefferson City read The Lady Rode Bucking Horses, a book about Fannie Sperry Steele, a renowned bronc rider and horsewoman of the early 20th century. Forbes soon recommended the book to her niece, Kim Hogberg, who happens to be the series’ director-producer.
“Julie was the one who gave me the idea,” Hogberg told The Monitor, taking a break from shooting reenactment scenes at Jefferson County Fairgrounds. “I didn’t even have to read the book. I just looked at the front cover and thought, yes, that would be amazing.”
Fannie Sperry Steele was born in Helena in the late 19th century and loved horses from a young age, racing her neighbor to school as a child before joining a traveling rodeo show and emerging as a top performer.
Hogberg’s husband Trapper Hogberg is a Boulder native and Jefferson High graduate, so the director is friendly with many locals, including Leah Lewis, the Jefferson Local Development Corporation project officer who was raised on the Compton Ranch.
“I knew if I could get Leah, I could do Fannie,” said Hogberg. “She’s got the horses, she knows what to do – I knew she’d be perfect.”
Hogberg’s initial call to Lewis was about convincing her to let her 9-year-old daughter take part. “She was like, can we borrow Roxy and a horse?” Lewis said, recalling the March phone call.
The production soon added bowing and shooting scenes and a ride down the mountains, which led to a second Jefferson County location, the Compton Ranch, and Lewis taking the reins as the adult Fannie. “There are a lot of women ranchers who do cool things and Fannie was the ultimate, a true role model,” said Lewis, who read Fannie’s biography to prepare for the role.
Steele loved to show off her riding skills and perform tricks like shooting a lit cigarette out of her husband’s mouth. She lived until 94, and even in her 70s ran an outfitting camp outside Helmville. “She was fantastic – a true horsewoman, which I really appreciate,” said Lewis. “It wasn’t about fame or glory for her, she just really loved horses.”
Before the mountain shoot at the ranch, Lewis’ niece Peta Compton, 22, played young Fannie in a handful of scenes at the fairgrounds, mostly in the rodeo ring. Dressed in old-timey cowgirl shirts and riding skirts, she took aim with a shotgun, performed grand bows, saddled her horse and did a lot of riding.
Compton, who has spent a lot of time on horseback, looked like a natural. She smiled throughout and took direction well despite no acting experience. “I grew up dancing, so I’ve done some performing and I’m used to being corrected,” she said with a laugh. “It’s really been fun and interesting, and she’s an awesome figure to portray.”
On a partly cloudy 60-degree day, the small production crew of five worked with impressive efficiency. Each setup and shot seemed to take just a handful of minutes, then it was on to the next. A shoestring production, “The Story of Us” is the type of smaller series that may be threatened by the federal government’s expected revocation of more than $1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which helps fund PBS.
“We are not a big budget production,” admitted Hogberg, pointing out that her producer, Crystal Alegria, and costume designer Mary Jane Bradbury, had both recently donned costumes to play extras. “We call it the friends and family plan.”
The previous day’s shoot had visited Virginia City and the Supreme Court in Helena for the story of Montana’s first female lawyer, Ella Knowles Haskell. The production shot all of its Fannie scenes in one day before moving on to Great Falls the next day to shoot scenes about Nancy Cooper Russell, self-taught businesswoman and manager-wife of artist Charles M. Russell.
The director has been delighted with the locations and the support. “Boulder people have been great — like letting us use the fairgrounds, they just said: ‘Sure, come on in,’” said Hogberg, who lives in Helena with her husband and two children. “Of course, I knew that the people here are fantastic. I married one. ”
As the crew packed up to head over to the ranch, Roxy was excited to shoot her scene, yet concerned about the performance of her horse, Willow. “I’ve got to keep her in line, because she’s been naughty,” she said.
Her fears proved well-founded, as Willow had difficulty accepting that the drone recording video overhead was not a very large mosquito with bad intentions. But the production got what it needed, and three female relatives enjoyed playing the same character.
“We all agreed,” said Leah Lewis, “the way Fannie lived and things she accomplished were very difficult and amazing!”
The episode recounting Fannie’s life and showcasing Jefferson County locations and performers is expected to air around Thanksgiving. “I’m just really excited to see how this all comes together in the film,” said Hogberg. “I think these shots are going to elevate it to a higher level.”
