| There were various players who wound up doing duty as a more serious helper to the hero. Occasionally, they would get into some comedic difficulties, but their primary role was not as a comic or buffoon. Several could be considered as 'second leads', and a few could even sing. Others often portrayed the heroine's brother or the son of the ranch owner ... and seemed to be constantly in trouble. |
 (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above is John James (1910 or 1914 - 1960) with George 'Gabby' Hayes and Wild Bill Elliott in MAN FROM THUNDER RIVER (Republic, 1943). I have no biographical info on John James, other than his probable birth and death years. He appeared in 50+ films during a period from about 1940 through the early 1950s. This included about two dozen Republic films, mostly westerns and serials, from 1941-1947. From the late 1940s into the early 1950s, James worked at Monogram/Allied Artists doing westerns with Jimmy Wakely and Bill Elliott.
 (Courtesy of Ed Phillips) Above is Bob Nolan (1908-1980). Nolan, Roy Rogers (Leonard Slye) and Tim Spencer formed a trio in the early 1930s, and the group matured and expanded into the Sons of the Pioneers, the most influential of the B western singin' groups. The Canadian born Nolan, whose real name was Robert Nobles, was also a proficient and prolific songwriter, and among his creations are Cool Water and Tumbling Tumbleweeds. Nolan and the SOP did tunes and helper duty with Charles Starrett at Columbia. But he and they are probably best remembered for all their appearances in Roy Rogers films. The eternal question about Nolan and his career: how come he was never offered a solo shot as a movie cowboy hero/lead? There's a section on the Old Corral devoted to Bob Nolan (and the Sons of the Pioneers).
 (From Old Corral image collection) Above is Russell 'Russ' 'Lucky' Hayden (real name: Pate Lucid) (1910-1981). He was a member of Paramount's production crew prior to co-starring in the Hopalong Cassidy films of the late 1930s. Hayden then went on to co-star with Charles Starrett at Columbia ... moved to his own starring series at Columbia ... and then some other western and serial filmwork as the B film era faded. In the 1950s, he and former child star, Jackie Coogan, starred in the COWBOY G-MEN TV series, and Hayden wound up producing cowboy TVers such as 26 MEN and JUDGE ROY BEAN. You'll find expanded coverage on Hayden in the 'Heroes' section on the Old Corral homepage.
 (From Old Corral image collection) Above is James 'Jimmy' 'Shamrock' Ellison (real name: James Ellison Smith) (1910-1993). He was the original trail partner to William Boyd in the early Hopalong Cassidy films, and was replaced in that series by Russell Hayden. Ellison was groomed to become a bigger name by Paramount, 20th Century Fox and RKO, but he was unable to fully make the transition to a star of A grade features. In the early 1950s, he was the second lead to Johnny Mack Brown at Monogram. He then retired and became a successful California contractor and home builder. You'll find expanded coverage on Ellison in the 'Heroes' section on the Old Corral homepage.
 (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above is Dennis 'Denny' 'Smoky' Moore (1908-1964), real name: Dennis Meadows. Moore couldn't land a job as a solo hero in a cowboy series. He did a brief stint as one of the three heroes at the tail end of the Monogram Range Busters series. Later at Monogram, he was the saddle pal to Jimmy Wakely. When Johnny Mack Brown left Universal, Moore came in to give Tex Ritter a hand in a film or two. And PRC used Moore several times as the helper to both George Houston and Bob Livingston in the Lone Rider series. Moore had better luck in cliffhangers, and was the hero in several, including RAIDERS OF GHOST CITY (Universal, 1944) and THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES (Republic, 1945). A decade later, Moore was the star/co-star in the last two serials that were filmed, BLAZING THE OVERLAND TRAIL (Columbia, 1956) and PERILS OF THE WILDERNESS (Columbia, 1956). Moore also had a lot of screen time as a villain, and you'll find "more on Moore" in the Villains & Supporting Players section on the Old Corral.
 (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above, from L-to-R are Jim Bannon, Whip Wilson and Phyllis Coates. Bannon (1911-1986) was the hero of the serial DANGERS OF THE CANADIAN MOUNTED (Republic, 1948) and was the trail pard to Whip Wilson in his later Monogram films. He also portrayed Red Ryder in a brief series around 1950 for Eagle-Lion films, and played 'Uncle Sandy North' in the short-lived ADVENTURES OF CHAMPION TV show for Gene Autry's Flying A production company in the 1950s. In the 1950s, Bannon was the lead in a proposed Red Ryder TV show and a pilot episode was filmed. But the series never made it onto the little screen. You'll find expanded coverage on Bannon in the 'Heroes' section on the Old Corral homepage.
 (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above, Georgia born Raymond Otis 'Ray' Whitley (1901-1979) was a great western singer and songwriter ... he was in films with George O'Brien, Tim Holt, Jimmy Wakely, Rod Cameron, more, where he was the hero's helper or just around to add western tunes. Among Whitley's songwriting credits is Gene Autry's theme song, I'm Back In The Saddle Again. Whitley did star in some western musical shorts in the mid 1940s. But the same question arises (as with Bob Nolan): how come Whitley didn't get a shot at being a full-fledged screen hero? You'll find expanded coverage on Whitley in the 'Heroes' section on the Old Corral homepage. Whitley is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. When you get to the site, click on 'Hall of Fame': http://www.nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com/
 (From Old Corral image collection) Above is Tex Harding (1918-1981) (real name: John Thye). He was the "singing sidekick" to Charles Starrett in about a half dozen Durango Kid escapades in the mid 1940s, and Harding also did a Durango in the late 1940s. |
 Rand Brooks (1918-2003) portrayed 'Lucky Jenkins' to William Boyd in the last dozen Hopalong Cassidy oaters which were released by United Artists in the mid to late 1940s. Brooks, whose full name was Arlington Rand Brooks, Jr., was also 'Corporal Randy Boone' in THE ADVENTURES OF RIN TIN TIN TV show. In the late 1930s, he was at MGM doing teen roles in the Andy Hardy films and more. His most remembered role is probably as 'Charles Hamilton', the ill-fated first husband of Scarlett O'Hara in GONE WITH THE WIND (MGM, 1939). Brooks' first marriage was to Stan Laurel's daughter Lois. After he left Hollywood, Brooks formed Professional Ambulance Service which grew into the largest private ambulance provider in Los Angeles County. He sold the company in the mid 1990s and he and his second wife Hermaine retired to the Santa Ynez Valley near Santa Barbara, California. Brooks passed away on September 1, 2003.Jim Tipton's Find A Grave website includes information on Brooks' interment at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7832354 |