The Wild One was based on a short story, The Cyclists' Raid by Frank Rooney, in the January 1951 issue of Harper's Magazine. The story was later published in book form as part of The Best American Short Stories 1952. The story took a cue from an actual biker street party on the Fourth of July weekend in 1947 in Hollister, California that was elaborately trumped up in the July 21, 1947 issue of Life Magazine, and dubbed the Hollister riot, with staged photographs of wild motorcycle outlaw revelers. Read More
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| Movie shot featuring Marlon Brando in The Wild One |
The Wild One part one
The Wild One part two
The Wild One part three
The Wild One part four
Hollister 1947
The rally, which was sponsored by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), was attended by approximately 4,000 people. This was several times more than had been expected, and the small town of Hollister was overwhelmed by bikers who were forced to sleep on sidewalks and in parks.
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| photo from Life Magazine article |
The 1953 film The Wild One was inspired by the event and based on an article run
in Life Magazine which included a staged picture of a drunk man resting on a
motorcycle amidst a mass of beer bottles.
Hollister 2011
There may not be an official Hollister Rally this year, but we know a lot of riders plan on visiting the Birthplace of the American Biker come Independence Day weekend. This year more Hollister locals are planning something special as well so it'll be a great weekend for motorcyclists in California.
Just like last year, we'll be having our Open House and Rider Appreciation Day on Saturday where we'll be featuring live music, great food, factory tours and an expanded vendor row with some of the greatest names in the motorcycle industry.
Advance registration is recommended If you are planning on riding to Hollister to celebrate the Fourth Of July Weekend Friday July 1 – Monday July 4, 2011