Born: November 12, 1920 in Gracemont (Caddo County), Oklahoma
Name: Winifred Maurice Harrison
Father: Maurice Greely Harrison
Mother: Azalee Belle "Dot" McAdams Harrison

Sunset's brothers and sisters --- lots of questions, not many answers:

Alese (sister - doctor in San Francisco) ?

Azalee (born 1927) ?

Peggy (born 1934) ?

Chloie (born 1938) ?

Herman D. Harrison (born 1923) who is probably Dale ? (photo and info below) Sunset introduced him as his younger brother and/or his twin brother; last residing in Texas?; appeared in several of Sunset's later Walt Mattox/Astor films as "Dale Harrison" and "Dale Carson".

1st wife: Patricia Eleanor Hussey (born in Canada)

Married: August 22, 1938 in Yuma (Yuma), Arizona
Marriage License: Yuma, Arizona; E. M. Winn, officiating; used names of Winifred Maurice Harrison of San Jacinto, California and Patricia E. Hussey of Oakland, California
Children: Ann Caleen Harrison, born March 29, 1940, Vallejo, California

2nd wife: Betty Jo Price

Children: Michael
(More info on Betty Jo Price and Michael below.)

3rd wife: Margaret J. Nesbitt:

Married: August 15, 1969
Son and daughter born while Sunset was in Australia with Wirth Circus circa 1970 ?

4th wife: Jean J. Davis

Married: June 17, 1989

Social Security application dated June 30, 1937:

Name: Mickey Harrison
Birth date and location: November 12, 1918, Plainview, Texas
Parents: Maurice G. Harrison and Azalee B. McAdams
Signature: Mickey Harrison

Death Cerificate shows:

Died: May 1, 1990 in Reno (Washoe), Nevada
Birthdate: November 12, 1926
Birth location: Texas
Spouse: Jeane Jackson

Tidbits/comments/e-mails:

Sunset's birth year has been reported in various publications and biographies, as well as in statements from Sunset, as: 1918, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927

E-mail from Sue Parrish: "My mother went to school with him - but not at Plainview, Texas. It was at Earth-Springlake, Texas."

E-mail from Jerry Whittington: "Sunset's driver's license showed his birthplace as Plainview, Texas and birthdate as November 12, 1927."

E-mail from Boyd Magers: "This comes from Bill Thomas of Florida who was Sunset's manager for a while. Sunset lived with him for 6 months. I've acquired some of Sunset's personal belongings from Bill and a raft of rare family photos. Sunset was born in 1924! Father was Maurice Harrison. Mother's name forgotten by Bill. Sunset's younger sister is Alese who is now (or at least was) a doctor in San Francisco. Sunset's younger brother was Dale Harrison and was in a couple of the Walt Mattox pics (SUNSET CARSON RIDES AGAIN and FIGHTING MUSTANG). Last known to be selling heavy equipment in Texas. Sunset had two kids, born to he and wife Margaret (reportedly a "little bitty thing") ... names forgotten ... while Sunset was in Australia with Wirth Circus. This would be around 1970. Boy reportedly still in Australia. Daughter unknown wheraeabouts."

In November, 2003, I received several e-mails from "Mimi" Combs and her son-in-law Tom Sutherland, and have summarized their info as follows: Betty Jo Price and Sunset Carson had a son named Michael. After she and Sunset divorced, Betty married Mimi's brother, Dr. Edward Johnson who was a Harvard Medical School Graduate and an Orthopedic surgeon in Atlanta, Georgia for many years. Ed passed away in 2002. Betty died in 1993. Ed adopted Mike and raised him as his son. He was only 4 years old when Ed married Betty. Michael James Johnson was killed in a tractor accident on his farm in Autauga County, Alabama on November 16, 2003. He was 55 years old.

In October, 2004, Bob Blevens e-mailed with information he found in the 1930 Federal census. Note there is no twin brother named Dale and the family resided in Hale County, Texas (Plainview, Texas is the County Seat of Hale County).

• Texas, Hale County, Justice Precinct 4, Enumeration District 95-13, Sheet Number 8-A, Enumeration Date 18 Apr 1930, response status as of 1 Apr 1930 (Census Day).
• Lines 45-49, Dwelling 155, Family 160.
• Harrison, Maurice G., Head, home owned, farm, male, white, age 32, married, age 21 first marriage, did not attend school after 1 Sep 1929, can read and write, born GA, parents born GA, can speak English, Farmer, general farming industry, owner, employed, non-veteran.
• Harrison, Azalee, wife, female, white, age 31, married, age 20 first marriage, did not attend school, can read and write, born TX, parents born TX, can speak English.
• Harrison, Winifred, son, male, white, age 9, single, attended school, born OK, parents born TX.
• Harrison, Herman D., son, male, white, age 6, single, attended school, born OK, parents born TX.
• Harrison, Azalee G., daughter, female, white, age 2-2/12, single, did not attend school, born OK, parents born TX (the 2-2/12 for Azalee's age is two years and two months).

In early 2005, Bruce Remick e-mailed with some additional info and comments: "... I noticed a question about the identity of Sunset Carson's brother, Dale. From the 1930 Census, it seems likely that in the family of Maurice and Azalee Harrison, son Herman D. Harrison, 6, was in fact Winifred's brother "Dale" (Herman Dale Harrison) who apparently went by Dale rather than Herman. FYI, according to Census records, Sunset Carson's father, Maurice G. Harrison, appears in Gum Log, Union County, GA in the 1900 census in the family of John C. and Cara E. Harrison. Maurice was 2 years old (Feb 1898). John Harrison eventually moved to Caddo County, OK."

In July, 2005, received confirmation from Charles E. Powell on the full name of Sunset's brother Herman D. Harrison: Herman Dale HARRISON, male, born 12 Oct 1923, Gracemont, Caddo Co, OK.

A variety of newspapers carried the death info on Sunset who passed away at the Washoe Medical Center (Reno, Nevada) on May 1, 1990:

"Sunset Carson, 63, a 1940s cowboy movie hero, died Tuesday (May 1, 1990) in Reno, Nev., one day after winning a settlement in a three-year-old suit over money earned from some of his old pictures. He was 63. Mr. Carson apparently suffered a heart attack in his hotel room in Reno."
"Sunset Carson, 63, an actor who starred in low-budget Western films, died on May 1, 1990 of an apparent heart attack."
"Sunset Carson, a 1940s cowboy movie hero, died one day after winning a settlement in a three-year-old lawsuit over money earned from some of his old pictures. Carson, 63, died Tuesday at Washoe Medical Center after apparently suffering a heart attack in his room at the Ponderosa Hotel."