Jack Perrin

(From Old Corral image collection)

Above from L-to-R are Joe De La Cruz, Jayne Regan, Perrin, Slim Whitaker and Tom London in THE CACTUS KID (Reliable, 1935).

During a Hollywood career that spanned about 40 years, Jack Perrin did lead work, supporting roles and bit parts under his own name as well as Jack Gable and Richard (Dick) Terry.

Perrin was born in Three Rivers, Michigan on July 25, 1896. Biographies mention that Perrin's father was into Real Estate, and the family moved to Los Angeles soon after the century change, and that's where Jack attended school. Some bios also note that his first work in and around the film industry was about 1915 with the Keystone Kops.

We do know that he served in the Navy during World War I. And from 1919-1921, Perrin was under contract at Universal, appearing in various films including the lead in two reel oaters. After the Universal period, he starred in some sagebrush cheapies released under the Rayart, Arrow and Aywon logos for directors such as Harry S. Webb and Robert J. Horner. Around 1927, Perrin was back at Universal doing mountie films, many of which featured the black Rex, King of the Wild Horses. By that time, Jack was riding a white steed by the name of 'Starlight', billed as 'The Wonder Horse'.

During all of this, Perrin was a prolific cliffhanger hero, starring in THE LION MAN (Universal, 1919), THE FIGHTING SKIPPER (Arrow, 1923), SANTA FE TRAIL (Arrow, 1923), RIDERS OF THE PLAINS (Arrow 1924), THE VANISHING WEST (Mascot, 1928), all of which were silents.

He met leading lady Josephine Hill while doing a film together at Universal. In 1920, they married, and would remain together until their divorce in 1937.

Perrin was a busy actor, working all over, and doing leads and supporting roles in westerns, melodramas and serials. He seemed to have all the credentials necessary for stardom in talking pictures. He was billed second in one of the earliest B western talkies, OVERLAND BOUND (Raytone, 1929), which starred Leo Maloney. He also had the lead in another serial, THE JADE BOX (1930), which was released in both sound and silent versions.

Several of Perrin's silent westerns are available on tape, including SHOOTIN' SQUARE (1924), THE MAN FROM OKLAHOMA (1926), and the mountie film, WHERE THE NORTH HOLDS SWAY (1927).

But luck would not be kind to Perrin and Starlight. There were some starring films ... including more ultra low budget collaborations with Harry S. Webb and Robert J. Horner. And then Jack and Starlight were with Bernard B. Ray, Webb and Reliable Pictures for some features as well as the series of 'Bud 'n' Ben' shorts which featured rotund Benny Corbett as the sidekick. Sandwiched in among all of this was JAWS OF JUSTICE (Principal, 1933), with Perrin as a RCMP and billing himself as Richard Terry.

(From Old Corral image collection)

Left are Jack Perrin, Virginia Brown Faire, and Perrin's 'Wonder Horse' Starlight in a scene from RAINBOW RIDERS (Reliable, 1934), one of Faire's last films ... and one of Perrin's last starring westerns.

Perrin's last hurrah as a leading man was in a brief series churned out by he and William Berke under their Berke-Perrin 'Blue Ribbon' logo. Am unsure whether that 'Perrin-Burke' relationship meant that Perrin was involved in the financing ... and/or production ... and/or simply the star, with Berke handling the production and directing under his Lester Williams pseudonym.

The ad below appeared in the trade papers, announcing the "6 dynamic action dramas" for 1936 by Berke-Perrin productions. Only four were completed and released.

WILDCAT SAUNDERS (Atlantic, 1936) has Jack as boxer Wildcat Saunders who needs to get back into fighting shape. A training camp is set up at a ranch ... and the plot involves the robbery of a fortune in gems. HAIR-TRIGGER CASEY (Atlantic, 1936) has Army officer Perrin returning to his ranch to find alien smuggling. DESERT JUSTICE (Atlantic, 1936) has Perrin as a former Policeman whose brother (future stuntman Dave Sharpe) is involved in bank stickups. GUN GRIT (Atlantic, 1936) has FBI agent Perrin traveling out west to thwart a gang who are stealing cattle and then pushing a 'protection racket' scheme on the local ranchers.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

I thought these were quite good, and Boyd Magers also had some positive comments. I pulled the following from Boyd's Best (and Worst) of the West reviews webpage:

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above, Perrin, Braveheart, and a very young Dave Sharpe before his stuntman days at Republic, in GUN GRIT (Atlantic, 1936), one of the four 'Blue Ribbon' westerns from Perrin and William Berke.

Apparently, Perrin had long recognized that his starring career was going downhill ... or he just needed some extra bucks. So, while playing the lead in an occasional sagebrush yarn, he also did bit and supporting roles in other movies (often billing himself as 'Jack Gable' or 'Richard Terry'). Thus, in the early to mid 1930s, he can be spotted in Ken Maynard oaters at Tiffany and World Wide, with Tom Tyler at Reliable, in serials for Nat Levine's Mascot Pictures, and more.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Frank Crane, Louise Gabo, a smiling Jack Perrin (billed as Jack Gable), Tom Tyler, Roberta Gale, George Chesebro and Tom London in Tyler's MYSTERY RANCH (Reliable, 1934).

As best I can recall, Perrin's last meaty role was as Davy Crockett in THE PAINTED STALLION (Republic, 1937) chapterplay. From then on, the parts got smaller and he dropped further down in the cast listing. Around 1950, his friend William Berke was doing films for Robert L. Lippert, and Perrin wound up with some small parts in those. Perrin's last film credit is around 1960. I've not found any reference to Perrin doing work with circuses or traveling shows.

Apparently, he was able to bank or invest some money, and his retirement was pleasant. Perrin died of a heart attack on December 17, 1967. You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral, and then to the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for: Jack W. Perrin, born 7/25/1896 in Michigan, Mother's maiden name of Zerele, and he passed away on 12/17/1967. There is a corresponding record in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).

Les Adams' database lists about 240 sound film credits for Perrin. This includes 123 westerns and 24 serials. His work at Republic consisted of bits and supporting roles in about a dozen films during the period 1937-1948. A filmography on Perrin's westerns and serials is included in this writeup.

Perrin was not the only silent movie hero that failed to sustain their stardom in talkies. Lots of others met the same fate, including Wally Wales, Jay Wilsey (Buffalo Bill, Jr.), Buddy Roosevelt, Buzz Barton and Bob Custer. I thought he deserved a bit better and wish he had an opportunity to do some work with better production companies. He and Starlight looked good. On the downside, Jack was not very accomplished in the 'choreographed film fight', and much of his fisticuffs appear to be flailing around and wrestling. Jack Perrin is another of the forgotten western movie heroes.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Perrin, Tom London, Roger Williams and Oscar Gahan in a lobby card from WILDCAT SAUNDERS (Atlantic, 1936).

The Motion Picture Herald and Boxoffice polls were conducted from about the mid 1930s through the mid 1950s. With a few exceptions, the annual results would list the 'Top Ten' (or 'Top Five') cowboy film stars. In most cases, the winners were what you would expect --- Autry, Rogers, Holt, Starrett, Hoppy, etc. Jack Perrin never achieved a ranking in these polls. However, it should be noted that the polls did not begin until the mid 1930s, which was at the end of his work as a western film hero.

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Jack Perrin: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0674741/

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science Special Collections, Margaret Herrick Library, includes the "Jack Perrin papers". This was the link the Perrin collection, but it is no longer working and I could not find the new link: http://www.oscars.org/mhl/sc/perrin_138.html