 (From Old Corral image collection) Above and below, lobby cards from Buck's second and fourth serial for Universal Pictures, THE RED RIDER (Universal, 1934) (that's Walter Miller facing Jones in the above card) and THE PHANTOM RIDER (Universal, 1936) with Buck huggin' Marla Shelton. Look at the right side of THE PHANTOM RIDER lobby card below and you'll see some water stains.  |
The story goes that Jones did not renew his contract with Universal because of a disagreement about the quantity of productions --- he wanted to continue with six releases per year while Universal was pushing for eight. That may or may not be the case. Pure speculation on my part, but the late 1930s was a period of upheaval at Universal. They were frantically searching for a singing cowboy, and tried Bob Baker in about a dozen films circa 1937-1939. Instead of looking for another melodious, guitar strumming range rider, Universal signed Johnny Mack Brown as their series western star. Johnny Mack was a familiar commodity to the studio, as he was the lead in a quartet of Universal sagebrush cliffhangers.
As for Jones, he opted to return to his former Columbia home but in a much lower budgeted group produced by Monroe Shaff and Leonard Goldstein's Coronet Productions company. With them, he did six films. HOLLYWOOD ROUND UP (1937) is probably the best of the bunch with Buck as the stand-in and double for Hollywood movie cowboy Grant Withers. CALIFORNIA FRONTIER (Columbia, 1938) had Buck wearing buckskins and was the last of the brief Coronet series.
 (Courtesy of Les Adams) |  | On the left is a tradepaper article from October 18, 1937 regarding Jones and Company headin' to Alaska to film GHOST SHIP, and included in the cast was Shemp Howard of Three Stooges fame. GHOST SHIP was never made. WEST OF BROADWAY was the working title for HEADIN' EAST. |
Though he still looked trim and fit, Buck Jones of the late 1930s was nearing the half century mark in age. To his dismay, he couldn't overcome (nor understand) the western film craze that was sweeping the box office --- the singin' cowboy had arrived.
Buck Jones, and the range hero he portrayed in silents and talkies, no longer "fit in".
Around this time, Buck hit the radio airwaves with a short-lived western serial called HOOFBEATS. Supposedly, there were 39 episodes produced for syndication circa 1936-1937, with each show filling a 15 minute time slot. About ten episodes survive. A character named the "Old Wrangler" narrated stories about Buck and Silver. Post Grape Nuts Flakes was the sponsor, and the program has Buck vs. the Dagger Hilt Gang (it is Hilt with a T, not Hill with an LL). Jones pitches his Buck Jones Club which includes a free membership badge (for a Grape Nuts boxtop) and various prizes such as a hat and chaps.
Because of his popularity and name recognition, Jones also did occasional guest roles on radio. An example is Buck on the January 17, 1937 Jack Benny comedy show, and that program is one of the chaotic "Buck Benny" western parodies that was initiated in the mid 1930s on the Benny series.
Over the next couple years, film roles were few and far between: Buck starred in the non-western boxing tale, UNMARRIED (Paramount, 1939); he was a crooked lawman in WAGONS WESTWARD (Republic, 1940); and Buck was the helper to star Dick Foran in the chapterplay RIDERS OF DEATH VALLEY (Universal, 1941). WAGONS WESTWARD and RIDERS OF DEATH VALLEY were Buck's only westerns where he wasn't given top (star) billing. Then Buck landed the lead in the 15 chapter WHITE EAGLE (Columbia, 1941) cliffhanger which was directed by James W. Horne, and the heroine was Dorothy Fay, the wife of Tex Ritter.
 (Courtesy of Billie Zappone) Above, a sepia publicity still of Buck and Silver, approximately 5x7 inches in size. Unsure whether this was issued by Universal during Buck's days at the studio, or as a handout for his 'Buck Jones Club'.  (Courtesy of Pat LaRosa) Buck, with his head bowed and wearing a suit at Paramount, 1939 (and probably thinking something like "how did I get here?"). |