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(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above is a very gray and bearded Bob Livingston (1904 - 1988) of Three Mesquiteers fame signing autographs ... starred in THE VIGILANTES ARE COMING (Republic, 1936) and THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN (Republic, 1939) cliffhangers ... left Republic studios and became the Lone Rider at PRC in 1942 after George Houston gave up the role (Houston died in 1944) ... then returned to Republic to take over the Eddie Dew / John Paul Revere series.  When his starring career was over, Livingston wound up playing villains at Columbia, RKO, Monogram.  Livingston's real name was Robert Randall, and his brother Jack Randall starred in some Monogram westerns in the 1930s and early 1940s.  Jack was killed in a horse fall during the filming of a serial in 1945.  Western film fan Bob Siler communicated to me that "Bob and Jack Randall are buried in a locked private garden area of Forest Lawn and the only way in is with a key ... according to Jack Randall's death certificate, he was thrown from his horse and hit a tree ...".


Someone appears to have the "drop" on Bob Steele, whose real name was Robert Adrian Bradbury, but has been incorrectly identified as Robert N. Bradbury Jr. for years.  Steele's father was Robert North Bradbury Sr. (real name: Ronald E. Bradbury), and he was a B-western director and screenwriter whose career spanned the 1920s-40s.  Bob would often star in his father's films. 
(Courtesy of Minard Coons)
Bob Steele (1907-1988) ... was in films from the 1920s - 1970s, mostly as the star in his own western flicks ... other film appearances included the roles of "Curley" in OF MICE AND MEN and gunman "Canino" in Bogart's THE BIG SLEEP.  ... wound up portraying Trooper Duffy on TV's F TROOP. 
(Courtesy of Minard Coons)



(Courtesy of Minard Coons)
 On the left is Marshall Reed (1917-1980), western bad guy of the 1940s in lots of Monogram and PRC oaters ... star of one of the last serials, RIDING WITH BUFFALO BILL (Columbia, 1954) ... and one of the detectives in the 1950s TV show THE LINEUP (1976 photo).


Signing autographs is Clarence Lindon "Larry" "Buster" Crabbe (1908-1983) ... Gold medal swimmer in the 1932 Olympics ... often billed as the "King of the Serials" for his portrayals of Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Red Barry, Tarzan, more ... star of the long-running Billy the Kid/Billy Carson western series at PRC in the 1940s with Al "Fuzzy" St. John as his sidekick ... was CAPTAIN GALLANT OF THE FOREIGN LEGION on 1950s TV. 
(Courtesy of Minard Coons)


Right is Jim Bannon ... radio performer who also did pictures ... starred as Jack Packard in several "I Love a Mystery" features for Columbia in the mid-1940s ... star of the serial DANGERS OF THE CANADIAN MOUNTED (Republic, 1948) ... went on to become the 4th cinema Red Ryder (after Don Barry, Bill Elliott, Alan Lane) in 3 or 4 mediocre color westerns that were released by Eagle Lion around 1950 ... Bannon (and Allan 'Rocky' Lane) also did pilots for TV programs based on the Red Ryder character, but neither pilot was picked up for broadcast ... Bannon played 'Uncle Sandy North' on the early 1950s TVer THE ADVENTURES OF CHAMPION, one of several programs produced by Gene Autry's Flying A Production company. 
(Courtesy of Minard Coons)



(Courtesy of Minard Coons)
 On the left is Fay H. "Reb" Russell (1905-1978) ... Northwestern University football hero ... played briefly for the Philadelphia Eagles pro football team ... and in 1934-35, Reb saddled a white gelding named "Rebel" and rode the Hollywood trail in about a dozen low budget westerns for Willis Kent ...and then retired from movie life.


Right are Doris and Eddy Waller (1889-1977). Waller is best remembered as "Nugget Clark" in the Allan 'Rocky' Lane westerns at Republic Pictures. Was also the range helper in the early 1950s TV western, STEVE DONOVAN, WESTERN MARSHAL, and then he portrayed the train conductor on the CASEY JONES TVer with Alan Hale, Jr. 
(Courtesy of Minard Coons)



(Courtesy of Minard Coons)
 Tristram "Tris" Coffin (1909-1990) ... usually played a slick, slippery baddie in lots of cliffhangers, mystery and western films ... star of the Republic serial KING OF THE ROCKET MEN (1949) ... star of the 26 MEN TV show ... appeared in numerous TV shows during the 1950s and 1960s (including I LOVE LUCY and SUPERMAN).



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