Spade Cooley

Oklahoma born Donnell Clyde 'Spade' Cooley came into the limelight during the World War II years with a western swing band with Tex Williams doing vocals. Sidemen during these early years included Joaquin Murphey, Smokey Rogers, Cactus Soldi, Pedro DePaul and Deuce Spriggens. Yodeling wizard Carolina Cotton was also a member of the band.

Significant changes occurred in the mid 1940s. In the Spring of 1945, Spriggens exited to form his own musical group which appeared in several of the Columbia westerns with Ken Curtis and the Hoosier Hotshots (SONG OF THE PRAIRIE (1945), COWBOY BLUES (1946), SINGING ON THE TRAIL (1946)). In 1946, Tex Williams left (some report this was on his own accord while others note that he was fired by Spade). Tex took Smokey Rogers and several other musicians with him and formed the "Western Caravan". In the Summer of 1946, Spriggens dissolved his organization and joined up with Williams.

Cooley formed another group, signed with RCA records and around 1948, hit the TV airwaves on station KTLA in Los Angeles with his own show which became a ratings hit and lasted for nearly ten years. Cooley sidemen during this later period included Noel Boggs (steel guitar) and Jimmy Wyble (guitar).

Billing himself as the "King of Western Swing", Cooley had hits such as "Steel Guitar Rag", and "Oklahoma Stomp" (Joaquin Murphey on steel guitar). Spade's signature tune was "Shame On You", which was originally released in 1945 on Columbia's Okeh label with Tex Williams doing the vocal. Spade's hard-drivin' musical style and popularity rivaled that of Bob Wills.

Prior to forming his western swing orchestra circa 1942, Cooley was a sideman (on fiddle) with Walt Shrum and the Colorado Hillbillies and Cal Shrum's Rhythm Rangers. Spade also did some fiddlin' and bit parts in various B westerns. If you watch closely, you can spot him in: MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (RKO, 1939) with George O'Brien; THUNDERING HOOFS (RKO, 1941) and RIDING THE WIND (RKO, 1942) with Tim Holt; DAWN ON THE GREAT DIVIDE (Monogram, 1942) with Buck Jones; IN OLD CHEYENNE (Republic, 1941) and SOUTH OF SANTA FE (Republic, 1942) with Roy Rogers; and LOST CANYON (United Artists, 1943) with William 'Hopalong' Boyd. The Cooley band (with Tex Williams, Deuce Spriggens and Carolina Cotton) helped out Bing's brother Bob Crosby in SINGING SHERIFF (Universal, 1944). And the group (with Tex Williams) were in ROCKIN' IN THE ROCKIES (Columbia, 1945) which featured mayhem from the Three Stooges and Hoosier Hotshots.

Les Adams has Cooley identified in 50+ films, and of that number, 36 are westerns.

As to Cooley's brief career as a western movie hero --- no great shakes there! The three films in which he starred were really low budget (no budget). And in the post WW2 period, the popularity of the B western was fading. Boyd Magers has reviewed all three of Spade's starring films in his Best (and Worst) of the West reviews:

KID FROM GOWER GULCH (1949 Friedgen)
Produced in color in 1947 but didn't escape until late '49. Phony movie-cowboy Spade Cooley can't really sing or ride (or act) but gets himself into a situation trying to help rancher Jack Baxley and his niece, red headed Wanda Cantlon, where he's required to win at an upcoming rodeo. Spade's pal, Bob Gilbert, double crosses him and helps Baxley's rival rancher, Stephen Keyes. Cute enough story idea by Bob Gilbert (fully scripted by old pro Elmer Clifton) but the substandard acting and production values combined with even worse singing (Little Joe Hiser) undermines it. Spade never fiddles or sings a note! Produced and directed (aka slapped together for no money) by Oliver Drake with scenes shot at his ramshackle ranch near Pearblossom, CA. Rodeo footage was shot at Ridgecrest, CA. Richard Farnsworth doubled Cooley in riding scenes. Bob Woodward and Boyd Stockman performed other stunts.

SILVER BANDIT (1950 International United)
Western swing bandleader (and non-actor) Spade Cooley was at the height of his popularity in 1947 when he produced this inept bottom-of-the-barrel musical western as a showcase for himself. Also features several other late '40s cowboy star wannabes --- pudgy Bob Gilbert, ultra stiff Billy Dix, stuntman Hugh Hooker and singer Ginny Jackson. You'll find these same no-talents responsible for other scalawag productions of the same era --- RED ROCK OUTLAW, KID FROM GOWER GULCH, and an unsold TV pilot based on the comic strip 'Rick O'Shay'. They don't make 'em any worse! Produced by Cooley and originally shot in 1947 on 16mm in color. International-United finally distributed it in 1950 in black and white. The Silver Bandit rides on a gorgeous Bohlin-made saddle that's undoubtedly worth more now (if not then) than the original $30,000 negative cost of this feature. Director Elmer Clifton was at the end of a long trail of directing and writing low budget westerns after starting in 1918. Over the decades, he helmed Rex Lease, Kermit Maynard, Texas Rangers, Johnny Mack Brown, Don Barry, even Buck Jones. He first hooked up with Gilbert and Dix during Jimmy Wakely's SONG OF THE SIERRAS ('47).

BORDER OUTLAWS (1950 Jack Schwartz Prod./United International/Eagle Lion)
Rustlers of Douglas Woods' cattle are receiving smuggled diamonds in exchange for beef from a black-cloaked Phantom Rider - not too difficult to figure out it's Bill Kennedy posing as an easterner who can't ride well at Spade Cooley's Dungaree Dude Ranch. Enter special agent Bill Edwards, a 6' 5" lanky, low-key non-actor who came from rodeo into westerns at the tail end of the era. He left acting and became an artist creating covers for paperbacks as well as painting fine art scenes. Edwards died in 2000 at 81. Edwards and Cooley join forces to track down the gang (John Laurenz, George Slocum, Johnny Carpenter). Maria Hart, as Woods' niece, sings one song while Spade and the boys fiddle around. Stuntman/director Richard Talmadge has his brothers --- the Metzetti Boys --- perform all sorts of tumbling routines as comedy relief. Different --- but out of place! So low budget that not even one head of cattle is seen in this rustling story!

As the decade of the 1950s drew to a close, Spade's popularity had faded and he no longer had a TV show. He had developed a heart condition and had some minor heart attacks. He tried to develop an amusement/theme park but that California real estate venture went bust.

Things got even worse.

Donnell Clyde 'Spade' Cooley is remembered for the beating and murder of his (second) wife Ella Mae Evans Cooley in July, 1961 for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Ella Mae Evans had once been a vocalist in the band, and the story goes that Cooley believed she was having an affair with a well known B western movie star. His fourteen year old daughter witnessed the brutal murder. A model prisoner with hopes of an early 1970 parole, Spade was given permission to leave prison to perform at a benefit concert. After concluding that November 23, 1969 performance, he passed away from a heart attack.

You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral and check the California Death Records database and the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). The SSDI has a record for: Donnell Cooley, born 17 Dec 1910, passed away Nov 1969, last residence of Vacaville, California 95688 (that location was the prison). The California Death Records database has the following info: Donnell C. Cooley, born 12/17/1910 in Oklahoma, and passed away on 11/23/1969.

Jim Tipton's Find A Grave website has a photo of the marker for Cooley who is interred at Chapel of the Chimes Memorial Park, Hayward, California. Note that the grave marker shows his full name as Donnell C. Cooley Sr.: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6948