Evelyn Finley 1916 - 1989

(Courtesy of Minard Coons) Evelyn Finley, soaking up the sun in a two-piece swimsuit, circa 1940s.

The great female equestrians of the movies included Nell O'Day, Betty Miles and a few others. Evelyn Finley was one of these top riders ... she certainly was far better than most of the male cowboy stars of that period.  Finley played the heroine role in over a dozen 1940s westerns --- with Tom Keene, Tex Ritter, and the Range Busters at Monogram, and with Buster Crabbe at PRC (Producers Releasing Corporation). But her best work was stunt doubling and riding for many of Hollywood's more famous lady stars (such as doubling for Loretta Young in ALONG CAME JONES (1945) which starred Gary Cooper). You can see Finley at her ridin' best in the Johnny Mack Brown GHOST GUNS (Monogram, 1944). Apparently, Monogram needed to fill out some time on this feature, so they included several minutes of Finley's riding and JMB's gun twirling. As a blonde, Finley (using the screen name of Eve Anderson) was the heroine in the Columbia serial, PERILS OF THE WILDERNESS (1956). Les Adams has Finley identified in about two dozen films and that includes 16 westerns and 1 cliffhanger. Les adds: "in Paramount's TAKE IT BIG (1944), Evelyn Finley has a short but pivotal role as cowgirl Violet Thompson and helps Harriett Hilliard organize a group of cowgirls to save the old Bar X." You may also want to visit the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral, and then check the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for Evelyn Ruth Finley, born 3/11/1916 in Arizona, Mother's maiden name of Osborne, and she passed away on 4/7/1989. There is a corresponding record in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Evelyn Finley.  Click HERE.

(Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above, from L-to-R are Evelyn Finley, John "Dusty" King, Max Terhune and Dave Sharpe in a scene from TRAIL RIDERS (Monogram, 1942).  Appears that Sharpe doesn't approve of King's romantic interest in Finley. Above, from L-to-R are Dave Sharpe, Evelyn Finley and John "Dusty" King in a lobby card from THE TRAIL RIDERS (Monogram, 1942). (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above from L-to-R are Max Terhune, Ray "Crash" Corrigan, Evelyn Finley and Dennis Moore in COWBOY COMMANDOS (Monogram, 1943), one of the last of the Range Busters westerns. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above ad from the pressbook of SHERIFF OF MEDICINE BOW (Monogram, 1948).