… Linfielder Johnny Bill “Moon” Self (Linfield Class of 1969,
Napa, Calif., High School Class of 1964), sporting a full beard, had an
uncredited bit part in the 1969 movie “Paint Your Wagon,” staring Lee Marvin,
Clint
Eastwood (who sings “I Talk to the Trees”) and Jean Seberg.
It was filmed in eastern Oregon (Baker County) in May-October 1968.
Johnny transferred to Linfield in 1966 from Napa, Calif.
Junior College, now called Napa Valley College.
Retired after a career as a Napa public school teacher, he has and might still be living in Napa. He has and might still be living in Alaska.
Read about Johnny as a Linfield football player here:
Johnny was a cover feature story, headlined “ ‘Moon’ Self-his wit and wisdom” in the May 1, 1969, Linews.
According to the story, Johnny was “born 22 years ago in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.” He came to Linfield after football coach Paul Durham told him to “come on up and bring my own football shoes. I didn’t have any shoes but I came anyway.”
As a Linfield football player, he was JV team captain “because
I was the oldest and didn’t cry in the huddle. In my second (year of football)
I was named ‘friendliest lineman of the year’ and oldest member of the junior
varsity” in the college’s history.”
He was “kicked out of two JV games that year (by coach Jack Ostlund). Once for not wearing my team blazer and another time for rolling forward in the huddle and doffing my helmet after the crowd gave me an ovation.”
Story says Johnny plays guitar, harmonica, piano and clarinet and also paints, carves and is a poet.
During the summer of 1968 he worked around Baker County doing jobs including bucking hay bales, branding cattle and working on a plywood mill green chain until he was fired for "doing Tarzan yells."
His time in Baker County concluded with landing a job as an "extra" on the ‘Paint Your Wagon’ motion picture being filmed there. According to the 1970 Oak Leaves yearbook, he was an "actor-singer" in the movie.
