The Alamo (1960 film) had seen some of the rushes from "Timberland" and thought I would be right." After making the film, Wayne told the press "We're not cutting one bit of any scene in which Frankie appears. I believe he is the finest young talent I've seen in a long time." "Mr Wayne said I was natural as far as acting goes," said Avalon. Several days after filming began, Widmark complained he had been miscast and tried to leave. Among other things, it seemed ridiculous that the relatively diminutive (5'9") Widmark would be playing the "larger than life" Bowie, who was a reported
Dayton Lummis Bowie", loosely based on the life of the Alamo defender Jim Bowie. Also in 1957, he appeared in the episode "The Fugitive" of another syndicated western, "Man Without a Gun", starring Rex Reason and Mort Mills. In 1958, Lummis was cast in an uncredited role as a padre in Audie Murphy's film, "From Hell to Texas". That same year, he appeared as Jabez Lord in the episode "Hunter's Moon" of the NBC series "Buckskin" starring child actor Tommy Nolan. The next year, he guest starred in "Excitement at Milltown" of Rod Cameron's syndicated "State Trooper". He was cast as a