The Tansey's in Hollywood

(Courtesy of Jerry Cristman)

Bob Tansey - mid 1940s

Robert Emmett 'Bob' Tansey

1897 - 1951

Bob Tansey was a jack-of-all-trades, working behind the camera as a producer, director, screenplay/script author, assistant director, production manager, et al. And in 1920s silents, he appeared in front of the camera.

In the mid 1930s, he was working for producer William Pizor's Imperial Pictures on the Wally Wales two-reel shorts, with producer Paul Malvern on the John Wayne Lone Star/Monogram oaters, and for producer Ed Finney on the Tex Ritter westerns released through Grand National.

Then Tansey began a lengthy association with Monogram Pictures, initially doing stories and scripts, and later directing and producing. His credits at Monogram include westerns with Jack Randall, Tom Keene, Tim McCoy, the Range Busters, and Ritter. Tansey also formed the Trail Blazers with oldtimers Hoot Gibson and Ken Maynard. He was also in charge of Ken Maynard's last starring film HARMONY TRAIL (Walt Mattox, 1944), which featured singin' cowboy Eddie Dean. Astor released that film in 1947 under the title of WHITE STALLION. He did another with Dean, WILDFIRE (Action Pictures/Screen Guild, 1945), a horse picture filmed in Cinecolor which starred Bob Steele.

Tansey's next stop was at Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) where he initiated the Eddie Dean Cinecolor oaters, several of which featured a black-garbed Al LaRue before he became 'Lash'.

While some criticize Tansey's film output, he was able to stay alive (thrive) in an environment with miniscule budgets and production niceties ... and he did it longer than most, working up until his death in 1951. Tansey's finest film creation was probably the Dean and LaRue Cinecolor sagebrush adventure WILD WEST (PRC, 1946) (which was later released in a B&W version titled PRAIRIE OUTLAWS).

Tansey utilized a variety of names during a sound film career that lasted about 25 years --- over 40 years if you go back to the silent film period. He was Robert Emmett Tansey, Robert Tansey, Bob Tansey, Robert Emmett, Al Lane, Bobby Lane.

The Motion Picture Almanac lists his birthdate and location as June 28, 1897 and Brooklyn, New York, and he passed away on June 17,1 951. You may also want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral and check the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for: Robert Emmett Tansey, born 6/29/1897 in New York, passed away on 6/17/1951, and his Mother's maiden name was Purcell. There was no record in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).

You may want to read some of Al 'Lash' LaRue's comments and quotes about his early meetings and involvement with Robert Tansey at PRC in the mid 1940s. Go to the Old Corral section on Lash.

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Bob Tansey. Click HERE.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Lots of Tansey family involvement in this one! Wally Wales (later Hal Taliaferro) and Merla Bratton shown in left inset from THE LONE RIDER (William Pizor/Imperial, 1934). The "directed by Robert Emmett" was Bob Tansey, and the "Jim Sheridan" was an early alias for his brother Sherry Tansey. Not mentioned above is the screenplay credit to Bob Tansey, writing as "Al Lane".

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above, Wally Wales versus Sherry Tansey in this lobby card from ARIZONA CYCLONE (William Pizor/Imperial, 1934). Directed by Sherry's brother, Robert Emmett Tansey.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above is the 1938 roster for Monogram Pictures, which included Robert Tansey as one of the Production Supervisors (producers).