Buck Jones

(From Old Corral collection)

In the webpages on Ken Maynard, I noted some of the problems that he caused during his 1933 - 1934 stay at Universal. From the February 15, 1934 issue of the Hollywood Reporter:

Headline: "Buck Jones Set for Ken Maynard Spot" ; "Those on the inside say that Buck Jones will probably be Universal's western star when Ken Maynard finishes his present picture, 'Doomed To Die'. This picture, his eighth on present contract, is also the last on the contract. It is reported that Maynard isn't very anxious to renew ... and it is rumored that Universal isn't so hot to have him."

With Maynard's exit, Carl and Junior Laemmle, the bosses at Universal, needed an established range rider as a replacement. Earlier, they had used Buck in the serial GORDON OF GHOST CITY (Universal, 1933) and apparently liked what they saw as well as the positive fan reaction at the box office. They hired Buck, and as part of the deal, gave him production powers and started him off with a $1,000.00 per week salary plus extra pay for stories used in the productions. Jones would stay with Universal through 1937, do twenty-two films and three additional cliffhangers.

His first Universal sagebrusher was ROCKY RHODES (1934) ... not great but not bad either. The plot has Jones returning to his home in Cactus City, Arizona only to discover that his father was murdered and the ranch foreman framed for the crime and then killed. The head baddie turns out to be Walter Miller, one of my favorite no-goods. However, if you prefer something completely different from a villain like Walter Miller, take a look at THE CRIMSON TRAIL (1935) - John Bleifer is the crazed and crazy 'Loco' who is seeking vengeance on Buck and the family of heroine Polly Ann Young (Loretta Young's sister).

On the negative side were slow moving entries THE COWBOY AND THE KID (1936) and SUDDEN BILL DORN (1937). And I wish Jones was still around so I could ask the "what" and "why" behind the dreadful STONE OF SILVER CREEK (1935), a tedious and preachy tale with Jones as the owner of a local gambling establishment ... and he's wearin' a suit.

Lesley Selander and Ray Taylor were the primary directors on Buck's Universal oaters. As to the cliffhangers, Taylor was at the helm of GORDON OF GHOST CITY, THE ROARING WEST and THE PHANTOM RIDER, while Louis Friedlander (Lew Landers) did THE RED RIDER. Taylor, along with Ford Beebe, was in charge of THE RIDERS OF DEATH VALLEY (1941), the serial in which Jones plays second banana to Dick Foran.

While some ponder the negatives with the above chapterplays - and/or with Universal serials in general - there was a significant benefit to Jones. He was on the screen week after week after week.

(From Old Corral collection)

In the lobby card above, Buck Jones is cuddlin' with pretty Madge Bellamy. Of Jones' five cliffhangers, GORDON OF GHOST CITY (Universal, 1933) is probably the best. The plot involves a rich vein of gold that runs under an old store in Ghost City which is owned by Bellamy's grandfather.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Charles B. Murphy, Buck Jones pummeling LeRoy Mason, and Syd Saylor in a scene from WHEN A MAN SEES RED (Universal, 1934).

(From Old Corral collection)

Above from L-to-R are Jones, Charlotte Wynters and Frank Rice in a re-release lobby card for THE IVORY-HANDLED GUN (Universal, 1935).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above - Jones on Silver chats with George Hayes, several years before he became 'Windy' and 'Gabby', and in the right background is Frank LaRue. From THE THROWBACK (Universal, 1935).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above - Fred Kohler, Sr. versus Buck Jones in BORDER BRIGANDS (Universal, 1935). Hank Bell, with his usual handlebar moustache, is in the middle watchin' the action.

(Courtesy of Donna Patterson)

Above are Benny Corbett, Buck Jones, and Charles King (without his usual mustache) in Buck's SUNSET OF POWER (Universal, 1935). Corbett and King were Buck's helpers in this.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above - Polly Ann Young (Loretta Young's sister) and Buck Jones comfort the injured Carl Stockdale in THE CRIMSON TRAIL (Universal, 1935).

(From Old Corral collection)

Above from L-to-R are Charles Brinley, Buck Jones, Charles K. French and Paul Fix in this re-release lobby card for THE CRIMSON TRAIL (Universal, 1935).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Left to right are Muriel Evans, Dickie Jones and Buck Jones on his trusty hoss Silver in SMOKE TREE RANGE (Universal, 1937).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Ezra Paulette, Harold Hodge, Frank McGlynn, Sr., and Buck Jones in a lobby card and crop/blowup from SUDDEN BILL DORN (Universal, 1937), one of Buck's worst oaters. Cyprian 'Ezra' Paulette was a musician and is best remembered for his years with the Beverly Hill Billies. McGlynn, Sr. did five films with Jones, including THE ROARING WEST (Universal, 1935) chapterplay. If his 1866 birth year is correct, McGlynn, Sr. would have been about 72 years old when he worked in this Buck Jones western.