Luis Reyes is a nationally renowned film scholar, journalist  and lecturer. The former studio publicist offers us a sort of inside look at the film industry, and it’s history. He has written or co-authored several books on the film industry.

His most recent book is Viva Hollywood: The Legacy of Latin and Hispanic Artists in American Film.  He says Latinos have been involved in the film industry right from the beginning. And he is a frequent tour guide and guest at the Lone Pine Film Festival, in Lone Pine California. Here hundreds of films have been shot in a unique rock formation called the Alabama Hills. The Museum of Western Film History puts on the festival each year. In 2022 we got to meet Luis and talks about how powerful the old western films were to millions of people around the world. Says Luis: “the Cowboy persona image, for a long time, represented America.” Part of our interview is in our video Small Town Americana: Lone Pine, California.