A Tale of Two Cowboys

With an extensive collection of Old West nostalgia from Hollywood movies, Tom Corrigan founded and ran Corrigan’s Steakhouse as a living homage to his father, the late actor, stuntman and entrepreneur Ray “Crash” Corrigan. But earlier this year, Tom Corrigan passed away, making the restaurant a tribute to both father and son. At 73, Tom Corrigan – an eccentric Ventura County cowboy – always dressed sharp at the restaurant in a Stetson, ascot and cowboy boots. His real name was Ray Corrigan Jr. But this father is the personality behind the restaurant’s appeal. Ray “Crash” Corrigan, who started out in life as Raymond Benard in Milwaukee, began his film career as the stunt double for Johnny Weissmuller, star of the “Tarzan” movies. In his 20s, Ray sold oil leases for real-life Old West legend Wyatt Earp in Long Beach. Ray Corrigan gained his nickname in 1936 after playing the character Crash Corrigan in the film “The Undersea Kingdom.” He went on to star in myriad Westerns; the posters for many of his films hang on the walls of the restaurant. The titles of these horse operas include “Wrangler’s Roost,” “Texas Trouble Shooters” and “Range Busters.” In addition to playing Tucson Smith in 24 of 51 “Three Mesquiteers” movies, Ray Corrigan became Hollywood’s go-to gorilla-suit guy, portraying savage simians in such releases as “The White Gorilla,” “White Pongo” and “Captive Wild Woman.” In 1937, “Crash” Corrigan opened Corriganville Movie Ranch at the behest of pal Clark Gable, who liked to hunt pheasant in the foothills of the Santa Susana Mountains. The 1,500-acre Corriganville remained operational until 1965; over the years, the Simi Valley movie ranch hosted 3,500 movie and TV productions, including episodes of “The Lone Ranger,” “The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin” and “Bonanza.” A ranch house at Corriganville was where “Crash,” son Tom, younger sisters Christine and Patricia, and half-sister Colleen called home. By 1949, Corriganville doubled as a Western-themed tourist attraction after construction of the Wild West facades of Silvertown, which John Wayne, Thousand Oaks rancher Joel McCrea and even Howard Hughes utilized. Legend has it that Silvertown’s Western theme inspired visits by Walt Disney during Disneyland’s development as well as representatives from Knott’s Berry Farm. Corriganville’s Wild West stunt shows inspired the ones at Universal Studios from 1980 through 2002. Ray Corrigan sold the movie ranch in 1965 to comedian Bob Hope, after which ownership fluctuated over the years. In 1987, the city of Simi Valley acquired 190 acres of Corriganville for $1 million. Since 1998, Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District has operated Corriganville Park as a public space. Tom Corrigan founded Corrigan’s Bar & Grill in 1982 at Park Oaks Shopping Center in Thousand Oaks. In 1990, the restaurant relocated to its present address at 556 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. In recent years, Tom ran the restaurant with wife Diane, whom he married in 2015. Movie history hangs from the walls and ceiling at Corrigan’s, from the wagon-wheel chandeliers to the bucks’ heads to the atrium walls with vintage photos of Tom as a boy with his cowboy stuntman father or atop Trigger near Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. The glow of these memories warms the popular culinary destination as new owner Tricia Schmidt,Tom’s niece, continues to run the establishment and serve up cowboy staples such as steak and eggs and Louisiana fried chicken.