'Al' 'Fuzzy' St. John Real name: Alfred St. John 1893 - 1963

Alfred St. John was a native Californian, and his first screen appearances occurred around 1913 in comic films at the Mack Sennett studio where his uncle, Fatty Arbuckle, was working.  In those early days of silent films, St. John became a member of the Keystone Kops.  He did comedies for various production companies during the 1920s and early 1930s, in both silent and talkies.  By the mid 1930s, St. John began specializing in cowboy sidekick roles, portraying a character that ultimately would be fine tuned into the 'Fuzzy Q. Jones' screen personna that endeared him to so many western movie fans.

Scuttlebutt is that the 'Fuzzy' nickname occurred during the Fred Scott singing westerns at Spectrum in the 1930s --- apparently, they were trying to hire 'Fuzzy' Knight, but something happened and Al St. John was brought in for sidekick duties ... and he was given, or began using, the nickname of 'Fuzzy' at that time.  Another bit of scuttlebutt about 'Fuzzy' --- supposedly, when Buster Crabbe was getting ready to do his CAPTAIN GALLANT OF THE FOREIGN LEGION TVer, he wanted 'Fuzzy' St. John as his helper ... but somehow, 'Fuzzy' Knight got the call.  Believe it or don't!

(Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are a youngish Al St. John, Caryl Lincoln and Bob Steele in LAND OF MISSING MEN (Tiffany, 1930). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above, Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams as 'Two-Gun Smith' and Al St. John as 'Stoney Martin' in THE LAW OF 45's (Normandy/First Division, 1935), the first screen adaptation of William Colt MacDonald's 'Three Mesquiteers' novels. From L-to-R are Art Jarrett (as "Lucky"), Lee Powell (as "Stormy") and Al St. John (as "Fuzzy") during TRIGGER PALS (Grand National, 1939).  This was to be the initial entry in a new trio western group, but the series was not continued because of financial difficulties at Grand National. Click HERE for a title lobby card image from TRIGGER PALS.

Fuzzy was the trail pal to singing cowboy Fred Scott at Spectrum Pictures and Jack Randall at Monogram.  At PRC, he became the helper to Bob Steele (Billy the Kid), George Houston (Lone Rider), Bob Livingston (Lone Rider) and Buster Crabbe (Billy the Kid/Billy Carson).  During the early 1940s, he even spent some time helping Don 'Red' Barry at Republic Pictures.

St. John and Crabbe did 36 oaters, and ol' Fuzz took center stage in a couple of the films, FUZZY SETTLES DOWN (PRC, 1944) and HIS BROTHER'S GHOST (PRC, 1945).  His comedy bits and hijinks were plentiful. Examples: In THE DRIFTER (PRC, 1944), Fuzzy does a routine on a bicycle. And in WILD HORSE PHANTOM (PRC, 1944), St. John gets attacked by a large bat (which may have been the same bat used several years earlier in the Bela Lugosi starrer THE DEVIL BAT (PRC, 1940)).

Above, Fuzzy and Al 'Lash' LaRue

When the Crabbe series ended in 1946, he saddled up with the bullwhip-cracking, black garbed, Al 'Lash' LaRue (above), who had just been given his own starring series at Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) after being featured in several of the Eddie Dean singing westerns.  LaRue and St. John were together for about five years, and their last film was released in 1952.

Now for some trivia on St. John and his Fuzzy character. Al St. John did his "Fuzzy" bit in 80+ westerns. In those films, he was "Fuzz" ... or "Fuzzy" ... or "Fuzzy Jones" ... or "Fuzzy Q. Jones". Coming close was William Boyd who was Hopalong Cassidy in 66 Hoppy adventures plus a guest appearance in THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH. But the winner is Gene Autry who portrayed "Gene Autry" in 88 of his 90 starring films for Mascot, Republic and Columbia (check the Autry filmography on the Old Corral).

Paul Dellinger authored the Old Corral page on Lash LaRue, and he included some LaRue comments about Fuzzy which I've included below:

• Fuzzy was an angel unaware, as far as I'm concerned", said LaRue.  "He was a wonderful guy, and I wish he were still here to see how long the films had lasted ... he was the greatest ad lib artist in the world.  He could stumble over a matchstick and spend fifteen exciting minutes looking for what he stumbled over."

• He would talk about Fuzzy as a separate person", LaRue recalled.  "Hey, that would be something for Fuzzy to do," he would say about a bit of comedy business.

• LaRue, who later went through a drinking problem of his own, recalled Fuzzy having had one and said he couldn't understand why.  "Then I met his wife", LaRue said.  "And then I understood."  "He and Fuzzy became friends, but not at first", LaRue noted.  The change came one day when Fuzzy told him, "Hey, I wasn't gonna like you.  But you're all right".

Rick Albright checked the 1930 online census database and found the following info on Al, his wife, parents and Los Angeles home address. Appears that Al and his wife were living with Al's father and mother.

April 1930, 4418 Greenleaf St., Los Angeles; Enumeration District 633.
Alfred ST. JOHN, son, age 37, married at age 22, born California, actor.
Yvonne ST. JOHN, daughter-in-law (Al's wife), age 33, married at age 15, born France, no occupation.
Walter ST. JOHN, head-of-household (Al's father), age 78, married at age 27, born Ohio, no occupation.
Nora N. ST. JOHN, wife (of Walter), age 58, married at age 20, born Indiana, no occupation.