Information about the builder of the screen-used pistol

[Riskbreaker]

As many of you know, the gunsmith that I worked with in creating my own hero, made from an actual Steyr SL and Charter Arms Bulldog, is a working gunsmith in Hollywood. He's done amazing work for films like the recent Die Hards and the Transformers films as well as contract work here and there for the big name armorers that supply guns to the movies.

The Hollywood armorers' community is a very tightly knit and small one, so they all know each other and their history very well. The community also tends to be generational, meaning that son follows father in many cases. Because of my guy's unique access to the world of movie guns, he was able to track down some very interesting information about the Blade Runner gun's original architect.

As it is now, in the early 1980s, it was common for the credited armorers to sub-contract certain work to freelancers who would go uncredited. While the crediting system is much better now, 30 years after Blade Runner's release, back then it was much more fast and loose. For this reason, the identity of the gun's original builder was kind of lost to history, or at least lost to those of us (those reading this post) who would be interested in/obsessed with that sort of thing. What my smith was able to find, and he is 98% certain that his conclusion is correct, is that the gun was built by a gunsmith named Branko Wohlfhart ("Bronco Wolfheart" -- a gunsmith's name if I ever heard one!)

Born in 1923 and now deceased (ca 2005) Branko was a very well-respected gunsmith throughout Hollywood that was one of the handful of guys that had the skillset to build such a marvel of engineering in the early 1980s. My gunsmith spoke with his longtime friends and contacts at Ellis Guns, the armorer who supplied the weapons for Blade Runner, and has concluded with near certainty that this is the man they did or at least would have most likely hired in 1980 to build such a piece. The particular skillsets (machinist, gunsmith, fabricator) needed to build this piece in a time of much more archaic technology were limited to just maybe three to five (or less) artists at that time in history.

Branko himself was a Croatian refugee of the Nazi occupation of Europe during World War II that fled the Nazis (and, I was told was actuall forced to work for the SS as a gunsmith for a time when they occupied his home city) to the United States to look for work as a gunsmith. He quickly found it in the exploding film industry during the 1940s and 1950s and went on to great professional success and acclaim, at least as far as such a thing goes for a niche job like a Hollywood gunsmith.

I can also tell you the perhaps most interesting part of the Blade Runner gun's mythology has definitively been solved: Ellis Guns definitely only commissioned one full hero buildup of the Blade Runner gun. The gun that sold through Profiles in History in 2009 is the only one that ever was or that will ever be. Any other is a fugazi.

That's what I've been able to learn. It's good to finally put a name to the build that we have all obsessed over for so many years. We should all raise a square-shaped glass of whiskey to toast the life, work and memory of Branko Wohlfhart.

[andy]

I very much want to know more about him. I do hope this to be true, and want to look into it more. I might have access to some of the billing paperwork and will check it out for sure. It would be a great thing to finally put a name to the gun's creation.

Andy

[joberg]

Thank you very much Riskbreaker for that info...very interesting indeed and glad to see that the tight circle of gunsmithing in the industry is still tight (everybody knows everybody).
The theory about the building of just one hero fits with our speculations on the board(and elsewhere) that this build was too expensive and complex to have another one made...that's why the gun presented to us with the same stamp # on the Steyr part as the hero one seemed suspicious(and other details also didn't feel right ) It's great for obsessed people like us to have the definite answer to such a mysterious question

[racprops]

I too thank you for that info...I had heard of some guy named Jim or Jimmy from the propmaster Phil and I interviewed.

We later learned many things he told us was wrong, such as the two holes being used to turn the LEDs on and off, and that the injector rod was intact and that they removed the ammo housing to reload.

The cut wires seemed to back that story up...they were cut to make reloading easier.

So it is no surprise to learn the name we were given was also wrong.

That is great news and info.

Rich
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I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[phase pistol]

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0937418/

http://www.ancientfaces.com/research/person/44884613/branko-r-wohlfahrt-profile-and-genealogy

[Replicant 13]

It is always great to put a face (or a name) with any work done well. These days it seems artists are the last breed to actually take enough pride in their work to sign it. As their creation, it's a part of them, whether it's a written work, an illustration or a 3-dimensional creation. Commissioned or not. But in the commercial realm it seems too often they are denied this recognition - buried at the end of the today's endless lists of movie credits that few bother to read. Their specific contributions are forgotten.

It's unfortunate that Mr. Wohlfahrt cannot enjoy this recognition here and now. Perhaps it was just another in a long list of his contributions, but that you have brought it to light is welcome news to us. Like many, I've often wished I could travel back and discover the hows and whens, and the whos. Someone always knows. Perhaps this solves another piece of the puzzle. I look forward to Andy's further response as well.

Thanks Riskbreaker.

- R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[andy]

Sadly all the names of relatives I have found also seem to have passed on. Have yet to find any info about Children as well.

Andy

[andy]

Some of the work of Branko I found so far. From http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Untouchables,_The_(1987)

[Staar]

This is a riveting read and my warmest thanks to you for giving us the information. I agree with Rich that former claims were dubious so to get a more accurate portrait of the potential builder is wonderful indeed.

I'm sure we're all going to be trawling the net for information regarding this hugely talented man and this alone is invigorating.

Cheers again mate and highest regards.

MARK
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[joberg]

Rep13 is right about the numerous artists who have a tendency to remain anonymous...It's also, partially, our fault us artists not to "beat our own drum" so to speak. Praises/money/recognition do feel good but it's not the main goal of our life. My main goal is to find inner-peace in my every day life and building props, models, paintings, etc gives me that inner-peace. Knowing that my next project is going to be better than the previous one(because of the experience gained)makes me happier than those praises. Money is part of my tools: because of it I can buy materials to build the next prop...it's not the primary goal

[Bwood]

Even though Hollywood is well-known for doing it, it seems odd to me that for a "well respected" and "acclaimed" artist such as this, that he would be uncredited for his work. Usually, when you are acclaimed at what you do, it's almost a given to have screen credit bestowed upon you no matter how small the niche. That being said however, if you look through the full cast and crew on imdb.com, you will perceive much uncredited work on this picture. Great post, Riskbreaker. Fascinating subject.

[Riskbreaker]

My gunsmith is the one who has added all of Branko's information to the IMFDB. He's doing a kind of posthumous service to Branko so his work isn't totally forgotten. But yes, please check out the IMFDB. The information there on Branko should be pretty rock solid.

[andy]

I wonder if there is a contact person from Ellis Props in the 80's that we could get some information about him from. Ellis props did rent stuff to Blade Runner as prop pieces. I remember scouring their auction catalogs when they went out of business looking for any BR iconic pieces like the bottles, and gun back then. Branko seemed to work for their armory regularly and especially for turn of the century period pieces, and mobster flicks. Certainly a guy that would likely be used for a 1940's style detective flick. I do find it weird though that it couldn't have been traced back to him through Ellis Props back when he was alive. I wonder who Phil S. really talked to back then.

Please keep talking to your gunsmith friend and see if we can contact some other people that will confirm this for us 100%. Who knows what other wonderful stuff we can dig up in the process?

Andy

[Replicant 13]

Life is full of those who are talented but humble and those who would take credit for others' accomplishments. Perhaps that was the case here. I've witnessed that more often than I care to recall.

At least there are those, like us, who can appreciate their contributions and keep the names alive.

- R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[andy]

If there is one place people are wary of fame, I bet it is Hollywood. I think many of those that are not actively searching fame, often don't want it.

Andy

[racprops]

You maybe right at least as for as public fame, BUT among themselves, among Hollywood, many seem to be known and famous.

When I was being shown around by Ron Greenwood on ST4 he kept pointing out and inducing me to people and saying that this person did this and that.

I wish I had a photographic memory and could have remembered all he told me.

It did seem that was a very good thing to have and to know whom someone was and what he did.

So fame inside Hollywood seems to be very real.

Rich
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[TM]

What we’ve learned from this is that the people involved in creating BR are now 30 years older. They are getting elderly and they are dying. And their knowledge is being lost.

I’d like to suggest a project: track down these people and interview them before it’s too late. Yes it’s true, some of them have been interviewed before, but so what? They probably have a lot more to say.

I’m an architectural historian and have had the good fortune to meet and interview a good number of elderly architects – in their 80’s and 90’s. They have all been flattered by the attention and have enjoyed having to remember things from their early careers. Things that they may have forgotten often comes back. Some may have been bitter due to lack of recognition, but this goes away when they recognize that someone is genuinely interested in their work.

Maybe someone like Syd Mead is too busy to be bothered, but I bet others will welcome this.

Give it a try!

Tony
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If only you could see what I've seen with your eyes. . .

[Staar]

The movie industry is generally no different from most other hands-on, skills based, craftsperson's occupation. Some people thrive on attention and others wouldn't wish it on their worst enemy and its not necessarily because some are more successful than others - its just the way different people are wired.

Regards

MARK
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[TM]

Well, I have to disagree with this idea. My experience is that people really like recognition, especially if they have not had it in the past. It can also be a matter of persuasion. But those who have done something that is worthwhile tend to like recognition.
Tony
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If only you could see what I've seen with your eyes. . .

[Replicant 13]

While I understand Mark's point, perhaps this recognition of Mr. Wohlfahrt's contribution should spark further investigations into other areas. I would welcome any efforts of this kind. Most of us are aware of the key contributors, but aside from efforts like Sammon's FUTURE NOIR and the brief (albeit fascinating) glimpses now afforded by the extra content with recent releases, there is little chance that most of us could successfully make contact.

To those fortunate enough to live on the coast, or to work around the film community, I would expect their efforts to document further background and details surrounding the production would be greatly appreciated now and for years to come. Much has been revealed about Deckard's gun, but of the less noticeable props and the wardrobe much of what is discussed on The Summit remains in question - as does the more intangible history.

KIPPLE & BITS
While many of us have had our own obsession with the blaster, my focus here has been on the "lesser" props, those designed to flesh out Ridley's vision of 2019 - what might be considered "kipple" by some. While the contributions of Syd Mead are well known, the focus is usually on his Spinner - but there was so much more, and the contributions of those like Tom Southwell could be explored in greater detail. Of course there's the huge contributions of Trumbull and Snyder, and others, from Paull to Rawlings to Fancher and others - some more and some less directly involved, but whose contributions cannot be overlooked, much less forgotten. Vangelis and Struzan come to mind.

But then, as would be expected, it's all fascinating to me. - R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .