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(Courtesy of Dorothy Hack)

Herman Hack is the Indian pointing to the sky in one of his earliest film roles in the Bob Steele starrer, HIDDEN VALLEY (Monogram, 1932). Prone on the sacrificial altar is Ray Hallor who portrays heroine Gertrude Messinger's brother. Herman's initial film appearances occurred in 1931.



(Courtesy of Dorothy Hack)

Above from L-to-R are lawman Earl Dwire (standing), Gordon Clifford, Perry Murdock, John Wayne, the moustached Herman Hack (as a Deputy) and Reed Howes in a scene from PARADISE CANYON (Lone Star, 1935).



(Courtesy of Dorothy Hack)

Above from L-to-R are Stanley Blystone, Tom London, Herman Hack, old codger Jack Duffy and Gaylord (Steve) Pendleton in a scene from TRAIL'S END (Beaumont, 1935), which starred Conway Tearle.



(Courtesy of Dorothy Hack)

Above from left to right are Archie Ricks, Herman Hack, Kit Guard (with his bowler/derby hat) and Bob Steele in a scene from Steele's KID COURAGEOUS (A. W. Hackel/Supreme, 1934).



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Bob Custer's finale as a western movie hero was SANTA FE RIDES (Reliable, 1937) which was released in early 1937 but filmed in late 1936. In this, Reliable tried to make a singin' cowboy out of Custer ... who lip-synchs tunes ... badly. Supporting musicians and singers included Lloyd Perryman, Rudy Sooter, Curley Hoag and Oscar Gahan. In the above lobby card, Custer is landing a right to the jaw of Charles 'Slim' Whitaker while prolific henchman Herman Hack looks on from the right. SANTA FE RIDES was also Custer's last movie appearance - he retired after completing this western and did not do any support/bit roles in later films.



(From Old Corral collection)

From L-to-R in this lobby card are Eleanor Stewart, kindly ol' Lafe McKee and Bob Allen putting the grips on Wally Wales/Hal Taliaferro.  Herman Hack is the player between Allen and Taliaferro/Wales. THE RANGERS STEP IN (Columbia, 1937) was Allen's finale as a series western hero.



(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above from left to right are George Chesebro, Ray 'Crash' Corrigan, Budd Buster (top hat), Jimmy Aubrey, Archie Ricks and Herman Hack in a saloon scene from the Range Busters BOOT HILL BANDITS (Monogram, 1942). The partial face behind Corrigan's left shoulder is Richard Cramer doing barkeep duty.



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above is a handful of mid 1940s baddies and henchies --- from L-to-R are Herman Hack, Tommy Coats, Fred Graham, Bud Geary and Buck Bucko in a scene from CHEROKEE FLASH (Republic, 1945), which starred Sunset Carson.



Hack wore a rather unique gunbelt, and you can see it pictured on the left ... and in the images above and below. You can also spot his multi-colored gunbelt in the Bob Allen lobby card above.




(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Herman Hack, Henry Wills, Cliff Parkinson and Tom London in THE SAN ANTONIO KID (Republic, 1944), one of the Red Ryder series starring Bill Elliott.



(Courtesy of Dorothy Hack)

Above from left to right are Bobby Blake, Herman Hack and Allan Lane from one of Republic's Red Ryder films.



Stephen Lodge remembers Herman Hack

(Courtesy of Stephen Lodge)

Above from L-to-R are Bobby Lodge, Herman
Hack and Steve Lodge at Corriganville, 1951.


When my mother, brother, and I visited the set of The Gene Autry TV Show, shooting at Corriganville in 1951 (I was eight-years-old), it was only the second set I had ever been on. My excitement was overwhelming, as was my brother Bob's, and we went around asking everyone wearing a cowboy hat for their autograph. Under one of those hats, was the most friendly, smiling face I had ever seen --- it belonged to a sweetheart of a man by the name of Herman Hack. He didn't seem to be like the other actors --- I mean, he didn't seem to be an actor. He acted like a genuine, out-of-the-old-west, cowboy --- a cowboy like I had imagined a cowboy would act like if I ever met what I thought a real cowboy should be. He talked to my brother and myself on our own level. He knelt down so we could look him in the eye, and he told us all about a pilot for a new series he had just filmed called, Frontier Parson. He told us he had been the star. Mom took a picture of Bobby and me standing with Herman, and it's always been one of my favorites. Later on, I would work with him on several shows I did when I was in the costuming end of the business, and we always said hello, reminiscing about our meeting that day out in Simi Valley at Corriganville. Some years after he'd passed away, I was working on a show and saw the last name of "Hack" on a list of extras. I located the woman with the name, and it turned out she was Herman's daughter. She was surprised I knew who her father was --- by name --- because most Western fans only knew him by his face: third bad guy from the left; or fourth posse member, etc. My memories of Herman Hack are good ones. So, If you know what he looked like, then keep on looking --- you're bound to see him in nearly every old B-Western ever made, and now you should be able to put a name to that more-than-friendly friendly face.

Stephen Lodge
January, 2004


Stephen Lodge passed away in 2017. But there are many articles on western TV and movie people that he wrote about. Go to: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticles_all.asp?Authorid=12206


Larry Scott remembers the Hack Family
Got several e-mails from Larry Scott in November-December, 2003. As a youngster, Larry lived across the street from the Herman Hack family. Larry writes:

"The street Herman Hack lived on was North Laurel Ave, in the 500 block. This was an area somewhat central to many of the studios in Hollywood. Laurel is west of Fairfax and the 500 block is south of Melrose Ave. I am not sure of the house number, it might be 533 or 535. He had two daughters, their names were Dorothy and Dolly. Remember this was around 1949 to 1953, and I could be mistaken. The garage was in the back yard behind a gate and I only saw the contents when I occasionally played there. What I recall seeing were many racks of outfits, including buckskin shirts and pants and other western outfits. I had next to no contact with Herman and I don't recall his daughters talking about his movie work."


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